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Exotic tree species, though widely used in forestry and restoration projects, pose great threats to local ecosystems. They need to be replaced with native species from natural forests. We hypothesized that natural forests contain large, fast-growing, dominant native tree species that are suitable for specific topographic conditions in forestry. We tested this hypothesis using data from a 50-ha forest dynamics plot in subtropical China. We classified the plot into the ridge, slope, and valley habitats and found that 34/87 species had significant associations with at least one topographic habitat. There were 90 tree species with a maximum diameter ≥ 30 cm, and their abundances varied widely in all habitat types. In all habitat types, for most species, rate of biomass gain due to recruitment was < 1% of its original biomass, and rate of biomass gain due to tree growth was between 1 and 5% of its original biomass. For most species, biomass loss due to tree mortality was not significantly different than biomass gain due to recruitment, but the resulting net biomass increment rates did not significantly differ from zero. The time required to reach a diameter of 30 cm from 1 cm diameter for Altingia chinensis in the slope habitat, for Quercus chungii and Morella rubra in the ridge habitat and for Castanopsis carlesii in all habitats could be as short as 30 years in our simulations based on actual distributions of tree growth observed in the forest. Principal component analyses of maximum diameter, abundance and net biomass increment rates suggested several species were worthy of further tests for use in forestry. Our study provides an example for screening native tree species from natural forests for forestry. Because native tree species are better for local ecosystems, our study will also contribute to biodiversity conservation in plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia's growing population, urbanization, and booming construction industries are all factors in the country's rising demand for wood products. The country's current plantations are inadequate to meet the demand for wood products. The country only exports a small amount of wood, accounting for about 1.45% of all imports, while importing over 3 million m3 round wood equivalent (RWE), amounting to about USD 182.53 million. This showed that there is a large gap between import and export bills, which indicates a negative trade balance. The goal of this study is to examine supply patterns as well as existing and prospective demand for wood products, particularly industrial wood and wood fuel. First, a collection of all relevant documents indicating supply and demand was done. Then, two groups were created out of official records and study papers. Literature that is pertinent and related to the topic was chosen from among the groups. Different publications between 2010 and 2022 a total of 37 were utilized for this review. It was found that Ethiopia consumes more than 130 million m3/year of round wood equivalent, of which about 92.3% is used as wood fuel and the remaining is used to produce industrial goods with added value. Nowadays, imports provide a significant amount of Ethiopia's wood demand, and in 2015 alone, more than 30% of industrial needs were satisfied by imports. The review helps in determining the resource potential, supply-demand imbalance, and current level of demand for wood products.

Afforestation and reforestation (AR) on marginal land are nature-based solutions to climate change. There is a gap in understanding the climate mitigation potential of protection and commercial AR with different combinations of forest plantation management and wood utilization pathways. Here, we fill the gap using a dynamic, multiscale life cycle assessment to estimate one-century greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation delivered by (both traditional and innovative) commercial and protection AR with different planting density and thinning regimes on marginal land in the southeastern United States. We found that innovative commercial AR generally mitigates more GHGs across 100 y (3.73 to 4.15 Giga tonnes of CO2 equivalent (Gt CO2e)) through cross-laminated timber (CLT) and biochar than protection AR (3.35 to 3.69 Gt CO2e) and commercial AR with traditional lumber production (3.17 to 3.51 Gt CO2e), especially in moderately cooler and dryer regions in this study with higher forest carbon yield, soil clay content, and CLT substitution. In a shorter timeframe (=50 y), protection AR is likely to deliver higher GHG mitigation. On average, for the same wood product, low-density plantations without thinning and high-density plantations with thinning mitigate more life cycle GHGs and result in higher carbon stock than that of low-density with thinning plantations. Commercial AR increases the carbon stock of standing plantations, wood products, and biochar, but the increases have uneven spatial distributions. Georgia (0.38 Gt C), Alabama (0.28 Gt C), and North Carolina (0.13 Gt C) have the largest carbon stock increases that can be prioritized for innovative commercial AR projects on marginal land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Wood attributes are important, because they directly affect the price persistence of wood products. Consumers consider the “aesthetic,” “traditionality,” “decay resistance,” and “scarcity” attributes important when evaluating wood. This study analyzed the impact of these four attributes on the price persistence of acoustic guitars. We obtained data from a Japanese internet auction platform and winning-bid data for two representative brands, Martin and Yamaha. We performed a quantitative analysis using the winning bid price as the dependent variable and the adoption of various wood attributes in each part of the guitar corresponding to the four attributes as explanatory variables. We found that rosewood, mahogany, palisander, and ebony have a significant impact on price persistence, and that all of them fit the four attributes of traditionality, decay resistance, scarcity, and aesthetics. We also found that traditionality was the key attribute among the four. Using wood in luxury brands without traditionality was not effective, even if other attributes were present. For mass-market brands, scarcity and decay resistance had positive effects on price persistence. The finding that scarcity and decay resistance were important only for mass-market brands can help companies understand market demand, determine product attributes, and achieve product–market fit.

Wood attributes are important, because they directly affect the price persistence of wood products. Consumers consider the "aesthetic," "traditionality," "decay resistance," and "scarcity" attributes important when evaluating wood. This study analyzed the impact of these four attributes on the price persistence of acoustic guitars. We obtained data from a Japanese internet auction platform and winning-bid data for two representative brands, Martin and Yamaha. We performed a quantitative analysis using the winning bid price as the dependent variable and the adoption of various wood attributes in each part of the guitar corresponding to the four attributes as explanatory variables. We found that rosewood, mahogany, palisander, and ebony have a significant impact on price persistence, and that all of them fit the four attributes of traditionality, decay resistance, scarcity, and aesthetics. We also found that traditionality was the key attribute among the four. Using wood in luxury brands without traditionality was not effective, even if other attributes were present. For mass-market brands, scarcity and decay resistance had positive effects on price persistence. The finding that scarcity and decay resistance were important only for mass-market brands can help companies understand market demand, determine product attributes, and achieve product–market fit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background——Measuring the economic effect of tariff increases on wood products between China and the United States, comparing the gains and losses, and simulating China’s tariff plan for wood products in response to the trade friction are conducive to optimizing China’s anti-tariff structure of wood products and reducing the adverse impact of the US-China trade friction on China’s wood products trade. Methods——Based on the trade data of US-China wood products in the UN Comtrade database from 2012 to 2017,the model of Armington elasticity of substitution was constructed to estimate the Armington elasticity of substitution of US-China wood products in the other market, and the estimated substitution elasticity was introduced into the local equilibrium analysis tool SMART model. Based on the trade data of wood products from various countries in the UNCTAD TRAINS database, the economic effects of tariff increase on US-China wood products in the US-China trade friction were calculated by product categories. Results——The estimation results of the model of Armington elasticity of substitution show that the substitutability of Chinese wood products in the US market is higher than that of American wood products in the Chinese market. In the tariff increases on wood products imposed by China and the US, Chinese wood products are in a disadvantageous situation. China should adopt differentiated tariff countermeasures according to the Armington elasticity of substitution of American wood products in the Chinese market. The results of SMART model on trade creation effect and trade transfer effect confirm that China’s wood products are facing greater export losses in US-China trade friction, and show that the high import transfer rate of China’s wood products is an important reason for China’s export losses. The calculation results of tariff effect and welfare effect confirm that the US-China trade friction is a double-loss outcome for the two countries, but the welfare loss of the United States is much greater than that of China. With the gradual implementation of tariffs imposed by the United States, the trade effect of tariff increases has gradually emerged. The model calculation results show that China’s export of processed products such as wooden furniture, paper and board, wood products to the United States still faces a significant threat of export reduction. The results of the model show that China’s different tariff countermeasures for wood products have achieved remarkable results, but there are still improvements. Conclusions and Discussions——The Armington elasticity of substitution of wood products in the other market between China and the United States is very different, indicating that the default value of 1.5 is not used in the SMART model. The local equilibrium analysis tool SMART model is used to study the economic effect of US-China tariff increases on US-China trade in wood products, which can provide more and more accurate information than other methods. In order to reduce the adverse effects of US-China trade friction on China’s wood products trade, firstly, China should strengthen technological innovation and brand building, and reduce the substitutability of China’s wood products. Second, China can seize the major opportunities of Belt and Road Initiative and RCEP to find export substitute markets for China’s wood products. Third, China needs to optimize the tariff structure of wood products timely and improve the import transfer rate of wood products. Finally, China is expected to accelerate the implementation of the “dual circulation” strategy, effectively increase domestic timber supply, and actively develop the domestic wood products market, to achieve high-quality development of wood products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Talking drum is useful for musical purposes. However, it produces a complex sound timbre, difficult to characterize. Although the wooden hourglass-shell geometry making the talking drum was identified as a factor influencing the sound timbre makeup, there is still a need to investigate other suspected factors. This study characterized sound properties of talking drums from Leather covers, force and position of play, the tension on the rope, and excited surface impact. Three bolts from the base of Gmelina arborea trees were used to produce the talking drums, hence, sound properties were measured. Values obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics, graphs, and ANOVA (a0.005). Fundamental Frequency, Amplitude, and Sound Damping Time (SDT) at no tension on the rope were significantly lowest (90.06±27.16, 41.03±4.31, 380.83±103.58) for the light force of play and highest (97.00±29.68, 60.26±3.59, 474.44±59.48) for heavy force, respectively. At maximum tension on the rope, SDT of goat skin was significantly higher (478.50±77.04) than cow womb leather cover (438.89±97.65), while Amplitude and SDT were significantly higher (66.61±2.95, 508.52±51.60) for heavy force than the light force of play (46.16±7.06, 408.87±92.46), respectively. Tension on the rope was the most essential factor needed in characterizing the quality sound property of the talking drums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two systems of additive equations were developed to predict aboveground stand level biomass in log products and harvest residue from routinely measured or predicted stand variables for Pinus radiata plantations in New South Wales, Australia. These plantations were managed under three thinning regimes or stand types before clear-felling at rotation age by cut-to-length harvesters to produce sawlogs and pulpwood. The residue material following a clear-fell operation mainly consisted of stumps, branches and treetops, short off-cut and waste sections due to stem deformity, defects, damage and breakage. One system of equations did not include dummy variables for stand types in the model specification and was intended for more general use in plantations where stand density management regimes were not the same as the stand types in our study. The other system that incorporated dummy variables was for stand type-specific applications. Both systems of equations were estimated using 61 plot-based estimates of biomass in commercial logs and residue components that were derived from systems of equations developed in situ for predicting the product and residue biomass of individual trees. To cater for all practical applications, two sets of parameters were estimated for each system of equations for predicting component and total aboveground stand biomass in fresh and dry weight respectively. The two sets of parameters for the system of equations without dummy variables were jointly estimated to improve statistical efficiency in parameter estimation. The predictive performances of the two systems of equations were benchmarked through a leave-one-plot-out cross validation procedure. They were generally superior to the performance of an alternative two-stage approach that combined an additive system for major components with an allocative system for sub-components. As using forest harvest residue biomass for bioenergy has increasingly become an integrated part of forestry, reliable estimates of product and residue biomass will assist harvest and management planning for clear-fell operations that integrate cut-to-length log production with residue harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: By predicting the demand for various wood products and domestic timber in China during the period of the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan, it is of great practical significance to rationally formulate annual limit of total lumber amount during the period of the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan. Methods: Based on the statistical data of wood products during 2006 to 2019, using Eviews software and based on regression models, Auto-regressive moving average model and simple moving average method, the consumption, the log equivalent conversion algorithm, import and export volume of main wood products and the total timber consumption in China were predicted during the period of the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan. Results: During the period of the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan, domestic raw logs and imported logs, sawn timber, wood pulp and other raw materials are mainly used for the manufacture of plywood, fiberboard, particleboard and other man-made panels in the timber intermediate processing market. During the period of the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan, the processing trade model of China's timber market ostensibly promoted the development of the wood product industry and increased the export value and import value of wood product trade, but it was still at the low end of the product value chain and failed to achieve high-quality development of wood products trade. During the period of the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan, the average annual domestic wood supply was 222 million m³ to 238 million m³, equivalent to the annual demand for forest stock of 295 million m³ to 318 million m³, which exceeded 74 million m³ to 97 million m³ compared with the forest stock of annual limit of total lumber amount. During the period of the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan, the average annual total wood consumption in China is expected to be between 512 million m³ and 535 million m³, and the average annual domestic wood supply is expected to reach 287 million m³ to 310 million m³, which is equivalent to an annual demand for forest stock of 382 million m³to 414 million m³. The gap between wood supply and demand has further expanded. Conclusions and Discussions: First, the supply of primary processing raw materials such as logs, sawn timber and wood pulp in China's domestic wood product market is obviously insufficient from 2006 to 2019. The supply of intermediate boards, such as plywood, fiberboard, particleboard, is sufficient to meet the demand of the domestic market, and the export trade volume maintains a growth trend, but the export growth rate has slowed down significantly. Second, during the period of the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan, the domestic average annual supply of wood is 222 million m³ to 238 million m³, equivalent to the annual demand for forest stock of 295 million m³ to 318 million m³, and the average annual wood supply and demand gap is estimated to be 74 million m³ to 97 million m³. Third, during the period of the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan, China's total annual wood consumption is expected to be 512 million m³ to 535 million m³, of which the average annual domestic wood supply is expected to reach 287 million m³to 310 million m³, which is equivalent to the annual demand for forest stock 382 million m³ to 414 million m³. Based on the above research, the recommendations are as follows: First, the cooperative relationship with timber trading countries need to be strengthened to ensure the import scale of primary products such as logs, sawn timber and wood pulp. Second, the efficiency of comprehensive utilization of wood is required to be improved. Third, forest management can be earnestly carried out, and the quality of plantations can be improved, which help to increase the level of domestic log supply from the source. Fourth, it is required to formulate the annual limit of total lumber amount rationally. Fifth, it is necessary to implement the forest logging management procedures flexibly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest sector can play a pivotal role in mitigating climate warming by decreasing emissions to the atmosphere and increasing carbon removals. In an expanding bioeconomy, the pulp and paper industry provides opportunities for various low‐carbon wood products with promising substitution effects. However, assessing climate effects of wood product systems is complex and requires a holistic approach. The objective of this study was to advance time dynamic climate impact assessment of a bioeconomically promising wood product from a system perspective. For this purpose, a time dynamic life cycle assessment was conducted on a pulp‐based beverage carton. The assessment included fossil value chain emissions from cradle to grave, effects from biogenic carbon in a eucalyptus plantation, and credits from substitution. A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle was considered for material substitution (MS) and differing marginal electricity and heat mixes for energy substitution. The results revealed dominating climate warming from value chain emissions and slight offsetting by biogenic carbon from standing biomass and soil organic carbon, and short‐term carbon storage in the beverage carton. MS and displacing marginal energy mixes transformed the climate warming into a substantial total cooling effect. However, substitution effects varied strongly in terms of substitution factors and temperature change with varying replacement rate of the beverage carton and different marginal energy mixes. A climate cooling range of −0.8 · 10−15 to −1.8 · 10−15 K per unit of beverage carton by 2050 was found, highlighting potential relevance for climate policy making. Thus, production and use of wood‐based beverage cartons over PET bottles can have climate cooling effects. Further assessments on alternative forestry systems (e.g., Nordic forests) are needed to identify the role of biogenic carbon in holistic climate assessments, with dynamic substitution effects included to increase the validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bark beetle (Dendroctonus armandi), an insect that especially attacks pine trees, has been recognized as a global infestation causing damage to forests worldwide. Radio frequency (RF) heat treatment has been proposed as a technique to replace chemical fumigation for controlling bark beetle in wood products. In this study, a 6 kW, 27.12 MHz pilotscale RF heating unit was used in evaluating and validating a treatment protocol for disinfesting wood products infested with bark beetle. The mortality of bark beetle adults increased with increasing treatment temperature and holding time. Complete mortality was achieved by heating the samples to 50°C with an electrode gap of 120 mm and holding for 3 min under forced circulation of hot air. The quality of RF-hot air treated wood samples had no significant difference from the control group, including the main quality attributes (e.g., moisture content, checking, and bending properties). Therefore, RF-hot air thermal treatment may provide a fast, effective, and environmentally friendly treatment for disinfesting wood products that carry D. armandi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood furniture is often composed of simple parts that may be modeled as beams or plates. These particularities allow using simplified approaches that reduces the number of degrees of freedom (dof for short) in a finite element simulation of the furniture's behavior. Generally, connections are not taken into account in such simulations but these connections are critical in the failure process of the furniture and it worth studying it precisely. Using amulti-scale approach, this paper introduces a numerical procedure to identify the connection contribution in the furniture's stiffness. Comparing 3D finite element calculations with a Timoshenko's beam calculation on a corner of two wooden parts, we identify the specific behavior of the connection elements (pins, nut, screw…and local 3D effects) to introduce it as a punctual 0Delement in the beamcode. Two validations of the approach are presented here: (i) a numerical validation by comparing the result of the beam code with a complete 3D finite element simulation on a representative plane structure of wooden furniture; (ii) an experimental validation by managing a global bending test and measuring the displacement field using digital image correlation (DIC for short). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous non-native insect pests are moved around the world via international trade and have caused major forestry losses, especially for pine trees. The purpose of this research was to study a potential application of radio frequency (RF) heating for disinfesting pine wood products to reduce forestry damage caused by exotic pests. A pilot-scale 6 kW, 27.12 MHz RF system was used to develop a treatment protocol for disinfesting pine wood products based on the heating uniformity studies. The results showed that the heating time needed was only 6.7 min to heat the wood blocks (250 × 400 × 60 mm) with moisture content of 13.3% d.b. from 25 to 60 °C using RF energy, but 320 min to reach 56.2 °C using hot air at 60 °C with 1.6 m/s. Based on the heating uniformity study, the best condition occurred when the lower wood moisture content was used and the wood width approached the RF electrode one. The RF treatment protocol was finally developed to combine RF energy with forced hot air at 60 °C, movement of conveyor at 7.4 m/h and holding at 60 °C hot air for 1 min. Wood quality was not affected significantly by the RF treatments because quality parameters of treated wood samples were similar to those of controls. The RF treatment may provide a rapid, effective and environmentally friendly method to disinfest wood products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]