Reviews

BRUENIG, E.F. 1996. Conservation and management of tropical rainforests. An integrated approach to sustainability. 352 pp., illus. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon 0X10 8DE, United Kingdom. ISBN 0-85198-994-2. Hardcover. Price: US$ 99, £ 55. This is the? ultimate masterpiece of Eberhardt Bruenig. In this work he evaluates the tropical rainforest ecosystem, all its different kinds of being used, the way in which it is possible to harvest the rainforest for timber, the principles and strategies of sustainability, ete. He also gives attention to the traditional customary rights of the indigenous peoples, and the many pitfalls surrounding these rights. Restoration of degraded ecosystems is one of the chapters, as well as short rotation tree plantations, and, of course, forest management guidelines. Bruenig is an expert especially in the last subject. He diseusses the guidelines for forest management with as an example the ITTO guidelines and devotes a chapter to Timber certification, Trademarking, and Monitoring. In this chapter he argues that timber species should not be included in CITES (the Convention on International Trade with Endangered Species) as has been tried by Germany and the Netherlands with Intsia (Merbau), Gonystylus bancanus (Ramin) and other species. He admits, however, that for some special timber species in Africa and South America, like rosewood and true ebony, CITES may help, although it would be ineffective unless the species and habitats are at the same time protected. This book gives a wealth of information but is sometimes hard to read because of the use of many acronyms (a list of which is given, however). — H.P. Nooteboom.