This book is a compilation of selected papers presented in the International Conference on the theme ‘Wood is Good: Current Trends and Future Prospects in Wood’. The contents of the book deal with recent innovations, trends and challenges in wood science and are grouped in five distinct sections. They cover a wide range of topics like wood variability, processing and utilization, wood protection, wood-based composites, wood energy and the role of wood in mitigating climate change. With the ever increasing human population and growing demand for wood, this book offers valuable insights for better understanding and efficient utilization of this wonderful gift of nature. This book will be useful to researchers, professionals, and policy makers involved in forestry and wood related areas.

Leonard C. Beadle In contrast to the more sta bie oceans, inland waters are, on the geological time scale, short-lived and are subject to great fluctuations in chemical composition and physical features. Very few lakes and rivers have existed continuously for more than a million years, and the life of the majority is to be measured in thousands or less. Earth movements, erosion and long-term climatic changes in the past have caused many of them to appear and disappear. No wonder then that most freshwater organism are especially adapted to great changes and many even to temporary extinction of their environment. Recent studies of residual sediments from existing and extinct lakes in tropical Africa have told us much about their age and the past history of their faunas and floras, from which we may deduce something about the climate and the conditions in the water in the past. The forces that have formed and moulded the African Great Lakes have been catastrophic in their violence and effects. They are not yet finished, but the present rate of change is, in human terms, too slow for direct observation of the ecological effects. The large man-made lakes are providing very good opportunities for studying the chemi cal and biological consequences of the initial filling but, once filled, they are artificially protected against major fluctuations.

“This book gives the history of your unprecedented accomplishments over a period of four years of combat in World War II. They were, for many of you, painful years through which you fought your way valiantly, step by step, from Australia to the distant final objective, Japan. The magnificent manner in which our Division relentlessly met, defeated, and pursued the enemy shall forever be an inspiration to all military men who believe in Democracy and Freedom. “Herein are transcribed names and events which will help those who were not there to understand; and will be for those of us who stood together a permanent record of some of the experiences we shared. It is not possible to set down the full story in writing. Only a hint of the real hardships, sufferings and anxieties which we experienced; of the courage, determination, and heroism demonstrated in alt units, can be given. The full story can only be known by those who participated.”