INTENSIFICATION OF TROPICAL SILVICULTURE

Abstract

Maintenance, in as natural a state as possible, of many of the world’s 400 million ha of officially designated tropical production forests will ironically require silvicultural intensification in selected portions of some landscapes. Hopefully these intensively managed forests will continue to support abundant biodiversity and continue to provide many other environmental services, but profitable management is key to their survival as forests. While an increasing proportion of the growing global demand for forest products will be satisfied by plantations, most natural forests will certainly not be spared from harvesting.