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For many years people have been working in tropical countries harvesting and managing their forests, continually seeking improvement in both areas. Now organizations, governments, and private industry are improving upon that legacy of stewardship.
Just a few examples of many achievements being made in sustainable forest management by tropical developing counties include the following:
- Ghana has established conservation status for each of its tree species and practices high quality forest management in its Forest Reserves.
- Cameroon restricts harvesting to mature trees that must have reached a minimum girth.
- Bolivia has reforested land degraded by agriculture and cattle grazing in the Santa Cruz area.
- Brazil has strict forestry laws to ensure proper management of its forests and continually monitors its producers.
- Malaysia manages its forests to meet internationally recognized standards and has adopted a forest policy that takes into account biological diversity, input from local communities, and the enhancement of ecotourism.
Encouraging uses for tropical woods from sustainable managed forests is one of the best ways to recognize these achievements, while protecting and conserving the world’s environment and forests. By specifying and using tropical woods from sustainably managed forests, architects, designers, wood products manufacturers, and consumers are financially supporting efforts directed at sustainable forestry, reduced impact logging, and other good forest management practices.
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Tropical wood also has other environmental benefits. It is one of the few renewable resources that is recyclable, biodegradable, and energy efficient. The manufacture of wood products is more beneficial to the environment in regard to air, water and atmospheric pollution than most other construction materials, especially those that require heat during the manufacturing process.
The tropical forests maintain their economic value as a resource to be tended and nurtured when forest products from sustainable managed forests are purchased.
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Reports on the real progress being made in tropical forest management can be found at the Web site of the International Tropical Timber Organization – www.itto.or.jp. Other organizations working to develop systems that establish or recognize good forest management throughout the world’s forests include the African Timber Organization, the Ghana National Standard and Committee on Certification, the International Standards Organization, the Indonesian Ecolabeling Institute, the Malaysian National Timber Certification Council, the Pan European Forestry Council, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and the Forest Stewardship Council. Back to top
Forests cover about 1/3 of the earth's land surface. About half of those forests are in developing countries where economic development is the highest priority. Over ninety percent of tropical rainforest loss comes from clear cutting for agricultural purposes and for fuel for cooking and heat, NOT from trees harvesting for wood products.
Many tropical countries are making strides in achieving sustainable forest management. This is due, in no small part, to improved government policies and the development and implementation of better forest management practices. Some specific examples include:
Country Initiatives
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Cameroon
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Ghana
- Guyana
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
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