A new, non-profit organisation has been set up to ensure the sustainable output of high grade tropical hardwoods.
Raymond Keogh, international co-ordinator for TEAK 2000, said: ‘Annual demand for precious tropical woods is about 90 million m³ and most of this originates from deforestation and degradation.
‘In the interests of sustainable development, alternative sources of supply are needed but total dependency on natural forest is questionable from the environmental perspective. Therefore, natural and secondary forest production must be complemented by supply from new plantations, and TEAK 2000 aims to support this development.’
The project is being organised on three levels. Regional and national associations are being developed and an international federation of associations for overall co-ordination has been established in Ireland.
Coillte Teoranta, the Irish Forestry Board, has provided in-kind support to facilitate the development of the International Federation of Associations in Ireland.