Teak has a centuries-old reputation as the king of timbers. It is highly durable, easily worked, attractive, strong and relatively light. It has been used as both a structural and decorative timber in the temples, palaces and houses of the Indian sub-continent for perhaps 2000 years, where its durability has been proved: though popular with priests, princes, carpenters and the common man, termites and fungi tend to shun it.
As short-rotation teak plantations spring up around the tropics, how will this new kind of teak fare in the timber markets of the future?
14 No 1
The prospects for plantation teak
Photo: A. Compost
Full edition
14 No 1
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Teak growers unite!
Photo: H.O. Ma
Teak is one of the pre-eminent timbers of the tropics, but growers and processors need to work together if that status is to be maintained
Making the grade
Photo: H.O. Ma
The challenge for teak-growers is to improve the wood quality of fast-grown trees
How communities can cash in on teak
Community plantation teak initiatives should link with private-sector ventures to increase their access to high-value markets
Teak as social engineer
Photo: Floresteca
Floresteca says that its teak operations are performing significant social services in a poor region of Mato Grosso
Teak and forest management in Myanmar
Photo: Myanmar Forest Department
Myanmar’s natural teak forests are being supplemented increasingly by plantations
Status of forest management in Myanmar
Myanmarese forestry must meet a number of challenges if it is to retain its reputation for excellence
Thinking big about small-scale enterprises
Photo: H.O. Ma
Small-scale forest enterprises play a significant role in India’s forestry sector, but their role and full potential is not completely understood
Small change from climate-change negotiations?
Photo: E. Müller
The latest Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change has set the rules for applying the Clean Development Mechanism to forest-related activities
Out on a limb
India could become a dominant player in the global forest products trade—if its timber sector becomes more transparent
Council’s latest grants
Initiatives in forest conservation, management planning, forest statistics and the development of small-scale forest industries, among others, received funding at the 35th session of the International Tropical Timber Council, held in Yokohama, Japan, in November 2003
Fellowship report
Photo: A. Compost/ITTO
With the assistance of an ITTO fellowship the author has developed a systematic approach to the assessment and monitoring of forest biological diversity
On the conference circuit
Reports on a workshop on criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management, a workshop in China on value accounting for tropical forest environmental resources, and the 7th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
Tropical and topical
Reports recent developments in tropical forestry
Noticeboard
Toolkit for phased approach to certification, RIL software available, making contact, and more
Courses
Short training courses for professionals in forestry and related disciplines
Meetings
A comprehensive listing of coming conferences relevant to sustainable tropical forest management