Relict forest

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.


Is it wrong to call a forest which has been left unchanged for years ''a relict forest?'' or should I use ''old-growth forest'' instead?

 

[GoesStation]

In the United States, ''old-growth forest'' means "forest that has never been logged since Europeans colonized the continent." I don't think we have a term for forests that have been left alone for shorter periods.

"Relict forest" wouldn't mean anything to me. We rarely use the word relict.

 

[Rover_KE]

Rachel, in what context did you encounter these phrases?

 

[GoesStation]

On second thought, I'm sure foresters have a term for forests that have re-grown after being logged. It would be specialized vocabulary, though, which would have to be explained to general readers.

 

[jutfrank]

I've just learnt that relict is a word.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Rachel, in what context did you encounter these phrases?

My friend wrote a travel guide article and she mentioned the forest we have here in Georgia.

 

[Rachel Adams]

In the United States, ''old-growth forest'' means "forest that has never been logged since Europeans colonized the continent." Yes, that's kind of forest we have to describe in our travel guides.
Perhaps I can use ''old-growth forest instead''?

 

[Tdol]

In the United States, ''old-growth forest'' means "forest that has never been logged since Europeans colonized the continent."

I have heard old-growth and ancient used in BrE.

 

[GoesStation]

In the United States, ''old-growth forest'' means "forest that has never been logged since Europeans colonized the continent."

Yes, that's kind of forest we have to describe in our travel guides.
Perhaps I can use ''old-growth forest instead''?

American and Canadian readers would understand it to mean "never logged in recorded history". If that describes the forest in question, your use of the term is correct.

 

[SoothingDave]

I've just learnt that relict is a word.

The opposite of "derelict."

 

[Rover_KE]

My friend wrote a travel guide article and she mentioned the forest we have here in Georgia.

Rachel, please give us the context in post #1 rather than #7!

 

[Tarheel]

My friend wrote a travel guide article and she mentioned the forest we have here in Georgia.

Do you have only one?

 

[Rachel Adams]

OK. But the last ''article'' isn't really an article, it's just the list of the places that tourists can visit in that area. So I don't really have the context.

 

[Tarheel]

OK. But the last ''article'' isn't really an article, it's just a list of the places that tourists can visit in that area. So I don't really have the context.

Unless it's the only such list, I would use the indefinite article.

Being a top eleven list might make it unique.
;-)