forestry

noun

for·​est·​ry ˈfȯr-ə-strē 

ˈfär-

1

: forestland

2

a

: the science of developing, caring for, or cultivating forests

b

: the management of growing timber

Did you know?

This is the management of forested land, along with associated waters and wasteland, primarily for harvesting timber, but also for conservation and recreation purposes. The harvesting and replanting of timber are the primary activities of forestry, and the main objective is to maintain a continuous supply of timber through carefully planned harvest and replacement. The forest manager is also responsible for the application of other land controls, including the protection of wildlife and the protection of forests from weeds, insects, fungal diseases, erosion, and fire. The planned management of forests originated in early medieval Europe, where laws regulated the felling of timber and the use of forests for hunting. In 1891 the US government authorized its first reserves of forested land.

Examples of forestry in a Sentence

She studied forestry in college.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nokia started out in forestry and heavy industries before pivoting to electronics in the 1960s and 1970s, later rising to dominate the global mobile phone market in the 1990s and early 2000s. —Adam Gale, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025

Ultimately, choosing forestry mulching as a first step in land planning can be both pragmatic and principled. —Jon Stojan, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025

Ben Vaughan is an urban forestry project manager for Trees Forever and an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist. —Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025

The fires started on September 22 in the southwestern part of the Etosha National Park (ENP), according to a statement from the ministry of environment, forestry and tourism, published Saturday. —Jack Guy, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for forestry

• agroforestry

Kids Definition

forestry

noun

for·​est·​ry ˈfȯr-ə-strē 

ˈfär-

: the science and practice of caring for forests