Retirement from academia freed Dick’s time to dive into applied aspects of

forest soils, which he supported by working as the director of research and development for Temple-Inland Forest Products Corporation in Dibol, Texas (1999–2006). Dick’s career included a wide and deep set of contributions to his profession, students, and colleagues. He was an instructor in the Organization for Tropical Studies field courses in Central America from 1970 through 1999. He served both the Soil Science Society of America (including chairing the Forest, Range and Wildland Soils Division) and the Society selleckchem of American Foresters (he was elected a Fellow of the SAF). Dick authored and coauthored over 100 refereed publications, co-authored

(together with Dan Binkley) three editions of the textbook Ecology and Management of Forest Soils. The publishers, editors, and readers of Forest Ecology and Management are particularly indebted to Dick for his 18 years of leadership BIBW2992 nmr as co-editor-in-chief of the Journal. Dick shepherded the Journal through more than half of its existence, overseeing the period of major growth with a 5-fold increase in annual production of the best research articles in the field. Forest Ecology and Management’s status as the top international journal in the field is just one of the hallmarks of Dick Fisher’s career; we thank him, and we miss him. “
“The Brazil nut (BN)1 tree (Bertholletia excelsa, Bonpland, 1808) is currently

classified as vulnerable to extinction ( IUCN, 2010). Its conservation status is attributed to extensive seed gathering, which is said to compromise the regeneration of the over-exploited populations, and to deforestation, which reduces the species’ biogeographical range. That harvest pressure may result in vulnerability is controversial. This issue continues to divide those who support ( Wadt et al., 2008 and Zuidema and Boot, 2002) the ecological sustainability of BN extraction from those who deny that such sustainability BCKDHB is possible ( Peres et al., 2003). In contrast, BN vulnerability due to habitat loss is clearly a direct consequence of the conversion of Amazon forests into agricultural fields ( Escobal and Aldana, 2003) and pastures ( Clay, 1997). Medium to large farms and cattle ranches are responsible for nearly 70% of total Amazon deforestation (Fearnside, 2005). Indigenous and extractive populations stand out as historical antagonists and as a force for political resistance against latifundium expansion (Allegretti, 1990 and Campos and Nepstadt, 2006).