Timber Availability Research Articles

Reciprocal Design in Italian Renaissance Wood Intarsia: Patterns, Parasites, and Human/More-than-Human Making

Abstract This article explores how Italian Renaissance intarsia emerged from making practices sensitive to wood as animate material, and from a design correspondence with its environment. It argues that intarsia reconciled different modes: design-drawing, design in wood, and design with wood. These interconnected practices allow us to reconfigure intarsia as a technology created holistically from the correspondence of different human and more-than-human forces, including parasites – such as woodworm and fungi – and elemental factors – such as heat, water and air – all mobilised in active processes of pattern-making. It shows how this “Wood Age” craft is also an ecologically-rooted response to growing concerns about timber availability and forest sustainability. Finally, it proposes for intarsia the concept of reciprocal design, where patterns emerge from continuous correspondence and co-making between human and more-than-human agents.

Developing an Empirical Formula for Volume of Timber Availability from Different Species of Trees in Gujarat

The standing tree volume is a measurement of the amount of merchantable volume and available growing stock in forests and trees outside forest areas. The precise estimation of the tree log volume plays an important role in sustainable forest management and also in trees outside forest areas. Several scientists have derived various tree log volume calculation formulae, which are used in estimating standing tree volume. The Gujarat State has very rich forest biodiversity. The forest department has done very good work in conserving existing forests and achieved outstanding success in planting and raising trees outside forest areas through a successful social forestry program in the State. The efforts through public participation have resulted in to increase in forest cover of the State. The present investigation was carried out at Gujarat Forest Research & Training Institute, Gandhinagar campus to develop an empirical formula for estimating standing timber availability from different selective tree species of Gujarat. The attempt has been made to measure Girth at Breast Height (GBH), Clean Bole Height (CBH) of selected tree species, and round log volume was calculated using a quarter girth formula assuming it to be a cylinder. Considering principle factors behind tree growth that 1) the height is a function of girth, 2) young aged tree grows at a double rate that in middle age and 3) mature tree hardly puts any height or girth, a general growth formula has been derived. The general growth formula was validated for different species based on actual measurement of effective height. Finally, the empirical formulas were developed based on the Regression of derived formula V = A G 2 10 -5 e bG for different tree species.

The Influence of Timber Types, Assortments, Qualities, Cuttings, Timber Tracts, Prices, Places, and Marketing Expenses on Timber Sales Volumes

The timber industry is one source of state revenue that plays an essential role in the forestry sector. However, this sector only grew by 3.66% in the Q4 of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018 by 4.25%. Timber sales also decreased by 5.6% due to several factors such as price adjustments, timber availability, and the quality level of the timber sold. This research aims to analyze the influence of the 4Ps of Marketing, namely products and their attributes in timber type, assortment, quality, cutting, timber tract, price, place, and marketing expenses on timber sales volume in July - December 2019. This research uses secondary data, which are processed using the multiple regression analysis methods. The results of this study indicate that the type of timber (X1), assortment (X2), quality (X3), cutting (X4), timber tract (X5), and price (X6) partially have a significant effect on timber sales volume (Y). Meanwhile, place (X7) and marketing expenses (X8) partially have no significant impact on the timber sales volume (Y). However, simultaneously all these variables have a significant effect on the timber sales volume (Y).

Dating and provenancing the Woman with lantern sculpture – A contribution towards attribution of Netherlandish art

• Interdisciplinary study to ascertain production date and place of an oak sculpture • X-ray CT images provided tree-ring patterns on the widest sections and aided dating • Dendrochronology suggests differentiated wood supply in Netherlandish workshops • Determining wood provenance can assist in attribution of Netherlandish works of art • Imaging science is the future of non-invasive research of historical art objects Studying the wood of art objects such as sculptures, panel paintings and furniture can be crucial to elucidate their chronology and production centre. Here we present an approach that considers the provenance of the wood and its potential availability in different areas as a means to identify the provenance of wooden art objects. We illustrate this approach with an interdisciplinary study aimed to determine the date and provenance of the Woman with lantern , a carved altar fragment from the Rijksmuseum's collections (Amsterdam, The Netherlands). The origin of this object is undocumented, but based on stylistic and iconographic features its provenance was proposed to be the altarpiece of Rennes cathedral (France), carved in Antwerp (Belgium) around 1520 C.E.. However, doubts arose when curators tested the potential fit of the sculpture in that altarpiece and could not find a neat match. Dating and provenancing the wood of the sculpture by standard dendrochronological means failed to produce a date, and comparison of the tree-ring pattern from the sculpture with those of the sculptures from Rennes altarpiece delivered no results either, supporting the suspicion that the Woman with lantern belonged elsewhere. In 2019, X-ray computed tomography (CT) provided digital cross-sections throughout the sculpture and a longer tree-ring series was obtained. This time, the outermost ring was dated to the year 1487 C.E.. The tree was estimated to have been cut after 1495 C.E., indicating a likely production in the first quarter of the 16th century. The origin of the timber in the eastern Netherlands/northwest Germany, combined with empirical evidence about timber availability in various regions of the Low Countries at that time, suggests that the sculpture was made in a workshop located north of the Rhine in the (current) Netherlands, rather than Antwerp. This research has led to the hypothesis that workshops north and south of the Rhine river branches in the Low Countries were supplied by forests located in different areas. If proven correct, establishing the wood provenance will assist in determining the origin of Netherlandish works of art from the late-Gothic and Northern Renaissance periods.

Economic Impacts of Forest Storms—Taking Stock of After-Vaia Situation of Local Roundwood Markets in Northeastern Italy

Large timber availability after storms can lead to a drop in timber prices that can impact local markets. The Vaia storm, which occurred in Northeastern Italy at the end of October 2018, felled large volumes of timber, particularly spruce. To estimate the loss in volume and value connected to Vaia, data of roundwood sales from four local markets (Province of Trento, Province of Bolzano, Veneto Region and Friuli Venezia Giulia Region) were collected before and after Vaia, as well as reports on the status of salvage operations. The results confirm that Vaia had a strong impact on Northeastern Italy. A large area of the forest was hit and massive volumes of wood were affected. The analysis of prices showed a negative trend in the post-Vaia period due to an increase in volume per sale, especially for stumpage sales. It also highlighted the difficulties of storing the salvaged wood and the consequent fast saturation of the market. Although it was not possible to assess long-term effects on the four local markets, the presence and use of local e-commerce platforms proved useful in making roundwood sales more organized and efficient.

Development of the Ontario Forest Resources Inventory: a historical review

The Forest Resources Inventory provides the base layer to support decision-making for a variety of stakeholders in Ontario, Canada. The inventory is used to identify areas of high economic potential, endangered species habitat, and recreational opportunities. As technology evolves, the inventory creation process has changed. From fully manual efforts conducted in the era before planes or roads to hand-drawn sketches made aboard early aircraft, the early inventory program was designed to provide a rough context of timber availability. As society changed, more was asked of the inventory, and ecological and biological features were added. With a land area larger than many European countries to inventory, the creation of an accurate forest inventory in Ontario is a technological and logistical challenge. Although the acquisition technology and strategy have changed over time, the goal of providing an improved understanding into the extent and distribution of natural resources in the province of Ontario has not changed. This review aims to provide a comprehensive look at the history of these inventory efforts in Ontario, as well as provide some context for why the inventory contains the attributes it does today.

What Drives Household Deforestation Decisions? Insights from the Ecuadorian Lowland Rainforests

Tropical forests, and more concretely, the Amazon Basin and the Chocó-Darién, are highly affected by deforestation activities. Households are the main land-use decision-makers and are key agents for forest conservation and deforestation. Understanding the determinants of deforestation at the household level is critical for conservation policies and sustainable development. We explore the drivers of household deforestation decisions, focusing on the quality of the forest resources (timber volume potential) and the institutional environment (conservation strategies, titling, and governmental grants). Both aspects are hypothesized to influence deforestation, but there is little empirical evidence. We address the following questions: (i) Does timber availability attract more deforestation? (ii) Do conservation strategies (incentive-based programs in the Central Amazon and protected areas in the Chocó-Darién) influence deforestation decisions in household located outside the areas under conservation? (iii) Does the absence of titling increase the odds of a household to deforest? (iv) Can governmental grants for poverty alleviation help in the fight against deforestation? We estimated a logit model, where the dependent variable reflects whether or not a household cleared forest within the farm. As predictors, we included the above variables and controlled by household-specific characteristics. This study was conducted in the Central Amazon and the Chocó-Darién of Ecuador, two major deforestation fronts in the country. We found that timber volume potential is associated with a higher odds of deforesting in the Central Amazon, but with a lower odds in the Chocó-Darién. Although conservation strategies can influence household decisions, the effects are context-dependent. Households near the incentive-based program (Central Amazon) have a lower odds of deforesting, whereas households near a protected area (Chocó-Darién) showed the opposite effect. Titling is also important for deforestation reduction; more attention is needed in the Chocó-Darién where numerous households are living in untitled lands. Finally, governmental grants for poverty alleviation showed the potential to generate positive environmental outcomes.

Impacts of changing coniferous and non-coniferous wood supply on forest product markets: a German scenario case study

Management strategies which encourage the conversion of coniferous forests to mixed and deciduous stands potentially increase the share of non-coniferous timber in wood supply over the next decades. The objective of this study is to examine possible market impacts from changing wood supply modeled in the German Forest Development and Timber Volume Model (WEHAM) Scenario. Special emphasis is paid to decreasing coniferous timber availability and the ramifications this development might have on the wood-based industry in Germany. For this purpose, our study introduces the GFPMCNC, a modified version of the Global Forest Products Model (GFPM) which distinguishes coniferous and non-coniferous industrial roundwood as different raw materials and coniferous and non-coniferous sawnwood as additional products on global level. In the GFPMCNC, wood-based panels and pulp could be made from a mix of two roundwood commodities instead of one single input factor. The base period for this study is 2012. Results are reported by 2015 and in the following in mid-period intervals at 5-year steps until 2050. The WEHAM Scenario impact analysis reveals that limited coniferous raw materials lead to lower wood manufacturing activities and declining exports of coniferous sawnwood at the same time as German imports of coniferous industrial roundwood and wood pulp increase over time.

Implementasi Penatausahaan Hasil Hutan Hak di Kabupaten Polewali Mandar Sulawesi Barat

Position forest rights as one of the supporting timber availability in the industry can not be separated from the challenges and dynamics of forest product administration. It required a review of management of forest products from the forest rights in its implementation. This study aims to analyze the implementation of the rights of forest product administration in Polewali Mandar, using descriptive analysis with the existing indicators on variables and dimensions were obtained in accordance with the guidelines for the interview. The results of analysis tools provide the opportunity regulatory administration of forest products to the widest public / private forest owners as well as the adjustment of government policy related to the field of forestry sustainable forest management (SFM) and Timber Legality Verification (VLK). Implementation of the regulatory activities in the form of socialization only held one and the absence of formal socialization to the new set of rules; Issuing Certificates of Origin (SKAU) wood as much as 33 (thirty-three) of 144 (one hundred and forty-four) villages, yet the publisher SKAU set by BP2HP; SKAU publishing process by following the same line district offices are not in line with existing regulations and create problems in terms of time, cost and control; The lack of reporting of forest production and recapitulation SKAU Publisher SKAU to the district forestry department reporting that impact the realization of the production and distribution of forest products are not going well right. Implementation of the management of forest products in Polewali Mandar rights do not go according to Forestry Minister Regulation No. P.30 / Menhut-II / 2012 are rearranged in the Minister of Environment and Forestry No. P.21 / MenLHK-II / 2015 on the administration of forest products of forest rights

Using tree-ring data to improve timber-yield projections for African wet tropical forest tree species

Worldwide, over 400 million hectares of tropical forests are set aside for timber production. Several certification schemes exist to ensure more sustainable exploitation and large areas of production forests are currently certified. Under such schemes, logging companies are required to evaluate whether species are not overexploited and, if necessary, adapt their logging activities. However, the data needed to project exploitation intensities – growth, mortality and regeneration rates of trees – are scarce or non-existent. Tree-ring analysis provides lifetime species-specific growth data that can be used to allow or improve the projections of timber availability during following logging cycles. In this study, we integrated growth data from tree rings with logging inventory data to forecast timber yields in the next harvest round for four timber species in Cameroon. We compared projections using tree-ring data with projections using fixed growth rates, as set by law and customarily applied in Cameroon. Additionally, we assessed the effect of increasing logging cycles and of using filed-based species-specific logging intensities on the next cycle’s yield projections. Under current logging practices, timber volumes available at next logging cycles are projected to be 21–36% of the volumes obtained at first harvest. Simulations using fixed rates often resulted in lower yields with lower volume ingrowth from trees that were below minimum cutting diameters in the first harvest. Lengthening the logging cycle increased yield predictions during the next harvests, but yields were still not sustained over time. This problem can be resolved by using species-specific logging intensities, which led to projected yields of up to 73% of the initial harvested volume. The growth data provided by tree-ring analysis allows conducting such species-specific projections and thus helps to provide the knowledge base necessary for sustainable forest management. Yet, the low overall yields are a concern to forest conservation, as loss of economic value may lead to conversion of forests to other land uses.

Applications of visual magnitude in forest planning: A case study

Recent impacts from the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic, the lack of available timber in areas of lower elevation, and the reduction in back-country timber has pushed forest operations into publicly significant and visible landscapes. When these become the stage for operations they can be a source of public backlash. These kinds of landscapes are carefully protected by governments, yet, this protection may reduce timber availability. We have developed a new GIS-based tool to aid planners in designing harvests in these areas. Our tool is applied to three case studies in British Columbia to showcase how it can reduce planning time, increase timber availability and limit the negative visible effects of operations.

Awareness, perceptions and willingness to adopt Cross-Laminated Timber by the architecture community in the United States

Cross-Laminated Timber is an engineered wood-based product, developed in Europe in the early 1990s. Cross-Laminated Timber is made of multiple layers of wood boards, which are oriented perpendicular to the adjacent layers. Cross Laminated Timber is a promising construction technology that represents an opportunity to use low-value timber from small diameter and insect-infested forest resources, for a high value-added application, which contributes to better use our forest resources. While Cross-Laminated Timber has been successful in Europe and is making its way into the Canadian and Australian markets, it has not yet been widely adopted in the United States. Research has proven that the rate of diffusion is dependent on potential adopters' perceptions of the product attributes, thus the study of perceptions play an important role in understanding and analyzing the adoption potential of a new product or technology. This document presents the results from research conducted to assess the market potential and barriers to the adoption of Cross-Laminated Timber in the United States, through the analysis of level of awareness, perceptions, and willingness to adopt Cross-Laminated Timber by the United States architecture community.Results from a nation-wide survey of United States architecture firms show that the level of awareness about Cross-Laminated Timber in the United States is low. The main perceived benefits of Cross-Laminated Timber are a favorable environmental and structural performance, and outstanding aesthetic properties. Major perceived disadvantages are high maintenance costs and fire performance. The most important barriers to the successful adoption of Cross-Laminated Timber according to survey participants are building code compatibility issues, initial cost, and the lack of Cross-Laminated Timber availability in the United States market. Most respondents were uncertain when asked about their willingness to adopt Cross-Laminated Timber in the near future; although willingness to adopt was found to be positively correlated with familiarity with the system. From these results, we conclude that the success of Cross-Laminated Timber-based construction in the United States will depend in great part on the information about the material's benefits reaching the target audience.

Inventory Procedures for Smallholder and Community Woodlots in the Philippines: Methods, Initial Findings and Insights

This paper details the processes and challenges involved in collecting inventory data from smallholder and community woodlots on Leyte Island, Philippines. Over the period from 2005 through to 2012, 253 woodlots at 170 sites were sampled as part of a large multidisciplinary project, resulting in a substantial timber inventory database. The inventory was undertaken to provide information for three separate but interrelated studies, namely (1) tree growth, performance and timber availability from private smallholder woodlots on Leyte Island; (2) tree growth and performance of mixed-species plantings of native species; and (3) the assessment of reforestation outcomes from various forms of reforestation. A common procedure for establishing plots within each site was developed and applied in each study, although the basis of site selection varied. A two-stage probability proportion to size sampling framework was developed to select smallholder woodlots for inclusion in the inventory. In contrast, community-based forestry woodlots were selected using stratified random sampling. Challenges encountered in undertaking the inventory were mostly associated with the need to consult widely before the commencement of the inventory and problems in identifying woodlots for inclusion. Most smallholder woodlots were only capable of producing merchantable volumes of less than 44 % of the site potential due to a lack of appropriate silviculture. There was a clear bimodal distribution of proportion that the woodlots comprised of the total smallholding area. This bimodality reflects two major motivations for smallholders to establish woodlots, namely timber production and to secure land tenure.

Agroforestry species of the Bolivian Andes: an integrated assessment of ecological, economic and socio-cultural plant values

Agroforestry is a promising method for enhancing land-use sustainability in the Bolivian Andes. However, its benefits in terms of rural development are under-recognized due to gaps in understanding users’ perceptions while taking into consideration both local and global environmental goals. Our study aimed to narrow these gaps by developing an analytical framework for analyzing the site-specific socio-ecological factors and interactions related to local woody species and assessing their ecological, economic, and socio-cultural plant values in order to identify the most promising agroforestry species. The framework was then tested in an indigenous community at 2,760–3,830 m a.s.l., incorporating vegetation surveys, environmental studies, and interviews on plant functions. Ecological, economic, and socio-cultural values and the ecological apparency of plants were calculated, and detrended correspondence and principal component analyses helped to reveal the socio-ecological context of significant factors for plant distribution and uses. Results showed dominating seral woody species along an altitudinal gradient. Although shrubs were more ecologically apparent than trees, trees were perceived to be more valuable as the usefulness and cultural importance of species increased with plant height and timber availability. Phytosociological factors played a minor but still significant role in perceived usefulness. Schinus molle and Prosopis laevigata ( 3,200 m a.s.l.), and Baccharis dracunculifolia (both zones) were evaluated as most promising for agroforestry use. In conclusion, our analytical framework proved to be a valuable tool for context-specific agroforestry plant selection. Nonetheless, economic, technical, and socio-cultural limitations of cultivating native agroforestry species were revealed as well. Agroforestry science and practice should, therefore, focus on enhancing reproductive potentials of existing woody vegetation, as well as problem-oriented horizontal dialogues between indigenous, expert, and scientific actors.

Effects of administrative land-use and technical land-form constraints on timber production at the landscape level

This study quantified, across a landscape in Eastern Finland, the influence of administrative land-use and technical land-form constraints on timber production. Spatially explicit data about the nature conservation areas, land use plans and steep slopes were integrated with Multi-source National Forest Inventory (MS-NFI) data. The Finnish forestry model MELA was used in the calculations related to updating forest data and estimating different scenarios of timber production with and without constraints. In the study area, the annual volume of maximum sustainable cutting removal defined for the next 30 years was decreased by one-third due to restrictions. The presented approach could be used, for example, to assess timber availability at the landscape level. Future challenges include ensuring the compatibility of spatially explicit data obtained from different sources, identifying the feasibility of forest management operations in the restricted area, and incorporating near-nature forest management operations in the forest planning system in order to estimate the timber production.

Timber Supply Fundamentals for Extension Forestry Professionals

Timber supply is a term forestry professionals often misuse. It is not the same as timber availability. Competing uses for timber, like bioenergy and carbon credits, make a proper definition important. Timber supply has three subsets: biological potential and physical and economic timber supplies. Plus, there is a temporal aspect that creates a relationship between stock and short-run and long-run timber supplies. A change in stock supply automatically triggers a long-run timber supply response in the opposite direction. Timber supply is a complex issue, and this discussion may help Extension professionals educate landowners and avoid mistakes when using the term.

Automating the visual resource management and harvest design process

Increasing pressure to harvest in scenic vistas as a result of increased timber demand has caused significant changes to many natural scenes. Visual resource management aims to reduce the impact of harvests and improve their scenic design while trying to minimize the effect on timber availability. This paper presents a new method for simplifying the inclusion of visual quality concerns in the forest planning process by developing and testing a prototype model that is capable of automatically modifying harvest designs to be more visually sensitive. This was accomplished by combining geographic information systems with a genetic algorithm and was tested across an array of different landscape terrain types, including mountains, hills and valleys, to demonstrate its ability to deal with complex three-dimensional situations. Results suggest a capacity for increased levels of aesthetic design while also increasing timber availability. This decision support tool allows planners to manipulate “what-if” scenarios to ascertain the effects of varying timber extraction levels and visible alteration percentages.

CONSIDERING CHANGES IN WOOD UTILIZATION -A EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE

Worldwide, continuous change is evident. What impact does it have on the utilization of wood? What should be considered when educating professionals in Wood Science and Technology (WS&T)? Where did we come from and where do we need to go? .Throughout history, forests provided important social, ecological, and economic values. Wood utilization advanced along with an unprecedented and exciting industrial evolution and WS&T became an interdisciplinary fi eld. Recently, stronger environmental concerns and “globalization” impacted societies in major ways infl uencing timber availability, processing, and trade. Demand is growing for bio-energy, “green” chemicals and composites. CO 2 savings are to be made by using timber in construction. Globalization created entirely new business that communicate and network worldwide. Quality assurance for products and manufacturing increases in importance. Globalization demands interdisciplinary education in WS&T. While recognized as a material science, it must retain its identity and association with related industries. Undergraduate education requires a broad knowledge base, then specialized topics, and fi nally, integration of information with options available. Graduate programs are ideally tailored to background and professional needs of students, but thesis topics are best selected from faculty research. Bodies for accreditation of curricula may be wise to require a standardized core of subjects, but show fl exibility.

The Effects of Spatial Legacies following Shifting Management Practices and Fire on Boreal Forest Age Structure

Forest age structure and its spatial arrangement are important elements of sustainable forestry because of their effects on biodiversity and timber availability. Forest management objectives that include specific forest age structure may not be easily attained due to constraints imposed by the legacies of historical management and natural disturbance. We used a spatially explicit stochastic model to explore the synergetic effects of forest management and fire on boreal forest age structure. Specifically, we examined (1) the duration of spatial legacies of different management practices in the boreal forest, (2) how multiple shifts in management practices affect legacy duration and the spatial trajectories of forest age structure, and (3) how fire influences legacy duration and pattern development in combination with harvesting. Results based on 30 replicates of 500 years for each scenario indicate that (1) spatial legacies persist over 200 years and the rate at which legacies are overcome depends on whether new management targets are in synchrony with existing spatial pattern; (2) age specific goals were met faster after multiple management shifts due to the similar spatial scale of the preceding management types; (3) because large fires can erase the spatial pattern created by smaller disturbances, scenarios with fire had shorter lags than scenarios without fire. These results suggest that forest management goals can be accelerated by applying management at a similar spatial scale as existing spatial patterns. Also, management planning should include careful consideration of historical management as well as current and likely future disturbances.

Lumber Manufacturing, Log Exports, and Timber Availability in Western Washington

Abstract We analyzed historical data on timber use and projected timber availability to 2045 to examine whether timber volumes would be available to meet the harvest requirements of existing or expanding lumber manufacturing and log export sectors in western Washington. Biennial mill surveys from the Washington Department of Natural Resources were used to describe past timber demand by the sawmilling and log exporting sectors. A simple linear programming model was used to project timber availability into the future. Our analysis revealed that current harvest levels could continue into the future, under some restricting assumptions, and can provide adequate timber volume to maintain the current lumber manufacturing sector. The projection also suggested that sawmilling capacity could expand if log exports should continue to decline. The projections are further analyzed with respect to historical distributions by species.