The need for a comprehensive reassessment of the Regional Forest Agreements in Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 266 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Lindenmayer ◽  
David Blair ◽  
Lachlan McBurney ◽  
Sam C. Banks
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecology ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Ecosystem Integrity ◽  
Critically Endangered Species ◽  
Forest Industries ◽  
Forest Values ◽  
Regional Forest

Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) are State–Federal agreements underpinning the management of the majority of Australia’s commercially productive native forests. Introduced between 1997 and 2001, they were designed to deliver certainty to forest industries while, simultaneously, guaranteeing environmental protection, including the conservation of biodiversity. Using examples, we argue that RFAs in some jurisdictions have failed to do either. We strongly recommend a comprehensive reassessment of RFAs. This is needed to: (1) take into account significant new knowledge on forest ecology and management that has been gathered in the past 20 years, including updated prognoses for some critically endangered species; (2) better evaluate the full range of wood and non-wood products and services provided by forests; (3) accommodate new methods of forest inventory and more environmentally sensitive silvicultural systems; and (4) better account for the impacts of natural disturbances, such as fires, on the area available for logging, sustained yield, and forest ecosystem integrity per se. Without a substantial overhaul of the RFAs, there is a significant risk of undervaluing the full range of native forest values, exacerbating species declines, and permanently damaging forest ecosystems.

scholarly journals Ant recolonization of rehabilitated bauxite mines at Trombetas, Pará, Brazil

1996 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan D. Majer
Keyword(s):  
Full Range ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Rate Of Return ◽  
Habitat Requirements ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
Ant Community ◽  
Bauxite Mines

ABSTRACTAnt species were sampled in three rainforest and 10 rehabilitated bauxite mine plots at Trombetas, in the tropical monsoonal region of Brazil. Rehabilitation ranged from 0 to 11 years in age and was mainly performed by planting mixed native forest tree species. One plot supported single-species blocks of Australian Eucalyptus and Acacia species. Two hundred and six ant species were recorded, of which 82 were exclusively found in the native vegetation, 54 were confined to the rehabilitation and 70 were found in both situations. In contrast with other studies, ant species richness in the Eucalyptus/Acacia plantation was as great as in the areas rehabilitated with native vegetation. The overall rate of return of ant species was considerably greater than in mines situated within subtropical regions of Brazil, Africa and Australia. However, if the greater richness of ants in the native vegetation at Trombetas was accounted for, the proportional return of the original ant fauna was not particularly rapid. The return of ant species slowed as the rehabilitated areas aged. In comparison with forest, the rehabilitation was characterized by proportionately more generalist species and fewer specialists, especially from the soil and litter layers. The full range of habitat requirements for the ant community has not been restored by the eleventh year of rehabilitation and further management may be required to enhance the degree of colonization. It is suggested that the findings for ants may apply to other components of the biota as well.

scholarly journals Futures of tropical forests (sensu lato)

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis E Putz ◽  
Claudia Romero
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Landscape Fragmentation ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
Forest Values ◽  
The Many ◽  
And Shifts

When net deforestation declines in the tropics, attention will be drawn to the composition and structure of the retained, restored, invaded, and created forests. At that point the seemingly inexorable trends towards increased intensities of exploitation and management will be recognized as having taken their tolls of biodiversity and other forest values. Celebrations when a country passes the “forest transition” (i.e., suffers no net deforestation) will then be tempered by realization that what has been accepted as “forest” spans the gamut from short-rotation mono-clonal stands of genetically engineered trees to fully protected old growth natural forest. With management intensification, climate change, species introductions, landscape fragmentation, fire, and shifts in economics and governance, forests will vary along gradients of biodiversity, novelty of composition, stature, permanence, and the relative roles of natural and anthropogenic forces. Management intensity will increase with the increased availability of financial capital associated with economic globalization, scarcity of wood and other forest products, demand for biofuels, improved governance (e.g., security of property rights), improved accessibility, and technological innovations that lead to new markets for forest products. In a few places the trend towards land-use intensification will be counterbalanced by recognition of the many benefits of natural and semi-natural forests, especially where forest-fate determiners are compensated for revenues foregone from not intensifying management. Land-use practices informed by research will help minimize the tradeoffs between the financial profits from forest management and the benefits of retention of biodiversity and the full range of environmental services.

scholarly journals Futures of tropical forests (sensu lato)

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis E Putz ◽  
Claudia Romero
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Landscape Fragmentation ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
Forest Values ◽  
The Many ◽  
And Shifts

When net deforestation declines in the tropics, attention will be drawn to the composition and structure of the retained, restored, invaded, and created forests. At that point the seemingly inexorable trends towards increased intensities of exploitation and management will be recognized as having taken their tolls of biodiversity and other forest values. Celebrations when a country passes the “forest transition” (i.e., suffers no net deforestation) will then be tempered by realization that what has been accepted as “forest” spans the gamut from short-rotation mono-clonal stands of genetically engineered trees to fully protected old growth natural forest. With management intensification, climate change, species introductions, landscape fragmentation, fire, and shifts in economics and governance, forests will vary along gradients of biodiversity, novelty of composition, stature, permanence, and the relative roles of natural and anthropogenic forces. Management intensity will increase with the increased availability of financial capital associated with economic globalization, scarcity of wood and other forest products, demand for biofuels, improved governance (e.g., security of property rights), improved accessibility, and technological innovations that lead to new markets for forest products. In a few places the trend towards land-use intensification will be counterbalanced by recognition of the many benefits of natural and semi-natural forests, especially where forest-fate determiners are compensated for revenues foregone from not intensifying management. Land-use practices informed by research will help minimize the tradeoffs between the financial profits from forest management and the benefits of retention of biodiversity and the full range of environmental services.

scholarly journals UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF THE BRAZILIAN MARKET FOR NATIVE FOREST WOOD: A CASE STUDY FOR MINAS GERAIS STATE, BRAZIL

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thales Guilherme Vaz Martins ◽  
Geraldo Gonçalves dos Reis ◽  
Maria das Graças Ferreira Reis ◽  
Rodrigo Vieira Leite ◽  
Lucas Arthur de Almeida Telles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Solid Wood ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Distribution Centers ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Wood Supply ◽  
Belo Horizonte

ABSTRACT Understanding the Brazilian market for native wood helps forest managers and can guide conservation policies. This study aimed to evaluate the spatial and temporal distribution of supply and demand of the Brazilian native wood for four products namely, charcoal, roundwood, firewood, and sawn wood. We used the consumed wood volume from 2006 to 2016 in Minas Gerais (MG) tracking its supplier in Brazil accounting for 31 million cubic meters. These data were used as input for calculating mean centers and performing grouping analysis. The wood supply centers for the energy sector in Brazil have moved from Cerrado to the Caatinga biome. This change is consistent with historical patterns of agricultural expansion in Brazil. The largest mesoregions producing wood were: East of Mato Grosso do Sul State, South of Goiás State, and Center-South of Bahia State. The solid wood supply centers have moved from the North to Midwest regions but remained within the Amazon biome for almost all the years. This pattern is likely a consequence of timber regulation practices in the Amazon. The mesoregions: Madeira-Guaporé and East of Rondônia State, Southeast and Northeast of Pará State, and North of Mato Grosso State were the most important suppliers of solid wood to MG. Wood consumption for energy is centered in the Center and North regions of MG State, especially in Sete Lagoas, a hub of pig iron and cement industries. Solid wood products are dispersed in MG State, being Belo Horizonte, Conselheiro Lafaiete, Ubá, and Uberlândia the distribution centers of native wood for the furniture industry within MG. The spatial statistics helped to exploit the activity of the native wood market in Brazil and provides essential information for decision-makers that was not previously available.

Tropical forests: much more than stocks of wood

1988 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman Myers
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Resources ◽  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
The Other ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Modern Agriculture

ABSTRACTTropical forests offer many more products than the category for which they are best known, viz. wood products. They can supply a host of raw materials, such as resins, oils, fibres and fruits, which collectively represent a commercial value far higher than is generally recognized. In addition they provide an exceptional abundance and variety of genetic resources, which make substantial contributions to modern agriculture, medicine, industry and energy. On top of these materials, tropical forests supply significant environmental benefits, such as protection of the soil and safeguards for watershed systems. While it is sometimes difficult to quantify the economic values of these diverse goods and services, they are often to be reckoned as equal to, if not higher than, the marketplace values represented by the commercial hardwood timber. Yet when the forests are exploited for their hardwood timber, the process is usually so disruptive to forest ecosystems that the other outputs are severely reduced. By contrast, one may exploit the forests for their other outputs with virtually no disruption to forest ecosystems. The paper describes the main categories of non-wood products available from tropical forests, analyses their relative worth, and offers summarized proposals for an expanded approach to forest development in order to take integrative account of the full range of forest benefits.

The Forestry Picture Today and Forty Years Hence

1969 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 284-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. Drysdale
Keyword(s):  
Economic Impact ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Forest Industries

The forest industries are Canada's most important manufacturing group. They account directly for about 14% of the number of persons employed; the salaries and wages paid; and the amount of capital invested. A rosy outlook is forecast for at least the next ten years with a continuing high demand likely throughout the next forty years. According to estimates it would appear that the demand for wood will exceed the present annual supply about 1990.The increased demand for wood products which is forecast does not automatically guarantee that Canada will continue to play a leading role in supplying world needs indefinitely. A number of problems facing our industry are discussed including the need for modernizing manufacturing establishments in some localities, increasing productivity, and decreasing costs.Studies to determine the total economic impact of Canada's Forest Industries are called for, as well as trend studies to provide guidance as to the best course for future development. Foresters are challenged to ensure that adequate supplies of wood will be available to meet the increased demand.

Short-Term Memory and Language Outcomes After Extreme Prematurity at Birth

1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 654-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josie Briscoe ◽  
Susan E. Gathercole ◽  
Neil Marlow
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Preterm Children ◽  
Language Measures

The performance of 26 children (3;0–4;0 years) who were born before 32 weeks gestation was compared with the performance of 26 full-term children on a range of short-term memory and language measures. The measures tested vocabulary, expressive language, phonological short-term memory, and general nonverbal ability. Preterm children scored more poorly across the full range of measures. The mildly depressed performance of the preterm group on the short-term memory and language measures was attributable to the large deficits on these tests shown by a subgroup of approximately one third of preterm children identified as being "at risk" for persisting language difficulties using the Bus Story Test (Bishop & Edmundson, 1987). The findings indicate that preterm birth and associated hazards may constitute a significant risk factor for specific language impairment in a sizable minority of children.

Cultural, geographical, and sectoral refinements to measures of forest industry dependence

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1380-1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Korber ◽  
T Beckley ◽  
M Luckert ◽  
W White
Keyword(s):  
Census Data ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Forest Industry ◽  
Transfer Payment ◽  
Economic Base ◽  
Base Analysis ◽  
Existence Values ◽  
Forest Values ◽  
Dependence Measures ◽  
Indian Reserves

Economic base analysis is a limited but useful tool for measuring forest dependence. It cannot measure the full range of forest values (e.g., subsistence, amenity, bequest, and existence values). However, economic base analysis utilizes widely available census data to provide accurate measures of communities dependent on industrial forest activity. This analysis includes Indian reserves and rural census subdivisions previously excluded in studies of economic base dependence. Economic base dependence measures are further improved by including a transfer payment sector. This paper presents findings of forest industry dependence measures using 1991 census data. Results show that including Indian reserves and other rural census subdivisions in the analysis increases the number of forest industry dependent places and population in the Prairie Provinces. The addition of the transfer payment sector to the economic base provides a more comprehensive account of the sources that contribute to the economic diversity of rural locations. These geographical and sectoral refinements to economic base calculations result in a more accurate accounting of forest industry dependence.

The global wood market, prices and plantation investment: an examination drawing on the Australian experience

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Clark
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Market Prices ◽  
Wood Supply ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Native Forests ◽  
Wood Resource ◽  
Industry Policy

A global wood shortage generating real inflation-adjusted price increases for wood has been a long and widely-held expectation. This paper assesses the validity of this view by examining global trends in wood and wood-products consumption, developing a model to explain movements in wood prices and testing it empirically. No evidence was found of increasing real prices for wood over the long-term, indicating that there is no looming global wood shortage. A global wood shortage is not predicted because technology is increasing resource productivity, enabling wood products to be made using less wood, and also increasing wood supply. It is superficial to interpret this to mean that there is little to worry about from a native forest biodiversity perspective. The analysis presented in this paper suggests that real prices for wood are likely to continue to fall. This will discourage commercially-driven investment in plantation establishment on existing agricultural land. But industrial pressure will continue for a wood resource that is attractive in cost and quality terms, increasing the risk of biodiversity loss through intensification of native forest management and clearing of native forests for plantations. It is prudent to consider approaches that encourage plantation investment on existing agriculture land using the price mechanism. Currently, much private sector plantation investment is based on price expectations derived from an incorrect view of an imminent global wood shortage. Withdrawing old-growth forests from commodity wood supply is likely to increase wood prices in line with widely-held, though apparently false, expectations and also deliver an absolute best ecological outcome. As increasing volumes of wood become available from maturing plantations, government policy changes will be required to ensure that levels of logging in native forests actually decline rather than new markets being found for native forest wood. Despite its strategic commercial importance, little is known about the potential of the existing global plantation estate to supply wood. Addressing this information gap is a timely task that would enhance industry policy and clarify future plantation investment requirements.

scholarly journals The influence of mechanical surface preparation methods on southern pine and spotted gum wood properties: Wettability and permeability

BioResources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 8554-8576
Author(s):  
William Leggate ◽  
Robert L. McGavin ◽  
Chuang Miao ◽  
Andrew Outhwaite ◽  
Kerri Chandra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Preparation ◽  
Wood Properties ◽  
Face Milling ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Southern Pine ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Surface Machining ◽  
Engineered Wood Products

The demand for engineered wood products (EWPs) continues to rise internationally. However, for some important Australian commercial timbers such as plantation grown southern pine and native forest sourced spotted gum, a major impediment to achieving commercially viable EWP production is difficulties experienced in gluing – particularly for sawn laminate based EWPs such as glulam. Wettability and permeability have a major influence on wood adhesion. This study investigated the efficacy of different surface machining preparations on the wettability and permeability of southern pine and spotted gum. For both species, planing resulted in poor wettability, whereas face milling and sanding treatments post-planing improved wettability. Wettability increased in southern pine earlywood compared to latewood; and wettability decreased for both species with increased time post-surface machining. Planing resulted in the highest permeability for southern pine but the lowest permeability for spotted gum. Face milling resulted in higher permeability compared to sanding treatments.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document