Activity: Lecture
Co-ordinator: Moray House Trust
Date: Friday 12 October 2012
John Willems, a well-known figure in the local timber industry, gave a talk in which he discussed the relative merits of local species such as greenheart, purpleheart, silverballi and limonaballi and silviculture in Guyana.
Mr Willems cited the booklet ‘Principal Timbers’ by Fanshaw as a first-rate reference source and gave a historical overview of the timber industry in Guyana over the last half-century or so. He discussed the concept of a ‘starved forest’ and noted that ‘the yield from the forest is very low. Logging in Guyana is high cost.’
Mr Willems also outlined and queried some of Tropenbos’ findings in their research in Guyana. He endorsed the setting up of a research facility at the University of Guyana or the Forestry Commission ‘to work on the genetics of our forest, including soil surveys and other relevant matters.’
This is the full text of his lecture and notes:
A talk, an opinion by John Willems