Projecting modest future growth for both prices and harvest levels, this study, first published in 1990, provides theoretical and empirical justification for challenging the conventional wisdom that real timber prices will rise for the indefinite future. The study presents fifty-year projections of regional and world harvest levels, world market price, and investments in forest regeneration by region. This book will be of particular interest to students of economics and environmental studies.

"Southern forests provide innumerable benefits. Forest scientists, managers, owners, and users have in common the desire to improve the condition of these forests and the ecosystems they support. A first step is to understand the contributions science has made and continues to make to the care and management of forests. This book represents a celebration of past accomplishments, summarizes the current state of knowledge, and creates a vision for the future of southern forestry research and management. Chapters are organized into seven sections: "Looking Back," "Productivity," "Forest Health," "Water and Soils," "Socioeconomic," "Biodiversity," and "Climate Change." Each section is preceded by a brief introductory chapter. Authors were encouraged to focus on the most important aspects of their topics; citations are included to guide readers to further information."