The case of tropical rain forests. The sustainable development of forests: aspirations and the reality

WHITMORE, T.C.

Publication year:

2000

Publication place:

Donostia-San Sebastián

ISBN:

84-8419-994-0

ISSN:

1137-8603

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Summary

The aspiration in tropical rain forests should be to continue as sustainable producers of forest services, and forests goods, timber production being one of its functions. Biodiversity conservation now has high prominence. The reality today is that tropical rain forests are becoming reduced to fragments in agricultural landscapes. Forest services are now provided (or not) by other kinds of vegetation. Production of forest goods is reduced. In particular, there are big unanswered questions on whether biodiversity can persist in cultural landscapes.