The genus "Pinus" is of great ecological and commercial importance and it is
notable for its vast geographic range and the sheer area that its various
species occupy. Its natural range is almost exclusively in the northern
hemisphere, where it often forms the dominant vegetation cover. However, it is
also of silvicultural significance in many countries in the southern
hemisphere.Pines play an important role in the ecosystems of which they form
part, and provide a valuable source of fibre, timber and other secondary
products for human use. Worldwide, pines form a large part of the annual wood
harvest and the immature plantation forests of the future. This