Throughout the world forest products have been used for centuries. Ancient stories record many woodcutters going about their solitary business and Jesus was known to be a carpenter in an area with few tees. Apart from timber woodcutters probably produced charcoal as fuel, and this is of course still one of the most useful forest products.
In countries where forests are prolific house are often built exclusively from timber. Where trees are scarce mud or stones are used for house walls but in small stone huts built on mountain sides timber is still necessary and carried up steep mountain passes to be used as roof trusses.
The north Europeans have always been sea faring nations that made great use of timber for ship building. During the reign of Henry V111 a huge industry revolved around building a navy out of the great oak trees on British forests. Massive trees were selected for the masts of sailing ships. They were hauled by teams of horses to coastal shipyards.
A very important product of natural forests is oxygen which is given out by trees. It is needed by animals and human beings, and helps to maintain the natural balance of gasses on the planet. Some people are very concerned that logging companies cut down trees indiscriminately resulting in deforestation and less oxygen in the environment.
Artificial forestation can cause more harm than logging. In some countries vast plantations of alien trees have been planted for commercial purposes. Examples are on the east coast of Africa where alien pine and eucalypt plantations have been allowed. They cover hills and valleys like a green carpet of death, killing all the natural fauna and flora beneath them. In addition they leech water from the natural wetlands and streamlets. The timber from these quick growing forests of alien plants is used for the production of planks and primarily wood pulp for paper and bio-fuels.
Wood pulp for paper and packaging is a relatively new industry having only been in operation since the mid nineteenth century. When northern supplies of softwood began to dwindle pine and gum plantations were established in southern locations. The mono-culture of alien trees produces quick returns since trees can be harvested with fifteen years and used for planks or pulp.
The poles are stripped and transported by road or rail to pulping plants. Chemical, mechanical or thermal processes are used to reduce the poles into pulp which can be exported in pulp form or processed locally into various qualities of paper.
Of all the many forest products wood pulp is perhaps the most important product from artificial forests. In addition to the strong demand from paper manufacturers there is potential for use as a bio-fuel. This would be regarded as a sustainable resource which is environmentally more acceptable and less damaging than fossil fuels. Long straight eucalypt poles have many uses as tall electricity poles and in the building and transportation industries as planks for pallets.
Forest products are used in many aspects of modern life. Almost every activity requires one product at least, from tissue paper to house building. However the possibility remains that the most important forest product is still oxygen produced from living trees.
In countries where forests are prolific house are often built exclusively from timber. Where trees are scarce mud or stones are used for house walls but in small stone huts built on mountain sides timber is still necessary and carried up steep mountain passes to be used as roof trusses.
The north Europeans have always been sea faring nations that made great use of timber for ship building. During the reign of Henry V111 a huge industry revolved around building a navy out of the great oak trees on British forests. Massive trees were selected for the masts of sailing ships. They were hauled by teams of horses to coastal shipyards.
A very important product of natural forests is oxygen which is given out by trees. It is needed by animals and human beings, and helps to maintain the natural balance of gasses on the planet. Some people are very concerned that logging companies cut down trees indiscriminately resulting in deforestation and less oxygen in the environment.
Artificial forestation can cause more harm than logging. In some countries vast plantations of alien trees have been planted for commercial purposes. Examples are on the east coast of Africa where alien pine and eucalypt plantations have been allowed. They cover hills and valleys like a green carpet of death, killing all the natural fauna and flora beneath them. In addition they leech water from the natural wetlands and streamlets. The timber from these quick growing forests of alien plants is used for the production of planks and primarily wood pulp for paper and bio-fuels.
Wood pulp for paper and packaging is a relatively new industry having only been in operation since the mid nineteenth century. When northern supplies of softwood began to dwindle pine and gum plantations were established in southern locations. The mono-culture of alien trees produces quick returns since trees can be harvested with fifteen years and used for planks or pulp.
The poles are stripped and transported by road or rail to pulping plants. Chemical, mechanical or thermal processes are used to reduce the poles into pulp which can be exported in pulp form or processed locally into various qualities of paper.
Of all the many forest products wood pulp is perhaps the most important product from artificial forests. In addition to the strong demand from paper manufacturers there is potential for use as a bio-fuel. This would be regarded as a sustainable resource which is environmentally more acceptable and less damaging than fossil fuels. Long straight eucalypt poles have many uses as tall electricity poles and in the building and transportation industries as planks for pallets.
Forest products are used in many aspects of modern life. Almost every activity requires one product at least, from tissue paper to house building. However the possibility remains that the most important forest product is still oxygen produced from living trees.
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Customers depend on a huge variety of forest products for many uses. Pulp and paper products are currently produced from managed tree farms in many locations.
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