Silviculture for Sustainable Management of Tropical Moist Forest

Abstract

"This article examines the silvicultural options available to the forest manager by reviewing the results of research on plantation and natural forest dynamics. It examines existing knowledge on the behaviour, growth, regeneration and mortality of natural tree stands in relation to human impacts: logging for timber, thinning for improvement, accidental fires, etc. These major components must be thoroughly understood before an appropriate silviculture can be prescribed for any stand. This, in turn, is essential for forest management leading to the sustainable production of forest products and services, while maintaining biodiversity, and thus to the achievement of technical requirements for the conservation of tropical forest ecosystems."