The Global Teak Study: Analysis, Evaluation and Future Potential of Teak Resources

Vienna

2018

108 S.

Bandaufführung

978-3-902762-77-1

12654BU

203439

Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is one of the most valuable tropical hardwoods of the world. Together with other highgrade hardwoods such as mahogany and rosewood, teak is sought in the global markets for its beauty, strength and stability, natural resistance and wide array of applications ranging from quality furniture through interior joinery to cultural uses. Given the importance of teak, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) over the past decades have been actively involved in research and development work of natural and planted teak forests. ITTO has been supporting teak related projects with a focus on genetic resources conservation, seed production as well as sustainable management of natural and planted teak forests in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Within its scientific structure, IUFRO maintains a special working party on the "utilization of planted teak" which aims at research and dissemination of scientific information on teak timber produced within the framework of socially and environmentally acceptable norms of sustainable forest management. The work includes identification of superior reproductive material from different provenances in various countries, characterisation and market standardisation of juvenile wood produced in intensively managed plantations as well as developing models for prediction of intensive silvicultural and genetic improvement techniques on timber quality and market end-product value of teak wood. FAO has published two technical reports on teak that serve as a reference on global teak resources and markets in the aftermath of Myanmar's log export ban.