Sustainable production of forest products in Southeast Asia : what products and production systems?

Forest lands and their associated resources have played significant roles in the socio-economic development of most of the Southeast Asian countries. Much of these forests have either been converted into other land-uses such as agriculture, mining and settlement or disturbed due to harvesting of wood and various other products in support of the forest product industries. Apart from these industries, large proportions of the rural populations of these countries are dependent on the forest resources for their livelihood. The forests supply the basic needs in terms of energy, shelter, food, medicines and water of these rural dwellers. There are varying degrees of advances in technologies, utilization and market development in these different countries. Sustainable management of these resources will therefore have to take into consideration these different stages of development, and the ecological, economic and social dimensions of the production and other uses. It must adopt a holistic approach and research must be strategic in nature. Past supplies of forest products have come mainly from the harvesting of the natural forests. Today much of these forests have been exploited or converted into other uses. They are fast diminishing or degraded. However, attempts are being made to put the remaining forests under an appropriate management system with sustainable objectives. Other strategies are also being adopted to meet the expected shortage of supplies due to increased demand following population increases. The increasing reliance on other production systems is emerging in many of these countries. For example interest in plantations, both on a small or industrial scale, has grown in recent years. However, the number of species used is limited to a few, mainly those with fast growth rates. Likewise, increasingly more products are being produced from community forests or on small farms of individual farmers. Various models of agroforestry practices are in use. Other nontraditional sources of cellulosic materials such as oil palm fibers, bagasse and Hevea wood are also fast becoming important particularly in composite industries. Similarly, the utilization pattern has evolved from the selective harvesting of a few limited species of only large dimension to a wide range of species including those of small dimension. Improvements in processing technologies and market development have produced new products and opened more opportunities. Solid wood utilization is giving way to composite products. More uses are finding their way for each species. Besides wood, other parts of trees are being more intensively researched for complete utilization. Multipurpose species are becoming increasing popular. The products obtained can be used for subsistence or cash income, hence growing trees on farm is becoming more attractive.