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Although numerous companies claim to practice "sustainable logging", virtually none actually do. Few companies even replant seedlings after logging, especially when forestry regulations require a 35-year fallow period after logging, a length of time much greater than their 15-20 year concessions. However, damage to the surrounding forest and the forest ecosystem can be tremendously reduced by adopting certain reduced-impact logging practices including:
1) cutting climbers and lianas well before felling;
2) directional tree felling to inflict the smallest impact on the surrounding forest;
3) establishing stream buffer zones and watershed protection areas;
4) using improved technologies to reduce damage to the soil caused by log extraction;
5) careful planning to prevent excess roads which give access to transient settlers;
6) reducing wood waste for cut areas (anywhere from 25-50 percent of the wood from a given cleared patch is wasted);
7) limiting the gradient of roads to prevent excess erosion. These steps can limit damage to the surrounding forest, cut erosion of topsoil, enable faster recovery of the forest, and reduce the risk of fire. The biggest drawback to such harvesting methods is the great management expense, because more supervision, planning, and training are required and fewer trees can be removed, reducing output and income. Nonetheless, it seems clear that some short-term sacrifices will have to made to establish new forest management for long-term benefits. The big question is whether it is in the economic interest of timber operators to adopt these methods without prodding from government agencies or specific market demand for "greener" products.