Tropical Forests--Log 'Em or Leave 'Em?

During the 1970s, tropical forest conservation focused on the preservation of old-growth forests. In this paradigm, conservation of much of the world's terrestrial biodiversity could be most effectively achieved by locking up and protecting what remained of the “virgin” tropical rain forests, through the creation of national parks and private nature reserves. Logging and large-scale deforestation spelled certain doom to the biological and physical integrity of tropical forests (1). The 1980s ushered in a new paradigm of tropical forest conservation, based on an appreciation of the inherent dynamism and regeneration potential of tropical forests (2–4). This ecologically focused perspective created a vision of sustainably managed tropical forests, where logging mimics natural forest disturbances and regeneration of timber species is actively promoted.