JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS 1

ISTF NEWS5400 Grosvenor Lane

Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA

Vol. 32 No. 2 • June 2011

Heat Resistance of Balsa Wood In an article, “High-temperature mechanical properties and thermal recovery of balsa wood” [Journal of Wood Science 56(6):437–443 2010] Thomas Goodrich and others present the following abstract (in part):

Balsa is a core material used in sandwich composite structures for applications where fi re is an ever-present risk, such as ships and buildings. This article investigates the thermal softening re-sponse of balsa with increasing temperature, and the thermal recovery behavior when softened balsa is cooled following heat-ing. Exposure to elevated temperatures was limited to a short time (15 min), representative of a fi re or post fi re scenario. The compression strength of balsa decreased progressively with in-creasing temperature from 20° to 250°C. The degradation rates in the strength properties over this temperature range were simi-lar in the axial and radial directions of the balsa grains. Ther-mogravimetric analysis revealed only small mass losses (<2%) in this temperature range. Environmental scanning electron microscopy showed minor physical changes to the wood grain structure from 190° to 250°C, with holes beginning to form in the cell wall at 250°C. The reduction in compression properties is attributed mostly to thermal viscous softening of the hemicel-lulose and lignin in the cell walls. Post-heating tests revealed that thermal softening up to 250°C is fully reversible when balsa is cooled to room temperature. When balsa is heated to 250°C or higher, the post-heating strength properties are reduced sig-nifi cantly by decomposition processes of all wood constituents, which irreversibly degrade the wood microstructure. This study revealed that the balsa core in sandwich composite structures must remain below 200°–250°C when exposed to fi re to avoid permanent heat damage. ❖

Professor LeeAs announced in IUFRO News 40(2):3, 2011; “Professor Don Koo Lee, Immediate Past President of IUFRO, was appointed Minister of the Korea Forest Service on Febru-ary 10, 2011. This is the fi rst time for a university professor to lead the KFS.” [IUFRO: International Union of Forest Research Organizations]

Professor Lee is also the ISTF Country Vice President for Korea. We at ISTF would like to add to those of IUFRO our best wishes to Don for his selection as Minister.

Need for Long-Term Annual Plot DataIn an article, “Assessing tropical forests’ climatic sensitivities with long-term data” [Biotropica 43(1):31–40 2010] Deborah A. Clark and David B. Clark present the following conclusions:

Relating long time series of repeat measurements of the per-formance of representative tropical forests around the world to parallel records of local climatic variation is one promising approach for assessing this biome’s current climatic sensitivi-ties. Although such studies cannot provide certainty regarding how forests will respond in future decades (when temperatures will exceed currently observed tropical ranges), they can reveal which climatic factors are already provoking forest responses in different areas of the world tropics. Such information would improve current vegetation process models, producing more realistic projections of likely futures for these ecosystems.

Based on the analyses and observations presented in this paper, three aspects merit particular attention for this research ap-proach. (1) While long-term forest measurements are underway in many tropical forests worldwide, because multiyear census intervals are nearly universally used, the accumulated data series for most forests is still very small. More broadly imple-menting annual- scale re-measurements (as is underway in the CTFS plots) will greatly speed progress toward suffi cient data series in many tropical forests. (2) Before carrying out analyses for climatic effects on forest performance, investigators need to evaluate the forest-growth data for possible confounding ef-fects of tree ontogeny or stand-level compositional change and then make the appropriate data adjustments. (3) More attention needs to be focused on sites’ climatic records. Greater resources need to be dedicated to climatic monitoring for tropical-forest sites. On-site redundancy for monitoring the most critical cli-mate variables (e.g., manual and automated measurements of daily rainfall and temperatures) and real-time quality assurance can greatly improve long-term climatic records. Issues of data quality are particularly important for long-term records of tem-perature, given the large growth responses found at La Selva over quite small interannual temperature ranges. Investigators should carefully evaluate long-term climate records before using them to assess climatic impacts on forest performance. Given the global implications of fi ndings from such studies, it is criti-cally important to get them right. ❖

2 JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS

The International Society of Tropical Foresters is a nonprofi t organization formed in the 1950s in Washington, DC, by tropical forester Tom Gill. ISTF is dedicated to providing a communications network for tropical forestry disciplines.

ISTF Web Site: <www.istf-bethesda.org>

Board of DirectorsGary S. Hartshorn President and Cornell O. Dudley Regional Director Director at Large for AfricaRoger R. B. Leakey Vice President and Carlos L. Sandi Regional Director Director at Large for Latin AmericaPatrick B. Durst Regional Director for Asia Teija T. Jalaskoski de Reyes Director at Large Vitor A. Hoefl ich Director at Large

Country Vice Presidents

ISTF NEWSISTF NEWS is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the International Society of Tropical Foresters, 5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. Telephone: (301) 530-4514, Fax: (301) 897-3690, E-mail: <istf.bethesda@verizon.net>. Copyright 1981 International Society of Tropical Foresters. ISSN: 0276-2056. Subscription is included with annual membership dues.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND DUES RATES LISTED ON LAST PAGE.Staff

Frank H. Wadsworth, Editor; Jennifer F. Adams, Staff Editor; Patricia Heaton Holmgren, Offi ce Manager; Alicia Bazán Jimenez, Spanish Translator;

Jacob L. Whitmore, Associate DirectorEditorial matters should be directed to: Frank H. Wadsworth, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Jardin Botánico Sur, 1201 Calle Ceiba, San Juan, PR 00926-1119. Telephone: (787) 766-5335, Fax: (787) 766-6302, E-mail: <fwadsworth@fs.fed.us>.

AFRICABenin, Marcel Comlan KakpoBotswana, Frere Sandie AlidiCameroon, Ibrahima AdamouEthiopia, Kidane MengistuGabon, Bourobou BourobouGambia, B. M. TaalGhana, Kwabena TufuorGuinea, Ibrahima K. DialloKenya, Jeff Adhaya OderaLesotho, E.D. MayMadagascar, Henri FinoanaMalawi, Cornell O. DudleyMauritius, Farook NauyockNigeria, Chigbu Eugene UchenduSenegal, Abdoulaye KaneSierra Leone, Emmanuel K. AlieuSouth Africa, Dirk Willem Van

Der ZelTanzania, J. N. SarongeUganda, John R.S. KaboggozaZambia, Freddie Kwesiga

ASIA/PACIFICAustralia, Jonathan CorneliusBangladesh, A. K. M. Fazlul HuqBrunei Darussalam, Yassin Ampuan

Salleh

Fiji, Sairusi BulaiGuam, John H. LawrenceIndia, vacantJapan, Fusho OzawaKorea, Republic of, Don K. LeeMalaysia, Hooi Chiew ThangNepal, Swoyambhu M. AmatyaPapua New Guinea, Philip SiaguruSamoa, Marco KappenbergerSri Lanka, V. R. NanayakkaraTaiwan, King-Tsuen WuThailand, Suree Bhumibhamon

MESO AND SOUTH AMERICAArgentina, Jorge Raúl OttoneBelize, vacantBolivia, Federico Bascopé VargasBrazil, Robert Bamber MarshallChile, Bertram HuschColombia, Luis Jairo Silva HerreraCosta Rica, Jose J. Campos ArceDominican Republic, Jose Daniel

JiménezGuyana, Lawrence LewisHonduras, Omar OyuelaNicaragua, Henry Saravia CruxPanama, Eduardo Castro

Paraguay, Rafael CarlsteinPeru, Rodolfo VasquezSt. Lucia, Brian JamesSt. Vincent & the Grenadines, Nigel

J. WeekesSuriname, Ferdinand L. J. BaalTrinidad & Tobago, Narine LackhanUruguay, Ricardo LarroblaVenezuela, Aníbal Luna Lugo

EUROPECroatia, Boris A. MatejcicCzech Republic, Jindrich PavlisFinland, Harri Vesa Tapani

SeppänenFrance, Fred VoorenGermany, Andreas SchulteNetherlands, vacantPortugal, Fernando PascoaSpain, Simon Cuadros TaviraSweden, Per H. StahlUnited Kingdom, A. Marcus J.

Robbins

NORTH AMERICACanada, Vidar J. NordinMexico, Jorge Luis Bretado VelazquezUnited States, Erin Sills

Phosphorus at the Surface in SabahIn an article, “Distribution of phosphorus in an above-to-below-ground profi le in a Bornean tropical rain forest” [Journal of Tropical Ecology 26(6):627–636 2010] N. Imai, K. Kitayama, and J. Titin present the following abstract:

Ecosystem pool of phosphorus (P) was determined as the sum of above-ground vegetation, roots, necromass and soils to 1 m deep in a tropical rain forest in Sabah, Malaysia. Relationships among soil P fractions, acid phosphatase activity and fi ne-root biomass across soil horizons were also determined to under-stand P availability. Ecosystem pools of P, and of simultaneously quantifi ed nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) were 3.4, 12 and 370 Mg ha–1, respectively. Only 2.6% of the total ecosystem P was in the above-ground vegetation, contrasting to C (60%) and N (16%).

Canopy foliage of dominant tree species showed an extremely high N to P ratio of 31.5, which implied the excessively short supply of P compared with ample N. Soil P primarily consisted of recalcitrant occluded fractions (78–91%) and only 4% was labile. Approximately three-quarters of labile soil P was an or-ganic fraction (Po). The concentration of labile Po did not differ between soil horizons, while both phosphatase activity and fi ne-root density were the greatest in the topsoil (top 5 cm) and dra-matically decreased with depth. This suggests that trees depend on the acquisition of P from the labile Po in the topsoil, despite a greater amount of labile P in the subsoil. Trees with a high foliar N/P ratio may invest N to acquire P from the topsoil by secreting phosphatase that consists of proteins, rather than investing C to extending roots to scavenge P in the subsoil. ❖

Plantation Bird Habitat in BrazilIn an article, “What can tree plantations do for forest birds in fragmented forest landscapes? A case study in southern Brazil” [Forest Ecology and Manage-ment 260(7):1156–1163 2010] G.H. Vol-pato, V. M. Prado, and L. dos Anjos present the following abstract (in part):

We compared the richness and abun-dance of bird species in a natural forest to adjacent plantations of Araucaria, a native tree species and of pine, an exotic plant in South America. Moreover, we evaluated the impact of tree plantations on richness of avian groups with differ-ent levels of dependence on forest habi-tat, feeding habits and foraging strata as well as on threatened species. The fi xed 100 m radius point-counts method was used. A total of 114 bird species were recorded in all areas. Of those, 93 oc-curred in natural forest, 87 in Araucaria plantations and 81 in pine plantations. These results indicate that richness and abundance were lower in the pine plan-tations than in the natural forest and in the Araucaria plantations. Araucaria plantations can be used by a high num-ber of bird species and their richness was not signifi cantly lower than that observed in the adjacent natural forest. Our results suggest that Araucaria plan-tations could act as habitat for a large number of bird species, especially for forest-dependents species, insectivores, frugivores and species at different threat categories. ❖

JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS 3

IUFRO Conference 2010The International Union of Forest Research Organizations held its 23rd World Congress in Seoul, Korea from the 23 to 28 of August 2010. The theme of the Congress was “Forests for the Future: Sustaining Society and the Environment”. During the Con-gress thousands of presentations were made verbally by participating scientists. A special issue of International Forestry Review followed with published abstracts of these presentations. ISTF selected a group of 24 abstracts that appeared substantive and of interest to the membership and presents them here. For those who may want more information the e-mail addresses of the senior authors are added. We have no information regarding publication of the material in full text.

The high value of logged tropical forests: lessons from northern Borneo (in part) by K. Hamer (k.c.hamer@leeds.ac.uk). I use an extensive data-set from a single well-studied site in northern Borneo to examine impacts of selective log-ging and subsequent forest regeneration on both carbon stores and biodiversity across a wide range of plant and animal taxa. I then examine in greater detail how post-harvest management affects both species and functional diversity of selected groups. Results indicate that selectively logged forests can retain sur-prisingly high residual value in these terms, which may then be further enhanced by post-harvest rehabilitation. These data support the notion that international policy objectives relating to net carbon emissions and biodiversity are each likely to be more attainable through proper recognition of the full value of logged tropical forests.

Importance of long-term forest monitoring for informed decision-making on forests (in part) by J. K. Vanclay (jvan-clay@scu.edu.au). Permanent sample plots and long-term ex-periments have helped to reveal important insights into forest dynamics and environmental change, and continue to offer new insights into forest responses to climate change and other environmental impacts. A review of the literature summarizes some key fi ndings drawn from long-term studies and draws at-tention to the potential benefi ts of maintaining and collaborat-ing on such studies. The conduct and studies of long-term for-est monitoring is important, because some fi ndings have been contrary to expectation and have stimulated new directions for research and forest management. Attributes characteristic of monitoring programs are versatile and have offered useful insights. Experience indicates the benefi ts from collaboration and open access to data. Worldwide institutional and funding changes jeopardize many long-term forest monitoring plots, and the paper calls for discussion and action to ensure the con-tinuity of high-quality monitoring efforts.

Management and deployment options of teak genetics (in part) by D. Goh and others (dorngoh@hotmail.com). Despite serious national and international conservation measures implemented recently for preserving teak (Tectona grandis) natural resources, these are still depleting at an alarming rate. Concomitantly, the worldwide demand for this timber, which has incomparable technological and aesthetic features, has continued to grow. There is therefore an urgent need to rely on teak plantations for a readily available and sustainable sup-ply. Given increasing land pressure and socio-economical con-straints, such plantations must produce high yields of premium quality timber with the shortest delays. Being aware of this situation since the early 1990s, YSG Biotech with the collabo-ration of CIRAD, has been developing a comprehensive teak improvement project, which included genetic conservation,

open-pollinated breeding, selection, and clonal propagation components in Sabah, East Malaysia. The selected trees can be clonally propagated by locally developed effi cient nurser-ies and in vitro methods for conservation, testing, breeding, or establishment of highly productive plantations, as either monocultures or agroforestry systems with the application of proper silvicultural practices. Well-packaged, contamination-free, in vitro-produced plantlets can also be dispatched to over-seas destinations for similar purposes.

Using the genetic diversity of mahogany and Spanish ce-dar in plantations in Costa Rica by C. Navarro and S. Ward (carlosmanuelnavarro@gmail.com) Swietenia macrophylla (big-leaf mahogany) and Cedrela odorata (Spanish cedar) are among the world’s highest-value timber species. Extraction of these woods has been mainly in natural forests, and inadequate management of logging and regeneration has caused the deple-tion of many populations. One of the best options for satisfying the high demand for these species is plantations using tech-niques for producing high yields. Plantations of these species can also yield 10 times more return than pines or Eucalyptus for coffee farmers and other forestry operators, and can be competitive with conversion of forest to other crops. Based on patterns of genetic variation observed in microsatellite analy-sis and common garden experiments (neutral and adaptive markers), selection of mahogany for plantations and Spanish cedar for coffee shade is now being done in Costa Rica in con-junction with local producers. For example, seed sources are being selected for C. odorata that are best adapted to location, and for S. macrophylla that extend its use beyond the natural altitudinal range of local sources. Tested Spanish cedar is now being cloned for use as coffee shade over extensive areas by a Costa Rican company. Choice of materials for plantations must keep in mind future climate change.

Establishment of productive forest on ex-mine sites in Indo-nesia: lessons learned from the Newmont Minahasa Raya Co, a gold mining company in north Sulawesi, Indonesia (in part), by I. Mansur and others (irdikam@biotrop.org). Min-ing operations have been regarded as one important cause of tropical forest destruction in Indonesia. The operation involves the removal of forest cover, followed by stripping of soil and dumping of overburden materials. The overburden materials and soil are then used to re-contour the site after the mining operation is completed. The drastic changes, especially soil fertility and lack of plant shade, have become the main cause of failure in the re-establishment of forests after mining. Spe-cies planted were among others commercial timber of local and exotic species, such as Palaquium obovatum, Pterocar-pus indicus, Tectona grandis, Paraserianthes falcataria, and Swietenia macrophylla. Evaluation of the survival and growth

4 JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS

of trees has been made by laying sampling plots and measur-ing trees in blocks rehabilitated from year 2000 to 2007. The results show that all selected species could survive and grow well in the ex-mine site, and some species planted in year 2000 have reached commercial size. Therefore, it is concluded that productive highly commercial forests could be established on degraded ex-mine sites.

Application of mahogany and Spanish cedar research in Mexico (in part), by P. Negreros-Castillo; (pnegreroscastillo@yahoo.com). In Quintana Roo in the late 1980s, enrichment plantings were done under forest canopies and in openings to replenish mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) and Span-ish cedar (Cedrela odorata L.). A study, requested by forest advisers, to evaluate the success of the practice revealed that enrichment planting was unsuccessful under forest canopies but successful in openings. When the forest advisers informed the forest owners, planting under forest canopies was almost immediately abandoned, and enrichment planting was limited to sites that were at least 75% open. The almost immediate application of research results was possible because of the rela-tionship of researchers to forest advisers and forest advisers to forest owners. Researchers need to reach out to forest advisers to establish a relationship that will encourage advisers to raise important concerns and be receptive of research fi ndings.

Integrating rural livelihood needs with silvicultural man-agement for timber harvesting in Miombo woodlands by S. Syampungani (syampungani@cbu.ac.zm). Rural livelihoods are closely linked with the woodland resources in the Miombo ecoregion in southern Africa. Rural economics are based on slash-and-burn agriculture, charcoal production, timber har-vesting and non-wood products. Each land use type has both positive and negative impacts at either the species or stand level. The challenge is to integrate these land uses into sus-tainable woodland management. The paper reviews various ecological studies at individual species and forest ecosystem levels to understand the implications of each land use type in integrated sustainable woodland management. Examples of how each land use affects the status of individual species or forest ecosystem structure and function across the ecoregion are presented. Timber harvesting causes economic extinction of light-demanding timber species, decreases the livelihood of conspecifi c replacement, and increases the risk of collapse of natural successional pathways. Slash-and-burn agriculture and charcoal production increase exposure to sunlight, reduce competition for nutrients, and improve productivity of light-demanding timber species (improved silviculture). Finally, ex-amples are provided on how fruit production can be integrated with woodland recovery stages arising from either slash-and-burn agriculture or charcoal production. The results offer al-ternative options to incorporate rural livelihood needs as a sil-vicultural tool in woodland timber management.

Potential productivity of eucalyptus in Brazil: the key role of water supply (in part), by J. L. Stape and others (jlstape@ncsu.edu). The Brazil Eucalyptus Potential Productivity (BEPP) Project used irrigation and rainfall exclusion treatments across a 1,000-km geographic gradient to examine constraints on short-rotation productivity. Clonal plantations differed by

almost 2-fold in productivity (average MAI of 46 m3 ha-1 yr-1 MAI). These high rates of production depended on sustain-ing high operational rates of fertilization; with no fertilization, production declined by 28%. Irrigation (along with operational fertilization) increased growth by 32%.

Socio-economic implications of chainsaw milling on the ru-ral and national economy of Ghana (in part), by B. D. Obiri and others (bdobiri@csir-forig.org.gh). Commercial chainsaw milling in Ghana is offi cially illegal. Nevertheless, it is the major source of lumber for the domestic market. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of 102 chainsaw lumber stakeholders across eight forest districts in southern Ghana and analyzed descriptively. Results show that price, availability of chainsaw lumber, and weak institutional infrastructure are the key drivers to illegal chainsaw milling, which employs 100,000 people nationwide. In rural economies it contributes signifi -cantly to employment and provides community infrastructure and other benefi ts. More than 50% of chainsaw operators earn 80% of their household income from the practice, considered the best alternative to agricultural income. Stumpage loss to the state from chainsaw operations was estimated at USD 105.7 million. Further, USD 14,200 revenue from payments for ac-cess to trees and conveyance to market was lost through infor-mal payments to law enforcement agencies and local commu-nities. Legalization of the practice, effective monitoring, and regulation of forest revenue fl ows as well as equitable distri-bution of benefi ts to primary stakeholders in timber resource management may curtail revenue loss and sustain livelihoods and forest resources.

Verifying the geographic origin of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) with DNA-fi ngerprints (in part), by B. Degen and others (bernd.degen@vti.bund.de). Illegal logging is one of the chief causes of worldwide deforestation that, by releasing green-house-relevant gasses, contributes to climate change. Moreover, trade with illegal timber and wood products creates market disadvantages for products from sustainable forestry. Although various measures have been established to counter illegal logging and the subsequent trade, we lack practicable mechanisms to identify the origin of timber and wood products. Using eight nuclear microsatellites as DNA-fi ngerprints we have created the basis of a genetic reference database for determining the geographic origin of Mahogany timber in Latin America. We have sampled leaves from 1589 trees from 26 stands from Mexico to Bolivia. We found more than 150 different genetic variants (alleles), a strong genetic differentiation, and a clear correlation between genetic and spatial distances among stands. Based on differences in allele frequencies it was possible to achieve statistical assignment of unidentifi ed individuals (e.g. wood probes) to stands, regions, or countries. Using anonymous wood samples from timber traders we demonstrated the power of the DNA-fi ngerprints to determine geographic origin.

Fruit production of Carapa guianensis: a multiple-use tim-ber species of the Amazon forest (in part) by M. Kanashiro and others (milton@cpatu.embrapa.br). Carapa guianensis is a multiple use monoecious species commercially used both for its high timber value and for the oil extracted from its seeds.

JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS 5

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This species is widely distributed throughout the Amazon, with spatial clumped pattern. Fruit production generally oc-curs during the rainy season from February to March, although scarce production occurs throughout the year. In the region of Santarém (Brazil), we monitored 101 trees with dbh ≥10 cm during the fruit dispersion peak season, which occurred from February to March 2009. On average, 65% of the trees pro-duced fruits, and the average production per tree was 7.5 kg of seed. However, individuals with 30–60 cm dbh showed the highest mean production (8.6 kg/tree), whereas smaller (10–30 cm dbh) and larger trees (dbh > 60 cm) produced signifi cantly fewer fruits. Our results suggest that trees with dbh 30–60 cm should be preferred for seed collection and preserved from log-ging, while larger individuals with dbh > 60 cm could be se-lected for logging.

Limits of selective logging techniques including RIL in tropical forests to sustain timber yields and to achieve sus-tainable forest management in general (in part) by P. Sist and others (sist@cirad.fr). RIL techniques have shown strong limitations in sustaining timber yield within a 30–40 year rota-tion as usually recommended in forest legislation in the tropics. Based on long-term forest dynamics monitoring of the impact of selective logging in permanent sample plots implemented in three continents (Central Africa, Indonesia, and Brazilian Amazon), this paper assesses the main impact of selective log-ging on forest dynamics and ecology of timber species. These results allow identifi cation of the main limitations of selective logging, including RIL, to achieve both sustainable timber yield in particular and sustainable forest management in gen-eral in tropical forests. Silvicultural paradigms common to the three continents can be found, such as the need to limit log-ging intensity and to defi ne specifi c minimum and maximum diameter cutting.

Silviculture and sustainability in the Meliaceae by S. Ward (seward@caribe.net). Forest management must achieve mul-tiple goals for production, biodiversity conservation, and sus-tainability under increasing environmental degradation, and address the divergent interests of stakeholders ranging from local communities to end users. In this diffi cult context the high-value tropical timber species of the family Meliaceae (true mahoganies) pose striking but illustrative management issues. Timber mining, short cutting cycles, low diameter lim-its, insect attack, and neglect of seed trees and conditions for regeneration all pose barriers to sustaining populations and genetic diversity of these species. For example, harvest is usu-ally too high to allow a second rotation, while the forest open-ings created are usually too small for regeneration of these light-demanding species. The application and effectiveness of such measures as enrichment planting, Hypsipyla (insect that destroys apical meristems) management, and timber tracking from forest through consumer must be assessed.

The ban on the exportation of some timber species: impact on the promotion of timber resources, cutting, and tax revenues in Cameroon (in part) by Meyanga Tongo and S.E. Ngouanfo (meyanga_yves@yahoo.fr). The law of 20/01/1994, modifi ed by the decree N° 99/001 of 31 August 1999, was aimed to stop the exportation of some timber species during a 5-year

period. Observations were made in local woods industries, lo-cal woods markets, Douala Seaport, wood depots, and falling site. Those data were collected and ranked chronologically, and analyzed using the gap model. As expected, this measure led to an increase in the local use of prohibited and even unprohibited species, and of domestic wood companies. But on the other hand, there was a sharp fall in the Cameroon timber products revenue. Must government over-tax local wood companies to bridge the gap, or lift the ban on prohibited species? Both de-cisions have far-reaching consequences: a reduction in local wood companies, extinction of prohibited species, and loss of government revenue.

Innovative practices for growing an Acacia-based planta-tion resource in Vietnam (in part) by H. Vu Dinh and others (vudinhhuong@yahoo.com). Acacia plantations will comprise over one third of Vietnam’s target of 2 million ha of plantation forest for pulpwood and sawlog production, much of which is being established on degraded soils. Between 2002 and 2012 four projects, three international and one national, are contrib-uting to an examination of key elements of the silvicultural cycle that can lead to sustainable wood and fi bre yields, and maintenance of the productive capacity of soils. The main fo-cus has been residue, vegetation, and nutrient management. In 6-year-old second-rotation plantations at harvest, retention of slash residues, strip weed control, and addition of fertilizer increased volume growth by 6–13%, 53%, and up to 21%, re-spectively. Overall productivity was higher than in the fi rst rotation. Slash retention led to a signifi cant increase in soil or-ganic carbon and total nitrogen compared to no slash and litter retention. More recent research evaluates the benefi ts of prun-ing and thinning for the production of high quality sawlogs; signifi cant responses in diameter growth were detected within 12 months of thinning.

The use of electronic dendrometer bands to detect re-sponses of tropical trees to drought (in part) by M. Lingen-felder and M. Newbery (marcus@biom.uni-freiburg.de). We present results of a study in a lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, Malaysia. Permanent electronic tree-growth sensors and conventional dendrometer bands were installed on six key tree species along with soil moisture sensors in a long-term research plot. The data so far (monitoring is ongoing) revealed a strong relation of water availability and stem size variation. The trees showed a pronounced daily rhythm of stem water

6 JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS

depletion during the day and refi lling at night. The response to water availability was also visible across weeks and months (mean change: 4.2 mm y–1), with large differences between the individual trees (range: –1.5 to 31.9 mm y–1). We propose that permanent girth monitoring will give an insight to species-spe-cifi c mechanisms of drought tolerance/avoidance and disclose short-term responses of tropical trees to dry events, possibly revealing the (dynamic) intensity of droughts that could lead to irreversible damage to the structural stability of the forests.

Physical and mechanical properties of particleboard panels made from wood industry waste by A. Nuryawan and others (arifnury@yahoo.com). Sawdust from sawmill waste was used as raw material to manufacture isocyanate-bonded particle-board panels. Four different treatments were evaluated-control, samples soaked in cold water for 48 hours, samples soaked in hot water for 3 hours, and samples soaked in fl owing water for 3 hours. Average target density of panels was 0.80 g/cm3. Resin content based on oven-dry particle weight for the experimental panels was 8%. Samples were pressed at 25 kg/cm2 pressure for 10 minutes at 140 °C. Results showed that physical properties of samples (density, moisture content, and thickness swelling) met Indonesian standards (SNI 2105-03-2006). Water absorp-tion values of the samples ranged from 5.71 to 10.72% for 2 hours, and from 15.06 to 23.24% for 24-hour exposure times. Mechanical properties, wet MOR, internal bond, and screw holding strength also met the Indonesian standard (SNI 2105-03-2006). These results suggest that such particleboard panels could be suitable for sheathing or door manufacture. However, dry MOR and MOE of the samples failed. It can be concluded that such particleboard panels are suitable to be used for con-structional purposes. Based on statistical analysis the quality of particleboard without soaking showed better properties than those of than tested after soaked in water.

Increasing the processing yield of plantation hardwoods through innovative processing method by J. Ratnasingam and T. Pew Ma (jegaratnasingam@yahoo.com). The presence of ju-venile wood and tension wood in plantation hardwoods is a com-mon phenomenon, affecting processing yield. A regional study was undertaken in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand to evalu-ate the infl uence of these wood abnormalities on the processing yield of rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis). Further, the rotating saw-dry-rip (SDR) technique was implemented to assess its ef-fectiveness in minimizing the effects of these wood abnormali-ties on the resultant yield. Detailed volumetric production data were collected from 150 saw mills for 6 months. The study found that the average saw milling yield ranged between 29% to 40%. Upon implementing the SDR technique, saw milling yield was signifi cantly improved by almost 5%. It was apparent that by rotating saw logs 180 degrees between cuts, the stresses in the juvenile wood that often lead to warp-causing imbalances were reduced. The subsequent drying of the wood reduces growth stresses by balancing with drying stresses, and, when dried at high temperature (over 85 °C), the fi bre arrangement in the wood was altered by lignin plasticization, which markedly reduced the incidence of fuzzy grain on the machined surfaces of wood with such abnormalities. This technique offers great potential to in-crease the processing yield of plantation hardwoods.

Socioeconomic analysis of the contribution of two palm spe-cies to household incomes in the Brazilian Amazon estuary by J. Cotta (j.cotta@cgiar.org). Non-timber forest products, specifi cally palms, play a major role in livelihood strategies in the Amazon estuary of Pará State, Brazil. Household ques-tionnaires, applied four times over a 12-month period in 2008, assessed household income composition, including the role of açaí (Euterpe oleracea) and miriti (Mauritia fl exuosa) palms in rural livelihoods in four communities in the estuary. Though economic activities in the fl oodplain have historically been di-verse, densities of açaí palms in landholdings have increased substantially in recent years, and today açaí fruit constitutes over one third of net annual household income and over 50% of net on-farm income during half the year. In contrast, miriti palms, which are mainly important for local subsistence and ecosystem health, are declining in abundance, according to information provided during participatory mapping exercises. Nevertheless, for fourteen households dependent on miriti-de-rived income, the palm represented nearly 40% of net on-farm income. Furthermore, miriti represents a signifi cant income gap-fi ller, constituting over 70% of net on-farm income during times of açaí scarcity. Markets for miriti fruit and handicrafts have grown in recent years, however, market forces, coupled with government incentives for açaí intensifi cation, have con-tributed to an economically and environmentally vulnerable production system based on one species.

Contribution of non wood forest products to poverty reduc-tion and food security in central Africa by J. Masuch and others (juliane.masuch@fao.org). Non wood forest products (NWFP) are valuable natural resources that support the liveli-hood of forest dependent people and minorities (women, chil-dren, elderly) involved in their gathering, processing, and com-mercialization. They provide valuable sources of incomes and employment as well as food, medicine and construction materi-als. Using examples from various household and market surveys carried out in Central Africa, this paper argues that NWFP are safety nets for rural people in terms of food security and satisfy-ing basic needs such as getting kitchen accessories, curing com-mon ailments, paying children school fees, procuring important household assets such as cellular phones and televisions, and connecting homes to important utilities such as electricity and portable water. In addition, for many actors involved in the value chains, NWFP provide monthly incomes that are comparable to those of civil servants working in public administrations in the region. The paper recommends the need to develop the value chains of the major NWFP, to improve the management and the regulatory and institutional framework of these resources so that they can continue to enhance the livelihood of the present and future generations that will depend on them.

Rescue of forest timber species at critical extinction risk in Costa Rica by A. Corea, (eugeniocorea@hotmail.com). A Costa Rican commission identifi ed 30 forest timber species at critical extinction risk. Their populations are mainly conformed by few adult trees, isolated or in small groups. Young trees are very rare or absent, indicating serious reproduction limitations and a high probability to be under the minimal viable popula-tion size. In-situ conservation strategy does not guarantee their

JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS 7

survival, even in protected areas. In 2006, INISEFOR started a project aimed to rescue these species, establishing ex-situ genetic collections (seeds, conservation stands, and juvenile gardens) and developing vegetative propagation methods. At present, INISEFOR continues with genetic collections of Ce-drela salvadorensis, Platymiscium yucatanum, Ruagea insig-nis, Paramachaerium gruberi, and Swietenia macrophylla; and successful massive reproductions protocols, through root-ing and acclimatization of mini-cuttings produced in juvenile gardens, achieving more than 90% of the conversion rate. Re-sults show that the methodology developed has great potential for the rescue of genetic variation and for massive reproduction of endangered tropical hardwood species, making possible its reintroduction in ecosystems where they have become extinct or have suffered severe genetic erosion. Furthermore, it can be also the base for its domestication and use in many agro-eco-systems, genetic improvement programs, biotechnology, etc.

The expansion of plantations in Indonesia’s Papua: avoiding deforestation while promoting responsible investments (in part) by H. Komarudin and others (h.komarudin@cgiar.org). Driven by the goals to strengthen the position of Indonesia as a key player in pulp and paper production on the global scene, and to turn this country into a major producer of crude palm oil and biofuels, the government issued policies to expand timber plantations and biofuel estates (mostly oil palm) by a combined 14 million ha over the next 10 years. The ongoing expansion of plantations has raised concern over deforestation and forest degradation and adverse effects on indigenous people’s access to resources in Indonesia’s Papua, the largest intact block of tropical rainforest left in the Asia-Pacifi c region. To address this concern, collaborative research has been undertaken by CIFOR and its partners aiming to (1) better understand the changes taking place in Papua’s forest cover, factors behind the change and likely impacts of to-date and future on rural liveli-hoods; (2) identify legal and institutional frameworks relating to key vectors of deforestation and degradation; and (3) iden-tify recommended options to advance responsible investments and improved forestry investment policy-making. The fi ndings have thus far indicated gaps in legal and institutional settings that hamper sustainable investments and social impacts on lo-cal livelihoods.

The contribution of charcoal to rural livelihoods in the Mi-ombo ecoregion by J. Kwenye and others (in part) (Jane.kwe-nye@cbu.ac.zm). Charcoal is the primary source of energy for the urban majority, and this makes it a lucrative business, for the many Miombo dwellers. It is estimated that 60% of the rural communities depends on the charcoal industry as a source of employment. The demand for charcoal across the region ranges from 76% in Zambia to about 85% in Mozambique. Examples of how charcoal production and trade contribute to the rural liveli-hoods are presented. Furthermore, an analysis of how the pro-duction and marketing of charcoal are structured and operated is also presented. The paper illustrates how some improvements on the distribution and marketing of charcoal can enhance the eco-nomic status and therefore the livelihoods of the rural communi-ties. Furthermore, the paper reviews technological constraints associated with charcoal production. It further suggests some

improvements on the current charcoal production technologies to enhance their production effi ciency.

Biological control of insect pests in acacia and eucalypt plantations in Indonesia (in part) by B. Tjahjono and others (budi_tjahjono@aprilasia.com). Industrial plantation forests of fast-growing species, especially acacias and eucalypts, are be-ing established on a large scale in Indonesia to meet the ever increasing global demands. In the province of Riau alone, by 2009 plantation forests already covered an area of more than 640,000 ha. A number of major insect species have been iden-tifi ed to cause damage in acacia and eucalypt plantations in Su-matra. These include termite Coptotermes spp. (Isoptera: Rhi-notermitidae); Helopeltis spp. (Heteroptera: Miridae); aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae); white fl ies (Homoptera: Aleyrodi-dae); Phyllophaga spp. (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae); Xylosan-drus spp. (Coleoptera: Scolytidae); and caterpillars, especially leaf roller Strepsicrates sp. and Archips sp. (Lepidoptera: Tor-tricidae), armyworm Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noc-tuidae), and bag worm Pteroma sp. (Lepidoptera: Psychidae). Currently, we are using the predator Sycanus spp. as a biocon-trol agent of Helopeltis spp. and leaf roller, and nuclear poly-hidrosis virus (NPV) as a biocontrol agent of armyworm. We are also isolating and studying the entomopathogenic fungi, especially Beauveria sp. and Metharhizium spp. To conserve and enrich the parasitoids, we are planting fl owering plants such as Turnera spp. ❖

Carbon Storage Relative to LoggingIn an article, “Carbon storage in the above-ground biomass as indicator of logging impact in the Imataca Forest Reserve, Venezuela” [Interciencia 35(9):659–665 2010] Emilio Vilano-va-Torre and others present the following abstract:

Using information from permanent plots periodically moni-tored in logged and unlogged areas in the Imataca Forest Re-serve, Southeastern Venezuela, aboveground carbon storage for both forest conditions was estimated for an eight year pe-riod. Although selective logging only concentrates on ~10% of total aboveground biomass (5.93·m3·ha–1), one year after logging operations the exploited forests had ~50% less carbon than unlogged areas, which is expressed in a net difference of 81.43MgC·ha–1 between both areas, suggesting a considerable impact on the remnant forest. Additionally, with an annual rate of 0.55 ±0.61MgC·ha–1·year–1 in logged areas, a total recovery of original carbon stocks is expected after ~150 years. Results also indicate that in terms of impact, carbon stocks after log-ging are under a medium change threshold (MCT), indicat-ing a negative effect. Through the improvement of forest op-erations, in particular the adoption of reduced impact logging (RIL) techniques and an adequate carbon monitoring program, among others, carbon loss due to logging could be consider-ably reduced and a faster ecosystem recovery and CO2 absorp-tion allowed. The results obtained may serve as a basis for a new strategy that can contribute to promote a sustainable forest management in Venezuelan tropical forests in the context of global change. ❖

8 JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS

Meetings and Courses26 June–2 July 2011. IUFRO Tree Biotechnology 2011. Arraial d’Ajuda, Bahia, Brazil. IUFRO 2.04.06. Contact: Dario Grat-tapaglia, <Dario@cenargen.embrapa.br>. See: <http://www.treebiotech2011.com>.

18–21 October 2011. CONFLAT—Congreso Forestal Latino-americano. La Molina, Lima, Peru. Contact: <cnf-vconfl at@cnf.org.pe>.

31 October–5 November 2011. International Forestry Con-ference: Planted Teak Forests—a Globally Emerging Forest Resource. San Jose, Costa Rica. CATIE, Teaknet, FAO. Contact: <confteca@catie.ac.cr>. See: <www.catie.ac.cr/conferenciateca>.

2–6 November 2011. SAF National Convention. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. To register, contact Corey Hughley: <hughleyc@saf.org>.

5–10 November 2011. 18th Annual Conference of the Wildlife Society. Waikoloa, Hawaii, USA. Contact <dwalter@wildlife.org> or <yanin@wildlife.org>.

8–11 November 2011. IUFRO Forest Entomolgy-Forest Pathol-ogy Joint Meeting. Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. IUFRO 7.02.00, 7.03.00. Contact: Guillermo Pérez, gperez@inia.org.uy

14–18 November 2011. Joining Silvicultural and Genetic Strate-gies to Minimize Eucalyptus Environmental Stress: from re-search to practice. Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil. IUFRO 2.08.03. Contact: José Leonardo de Moraes Goncalves, <euciufro@esalq.usp.br>; See: <http://www.euciufro2011.com>.

15–18 November 2011. Research priorities in tropical silvi-culture: toward new paradigms? Montpellier, France. IUFRO 1.02.00, 8.02.00. Contact: Plinio Sist, <plinio.sist@cirad.fr>; See: <http://www.iufro2011-tropical-silviculture.org>.

21–24 November 2011. BIOLIEF 2011—2nd World Conference on Biological Invasions and Ecosystem Functioning. Mar de la Plata, Argentina. See: <http://www.grieta.org.ar/biolief/>.

9–11 May 2012. II Congreso Nacional Argentino de Sistemas Silvopastoriles. Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Contact: <con-gresossp2012@santiago.inta.gob.ar>.

30 July–3 August 2012. 12th International Wood Drying Confer-ence. Belém, Brazil. IUFRO 5.04.06. Contact: Diego Elustondo, <diego.elustondo@fpinnovations.ca>.

2015. XIV World Forestry Congress. Durban, South Africa.

Free PublicationsThe following 17 publications are free to all at the ISTF website (www.istf-bethesda.org), at “Special Reports”.

Special Reports/Informes Especiales

report #14

Approaches to classifying and restoring degraded tropical forests for the anticipated REDD+ climate change mitigation mecha-nism. N. Sasaki, G.P. Asner, W. Knorr, P.B. Durst, H.R. Priyadi, and F.E. Putz.

report #13

New data shows REDD+ is succeeding. Doug Boucher

Gems from Duncan Poore—IV—Wider ConsiderationsDuncan Poore, in his Changing landscapes Earthscan (www.earthscan.co.uk) presented text from which the following is the fourth group of excerpts.

“The concept of sustainability has expanded to include a num-ber of other parameters. While the ecological features are time-less, social preferences and social and economic conditions are constantly changing and altering the milieu in which the eco-logical system has to function. At the national level, there is a need for measures to be politically acceptable and to sit readily in the framework of sensible economic policies. At the local level, patterns of land use need to be developed that are benefi -cial to the people they affect and do not intrude harshly into the harmonious development of local communities.

“As the supply declines in any country from the logging of land which is designed for conversion to agriculture and from the fi rst cut of previously unlogged forest, the future must lie in fi ve pos-sible sources: managed natural forests; managed secondary re-growth; agroforestry; plantations; and external sources (imports). As previously unlogged forest is logged and forest designed for agriculture is progressively cleared of timber the question arises whether the supply of tropical timber can be sustained at expected rates from tropical plantations alone, however effi cient.

“There seems to be little doubt, at least in the view of one school of economists, that if the full non-market benefi ts were to be taken into account, the sustainable utilization and conser-vation of natural forests would prove convincingly economic. This underlies the need to make sustainable forest manage-ment politically attractive through good public relations and by providing the public with accurate information. Yet unless in the long run it is more profi table than other alternate uses of the land it is unlikely to be widely practiced.

“The regulation of forest management has, in many countries, been considered to be exclusively the province of government, with exploitation being carried out by government itself or by con-tractors licensed by government. In carrying out these functions the customary rights of local peoples have been respected, or not, to very different degrees. What is crystal clear is that no system works unless there is long-term security for the managed forest and unless those concerned can see that the enterprise is profi table to them. It must also, of course, be profi table to the country.

“Good land use planning and proper sustainable use can be-come very diffi cult unless international policies encourage these, or at least do not positively discourage them. Interna-tional markets and policies can very readily encourage unwise use of resources: the movement into cash crops rather than food crops; incentives to over-exploit tropical forests to satisfy for-eign markets; and the instability of commodity markets lead-ing to unwise decisions about land use. As the world becomes increasingly globalized the need for international harmoniza-tion has become more urgent. Among the international orga-nizations only the International Tropical Timber Organization focuses on the sustainable management of tropical forests and a sustainable tropical timber trade.” ❖

JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS 9

report #12

A Collaborative Programme for Sustainable Trade in Tropi-cal Timber. Pei Sin Tong, Steven Johnson and Milena Sosa Schmidt

report #11

Certifi cation helps to reduce biodiversity loss in the tropics. The recent ETFRN News sheds light on biodiversity conservation in certifi ed forests. F.E. Putz

report #10

Capitulo Bolivia. Sociedad Internacional de Forestales Tropi-cales. Federico Bascopé Vargas.

report #9

Tropical Deforestation and Global Warming: REDD-plus Poli-cies in U.S. Legislation and International Negotiations. Doug Boucher.

report #8

The Unnecessary Rationality in the Forest. Martín Alfonso Mendoza.

La Innecesaria Racionalidad en el Bosque. Martín Alfonso Mendoza.

report #7

Early Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Planted Seedlings in La Mesa Dam Watershed, Philippines. Marilyn S. Combalicer, Don Koo Lee, Su Young Woo, Yong Kwon Lee, and Youn Ho Jang.

report #6

Should We be Growing More Trees on Farms to Enhance the Sustainability of Agriculture and Increase Resilience to Climate Change? Roger R.B. Leakey.

report #5

Carbon Benefi ts from Avoiding and Repairing Forest Degrada-tion, Francis E. Putz and Robert Nasi.

report #4

Conserving carbon in tropical forests: pitfalls and possibilities, Francis E. Putz and Pieter A. Zuidema.

report #3

Forest Fires in the Insular Caribbean, A. Marcus J. Robbins, Claus-Martin Eckelmann and Maya Quiñones.

report #2

Management of teak plantations for solid wood products, Wil-liam Ladrach.

Manejo de plantaciones de la teca para productos sólidos, Wil-liam Ladrach.

report #1

The effects of fi re in agriculture and forest ecosystems, William Ladrach. (This article is from the CD, “Fire Control in forests and wildlands,” which is available free of charge. Contact ISTF for a copy.)

El efecto del fuego en los ecosistemas agrícolas y forestales, William Ladrach. (Esto artículo fue publicado en su CD:

“Control de incendios en bosques y áreas silvestres,” que está disponible en forma gratuita. Contacte a ISTF para solicitar copias.)

The following 10 publications are available to ISTF Members free of cost. Please contact Pat Holmgren at <istf.bethesda@verizon.net> or ISTF, 5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA.

The Caribbean Forester. 1939–1963. DVD with searchable index.

The Best of ISTF News and ISTF Noticias. 1980–2004; and News Notes 1951-1974. CD ROM with searchable index.

Forest Production for Tropical America. F. H. Wadsworth. 1997. Agricultural Handbook 710. Washington, DC. U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service. 563 pp. <https://www.istf-bethesda.org/members/biblioteca.htm>.

Producción Forestal para América Tropical. F. H. Wadsworth. 2000. Manual de Agricultura 710-S. Washington, DC. Depto. de Agricultura de los EE-UU, Servicio Forestal. 603 pp. <https://www.istf-bethesda.org/members/biblioteca.htm>.

Unasylva 1947–2006. An international journal of forestry and forest industries. CD ROM in English, Spanish and French.

Trees Commonly Cultivated in Southeast Asia. M. Jensen. 1999 (2nd ed.). FAO Regional Offi ce for Asia & the Pacifi c. RAP Publ. 1999/13. FAO Regional Offi ce, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok, Thailand. 230 pp.

Managing Forests as Common Property. 1998. 67 pp., illus. FAO Forestry Paper No. 136. FAO, Rome, Italy.

Applying Reduced Impact Logging to Advance Sustainable Forest Management. T. Enters, et al., (eds.). 2002. Asia-Pacifi c Forestry Commission. RAP Publ. 2002/14. FAO Regional Offi ce, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok, Thailand. 311 pp.

RILSIM 2.0. User’s Guide. Software for Financial Analysis of Reduced-impact Logging Systems. D. P. Dykstra. 2004. Asia-Pacifi c Forestry Commission. 120 pp. + software.

What does it take? The role of incentives in forest plantation de-velopment in Asia & the Pacifi c. (Executive Summary). T. Enters & P. B. Durst. 2004. Asia-Pacifi c Forestry Commission. FAO Regional Offi ce, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok, Thailand. 43 pp.

Professor MorandiniAlso announced in IUFRO News 40(2):3, 2011; “We are sad to announce that Professor Riccardo Morandini, Hon-orary Member of IUFRO since 1992, died at age 85.” Prof. Morandini was a fi rm supporter of IUFRO since 1952. As he was also the ISTF Country Vice President for Italy for more than 20 years, we at ISTF would like to add our voices to those of IUFRO in expressing our deepest sym-pathy with his family, friends and former colleagues.

10 JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS

International Society of Tropical ForestersMinutes of ISTF’s

2011 Annual Membership MeetingFebruary 2, 2011

Bethesda, MD

Introduction:

The 32nd annual membership meeting of the International So-ciety of Tropical Foresters was called to order by Associate Director Les Whitmore at 10:10 AM on February 2, 2011 at the Society of American Foresters Conference Room, 5400 Gros-venor Lane, Bethesda, MD.

Associate Director Whitmore introduced the ISTF staff in at-tendance: volunteers—Bob Van Aken, Rod Young and him-self. Patricia Heaton Holmgren continues in the one ISTF paid position as part-time ISTF Offi ce Manager. ISTF has two paid consultants—Jennifer Adams (Staff Editor of the ISTF news-letters) and Alicia Jimenez (Spanish Translator). Frank Wads-worth of Puerto Rico (who could not attend) continues in his 32nd year as Volunteer Editor of ISTF NEWS. Associate Di-rector Whitmore thanked the Society of American Foresters for their continued cooperative spirit and support of ISTF. He also expressed appreciation to the USDA Forest Service for support and cooperation in furthering the objectives of ISTF.

Copies of the meeting agenda, along with the 2010 annual report were available for each attendee. Only two members, other than the staff attended the meeting.

Minutes of the 2010 Meeting:

Rod Young reviewed the minutes, which had been published in the June newsletter. Motion made and seconded that the min-utes be approved. Motion carried.

Membership:

ISTF has succeeded in attracting new members, but the orga-nization has a large backlog of members who are in arrears with their dues payments. These have recently been prompted to maintain their support of ISTF with annual dues payments. Those who have not responded will be shifted to inactive status. Membership is now 1525—down 60 from last year. The change in membership was heaviest in Meso and South America.

We also have members in the sustaining, donor, advocate, benefactor and sponsor categories, who gave additional fi nance support to ISTF. Recent donations from members have ranged from less than $100.00 to $5,000.00.

Financial Report:

A year ago we reported a balance of $10,716.00 and projected a balance for 2010 of $2,400.00. For 2010, we actually had a surplus of $13,271.00. We continue to tighten our spending in relation to income, and have a very modest surplus in the bank. We are eager to broaden our fi nancial base, as our traditional funding sources have become less reliable. We continue to have limited printing and mailing costs by furnishing the newsletter to members electronically.

Gift Memberships to Individuals and Libraries:

Bob Van Aken reported ISTF has processed gift memberships for 33 individuals, with 24 in Latin America, 7 in Africa and 2 in Asia. Free Memberships are fi nanced by gifts from active members. Grant funding allowed sponsorship for 401 libraries during the year. These libraries are located in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Library memberships are fi nanced by a grant from the USDA Forest Service and 26 with ISTF funds.

SAF World Forestry Committee and International Forestry Working Group:

ISTF as an ex-offi cio member of the World Forestry Commit-tee of the Society of American Foresters (SAF). The Commit-tee develops policy on international involvement by SAF and recommends Honorary Membership for distinguished forest-ers from other countries. Volunteer Tom Geary, represents ISTF on the committee, which meets annually at the SAF Na-tional Convention and has periodical teleconference meetings. In 2010, the World Forestry Committee was chaired by ISTF member Blair Orr.

ISTF cooperates with the SAF International Forestry Working Group (IFWG), a technical advisory group to the Society of American Foresters. ISTF participated in a joint meeting with these groups at the 2010 SAF National Convention in Albu-querque, NM which were organized by Blair Orr.

Country Vice Presidents (CVP):

During 2010 the overall number of Country Vice Presidents stayed at 64. We expect further changes during 2011. Associ-ate Director Whitmore requests that members let him know of potential CVP candidates in specifi c countries. There are currently many vacancies. ISTF has a one-page guide available for CVP’s.

Free Publications:

Volunteer Rodney Young reported that a continuing service of ISTF is to provide selected publications to our members. With the help of a grant from the USDA Forest Service, ISTF continues to distribute, free of charge, publications and the CD ROM’s, “The Best of ISTF News and ISTF Noticias” (CD ROM), “Caribbean Forester” (DVD) and “Forest Production for Tropical America” (CD ROM) to members of ISTF during the past year. The number of requests for publications has de-clined from previous, but the requests for CDs have increased. The list of available titles is published in the June ISTF NEWS. The most recent CD “Fire Control in Forests and Wildlands” , by Bill Ladrach is getting most requests.

ISTF Web Site:

Offi ce Manager Patricia Holmgren reported that the bilingual site continues to improve since we took it on at the ISTF head-quarters. The most recent additions are the 2009 Membership Directory (which will soon be updated) and the current ISTF NEWS, ISTF NOTICIAS. The Directory is available elec-tronically only to members. Do you know your membership number? Contact ISTF for your membership number. It will be needed to access the Directory and the Newsletter. The web

JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS 11

site continues to be an important source of information on meetings and courses, sources of funding and grants, employ-ment opportunities and tropical forest information in general. The site is updated regularly. ISTF continues to welcome in-formation, ideas, photos and criticism from members who have been a great help since the web site went on line.

Meetings, Events and Activities:

Election of Board of Directors

February 2, 2010—ISTF Annual Meeting

February 11–13, 2010, Yale University, New Haven, Connect-icut—A conference on “Tropical Forests under a Changing Climate”. Sponsored by the ISTF Chapter at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

October 27–31, 2010—An exhibit on tropical forests. Spon-sored by ISTF at the Society of American Foresters National Convention, Albuquerque, NM, thanks to the help of Prof. Blair Orr.

Continued a program with the Peace Corps for free member-ships for their forestry volunteers.

Continued a new series called “Special Reports” on the ISTF website. About a dozen have been posted, on a variety of top-ics, all by ISTF members.

Miscellaneous:

Associate Director Whitmore asked that ISTF members continue to provide ISTF with co-sponsorship opportunities of various conferences and workshops. We try to list pertinent conferences or workshops in the ISTF NEWS and the website. Stay alert for future conferences and help ISTF become involved.

Other Organizations:

Other organization representatives gave short reports on their activities during the year. There were reports from:

• USAID—Bureau for Africa • Union of Concerned Scientists

ISTF in 2011:

Anticipate a good year coming up. We need to ride herd on members in arrears, and broaden our funding base.

We hope to:

• Continue a program of free memberships for Peace Corps Volunteers.

• Expand our new series of “Special Reports” on the website.

• Distribute the CD ROM, a record of 25 years of ISTF News, in both languages, and other CD/DVD’s

• Promote the electronic newsletter, especially among members unaccustomed to electronics.

• Promote greater use of the electronic version of the 2010 Directory.

• Greater participation by ISTF in conferences, whether sponsored or co-sponsored, or other participation (dependent on funding sources).

Associate Director Whitmore thanked the attendees for their participation, comments and information they provided. His comment—we look forward to another good year for ISTF!

Adjournment:

The meeting adjourned at 12:05 P.M.

Rodney F. YoungISTF Staff VolunteerMeeting Secretary

Howard HeinerHoward Heiner passed away at home, in Ashland, Ore-gon, at age 81, on 9 April 2011. He is survived by his wife, Peggy, their four children, eight grandchildren and a great granddaughter.

In 1991, Howard joined the staff of the International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF) on a volunteer basis and later as Associate Director. He was an employee of the United Methodist Church, where he carried out forestry programs for the church in Africa and Latin America. In 1994 he was elected as Executive Director of the International Union of Societies of Foresters (IUSF). Howard and Peggy retired in 1996 and moved to Ashland, Oregon where he continued as an active member of the church, ISTF and the Society of American Foresters (SAF). He was elected an SAF Fel-low in 1995 and was also given the Oregon SAF Lifetime Achievement award. In 2004 SAF further recognized How-ard with the Sir William Schlich Memorial Award-one of the most prestigious awards given by SAF.

We would be remiss if we did not recognize Howard as a military veteran where he was a pilot during the Korean War. After the war he served with the Air National Guard for 13 years.Warren Doolittle

Bahamensis and caribaea for panelsIn an article, “Use of wood from Pinus caribaea var. caribaea and Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis for production of particle-board panels” [Cerne 16(2):193–198 2010] Setsuo Iwakiri and others present the following abstract (in part):

Experimental panels were produced with a nominal density of 0.70 g/cm3, using urea-formaldehyde resin and wood particles of Pinus caribaea var. caribaea and Pinus caribaea var. baha-mensis, at rates of 100%x0%, 75%x25%, 50%x50%, 25%x75% and 0%x100%. Pinus taeda wood was used as control sample. Panels were compressed at a specifi c pressure of 40 kgf/cm2 and temperature of 160ºC, for 8 minutes. Analysis results of water absorption, thickness swell, internal bond, modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture properties indicated feasi-bility of using wood from Pinus caribaea var. caribaea and Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis for production of particle-board panels, individually or combined at rates of 75%, 50% and 25%. ❖

12 JUNE 2011 / ISTF NEWS

ISTF Technical Specialties

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Revised list for June ISTF News—Sustaining MembersSPONSORWarren T. Doolittle, United States

DONORMr. John E. Earhart, United StatesMr. William E. Ladrach, United

StatesJacob L. Whitmore, United States

SUSTAININGFederico Bascopé Vargas, BoliviaProf. E. F. Bruenig, MalaysiaJulio César Calvo Alvarado, Costa

RicaMr. Patrick B. Durst, ThailandMr. John E. Fisher, United StatesThomas F. Geary, United StatesDr. David A. Harcharik, United StatesDr. Gary S. Hartshorn, United StatesVitor Afonso Hoefl ich, BrazilDr. Jan Laarman, FranceDr. Aníbal Luna Lugo, VenezuelaMr. Harry E. Murphy, United StatesP. K. R. Nair, United StatesVidar J. Nordin, CanadaRobert P. Spivey, United StatesRobert C. Van Aken, United StatesDr. Frank H. Wadsworth, United

StatesRodney F. Young, United States

Cable Logging Costs for EucalyptusIn an article, “Costs and operational per-formance of Eucalyptus wood extraction using aerial cable” [Cerne 16(2):185–192 2010] Danilo Simões and others present the following abstract:

This study aimed to technically and eco-nomically evaluate the aerial cable in the extraction of eucalyptus wood in a moun-tainous region. The technical analysis comprised a study of time and movements by continuous method and productivity was determined by the volume in cubic meters of wood extracted. Economical analysis comprised operational cost pa-rameters and wood extraction cost. Re-sults referred to effective operational per-formance. The average cost of extraction of wood was US$ 3.35 per cubic meter with operating performance per effective hour of work of 14.16 m3 h–1. ❖