A new approach to conifers
Conifers, morphology and variation. Mirko Vidakovic, Zagreb, Graficki Savod Hrvatshe. 1991. Distributed by CAB International, Wallingford, UK.
This substantial and interesting book describes species of conifers with a novel methodological approach, placing emphasis on the variation of the species (races, provenances, hybrids, heritabilities of certain properties, etc.) as well as on morphology. Sustained by excellent botanical drawings and good references, the descriptions of species are very complete and will serve the purposes of both taxonomists and geneticists.
The book was first published in Serbo-Croatian in 1982. The English version is updated, particularly concerning the variation of species, and also covers tropical and subtropical pines, although many species of genera native to arid tropical and subtropical zones and to temperate areas of the Southern Hemisphere are still lacking or are described only briefly.
The book is user-friendly and very well presented. Genera and species are arranged alphabetically for easy reference and there are indexes to common as well as botanical names. In addition to the drawings, high-quality photos illustrate the performance and variation of the species.
Conifers: morphology and variation can be strongly recommended to professional foresters and can also serve as a useful reference for non-specialists interested in trees and forestry.
A. Thomsen
Evaluating cost implications of harvesting options
Cost control in forest harvesting and road construction. 1992. FAO Forestry Paper No. 99. Rome, FAO
This manual is designed to assist harvesting managers in the calculation of costs and evaluation of various options involving different combinations of harvesting machines and systems. The book provides a simple and rapid method of identifying the effects of changes in key variables that may affect harvesting costs, e.g. local equipment prices; local labour costs; skidding distance, pattern and speed; load size and road costs. It covers all levels of mechanization, ranging from basic to intermediate and advanced technology.
The manual introduces the principles of cost control as well as break-even concepts and cost equations. Details of cost calculations for machine rates are presented, followed by production equations and unit cost derivations for road construction and harvesting.
A computerized system, Production And Cost Evaluation (PACE), for calculating machine rates, road construction and harvesting costs is introduced with user instructions and examples. Designed by Dr J.
Sessions of Forest Engineering at Oregon State University, the system includes a disk for IBM-compatible microcomputers and contains sample data files.
The appendixes include simplified procedures for equipment cost collection and field production studies.
The manual is intended to help enhance economic viability and productivity in forest operations by means of appropriate cost control and evaluation and optimized harvesting, transport and road construction costs.
Socio-economic considerations in tree species selection
Socioeconomic attributes of frees and free planting practices. John Raintree. 1991. FAO Community Forestry Note No. 9. Rome, FAO.
By observing forestry projects it is apparent that some are popular with farmers because the planted or managed trees are useful to them, are placed in a situation that suits local land-use patterns and require a management regime that is compatible with elf the human resources required for the entire production system. Yet, it is equally obvious that many projects have been designed without adequately considering the function the trees are to have in the rural economy or the distribution of costs and benefits that will derive from the trees. This publication explores the socio-economically relevant characteristics of trees and how they figure in the decision making process for the selection of specific species by different users and in varying circumstances.
Following an introductory review of the various ways in which the choice of species might be "wrong", the treatment of tree attributes, ideotypes and specifications in the literature is reviewed.
The "great eucalyptus debate" in India is examined in order to elucidate the various ways in which trees and tree-planting practices may be either well or ill suited to their socio-economic surroundings. Since landlessness was one of the major factors behind the rejection of eucalyptus farm forestry by a substantial portion of the intended beneficiaries of India's Social Forestry Programme, alternative interventions to extend the benefits of tree planting to the landless are reviewed.
A simple decision-making framework for an unbiased approach to choice of trees and tree-planting practices based on a "user perspective" is suggested. The two-step decision algorithm - first matching tree-growing technologies to users and then tree species to technologies is supported by an extensive collection of resource materials and decision aids in the appendixes.
