Commercial Timber Types In The South

[timber]

I would like to find some good web sites for different timber types that can be grown on the permeter of plantations. A lot of the time valuable species can be grown on the north side of the plantations without effecting the plantation its self and then in 15 or 20 years you have some value in them.

[timber]

FORESTRY

Thailand's forested area declined from 53% of the nation's land area in 1961 to only 28% by 2000, mainly as a result of the continued use of slash-and-burn practices by farmers. Of Thailand's 14.8 million ha (36.3 million acres) of forest, about 56% lies in the north, where teak and pine predominate. Rubber trees, planted mostly in the south, make up 10% of the forest area. The remainder consists of yang (keruing) plantations and rosewood, other species used as fuel, and smaller mangrove forests and conifers. Teak, once a major export, has declined in importance, largely because of government restrictions on cutting and past depletion of the forests through excessive harvesting and inadequate replanting. Yang, pradu, takien, krabak, and krabok are other traditional hardwoods that have suffered severe production declines. Thailand imposed a ban on logging government-owned timber in 1989. Lac, a resinous insect substance found on trees, has always had value for the Thai, but its derivatives—seedlac, sticklac, and shellac—have also found a ready international market. Other important forestry products include charcoal, gums and resins, and kapok fiber and seed.

In 2001 production of roundwood was estimated at 41.3 million cu m (1.46 billion cu ft). Production of tropical hardwood products in 2000 included (in cubic meters): sawn wood, 294,000; wood pulp, 764,000; veneer, 89,000; and plywood, 91,000. Thailand is a negligible exporter of tropical logs and lumber. However, Thailand now exports primarily value-added wood products (mostly furniture, picture frames, utensils, and other items). Exports of wood products in 2000 totaled $805.9 million. Imports of logs, timber, and wood products in 2000 were valued at $1,323 million.

[timber]

Rubberwood

If you look for furniture or other wooden items at large retail outlets, chances are good that you have seen rubberwood. Despite the fact that rubberwood is an extremely common component of imported goods in the United States, it is generally not available at lumber yards and very few people are familiar with it.

Rubberwood is the product of the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), which is grown as a source for natural rubber. When the trunks of rubber trees are cut, they exude a milky liquid – latex – that is collected and processed to make rubber. After the trees reach about 30 year of age, latex production declines. At that point the trees are harvested and the plantations are replanted. Rubberwood trees are native to South America but are now cultivated on some 9 million acres around the world, mostly in Southeast Asia .

Wild rubberwood trees can grow to over 100' but cultivated trees are shorter, with tapered trunks about 20 inches in diameter. The wood is a light-colored, diffuse-porous hardwood with narrow rays. Large vessels (pores) result in a somewhat coarse grain. Rubberwood is not rubbery; in fact it is moderately hard and stiff, with about the same density as ash or maple (SG = 0.5). It dries and machines rather easily and shrinkage is moderate. Rubberwood has low natural durability and must be treated with preservatives for outdoor use. Small pieces of rubberwood are often finger-jointed and edge-glued to make panels, which are then used for table tops, trays, chair seats, etc. Rubberwood is also called parawood, white teak or Malaysian oak, although its appearance and properties are different than teak or oak.

In the past, rubberwood was used only locally, primarily as a fuel. However, over the past 20 years, industrial processing and exporting of rubberwood lumber has developed rapidly. Rubberwood logs and lumber are now major exports for countries such as Malaysia and Thailand . Manufacturers in China use large volumes of rubberwood for furniture and wooden parts of household items which are exported throughout the world. Because rubberwood is an agricultural byproduct and is grown in plantations, it is sometimes promoted as an environmentally-friendly product.

Hardwood trees that grow in Tennessee continue to be important sources of lumber and manufactured wood products for the United States ' market. However, as the global market for forest products expands, more exotic woods – such as rubberwood - will appear in local stores.

[sbk]

I would like to find some good web sites for different timber types that can be grown on the permeter of plantations. A lot of the time valuable species can be grown on the north side of the plantations without effecting the plantation its self and then in 15 or 20 years you have some value in them.

Hi timber, did you see my post in the farming section? It is specifically about southern timber trees, and there is even a book recommended. Thread here

[timber]

Thanks sbk for the reply. I wish I had seen the article. Once in a while there is some good stuff. Where are you from sbk? I would like to have some space in the southern sector as in a few years I would like to see some coop's going and some interchange is needed in the south. There hasn't been much activity on the southern forum regarding that type of thing so maybe just have to go global.