Wood Science and Forest Products Research Division

Scientific pole of wood composite products

 

Iran is a vast country having one of the richest of flora in the world but is only covered about 7.5% by forests. Total Iranian forest lands are 12.4 million hectares, of which only 1.8 million hectares are commercial in the north with an average annual growth of 3 cubic meters per hectare. In the west, where the vegetative zone of Zagros covered with the dominant species of oak genus mostly Quercus infectoria, the average annual growth is at 0.5% cubic meters per hectare and it is even lesser in the other regions of the county. As a result, Iran is among the countries with low forest cover (LFCCs) therefore the volume of wood harvested from forest cannot response the needs. This requires alternative lignocellulose sources to be considered which in this purpose, non-woods and agriculture lignocellulose wastes are the sources can be taken in the account. So the pole is aimed at studies from which basic and applied information to be derived for using these materials as stuff in wood composite production. To meet the needs, it is obviously essential to examine the full recognition of the basic and applied properties of lignocellulosic material for their better use in basis of recommendation of systematic use.