ABSTRACT
Portugal has a large cultural tradition of using forestry resources for construction and furniture. An important milestone in Portuguese history was the use of wood for shipbuilding in the era of the discoveries. Nowadays, wood from Portuguese forests, as well as imported wood, continues to be an important source of raw materials for industry (ITTC, 2008). In fact, the industry linked to wood products, particularly those that are in the wood and mattress manufacturing sector (Code 310 of the Classification of Economic Activities), underpins a significant part of Portugal’s economy. The furniture subsector (Code 3109) represents 70.4% of the entire sector; it is the largest one, particularly in the north and center of Portugal, where most of the industries are located.
