The Management Of Tropical Moist Forest Lands

This book is a comprehensive guide to fundamental ecological principles in tropical moist forest lands. This edition has been revised to encompass our increased knowledge and understandings of the complexities of forest management. It addresses the cross-cutting issues: the effects of government policies, land allocation and infrastructure development in forest lands. An analysis is made regarding various forest uses: forests for wood, forests for agriculture and forests for nature conservation and environmental protection.

Importance pf tropical forests; characteristics of tropical forests; classification of tropical forests; deforestation in the tropics; management of tropical forests; plantatios and agroforestry systems; approaches for implementing sustainable management techniques.

Humid tropical forests. The context for natural forest management in the age of deforestation. The elusive goal of sustainability in natural forest management. The tropical timber trade and the search for good wood. A broader mandate for natural forest management.

The destruction of the tropical forest is one of the major problems of our time. Vast areas are rapidly becoming wastelands which support only a few tough weeds, perhaps some cattle, and the farms allowed to the poor. This book provides a vision of hope: in Latin America. Africa. And South East Asia, growing numbers of people are developing techniques specifically designed to promote the wise use and preservation of remaining forest lands. However, these grassroots strategies are often ignored in favour of grandiose schemes which inevitably fail. This pattern must be broken now or the tropical forests will be lost forever. Published in association with the Smithsonian Institution. Preface by Michael Robinson, Director, National Zoological Park. Smithsonian Institution Originally published in 1988