> From: Nelson Wong <nelson@MGATE.MTC.COM.MY> > > The question here is not whether old-growth forests are a renewable > resource but whether timber by itself is a renewable resource. Secondly, if > one wishes to discuss about whether current management practices are > sustainable. One should compare timber with base metals. The fact that metal is nonrenevable and wood is renevable is not at all the whole question. A couple of ore mines probably do not lead to species extinction over a geograohical region (e.g. ecoregion) but the cutting of old-growth forests affects a lot more species because of the large area and may lead to species extinction. I think we can't secure that no species will get extinct. That may even take place in natural ecosystems. But I hope we can maintain habitats for all species at some areas so that large numbers of species do not get extinct. > In my country, 80 per cent of the material in the wooden furniture > industry comes from rubberwood. The rubberwood comes from the rubber tree > plantations. Is this a problem ? Could be if the plantations take such a large area that natural ecosystems areas are reduced to nonrenevable amounts. Lauri Valsta Metla (Forest Research Institute) Unioninkatu 40 A FAX +3580 625 308 FIN-00170 Helsinki E-mail: lauri.valsta@metla.fi FINLAND Home Page: http://www.metla.fi/~valsta/lauri.html
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