The Tropical Timber Trade

Abstract

The previous chapter concluded with the observation that a substantial percentage of tropical deforestation and rainforest degradation was due to the tropical timber trade. The precise contribution varies from region to region and from country to country, reflecting differences in forest type, transportation infrastructure, proximity to markets, and government policies related to industrialization, taxation, ownership and environment. While the trade makes a relatively minor contribution to deforestation in Latin America it bears considerable responsibility for deforestation and degradation in asia and pants of africa. In this chapter, I analyse the size, structure and mode of operation of the tropical timber trade and examine the social forces that emerge from this industry structure.