Sustainable exploitation of the tropical forest

Over the last thirty years, more than four hundred million hectares of tropical forest have been destroyed. Added to this deforestation is forest degradation, which in some regions of the world, such as the Amazon, affects as much land as deforestation. Preserving and conserving tropical forests is therefore now becoming a priority for the survival of humanity.

The first method consists of making the forests sanctuaries by creating protected areas, thereby limiting the exploitation of their resources by humans. The second is based on reasoned exploitation for the benefit of local populations and society in general. Foresters favour this method with the idea that a valued forest generating goods and services for local people, the State and society will be a protected and conserved forest.

However, the reality on the ground continues to contradict this principle. Illegal logging, which is still widespread in many tropical countries, causes significant damage to forest stands, and compromises their ability to regenerate and withstand the effects of climate change. Timber exploitation is thus accused of all the evils and is very often considered to be the main source of deforestation.

The aim of this essay is not to rehabilitate logging, but to present the environmental effects of timber exploitation in an objective, factual way that is accessible to non-tropical forest specialists. It reveals the various possible ways in which this exploitation can become a genuine tool for conserving tropical rainforests.