Australian Forestry Australian Forestry is published by the Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) for technical, scientific and professional communication relating to forestry in Australia and adjacent geographic regions. The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the IFA. The journal is included in the Register of Refereed Journals maintained by the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training. The IFA gratefully acknowledges a grant provided by the Australian Government and State and Territory forestry and forest products agencies through the Forestry and Forest Products Committee to assist in the preparation and production of Australian Forestry. Managing Editor: Dr Brian Turner Production Editor: Mr Alan Brown Editorial Panel: Dr Stuart Davey Dr Ross Florence Dr Graeme Siemon Mr Neil (Curly) Humphreys Dr Ian Bevege Dr John Herbohn Dr Grant Wardell-Johnson Dr Humphrey Elliott Contributions Contributions to this journal are sought covering any aspect of forest ecology, forest management, forest policy and land use related to Australia and the South Pacific region. Contributions related to the performance of Australian tree genera elsewhere in the world are also welcome. Instructions to authors are given inside the back cover of each issue. Contributions should be sent to the Executive Director at the address below. This issue This issue of Australian Forestry presents the sixth paper in the series titled ‘Achievements in the genetic improvement of forest trees in Australia and New Zealand’, which was introduced in the last issue. Journal subscriptions 2008 A$250 including GST within Australia A$280 per year in all other countries The above prices are for hardcopy. For information about options for electronic access and pricing, please contact the Executive Director at the address below. All correspondence relating to subscriptions should be addressed to: Executive Director, The Institute of Foresters of Australia, PO Box 7002, Yarralumla, ACT 2600, Australia. Phone: 61 2 6281 3992. Fax: 61 2 6281 4693. Email: ifa@forestry.org.au Web: http://www.forestry.org.au Cover The front cover features African mahogany, Khaya senegalensis. This is a promising plantation tree for northern Australia, tolerant of difficult sites and producing a high-value timber. The story behind the recognition of its promise, and work to realise its potential, are described by Garth Nikles on pages 68–69 of Volume 69 of Australian Forestry. He also selected the photos and prepared the captions. Photo 1. Butt logs (mainly), from selected trees in 32-y-old, unmanaged stands of African mahogany grown in the Darwin region of the Northern Territory (NT). They were used in a study of sawn timber recovery, timber drying schedules and wood properties, and for manufacturers’ evaluations of the timber. (Photo by courtesy of Don Reilly.) Photo 2. Award-winning set of chess table and chairs made from timber from a sample of the logs of Photo 1. It won three ‘Australian Furniture of the Year Awards, 2004’ sponsored by the Furniture Industry Association of Australia: the Queensland and national awards in the category ‘Excellence in furniture using Australian plantation timber’; and the Queensland ‘Best-of-the-best’ (across categories) award. (Photo by courtesy of Ray Burgess, Sight Photographics, via the manufacturer, Paragon Furniture, Brisbane.) Photo 3. A rooted cutting of African mahogany at 10 mo from planting in a clone test established in the Darwin region of the NT in January 2005. At 12 mo from planting, some trees were nearly 3.5 m high. (Photo by courtesy of Beau Robertson.) Photo 4. Pods on a graft of African mahogany in a clonal seed orchard planted near Darwin in December 2001. The pods are about 35 mm in diameter some 3 mo after flowering. (Photo by courtesy of Beau Robertson.) Photo 5. Part of an unmanaged stand of African mahogany aged 25 y derived from natural-stand seed. It was established on back-filled land following surface mining for bauxite at Weipa, Queensland. The central, dominant tree is 48 cm dbhob and one of 36 superior trees selected so far and used in the conservation and genetic improvement program at Weipa. (Photo by courtesy of Alan Bragg.) Photo 6. A pruned, 8-y-old stand of African mahogany, derived from unimproved seed, planted privately at 5 m × 2.5 m (800 trees ha –1 ), not thinned, near Bowen, in coastal central Queensland. The tree being measured had a dbhob of 17.1 cm. (Photo by courtesy of Geoff Dickinson.) ISSN 0004-9158