FOREST MANAGEMENT AND END-PRODUCT QUALITY - A CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE

The level of silvicultural investment and area of forest land managed in Canada is rising dramatically. Although this will increase growth rates and help maintain the present level of harvest, it may well result in a reduction in the quality of the resource. The present paper illustrates the risk of ignoring this potential problem through examples of experience in utilizing plantation-grown trees in various parts of the world. Canada's future must lie in the production of "value-added' products that require a high quality resource, permitting the greatest flexibility in conversion options. Information relating silvicultural treatments to end-product quality is at present inadequate. With relatively long rotations, Canada cannot afford to create a resource that does not match its future marketing strategy. -from Authors