A study finds that some basic work is being done in Asia to improve teak growing stock, but not yet at a scale to impact timber production

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A series of ITTO projects have helped strengthen forest statistics in Gabon, but the full implementation of a national system requires more support from government

The ITTO Tropical Forest Update is published quarterly in English, French and Spanish. The French and Spanish editions are usually posted about one month after the English.

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Sustainable forest management (SFM) has always been a goal of foresters. The trouble is, the concept of SFM has changed. Once, foresters learned mainly about sustained timber yield—how to calculate it, measure it and achieve it in the forest. Now, the profession has many more concerns: biodiversity conservation, community involvement, and a rapidly changing marketplace, to name only a few. In the tropics, the forestry profession is beset with problems ranging from illegal harvesting and disputed land tenure to the high profitability of alternative land-uses and competition in international timber markets. Given the changing nature of the challenges facing SFM in the tropics, international treaties set up to meet them must also evolve.

Content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of ITTO. ITTO holds the copyright to all photos unless otherwise stated. Articles may be reprinted without charge providing the Tropical Forest Update and author are credited and the editor notified (tfu@itto.int).

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Reports on the 39th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council and the 6th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests

Local communities in the Tapajós National Forest are positive about logging but should be more involved in both management and the sharing of benefits

The projects summarised here were financed at the 39th session of the International Tropical Timber Council in November 2005