Hardwoods Within the Complete Forest Concept

The Complete Concept, biological and technological investigation of the entire tree from the root tips to the leaf tips inclusive, has been incorporated much more into the management and utilization of hardwoods than softwoods in the past ten years. Mechanized harvesting centered around mobile chiparvestors has increased production per hectare in hardwood stands about 100% by utilizing "tops" as well as small trees of all hardwood species previously not used. All of the traditional uses of hardwood are expanding to meet demand and simultaneously there is increased use for energy, cattle feed and chemicals such as xylitol. With the acknowledged shortage of fossil resources chemists and engineers are now critically examining the forests, our renewable resource, indicating that increased use of hardwoods is certain.Short rotation of 3-10 years involving thousands of stems per acre, often as a result or coppicing, are now being investigated for a number of hardwood species. This will result in intensive forest management similar to agronomy except that fibre rather than fruit production will be emphasized. Advances in short rotation management of hardwoods will always lag behind hardwood utilization because development times are not the same. Therefore those involved in management will have to stress caution as a means of guaranteeing viable and productive forests while knowledge is accumulating.