The Amazon basin contains over half of the world's tropical rain forests. Over half of the Amazon forests, about 330 million ha., are in Brazil. Of these about 200 million ha. are classified as having potential for long-term production of timber, as well as other forest products.

A recent law requires that all timber industries registered with IBAMA in 1988 and consuming over 12,000 cubic metres per annum, must within six years obtain all their timber from managed forests, whether from their own forest properties, from State forests or from third parties. These changes are essential for resolving the problems of management and regeneration in Amazonia. However, there is a lack of basic technical guidelines for natural forest management, suitable for forest industries or for government itself, for promoting sustained use of regional forest resources.

To assist the Eastern Amazonian Agroforestry Research Centre of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Institute (CPATU-EMBRAPA) at Belem in the support of sustainable exploitation and conservation of the humid tropical forests.

• Two seed stores and laboratory built and operating.
• Long-term trials of silvicultural treatments and regeneration techniques established.
• Tree provenance trials and conservation areas established.
• Research results, management guidelines published.