Factors influencing the utilization of tropical wood species, final report

Significance of the factor of lack of knowledge of characteristics must be related to other factors, so that an implicit part of the objective is to survey factors influencing utilization of secondary species. The investigations involved two aspects -- a review of available literature and on-the-ground consultation in selected countries. In connection with the latter, a number of countries were visited -- Republic of the Philippines in Southeast Asia, Colombia in Latin America, and Ghana and Nigeria in Africa. In connection with the latter trip, visits were made to appropriate organizations in England and France and to the Forestry Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. The literature review and the overseas travel resulted in detailed reports. Information contained in these detailed reports has formed the basis for much of the analysis contained herein. Additional sources have been consulted and these are shown in the list of references. Particular attention was given to the results of a survey of markets for Vietnam timber products, a project sponsored also by AID. The report on this project reflects on-the-ground surveys of market prospects in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Singapore and, to a degree, reflects concern for the use of secondary species.