Impact of Herbicides on the Forest Ecosystem, Aquatic Ecosystems and Wildlife: the American Experience

The impact of forestry herbicides on ecosystems, terrestrial and aquatic, is a subject which has received much attention. That attention increased with the publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring in 1962. At that time, several chlorinated hydrocarbons were in wide spread use in the US and around the world, the most well known of which is DDT. Although many of the claims in Carson’s book are still highly controversial, it is clear that DDT posed a threat to constituents of some ecosystems. While DDT was banned for use in the US in 1972, its beneficial uses for protecting human health were recognized and it even has a place in the world arena today. According to the World Health Organization, its beneficial uses in controlling disease vectors far outweigh any human health risks (W.H.O., 1998) and the decision to use DDT until an acceptable replacement can be found has been made, even in the face of considerable opposition due to its known or suspected environmental impacts.