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More data needed on productivity
Authors: Dean SatchellPublication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 2011, Issue N.Z.J.For. 56(2) 2011, pp 30-31, Aug 2011
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry
Abstract: Dear Sir Regarding the research paper "The three potentially most useful exotic species for south eastern North Island marginal hill country" NZJF Vol. 56 No. 1, I found this study to be a little lacking in imagination and foresight. I would have thought the very first and most important criteria one should consider is "product": Why grow a plantation forest? How is a forest species "useful" or valuable? Although environmental benefits are a useful byproduct, and artificial products such as carbon can provide an incentive for planting forests, the real reason for growing forests has to be wood. So how does wood generate value? In my mind "value" is assigned by the market based on a wood species attributes. Such attributes include durability, hardness, stiffness, strength, and aesthetic appeal. In determining a species usefulness I'd allocate many more brownie points for "product" over and above "health", "siting" and "productivity".