Global teak support program by IUFRO, TEAKNET and FAO underway
Experts from the Asia Pacific region and from overseas convened in a side event at the Asia-Pacific Forestry Week, in Pampanga, Philippines, on 24 February, to discuss the way forward in promoting teak (Tectona grandis) as one of the major high-value tropical timber species. Current trends show that global demand for and importance of teak will significantly increase as a business opportunity for the private sector and as a means of income for smallholder farmers.
Due to a significant decrease of log supply from natural teak forests reported from Myanmar, India, and Lao PDR caused by overexploitation and land conversion to agriculture, interest and investments in establishing and managing teak plantations in many tropical countries has notably increased. As explained by Dr. K.P. Thulasidas, Coordinator of TEAKNET, the problems that will be faced in future are two-fold: (a) the genetic diversity of natural teak forests is gradually eroding due to forest destruction, and (b) the genetic base of planted teak established in the past is rather narrow, which may endanger its sustainability particularly in view of new challenges posed by climate change and extreme weather events.
Against this background a global teak support program is currently being designed by IUFRO, TEAKNET and FAO with the objectives to conserve the existing natural teak resources for future genetic breeding programs and planted teak for sustainable management.
Following the presentations by the experts on various aspects of teak management, marketing and trade, participants of the partner event provided comments and suggestions for consideration regarding the program design. These included enhanced exchange of technical and operational experiences among teak managers and scientists through TEAKNET; further genetic research on gene markers for tracing teak genetic origins; careful design of equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms for creating genetically improved planting material; development of best practices of teak management and its dissemination to farmers through proper extension services.
In an initial phase of the project supported by ITTO, a thorough analysis of past teak-related projects will be conducted by a group of scientists generating further input for this multi-year project.
Overall, participants agreed that the joint initiative by IUFRO, TEAKNET and FAO will provide an important element in future efforts to conserve and sustainably manage the world’s teak resources.
By Michael Kleine, IUFRO Deputy Executive Director
Further sources of information:
- TEAKNET: http://www.teaknet.org/
- IUFRO Working Party 5.06.02 – Utilization of planted teak: http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-5/50000/50600/50602/
- FAO: http://www.fao.org
Posted by Dr.Satish Kumar on
Dear Dr. Tulsidas,
Thanks for your inputs of March 23, which I could see only today. My concern is that we should explore possibility of faster conversion of sapwood to heartwood to decrease the percentage of sapwood even in small logs (just like eucalyptus hybrid) to maintain value of teak. Only we/villagers know that sapwood (known as kachi lakad in layman’s language) is vulnerable to degrade. Indian Engineers/Architects know very little about about wood. Even if they know they make the best use of the public ignorance and corraborate with builders to fleece the public at large.
For making furniture it may be okay to spend more money for the sake of grain an figure.
The main question is if teak has to be treated with preservatives to make it durable, why teak? Why not use any cheaper wood species which are available at half the cost of Teak. There are species which have very good figure comparable to teak.
I do not know who benefits from growing fast grown teak with the current technology. As you mentioned, INDIA is one of the largest importer of teak without any restrictions on quality, it is resulting not only in drainage of Foreign exchange, it is affecting badly on Indian economy by keeping a check on prices of Indigenous Teak with much higher quality figure.
Don’t you think that some corrective steps are necessary to watch our interests.
Dr. Satish Kumar
Posted by Dr. PK Thulasidas on
Dear Dr. Sathish Kumar,
Great to hear from you after a long time. Your apprehension about .utilising short rotation teakwood is a topic of discussion worldwide as all of us know the teak durability and its reputation for exterior applications. Since the import policy of India allows all sorts of inferior quality small dimensional teak logs without any restriction/without any preservative treatments is being allowed to be used in the urban constructions sites (in rural areas the farmer’s are well aware of the quality of teak and they seldom use these poor quality logs !) in builidings and flats in the name of teak and the occupants are misguided on its quality.
Faster growth in teak can be accomplished to obtain large dimensional logs adopting silvicultural and other management practices for better economic returns. However, faster growth cannot be always associated with higher amount of heartwood. Heartwood formation in teak starts at the age of 4 to 5 years and there is no easy way to induce/convert sapwood to heartwood though scientific intervention. If greater the log size, greater will be the amount of heartwood, that is all. This is why forest mangers aim at producing larger size logs within a short time of 20-25 years adopting better management practices for achieving greater volume of wood. Teak grows fast in the initial 20-25 years and thereafter the growth is more related to age. The study in KFRI proved this. What we want is better utilisation of sapwood by adopting appropriate processing / preservative technologies. Ninety percent of the world teak timber produced is directed towards Indian market (urban markets especially) and we are here to accept the whole in toto ! Quality is least concern for us. Now the old growth, natural teak timber supply from Myanmar stopped altogether due to log export ban. In order to have durable teak timber, the only way is to retain the teak trees at least until the rotation age is reached, 50-60 years.
Thanks,
Dr. PK Thulasidas , KFRI
Posted by Dr.Satish Kumae on
People are well aware of the properties of teak and its utilization aspects. As removal of teak from Forests decreases, supplies will have to be augmented from plantation sources. Teak harvested on short rotation has large amount of sapwood, which is vulnerable to fast destruction during use especially in applications in gound contact. In addition to fast growth aspects scientist must dwell on conversion of sapwood to heartwood at a faster rate. Faster growth should also ensure that durability of such wood is the same as naturally grown teak otherwise the teak will lose its charm as well as reputation.
Dr. Satish Kumar
Dehradun +919411101673
Posted by Dr TV Sajeev on
Thanks for the quick report, Kleine. Where there any discussion on timber certification during the event?
Posted by theiufroblog on
Dear Dr. Sajeev,
Thank you for your response to the latest IUFRO Blog Entry on Global Significance of Teak – Present and Future.
Regarding your question about timber certification, there was no specific presentation or deliberation on this topic during the event.
However, for producers of teak timber exporting to North America and Europe it is indeed a very important aspect. Some discussions revolved around teak plantations as one of the means of forest landscape restoration, particularly to generate income for rural communities.
I hope that above is helpful.
Best regards
Michael Kleine