Dear Milton: Some of us who plant trees here in the southern US observe higher growth rates from pine plantations (due in part to changes in genotype and improvements in seedling morphology) than we did in 1950. A few tree farmers are also concerned that the current population growth will increase the demand for wood from both natural stands and plantations. Therefore we believe there is a real need to find new ways to increase the growth rates of wood from plantations (due to an increase in population). I personally believe that more natural stands of trees will be harvested if we reduce the rate of establishing tree plantations. (see my paper at http://www.forestry.auburn.edu/coops/sfnmc/class/feign.html) Since I am a member of Zero Population Growth, I was wondering... do you believe the population growth is more of a problem to the "sustainability" of the world or do you think multiple rotations of tree plantations are more of a problem to our "sustainability?" Since I assume you are not currently a member of ZPG, I will be glad to send you a membership application if you agree that population pressure affects our "sustainability" more than advances in tree farming technology. David South At 02:00 PM 2/25/97 -0800, you wrote: >To the FOREST list: > > To me, a "sustainable" system is one which allows people to make >use of the resource at the same level in future generations, say into the >seventh generation yet to come. Michael Pilarski's book, _Restoration >Forestry,_ argues that plantation forestry suffers from declines in >productivity starting in about the third rotation. Hence, plantation >forestry is not "sustainable." > Milton Takei > Eugene, Oregon, USA > <miltont@efn.org> > > David South School of Forestry Auburn University, AL 36849-5418 dsouth@forestry.auburn.edu 334-844-1022 334-844-1084 (FAX) As always, views expressed here are my own (and I am not speaking on the behalf of others). http://www.forestry.auburn.edu/coops/sfnmc/sfnmc.html ========================================================================= The world population is expected to double by the year 2100. Therefore the annual demand for wood for energy (etc.) will increase and might double (to more than 7 billion m3/yr). To provide plantation wood for people in the future, support the planting of trees on pastureland. Set a goal of converting 8 million ha of pastureland/yr for the next 55 years. This would increase tree plantations to about 5% of the world's landbase. ========================================================================= Support Zero Population Growth for the United States http://www.igc.apc.org/zpg/index.html
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