Replies to post #2418 on Investing in Timber

[a1derfullife]

Too bad TATF/Raleo/TAH makes absolutely no guarantee that they will add value to tree owners' logs.
In fact, they have millions of board feet of sawn teak that they have been storing for years, unable to sell.
The unfortunate reality for tree owners is that they can accept a small fraction of what TATF is projecting their wood is worth (if only TATF would sell it at market prices), or they can wait for years (or more likely decades, if not forever), waiting for TATF to 'add value' to their logs.

A1

[fawtsc]

Are you serious?

So TATF is not selling trees, then can you explain what is:

"the business of adding value"

You really confused me here.

I understand that a log is a tree, but what the hell is the business of adding value. To what? Is that idea what Carl Marx called the Value Added to goods?

What about those trees that you were interested, and do not forget the easy questions that I asked you. Specially the one about the quality of farms.

[fawtsc]

Now, I am going to REALLY surprise you!!

Read this carefully....



I'm seeking sources of information on growth characteristics, planting
requirements, sources of seed or planting stock for specific species of
trees. I will attempt to be succinct in my request for help, however,
some background will likely be helpful.
BACKGROUND
I have a friend who has been going to & enjoying the pacific coast region of
Costa Rica for the past 20 years. He has observed first hand the continued
clearing of the forest land for farming and about 5 years ago he made a
commitment to, in a small way, return some of the land to native growth
forest. He realized that the cost of doing so was beyond his means so he
developed what I consider to be a very smart compromise solution. This was
to plant Tectona Grandis (Teak) trees purchased as seedlings by individual
investors who would own those trees and ultimately receive the proceeds from
there harvesting (less some maintenance and processing costs).The revenue
from the tree investors has been used to acquire three large forest areas
that had previosly been completely cleared of all the native trees. The
funds have also enabled the planting of many more trees than owned by
investors. These trees will remain untouched. The idea is to, over time,
bring a balance of native species back to the land and continue to harvest a
variety of species on a percentage of the land while building the acreage of
"natural" forest.
My friend has developed a pretty good knowledge of Tectona Grandis, but, he
knows very little about the many other species that he knows have been/are
native to the area. I volunteered to help him find credible resources for
information on these other species.
SPECIFIC REQUEST
My friend has gven me a list of trees with to the best of his knowledge the
trade name, local name and botanical name of the trees that he would like to
learn more about. I've reproduced them below. I'm not a botanist so please
excuse me if the list names are inaccurate. What I most want to find out for
my friend is:
1) Where can detailed information be obtained for each species on growth
characteristics, planting requirements, risks to trees (insects, fungus,
etc.)
2) Are there any institutions doing research on these species and if so who
are they?
3) Where can seeds or seedlings be obtained?
The species of specific interest are:
Trade Name Local Name Botanical Name
Peroba Rosa Manglillo Aspidosperma Spp.
Goncalo Alves Ron-ron Astronium Graveolens
Brazilian Cherry Guapinoi Hymenaea Courbaril
Purpleheart Nazareno Peltogyne Spp.
Trebol Cristobal Platymiscium Spp.
Lapacho Corteza Tabebuia Spp.
Nargusta Amarillon Terminalia Amazonia
Idigbo Terminalia Terminalia Ivorensis
Cocobolo Not available Dalbergia retusa
Please forgive the long message. I very much want to help my friend achieve
his dream for this area and any help anyone can provide regarding the above
would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

Do you want me to tell you who the mentioned friend is?
I guess is easy to figure it out !!!!!

SURPRISE!!!!!

I hope the answer received back then is still valid today.....