The theme of this session is the interactions among forest canopies, atmosphere and soil and the contributions of these interactions to sustainability of forest functions and ecosystem services. Speakers will address 1) methods for canopy access and research on canopy ecology, 2) vertical and horizontal variation of forest structure and biota, 3) canopy communities and their contributions to ecological processes, 4) current knowledge of canopy interactions with the atmosphere and geosphere, 5) the contributions of intact canopies to sustainability of food, medical and industrial resources, local weather conditions, and wind/storm abatement and 6) educational approaches to public access and appreciation of the canopy and its services. Speakers will address these topics in 15 min presentations (plus 5 for questions/comments).