Forest biotechnology: economic aspects and conservation implications

Abstract

The importance of forest ecosystems for ecological balance and as a reservoir of genetic heritage and biodiversity is evident, the need for conservation is further exalted by the great anthropic pressure suffered by these ecosystems due to the increasing demand of the forest sector. The possibility of using biotechnological practices to combine conservation with sustainable economic development emerges as a promising alternative for the recovery and use of forest species, especially those threatened with extinction. The aims of the article is to demonstrate the main aspects of Forest Biotechnology with regard to conservation and the continuity of the supply of the demand of the economic sector. The central role of wood in economic development has led to the intense exploitation of forest ecosystems, which has resulted in the loss of biodiversity and reduced capacity to meet the demands of the sector. The tools of forest biotechnology, when employed in the optimization of conservation, allow a compatibilization with commercial production, acting as instruments of sustainable development. Forestry Biotechnology acts as an instrument to reconcile conservation with economic development, including forests at the heart of a strategy for a sustainable future.