Contents
- Director's Message
Director's Message
Bruce Lippke
While signals from the Asian economic crisis are
mixed, there is recent evidence that the economic downturn will deepen rather
than bottom out. The impact of a prolonged and deep recession will have a profound
impact on the Pacific Northwest (PNW) wood products sector. Without a strong
cyclic market recovery, wood products from the PNW will continue to be in surplus
and prices may decline further. After 1990, wood from the PNW commanded high
prices as a result of timber harvest and log export restrictions. More recently,
prices have declined as Asian buyers have located new lower cost suppliers.
The demand for high quality wood has played a significant role in sustaining
the demand for timber from the PNW, yet if the Asian market remains depressed
the PNW will continue to lose market share to lower cost producers. Primary
and secondary producers in the PNW appear competitive now because timber prices
are low, yet this competitive edge may be temporary. Timber prices would be
expected to increase as the Asian economy recovers and the region's products
would lose the competitive factor currently most important - an inexpensive
raw material supply. The region has already lost market share to Canada, other
US regions, and international producers because their raw materials were less
expensive. The export statistics (featured on page 6) illustrate the impacts
of Asian markets as well as a continuing decline in the PNW's market share.
For those interested in keeping up to date with the changing impacts of the
Asian economic crisis, CINTRAFOR will be co-sponsoring the 15th Annual
Jay Gruenfield Associates Seattle Marketing Conference on December 7 and 8,
1998. Members of industry and academia will present information about the outlook
for the international market for wood products, and the impact of social and
political change on the forest products industry. A complete conference schedule
and registration sheet is enclosed in this issue. Also featured in this issue is an article about the market potential for wood
frame homes and wood-based building materials in Korea. As consumer income has
increased wood frame housing has received more attention from consumers and
potential suppliers. CINTRAFOR researchers traveled to Korea and completed a
market assessment for the American Forest and Paper Association. A synopsis
of the market assessment is included. Another article appearing in this issue discusses the role of lesser-used species
in wood-based manufacturing. Based on surveys of timber processors from the
Philippines and Ghana, manufacturers from the UK, Ireland and the US, and lumber
wholesalers from the US, the article provides advice for developing a marketing
plan for lesser-used timber species. Another publication relating to factors
that influence product use is titled "Adoption Diffusion, and Substitution of
Structural Wood Products" (WP65). The paper presents the results of a multi-generation
forecasting model that assesses and forecasts the influence of successive generations
of structural wood panel products on earlier ones. Among other newly released publications, "Forest Policy: Ready for Renaissance"
SP29 is a collection of essays by a group of scholars from backgrounds in social
and quantitative science who participated in a forest management conference
that took place in the fall of 1996. Conference participants discussed various
aspects of what values are important from our forests, how these values should
be achieved, and how multiple or competing values can be measured. The essays
include a mix of scientific approaches, legal aspects, economics, and philosophical
debate that represent a significant contribution to the field of ecosystem management.
CINTRAFOR has also just released the findings of a research project titled "The
role of Manufacturing Clusters in the Pacific Northwest Forest Products Industry"
(WP66). The paper presents information regarding how groups of small firms in
the PNW originate and survive in light of supply and market fluctuations.
Developing a Marketing Strategy to
Introduce Lesser-Used Timber Species
Dr. Ivan Eastin, Associate Director,
CINTRAFOR and David Wright, Consultant, Hartmand and New Hope, Bellevue, WA
As the price of traditional timber species in North
America and the tropics increases and the quality declines, manufacturers and
producers are beginning to look to species that were previously ignored. Attention
toward lesser-used species (LUS) in tropical areas is also gaining attention
as environmental groups boycott tropical hardwoods as a way to reduce deforestation
and non-sustainable forest practices. While LUS have the potential to substitute for traditional species in many
markets, forest products traders and manufacturers still appear somewhat reluctant
to accept LUS as substitutes for traditional species. This reluctance can be
attributed to concerns about reliability of supply of LUS, manufacturing characteristics
of LUS, and in-service performance of LUS. The challenge of promoting LUS is
the development of an effective marketing strategy to introduce LUS as new industrial
materials. Developing an effective marketing strategy requires a thorough understanding
of the interrelationships between the factors that influence end-user acceptance
of new species in industrial markets. Exploratory research indicates that the
decision to evaluate an LUS is related to the availability of technical information
describing appropriate end-use applications, its substitutability for a traditional
species, its processing characteristics, its availability and price, and promotional
incentives that reduce the risk associated with trial use of the LUS. To develop a better understanding of the effectiveness of different marketing
factors in promoting the acceptance of LUS, five surveys were administered in
producing and consuming countries. The sample frame (and sample size) for the
firms surveyed were: Ghanaian wood processors (68 firms surveyed), Philippine
wood processors (537 firms surveyed), timber importers in the UK and Ireland
(38 firms), US tropical hardwood lumber and veneer importer/wholesalers (100
firms), and US lumber wholesalers (619 firms). The response rate obtained from
each of the surveys was 91 percent (Ghana), 4.6 percent (Philippines), 62.9
percent (UK/Ireland), 68 percent (US importers), and 28 percent (US wholesalers).
RESULTS A majority of the respondents in each of the countries reported that they currently
use or market LUS to some extent. Over 80 percent of the respondents in the
US, 75 percent of the respondents in the Philippines, and two-thirds of the
respondents in Ghana use LUS, while just over half of the respondents in the
UK/Ireland reported some experience with LUS. Despite their familiarity with
LUS, most respondents reported that their customers have been reluctant to try
LUS. Obviously, it appears that the challenge for gaining a broader market acceptance
of LUS lies in convincing manufacturers and end-users in developed countries
to use LUS in place of traditional species. Survey respondents were asked to evaluate the effectiveness of different marketing
factors in promoting the acceptance of LUS, Table 1. The survey data indicate
that the four highest rated marketing factors were all considered to be very
important in promoting market acceptance of LUS. By far, the most important
factor was the availability of a reliable supply of LUS. The other factors,
in order of perceived importance were the availability of technical data, the
availability of small trial volumes, and a low initial trial price. Table 1. Importance ratings of various marketing factors in
promoting the market acceptance of LUS. Marketing Factor
Ghanaian Mfrs.
Philippine Mfrs.
US Importer
UK/Ireland Importer
US Wholesaler
Weighted Mean
Reliable supply
6.15
6.67
6.46
6.67
6.45
6.44
Availability of technical information
6.17
6.38
5.36
5.86
5.51
5.66
Availability of small trial volumes
5.24
5.30
5.48
5.90
5.53
5.49
Low trial price
4.38
5.71
5.18
5.90
5.40
5.26
Acceptance of LUS by influential firm
5.32
5.57
4.48
5.33
5.45
5.24
Availability of promotional materials
n/a
n/a
4.81
5.20
5.26
5.14
Certification of sustainability
6.30
5.25
4.39
5.52
4.41
4.81
Money-back guarantee
3.48
4.52
4.72
4.71
4.30
4.31
Response based on a Likert-like scale where: 1= Not important, 4=Somewhat important,
7=Very important. Two marketing factors that received lower importance
ratings merit additional discussion: availability of a range of products manufactured
from LUS and certification of products manufactured from LUS derived from sustainably
managed tropical forests. Somewhat surprisingly, survey respondents rated the
availability of a broad product line as being only moderately effective (4.51)
and it received one of the lowest importance ratings of all the marketing factors.
The second factor, certification of sustainability received a mean importance
rating of 4.81. However, while respondents from the US rated this factor as
being only moderately effective (4.40) in promoting the acceptance of LUS, respondents
from Ghana (6.30), the Philippines (5.25), and the UK/Ireland (5.52) felt that
this strategy would be very effective in promoting market acceptance of LUS.
This suggests that environmental certification of wood products has become more
accepted within the international forest products industry than in the US. The
results of the LUS survey were used to develop a set of preliminary marketing
recommendations to help effectively market LUS. PRELIMINARY MARKETING RECOMMENDATIONS Determine the technical characteristics
of each LUS. It is crucial
that the appropriate technical and processing information be presented in an
easily understandable format and distributed to existing and potential end-users.
Literature should include not only information about the physical and mechanical
properties of the wood, including processing characteristics, but also procedures
to help processors develop kiln drying schedules and preservative treatment.
Identify appropriate end-uses for each LUS. Technical information
should provide the basis for making recommendations about the appropriate end-uses
for each LUS. While the technical characteristics of a species are good indicators
of appropriate end-use applications, they are not foolproof. To ensure that
an LUS is appropriate for a specific end-use application, it is important that
prototype products be manufactured, tested, and evaluated. These prototype products
could also be used as demonstration products at international and domestic trade
shows and industry exhibitions. Identify established species for which each LUS can be substituted.Technical
information should be used to identify traditional species for which an LUS
can be used as a substitute. This information should provide the basis for encouraging
end-users to try an LUS as a substitute for higher priced traditional species.
Emphasis should be focused on the fact that the LUS is technically similar to
the traditional species but is available at a lower price. Develop a reliable resource and product
supply. Nothing is more frustrating
to an end-user than investing a substantial amount of time, energy, and capital
in evaluating an LUS only to find that the species is not readily available.
It is critical for the supplier to ensure that a reliable source of supply is
available before implementing a marketing program. Developing a demand for an
LUS prior to securing a source of supply can undermine the initial efforts invested
in developing a marketing strategy. Identify and target appropriate niche markets, including domestic and
regional markets. Each LUS possesses a unique set of wood properties,
which to a large extent define the types of products that can be manufactured.
In addition, within the wood processing industry is a segment of manufacturers
who are innovative and therefore more willing to try LUS. In order to maximize
the chances for successfully introducing LUS into the marketplace, it is important
that each LUS be promoted, at least initially, to those manufacturers who would
be most likely to try a new species. Develop effective promotional materials. While technical information
should be a component of the promotional material, the basic function of the
promotional material should be to encourage processors to try the LUS. Promotional
material should include general information on each LUS including the volume
of the available resource, basic wood properties, a summary of the technical
information, and a listing of the appropriate end-use applications. Where appropriate,
the promotional material should emphasize the ability of the LUS to substitute
for traditional species that may be higher priced or in short supply. Finally,
the promotional strategy should identify the appropriate outlets and forums
for making this information available to manufacturers and exporters. Develop an effective marketing strategy for each market segment.
Having developed the information described in the previous steps, this information
should be synthesized into a marketing strategy that will maximize the chances
of gaining the acceptance of the LUS in the marketplace. This includes identifying
the appropriate product mix and targeting these products to customers who are
most likely to try an LUS. This means establishing a pricing policy that will
encourage end-users to try LUS in preference to the more established species.
It means identifying distributors who have experience selling LUS or who have
demonstrated a willingness to invest the required time and effort in promoting
these species and their products to their customers. It also means effectively
integrating the promotional strategy into the marketing strategy. For example,
this may include exhibiting products manufactured from LUS at international
exhibitions and trade shows. Assist local firms in acquiring reliable market information.
Not only is market information important in order to identify appropriate niche
markets for each species, it is equally important to identify product/market
combinations where a specific LUS may have the greatest chance of gaining market
acceptance. This is true for both the domestic market and export markets. The
process for acquiring market information should be institutionalized so that
it can be used over the long-term, but also include both formal and informal
channels. Provide technical and marketing support to the local industry, importers,
and end-users. Having invested a tremendous amount of resources in developing
information required to effectively market LUS, managers and researchers should
be prepared to assist local processors who are interested in incorporating LUS
into their raw material mix. For example, in Ghana and the Philippines programs
could be established to provide technical assistance in transferring new processing
technologies to industrial scale manufacturing operations. Examples of LUS in the United States US East
US West
Hardwoods
Softwoods
Hardwoods
Softwoods
Red maple
E. hemlock
Big leaf maple
Bishop pine*
Osage-orange
Black oak
Coulter pine*
Honeylocust
Tanoak
Jeffrey pine*
Hickory spp.
Pacific Madrone
Pinyon pine
Gum spp.
Juniper
*These species, listed as "occasionally used" in the WWPA Supplement No. 5,
received assigned design values in 1998, allowing them to be included in the West Woods
species group. Examples of LUS in Ghana and the Philippines Ghanaian Lesser-Used Species Albizia ferruginea (AWIEMFOSAMINA)
Antrocaryon incraster (APROKUMA)
Bombax brevicupse (ONYINAKOBEN)
Canarium schweinfurthii (BEDIWONUA)
Ceiba pentranda (ONYINA)
Celtis spp. (ESA)
Chrysophyllum giganteum (AKASA)
Cylicodiscus gabonensis (DENYA)
Daniela ogea (OGEA)
Petersianthus macrocarpus (ESIA)
Pycnanthus angolensis (OTIE)
Sterculia rhinopetala (WAWABIMA)
Strombosia glaucescens (AFENA)
Philippine Lesser-Used Species Alstonia scholaris (DITA)
Amoora aherniana (KATO)
Celtis luzonica (MAGABUYO)
Calophyllum blancoi (BITANGHOL)
Diospyros inclusa (ANANG-GULOD)
Diospyros pyrrhocarpa (ANANG)
Diplodiscus paniculatus (BALOBO)
Duabanga moluccana (LOKTOB)
Erythrina subumbrans (RARANG)
Ficus balete (BALETE)
Lithocarpus llanosii (ULAYAN)
Macaranga tanarius (BINUNGA)
Myristica phillipinensis (DUGUAN)
Nephelium mutabile (KAPULASAN)
Octomeles sumatrana (BINUANG)
Palaquium luzoniense (NATO)
Palaquium philippense (MALAK-MALAK)
Pometia pinnata (MALUGAI)
Sterculia philippenensis (BANILAD)
Terminalia foetidissima (TALISAI GUBAT)
Trema orientalis (ANABIONG)
Xanthophyllum excelsum (BOK-BOK)
Ziziphus talanai (BALAKAT)
- Developing a Market Strategy
to Introduce Lesser Used Timber Species
- The Korean Market for Wood
Frame Housing
- Forest Policy: Ready for Renaissance
(trade name)
(trade name)
The Korean
Market for Wood Frame Housing
( Also
see Related Publications
)
Rosemarie Braden, CINTRAFOR Research
Analyst In recent years, the South Korean (Korea) market
for wood frame housing and building materials has gained increased attention
from US manufacturers and exporters. The Korean economy has demonstrated strong
growth since the end of the Korean War and is now the eleventh leading economy
in the world. Prior to the recent Asian economic crisis, more families were
able to purchase single-family homes because consumer incomes were rising. Within
this sector, wood frame homes are becoming more prevalent. The Korean government
has almost reached With a land size slightly larger than the State of Indiana
(38,031mi2), Korea is populated by almost 46 million people. The
country is primarily mountainous, with approximately 80 percent of the country’s
population residing in lowland urban areas. By 1998, Korea’s population density
reached 1,185 people per square mile in urban centers. Limited domestic resources make Korea heavily dependent on imported wood products,
importing almost 88 percent of the wood it consumes. In 1996, Korea imported
6.8 million m3 of softwood logs, 1.4 million m3 of hardwood
logs, and 366,000 m3 of softwood lumber. While almost two-thirds
of the country is covered by forestland, forestland totals only 1,594,324 acres,
or 0.37 acres per capita, one-quarter of the world’s average. The majority
of the timber supply is low quality due to earlier over-harvesting and forests
comprised of slow growing immature timber, with three-fourths of domestic timber
stands made up of coniferous trees between 11-30 years old. A lack of intensive
forest management, including pruning and thinning has most likely constrained
the quality of reforestation. Small diameter logs (below 30 cm) represent 97
percent of total log production. Because the timber resource quality is low and the majority of trees are small
diameter, domestic roundwood is primarily processed into pitprops, lumber and
plywood, and wood chips for pulping. Domestic timber production in Korea has
been historically low, with just under 1,200,000m3 of roundwood produced
in 1996. Current domestic production of lumber and other products totals almost
700,000 m3. A government imposed cutting restriction also limits
domestic harvest to 11 percent of the annual timber volume increase. The timber
that is harvested for processing equals only 20-30 percent of Korea's total
timber inventory, much of which is low quality and inferior and pest damaged
tree cutting equals more than one-half of total harvested timber. Although logs, lumber, and chips are leading imports, the general trend in
import expenditures indicates a decline in primary products such as logs and
chips, and an increase in secondary products such as windows, doors, and prefabricated
homes as well as lumber. Revenue from logs, lumber, veneer, and plywood remain
much greater than secondary manufactured products, however these materials are
exhibiting strong growth. According to Foreign Agriculture Service statistics,
logs, particleboard, and fiberboard expenditures have declined since 1992, whereas
expenditures on lumber, veneer, plywood, wooden doors and windows, and wood
frame homes have increased. Wood frame homes display the most significant growth
of all the products tracked, with a 1023 percent increase, and expenditures
totaling $29.2 million in 1997 (Table 1). In terms of revenue growth, veneer
imports were followed closely by wooden door and windows, which increased 216
percent and totaled $101 million. Table 1. Korea's total
forest product imports, 1992-1997 (US $ millions). Product
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
% Change 1992 vs 1997
Logs
919
1,183
1012
1,047
963
877
-5%
Lumber
250.2
452
373
409
465
453
81%
Veneer
30
37
55
46
64
112
270%
Particleboard
72
91
72
91
77
54
-25%
Fiberboard
28
56
69
40
26
25
-9%
Plywood
351
552
536
594
531
449
28%
Doors & windows
32
48
67
80
110
101
216%
Wooden homes
2.6
1.9
1.2
11.0
22.6
29.2
1,023%
Total
1,790
2,599
2,413
2,605
2,568
2,375
33%
Source: Foreign Agriculture Service 1998 US Department of Commerce statistics also show that Korea is becoming an increasingly
important market for the US. The US exported $43.8 million in secondary processed
products in 1997, a 178 percent increase since 1989. According to these statistics,
US secondary building products continued to increase during the eight-year period.
Total primary products, however, have been more volatile during the same time
period and declined from $344.7 million in 1992 to $256 million in 1997. Wood Frame Homes and Building Materials Concrete formwork is the leading use of wood in Korea. However, the end-use
market with the greatest potential for growth appears to be the wood-frame residential
construction industry. While this sector is small compared to other wood imports,
it has increased significantly from its first introduction to the Korean market.
The number of western style wooden housing starts increased from 97 units in
1994 to approximately 800 units in 1996 and an estimated 1,100 homes in 1997.
Revenues from homes exported from the US increased from $2.2 million in 1992
to over $17 million by 1997. In addition, as indicated in Table 2, floor area
for wooden buildings increased 79 percent from 100m2 to 179m2
between 1989 and 1997. Single-family homes and townhomes, also referred to as
link or row houses, are also gaining new popularity. These two types of housing
represented 22 percent of all housing units built in 1996, a 4 percent increase
since 1992. Table 2. Building permit
floor area by construction material (1,000m2). Construction Material
Year
Total
Concrete
Brick & Stone
Wooden
Other
1989
88,600
70,800
17,100
100
500
1990
116,400
92,900
22,200
100
1,200
1991
105,200
88,700
14,100
200
2,200
1992
94,700
80,100
11,400
200
3,000
1993
117,800
99,000
12,200
200
6,400
1994
116,211
102,727
8,527
123
4,854
1995
117,327
103,134
9,086
89
5,022
1996
113,820
101,940
7,193
131
4,557
1997
113,374
104,214
5,105
179
3,881
Source: Foreign Agricultural Service 1998 Imports The leading suppliers of wooden homes and building
materials to Korea are the US, followed by Canada and Northern European countries.
The US maintains 59 percent of the Korean imported wooden home market, although
Canada is a strong competitor. Canadian government sponsored trade delegations,
industry sponsored model home projects, and trade show participation have had
a positive impact on end-user consumption. Revenue from Canadian wood homes
increased 649 percent since 1992, totaling $8.6 million in 1997, representing
28 percent of the imported wood home market. Northern European-style homes have
also become increasingly popular and are most often recreation homes or cabins.
Prefabricated homes from Finland, Sweden, and Russia, which were nonexistent
in the Korean market in 1992, totaled $1.7 million in 1997. While North America dominates the home industry, the building components used
in a wide variety of home and apartment construction projects are more price-sensitive
and are dominated by tropical wood suppliers. For example, in 1997, the Korean
market for wooden doors and windows reached $100 million with the US supplying
$18.8 million or almost 19 percent of these imports. Doors and windows from
Indonesia however, represented 62 percent of the wooden door and window market,
followed by Malaysia, which supplied 17 percent of the market. This market is
based on price, and the inability of US manufacturers to compete on the basis
of price is reflected by its low market share growth for US doors and windows
relative to the prefabricated home market. US market share of the Korean wooden
window and door market has shown a 29 percent loss since 1992. Individuals who
live in apartments are often unable to afford these higher priced components.
However, single-family homeowners who are often less restricted by price, frequently
select products solely on quality and appearance. These homeowners are more
likely to purchase interior products made by the same country that produced
their home. For example, Scandinavian homes are often used as cabins or recreational
homes. As such, the homeowner often uses Scandinavian interior finish work,
windows, and doors as a way to maintain a consistent appearance. Wood home consumers
are influenced primarily by style, appearance, and quality. They are likely
to seek interior and exterior designs that suit their taste as opposed to the
lowest price available. Therefore, while no market statistics exist regarding
the proportion of US products used in wooden homes, it is estimated that the
US share of the interior and building components used in prefabricated homes
is similar to the US share the wooden home market in Korea. Recommendations Findings from this study indicate that the consumer perception of wood frame
homes is generally positive. Korean people view wood homes and wood in general
as healthy and aesthetically pleasing. However, wood frame housing is considered
housing for the affluent, and many people cannot afford high priced housing.
The high cost of building materials and restrictive financing limits single-family
home ownership predominately to the affluent. This is particularly true following
the recent Asian financial crisis, which has caused the price of imported goods
to double. One of the most difficult barriers to expanding the market for wood frame construction
is the Korean building code for wood frame construction. This code restricts
the height, total floor area, and type of construction material used. The code
limits wood frame construction to a maximum ceiling height of 9m (29.5ft) and
a roof ridge height of 13m (42.6ft). It also limits wood frame construction
to less than 3,000m2 total area (approximately 30,000ft2).
Equally as restricting as the code that does exist, are the guidelines that
do not exist. The absence of a complete building code allows builders who do
not have a complete understanding of wood frame construction to build substandard
or structurally unsound homes, which can have a negative impact on the entire
industry. Aside from the financial barriers to wood frame construction following the
Asian economic crisis, there are several non-economic factors that can improve
US presence in the Korean wood-frame housing market. While the wood frame construction
industry in Korea must overcome the same obstacles that it did in Japan, namely
the absence of a complete building code and high cost, there are several things
that US suppliers can do to improve their market presence and success in this
market. First, technology transfer plays a significant role in the success of
wood frame housing in Korea. Since building inspectors do not exist, it is the
responsibility of the construction company to provide safe, high-quality housing.
Companies who report the highest worker productivity, construction quality,
and consumer satisfaction, also report that they either use North American framers
or use Korean carpenters who have been trained in North America. Second, advertising
and relationship building are vital in order to educate Korean companies and
consumers about US products. Korean consumers are heavily influenced by print
and television advertising and home shows, yet there seems to be a general lack
of knowledge among Korean construction firms regarding what products and services
are available and which US suppliers exist. As such, many Korean housing companies
use multiple suppliers from around the world. In addition, homebuilders, architects,
and homeowners lack understanding of the proper use, storage, and maintenance
of wood products. It is important that US product literature be translated into
Korean so that Korean builders will understand proper material handling, storage,
and product use. While economic recovery is not predicted to begin for at least
two years, US producers should use this time to increase awareness of US products
in Korea. At the same time, industry associations should focus on working with
the Korean MOCT to revise their building codes to allow more varieties of wood
frame construction, and promoting technology transfer as a means of insuring
that structurally sound homes are constructed.
Related Publications: WP69, FS37 .
Forest Policy: Ready for Renaissance
Access to information has never been
easier. Television, newspapers, and the Internet put everything from scientific
reports to editorials literally right at our fingertips. With all of this information,
fully informed decision making should be easy, right? According to several forest
resource scientists, economists, and policy analysts, the decisions about forest
management have never been more confusing. Inundated with rhetoric and science,
individuals form their opinions about forest management from a few focusing
events, personal experiences or groups they associate with. The issue of forest
management has become one of the most hotly debated issues of our time, particularly
in the Pacific Northwest. Despite the fact that more information than ever before
is available about the ecological and social impacts of harvesting or preservation,
it appears that the issue of forest management has been simplified into "forests
versus jobs" and extremism pervades. Ecosystem management has been proposed as a progressive alternative to commodity-based
management with the ultimate goal to provide a balance between sustainable timber-commodity
and non-timber values, yet it has been interpreted to include a wide range of
alternatives. This attempt to balance timber-commodity and non-timber values
has not brought interest groups to a consensus or melded scientific and philosophical
views; rather, the two interests are still clearly divided. It can be argued
that we are no closer to a consensus than we were in 1989 when log export bans
and cutting restrictions were initially passed. Several scholars of diverse backgrounds and opinions were invited to the Olympic
Natural Resource Center in Forks, Washington, in the fall of 1996, to debate
these issues and discuss various aspects of forest policy resulting in a collection
of essays titled Forest Policy: Ready for Renaissance. The conference
focused on three questions central to forest management. First, "what values
do we want from our forests?" Second, "what are the best strategies to produce
these values?" Third, how are multiple or competing values measured?" The essays
include a mix of scientific approaches, legal aspects, economics, and philosophical
debate that in sum represent a significant contribution to the debate of ecosystem
management. "Forest Policy: Ready for Renaissance" is available through CINTRAFOR as Special
Paper 29.