The global environment and such risks as "nuclear fallout", "the Greenhouse effect", "ozone depletion" and "acid rain" are "news" which can be instantly transmitted by television and radio around the world. Political leaders can no longer ignore its impact on the mounting concern about a world able to sustain seven billion people in the next century. In an age of increasing affluence, increasing education and instant communications the tide of public opinion will continue to flow in favour of environmental protection. The demands of an ever-growing population on the world's forest place at risk the industrial and environmental benefits which have been taken for granted by past generations. Greater replanting and more intensive forest management in both the tropical and boreal forests is a matter of some urgency requiring the attention of world leaders. Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, the British Prime Minister, has recently focused attention on global environmental issues - will she offer the leadership required to ensure effective coordination and action? The EC is one of the largest importing trading blocks in the world, particularly for timber and wood products. Will the Community achieve the Single Market by 1992 or will the benefits of a single language, a common currency and the powerful Federal Government, which are three US advantages, be beyond the reach of 1992? In 1988 he Commission launched proposals for a "Community Strategy and Action Plan for the Forestry Sector". With Britain by far the largest wood consumer the Community must increase its self-sufficiency and also offer support to developing nations, including relieving some of their debt problems, to ensure long-term wood suply programmes to meet future needs. The wood resource created in Britain by planting over the last 50 years has resulted in a complete transformation in the UK forest industry. During the last 5 years, with an investment approaching US$2BN, a highly efficient wood processing industry, competitive by world standards has evolved, with the prospect of raising self-sufficiency overall from 12% to 18% and the likelihood of a further increase, with sawnwood products rising to 26%, by the year 2005. In 1988 for political and fiscal reform reasons, tx relief incentives were replaced by direct grant aid to encourage existing landowners to engage in environmentally sensitive multipurpose forestry. Britian ha become a tax haven for some foreign investors, encouraged by substantial grant aid, for creating super tree plantations in a guaranteed timber market. Is this an example to other nations of what can be achieved by a consistent long term Government forestry policy? What lessons can be learned? Can the Centres of forestry learning come together to ensure a sustained forest resource yield to meet future needs? It is highly desirable that the University of California ...
