Tropical timber meeting

Ttre management, protection and utilization of the world's tropical moist forests will be the subject of an international conference to be held in Brazil by the (FAO) - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Dr. B. K. Steenberg, FAO assistant dhector-general in charge of forestry, says that preparations are being made for a Technical Conference on Tropical Moist Forests to be held from 22 September to 3 October 1975, either in Rio de Janeiro or Brasilia. Silviculturists, environmentalists, wildlife biologists, specialists in logging practices and the technology and economics of wood industries in the tropics will be among those expected to contribute to the meeting. Ttrere will also be study tours in the Amazon forests before and after the conference.

Land use in tropical forest areas, said Dr. Steenberg, will be a major subject of discussion. Ttris will include such questions as which kinds of tropical ecosystems should be classifi.ed as "of exceptronal value" and made into reserves such as national parks, and which ones lend themselves to systematic long-term management as renewable resoutces for the production of timber and other forest products. T'he conference will also examine the question of conversion of natural forests into man-made forests as well as the need for land for additional food,production in the tropics.

Environmentalists are expected to take up the subject of how maninduced changes afiect different kinds of tropical ecosystems and which tropical forests within these ecosystems can best or least tolerate man's activity.

Since there has never been a truly comprehensive world survey of forests, only crude estimates of global totals are possible. According to these estimates there are nearly four thousand million hectares of forests in the world, of which almost two thousand million hectares are in tropical regions. Of the latter, approximately 7fi) million hectares are tropical moist forests. The conference will confine itself to tropical moist forests at altitudes up to 1,300 metres (4,000 ft.).

Tropical forests, although intensively used in some parts of the world, are by and large underutilized. The much greater number and wider variety of species of trees in the tropics as opposed to

Temperate Zone forests make management and exploitation of tropical forests difficult and expensive. In addition, much of the world's tropical forests are located far from major world markets and are, for the most part, in developing countries which often lack the infrastructure-roads, ports, services and supporting industries-necessary for putting them to full economic use.

The tropical forests which at present contribute the most to world trade are located in Southeast Asia, followed by Latin America and Africa. Concern among governments of countries in these areas of the world about the best ways to manage and utilize their forests is frequently expressed at international forestry meetings held at the FAO.

Uncontrolled agricultural expansion and indiscriminate cutting for timber have often resulted in serious and widespread erosion, droughts and floods in tropical areas of the world. Many experts even predict the ultimate disappearance of tropical moist forests if this trend is allowed to continue. Allowing forests to remain unmanaged and underutilized, however, is seen by many governments as a wasteful practice which they can ill afford.

Tropical Hardwood Background

Trade in tropical timber has surged to new highs during the past 10-15 years. However, due to a substantial increase in demand by other countries, the United States is finding it more difficult to obtain adequate supplies of tropical timber.

Due to world-wide conditions the situation is expected to worsen, not ease. Domestic hardwoods are not sufficient to meet the demand. In short, there exists today a world-wide shortage of hardwoods.

The tropical timber resources of the world are found in three major areas of the tropical rain forest: (1)

Latin America, (2) Africa, and (3) Asia. In total. some 75Vo of the world's hardwood forests are contained in the three regions mentioned.

Although relatively plentiful, there are problems associated with the use of tropical timber. Tropical timber is found scattered throughout vast, remote areas in developing countries and include a great variety of hardwood tree species, many of which have not been identified.

Brazil alone is said to have some 7,000 different tree species, of which more than 200 are presently considered suitable for commercial use; yet, only 60 are being utilized. Inventory data from the Amazon area indicate that it takes

35 species to make up 50% of the stand volume in one forest type. To obtain the remaining 50% would require more than 200 additional species.

Systematic research shows that an increasing number of heretofore neglected species are suitable for commercial use. In addition, removals usually leave stands which are partially damaged and depleted of primary species. In many cases less than 25Vo of the stands are actually utilized. If the knowledge of secondary species were expanded, a larger volume of tropical wood for commercial use would be possible. It may even prove feasible to relog those areas which were logged earlier for primary species only.

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