Study On The Development Of Valuable Timber Trees In The Management Of Multifunctional Forest In China

For thousands of years, forests have been over-exploited in China. Experts estimate that exploited excessively for several thousands of years, China's natural forests, with the most abundant biodiversity and the most valuable timbers, is only 2 percent of the prehistoric forests. Within the forest coverage of 20.36%, most of the forests in China are second-growth forest and plantation. The valuable timber trees and the big timber trees are not easy to find. The timber production in China has turned from focusing on natural forest to plantation. The timber degree of self-sufficiency is only 60%, the left 40% is from abroad. In order to maintain the equilibrium of supply and demand, China has to rely on timber importation. Some experts pointed out, if one material's importation is 30~50% of its consume, this material is under the security line of the country.Plantation has been developed rapidly in China. The plantation area totals 0.6168×108hm2, of which timber forest accounts for 0.2522×108hm2. Because of the simple structure, low quality and productive forces, the plantation in China can only meet the needs of the industries of paper and wood based panel. How to meet the demand of commercial woods is the problem need to be solved urgently. Mr. Yong Wentao, The former vice forestry minister led a research project in 1980s, which lasted 10 years. From the practice and their studies, forest in China should be divided into 3 kinds of commercial forest, public welfare forest and multifunctional forest in the theory of classified forest management.The multifunctional forest is actually the traditional second-growth forest. With the most in area, the multifunctional forest is the principal part of forest resource in China. Over the years, the management of multifunctional forest has been ignored. The main countermeasure of resolving the problem of the timber resource deficit is to develop valuable timer trees during the multifuctional forest's management, enhance the sivilculture of valuable timber trees, and continuously meet the demand of the economy and society on valuable timbers.According to the biological characteristics of valuable trees, the international advanced theories and experience in forest management, integrating the practice of Chinese forestry, we suggested that theories of classified forest management, close-to-nature forest management, second-growth forest management, forest succession, forest gap disturbance and ecology-based harvesting can help to support the development of China's valuable trees. Classified forest management divides forest into commercial forest, public welfare forest and multifunctional forest. The multifunctional forest, main part of Chinese forest resource, is to seek the ecological and economic benefits simultaneously. Taking the continuous covering forest, multifunctional management and multi-quality products and the objectives, the emphasis of close-to-nature forest management is to rebuild and utilize forests as a matter of "close-to-nature", to develop forestry with the thought of unifying forest's ecological, economic and social benefits. It's a long time for second-growth forest to develop into climax community. On the base of respecting the natural rules, we should make the process shorter and finally get the ecological and economic benefits.Every country in the world attaches great importance to the development of valuable timber resources. At present, many forestry advanced countries take the countermeasure of protecting and developing the broad-leaved tree resources as the important way to protect biodiversity, prevent soil fertility declination and raise the added value of forest products. They carry out many preferential policies to encourage the planting of broad-leaved trees.China has good natural and historical conditions, and also the bases of scientific research and practice to develop valuable trees. In recent years, China has carried out a series of key forestry ecological projects such as natural forest protection, natural reserve construction and protective forest system construction of the Yangtse River. The resource of valuable trees has been effectively protected. The provinces of Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Heilongjiang, Fujian, Zhejiang and Qinghai, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have launched the distinctive practice of valuable tree's management, and have gotten the good achievements and gathered the plentiful experience. From the practice and scientific researches for many years, The Experimental Center of Tropical Forestry of Chinese Academy of Forestry, Heilongjiang Province and Forestry Bureau of Wangqing County of Jilin Province, Xiaolongshan Forestry Experimental Bureau of Gansu Province, has summarized respectively the management patterns of valuable broad-leaved plantation in south-subtropical region of China, the directive management patterns of valuable timber trees in Northeast China, and the multiple target management patterns of second-growth forest in Northwest China.However, over the years the development of valuable timber trees has been delayed seriously for a variety of reasons. There existed some prominent problems such as not realizing the importance and lacking motivation, not having enough investment and lacking fund channel, not having enough techniques and lacking effective support of science and technology, not having flexible policies and lacking strong driving force. Today and some time in the future, during the process of promoting the sivilcuture of valuable timber trees, we should pay much more attentions to do the 5 kinds of jobs of enhancing the protection and motivation of valuable timber tree resources, integrating the long time target with short time benefits, keeping a clear view and refraining from blindfold development, and determining the developing ways and priorities according to local conditions.It is very important for developing valuable timber trees to select the suitable tree species and sivilculture manners. Choosing tree species should stick to the principles of integrating economic benefits with ecological benefits, uniting indigenous tree species with exotic tree species, combining biodiversity with matching tree species with the site. In the year of 2007, the State Forestry Administration of China published the reference directory of the main valuable tree species for planting in China. That will be significant for the practice of the development of valuable tree species in China. At the meantime, each region can select the key valuable timber trees referring to the zoning of the main afforestation tree species in China and integrating the local conditions. In the development of valuable tree species, we can take such management manners of intensive management, directive improving, integrating the recent benefits and the long-term benefits, sivilculture and management measures, and so on.Based on the analysis of the situation and problems, this paper pointed out the guiding ideology and the principles for the development of valuable tree species in China. It suggested that we should take the countermeasures of promoting the development of valuable tree species into a policy at national level, increasing the support of science and technology for the sivilculture of valuable timber trees, integrating with the key forestry projects, developing valuable timber trees in second-growth forest and degraded land, etc. The paper finally draws the following conclusions:(1)Because of the long managing period, valuable timber trees has been ignored for a long time. The plantation can only meet the demand of fiber woods, and has not the ability to meet the large demands of valuable timber in China. To solve the problem of timber deficit thoroughly, we should develop the valuable timber trees vigorously.(2)Multifunctional forest is main part of China's forest resources. The management of multifunctional forest is not contrary with classified forest management. They are consistent. The concept of multifunctional forest management is more coincided with Chinese forestry practice. The theory of multifunctional forest management will greatly promote the development of valuable timber trees in China.(3)With the large area, the collective forest and the second-growth forest are the main place for the development of valuable timber trees. We should enhance the management and rebuild of second-growth forest, intensify our efforts to improve the silviculture of valuable timber trees. ( 4 ) The 6 kinds of theories of classified forest management, close-to-nature, second-growth forest management, forest succession, forest gap disturbance, ecology-based forest harvesting, can play a very important role in the practice of guiding the management of valuable timber trees.(5)With the rich land resources and complicated climate, there are altogether 1000 kinds of indigenous valuable timber trees that is suitable to be developed in every area in China.(6)The selection of tree species is the most important fundamental job in the development of valuable timber trees. The indigenous valuable timber trees should be used as far as possible. When selecting tree species, we should insist on the principles of integrating economic benefits with ecological benefits, uniting indigenous tree species with exotic tree species, combining biodiversity with matching tree species with the site.(7)From the practice analysis of the management patterns of valuable timber trees in Sourth-subtropical region, Northeast China and Northwest China, the paper summarized several kinds of suitable management patterns for the valuable timber trees such as forest mixed with the same-age coniferous trees and broad-leaved trees, forest mixed with the different-age coniferous trees and broad-leaved trees, etc.(8)The paper suggested 7 kinds of countermeasures for the development of valuable timber trees in China such as promoting the development of valuable timber trees into a policy at the national level, etc.In the future, we should attach enough importance to the development of valuable timber trees, making the multifunctional forest to play an important role, intensifying the rebuild of second-growth forest, accelerating feasiblely the development of valuable timber trees during the process of multifunctional forest management, increasing the funds, determining the developing priority, optimizing the management manners, laying down a solid foundation for the development, making the developing system flexible, and enhancing the support of science and technology. As long as we can do the above, we can change the unfavourable situation of the amount shortage in valuable timber trees and relying on seriously importing valuable timbers, can meet the increasing great demands of valuable timbers from the economy and society, and build the solid foundation for the strategy resources of modern forestry in China.