Secondary and logged-over tropical forests cover more than 600 million hectares. An international workshop held in Bogor (Indonesia) in November 1997 provided a forum of discussion on the research priorities for the sustainable management of secondary forests in Indonesia and more generally in South East Asia. Secondary forests were defined as: "woody vegetation regrowing on land whose previous forest cover was destroyed by at least 90 % by human activities or natural disaster".

In 2002, mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) was listed on Appendix II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). This requires that all producing countries define and implement sustainable production systems for mahogany, the most commercially important neotropical timber, which is still harvested from natural forests. The only serious efforts to produce mahogany sustainably from managed natural forests are those of communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico, which control 800,000 of natural production forests.

The typical practice by smallholder teak growers of letting trees grow without management input has resulted in poor quality plantations. Various questions arise when farmers start to better manage their teak plantations. This book provides practical guidance in addressing these questions by explaining in detail the techniques of parent tree selection, seed preparation, seedling production, planting, fertilising, thinning, pruning, controlling pest and disease and harvesting. To be more easily understood, the descriptions are complemented by illustrations, photographs or tables.

Perdagangan mebel dunia berkembang sangat pesat dan mencapai hampir 1,4 milyar dolar AS pada tahun 2010. Mebel dari kayu jati dan mahoni paling diminati di dunia karena alasan kekuatan dan estetika, dan Indonesia sebagai salah satu pemasok terbesar dunia, sangat berkepentingan dengan keberlanjutan industri mebel ini karena penyerapan tenaga kerja yang besar, teknologi yang relatif dikuasai, dan bernilai ekonomi tinggi.

Personal anecdotes are used to highlight some important considerations for yield regulation and to introduce some pertinent literature. A checklist of key issues and research needs is offered. Perhaps the most important consideration is to maintain a holistic systems view, and to involve clients and to ensure their needs are met.