978-1-4222-3389-4

52 North American Natural Resources: Timber and Forest Products

The health and structure of our forests today are influenced by several factors. One is the demand for forest resources by humans. Forest resources such as timber for building and wood products for heating are needed at an increasing rate. Forested land is still cleared, although not at quite the rate it was in the past, to make room for new development and for livestock. Recycling efforts to reduce the need for wood for paper products have helped the situation. Reforestation efforts are working to replace timber and forest resources. Mexico provides a good example. Conifers make up more than 80 percent of the Mexican timber industry. Policies are now in place to protect and renew these valuable resources. Most of the timber that is harvested comes from mountainous

National Park of Palenque, in Chiapas, Mexico.