The Journal of Sustainable Forestry provides a linkage of silviculture and the underlying biology: tree physiology, morphology, and genetics. As such, it elucidates the scientific principles and techniques of controlling, protecting, and restoring the regeneration, composition, and growth of natural forest vegetation as well as plantations, agroforestry, and silvo-pastoral systems.

The scope of the Journal of Sustainable Forestry is broad. It encompasses topics from biotechnology, physiology, silviculture, wood science, economics, and forest management. New research pertaining to enhancing the sustainability of forests is considered and encouraged, including papers at the molecular, cellular, whole tree, and forest level. Research results dealing with above- and below-ground perspectives are also published in the journal.

The journal focuses not only on the sustainability of forests as providers of fuel and lumber, but integrative aspects of agroforestry and sustainable agriculture insofar as forest crops are concerned. Issues that are addressed include:

While there are journals that deal individually with these various disciplines, the Journal of Sustainable Forestry brings them together and puts them in one forum. The articles focus on new and integrative approaches to the topic and emphasize diversity, creativity, and innovation. It is indeed a welcome publication for both academics and forest managers.