To realize its most important task, the perpetuation of forest use by the stabilization of the forest itself, forest management must have sound ecological foundations. A steady-state equilibrium in species composition, resulting from unidirectional succession, is not acceptable as a parameter for the stability of the forest ecosystem. Its concept is based on the prevalence of internal control, whereas the frequency of minor and major disturbances, as well as the importance of chronic external influences characterize the forest as a relatively open system. With better results, the stability of a forest can be measured by its resistance to internal and external stress, its degree of resilience and the community control over energy-flow, hydrology and nutrients. Forest management is aware that forest stability is not a permanent state. Therefore silvicultural treatment must control the dynamics of change within limits, set by the physical environment and the biotic components of the forest. Each intervention is to be seen as a purposefully induced and willfully directed perturbation to stimulate and optimalize the internal mechanisms of selfregulation.