ABSTRACT
Wood represents the main source of terrestrial biomass production and is a major sink for excess atmospheric CO2. Wood is expected to play a signifi cant role in the future as a renewable and environmentally cost effective alternative to burn fossil fuel. As the world population is predicted to reach over 9 billion in 2050, the global demand for wood for renewable energy, building and pulp and paper will grow rapidly. This increasing demand for wood threatens the conservation of natural forests in temperate and tropical areas. Indeed, to cover the predicted needs over the next 40 years, 20 to 40% of natural forests would be exploited. An alternative to this deforestation is to increase the area of plantation representing only 7% of the world’s forest cover today (Forest Resources Assessment 2010) and to consider trees as crops. In view of global change, the sustainable management of such planted forests is also becoming a main focusing issue.
