Environmental Forest Science

Market globalization and the globalization of environmental concerns have spurred demand for greater international accountability for forest stewardship. In response, a range of multi-lateral governmental and non-governmental initiatives have emerged to redefine the rules of global trade, and demand verification of the legality and/or sustainability of forest products originating from within and outside national boundaries.

This book highlights the sustainability aspects of products and processes in forest science. The forest products sector supplies raw materials to several industrial sectors worldwide. These products can be classified as timber or non-timber products. Wood products are those that originate from the woody fraction and can include pulp, charcoal, firewood, and others. The non-timber products, on the other hand, have the products extracted from the different parts of the tree, such as bark, leaves, fruits, resins, oils, tannins, or even products extracted from non-woody biomass, such as palm heart or carnauba, among others. There are new studies and new products developed from forests worldwide each day. However, studies that evaluate the sustainability of these products and the processes related to their production are not so common. It is essential to highlight the sustainability aspects of these activities and the products obtained from them; such that steps can be taken to make the processes eco-friendly.

The future of the world's forests is at the forefront of environmental debate. Rising concerns over the effects of deforestation and climate change are highlighting the need both to conserve and manage existing forests and woodland through sustainable forestry practices.