In this thesis the objective was to develop an optimum strategy for the utilization and development of forest resources and the wood using industries in Greece in the period 1975-1990. The framework for this strategy has been given in Chapters I, II, III by examining the social and economic development goals for Greece and the past trends and current situation of the wood-using industries and forestry in Greece.
In Chapter I the social and economic development goals for Greece during the next fifteen years have been identified with specific reference to the expected population growth and Gross Domestic Product. Chapters II and III review the status of forestry and the wood-using industries. Forest land and forests form valuable natural resources and a surplus of exploitable wood is accumulating.
The growing contribution of the Greek forestry sector to total economic activity is entirely due to industrial use of the resource.
In order to identify the future development strategies for forestry
and the wood-using industries, it was necessary to make projections
of the future consumption of wood products and the future supply of
wood. These projections were discussed in Chapters IV and V.
Projections of future wood consumption were based on the expected
growth of population and Gross Domestic Product, and wood supply on
information about the existing status of the forests and especially
on growing stock and net increment data obtained from forest inventories.
The effects of the various policy options have been analysed
in Chapters VI and VII based on a comparison of Greece's roundwood
requirements and the roundwood supply of Greek forests and the existing
social and economic conditions of Greece.