What is Old-growth forest?
[[Image:Biogradska suma.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Old-growth European [[Beech]] forest in Biogradska Gora National Park, [[Montenegro]]]] An '''old-growth forest''' (also called primary forest, virgin forest, primeval forest, late seral forest, or in [[United Kingdom|Britain]], [[ancient woodland]]) is a [[forest]] that has reached a great age without much disturbance. It has unique [[ecological]] features, and might be classified as a [[climax community]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/741 |title=Defining old growth: implications for management |last=White |first=David |author2=Lloyd, Thomas |year=1994 |accessdate=23 November 2009 |location=Eighth Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference |archive-date=8 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508021455/http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/741 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Old-growth features include various tree-related structures. These provide [[wildlife]] [[habitats]] which increase the [[Biodiversity|bio-diversity]] of the forested [[ecosystem]]. Usually old-growth forests have multi-layered, open canopies.<ref name=Gonzalez>Ramon Bravo Gonzalez, ''NGO influence on forest legislation: experiences from federal forest management in the United States'' (Lunds universitet/Internationella miljöinstitutet 2003), p. 7</ref> The [[weaving |interwoven]] canopy often blocks sunlight from reaching lower trees or the forest floor. The old forests also include varied tree heights and diameters, with large fallen logs (or tree trunks) across the forest floor.<ref name=Gonzalez/> In [[Europe]], less than 7% of forests are old-growth, as mainly due to industrial logging in the 20th century.<ref>Marjatta Hytönen 2001. ''Social sustainability of forestry in northern Europe: research and education'' (Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers, p. 206</ref> In the [[United States]], estimates are that only 10% of old-growth forests remain.<ref>Forest Ecosystem Management Assessment Team (U.S.); United States. Forest Service, ''Forest