Indonesia has extensive areas of post extraction secondary forests and degraded lands arising from intensive exploitation of forest resources in recent decades. Using the area of forests resulting from selective logging practices as an estimate, in year 2000, post extraction secondary forests covered about 23 million ha, or about 55% of the total concession area.

In tropical forests, RIL has been tested and appliedon a small scale for more than a decade. Various timber-producing countries in Asia and the Pacific have recognized its potential for advancing sustainable forest management. Yet many questions remain and the lack of sound and appropriate information continues to impede the widespread application of RIL. This book helps fill that critical information gap.

Claims of sustainability are virtually impossible to prove but enough is known about tropical forest ecology and silviculture to protect ecosystem functions and maintain biodiversity while still deriving financial profits from logging. Rapid improvements in long-term forest production will derive from better planning of harvesting operations and stand improvement treatments. Lack of good management plans generally results in logging practices that destroy natural regeneration and increase forest susceptibility to soil loss, wildfires, and weed infestations.

Beyond Timber: Certification and Management of Non-Timber Forest Products is a valuable contribution and a practical guide for communities, researchers, policy makers, and donors interested in assessing the value of investing time and effort in the still elaborate and costly process of gaining independent international recognition of sound management practices directed to harvest of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Beyond Timber does not attempt to mask the difficulties of obtaining NTFP certification.

The current study was conducted in Cameroon from July 1996 to June 1997. In general, it aims to describe the current structure of the Cameroon logging industry, assess its importance within Cameroon's economy, and analyse recent developement which the industry has experienced since the devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994.

The trade in illegally harvested timber provides a living for more than 45,000 people, a major source of income for corrupt officials and not a cent for the state.