As mentioned in the previous chapter, the forest sector (and
other sectors) often depends on introduced species to provide a
variety of socio-economic, environmental and human health
benefits to the forest sector and to the rural communities that
depend upon forests. Many introduced species are highly regarded
because of their exceptional adaptability to a wide variety of
sites, their rapid growth, and the multiple uses of their
products. With growing concerns about the degradation and loss
of natural forests, planted forests and trees outside forests,
composed most often of introduced woody species, are becoming
increasingly more important sources of products such as timber,
fibre and fuelwood. In developing countries, fuelwood is the
prime source of energy, representing over 80 percent of the wood
harvest (FAO, 1999). They also provide non-wood forest products,
such as fruits, leaves, roots, honey, fibres, oils, resins,
cosmetics and medicines, either from the planted trees
themselves or from other elements