COCONUT OIL FOR WEIGHT LOSS-LEARN HOW TO REDUCE EXCESS FAT EASILY

We all used to think that coconuts is nothing but a part of a tropical dream and associate it with Bounty or exotic cocktails. Fortunately, coconuts appeared to be an unbelievably useful nut. Coconut is being widely used for healing eczema, psoriasis, ulcers. And lately coconut appeared to be extremely popular as a fat burner, so let us find out, how coconut oil helps to burn fat!

The most widely used benefit of coconut oil - its ability to fasten weight loss. Generally coconut oil for weight loss is recommended to use instead of olive oil in your ration. If comparing these two oils in calories, they both have the same calories and fat: 119 calories and 13 grams of fat per TB. There is a difference in their consistency, as coconut oil is solid at room temperature and you need to heat it to make it liquid. The reason why coconut oil is solid is that it is saturated fat.

Still, coconut oil is composed of medium chain fatty acids. It means that it is easily dissolved into blood and human`s liver easily metabolizes it. On the contrary - steaks are composed of large chain fatty acids, so they are not metabolized by our liver and they provoke fat gain.

A number of studies concerning coconut oil`s characteristics has been performed. Mainly it concerns coconut oil weight loss effect that is produced on human`s organism. Certain results show that that excess energy derived from MCT is stored with a lesser efficiency than is excess energy derived from dietary LCT. That may seem too complicated to understand, so let us put it into two words.

The main 3 affects that coconut oil provides you with is as follows:

- Coconut`s oil decreases belly fat. Belly fat is always a great trouble both for men and women as it is most difficult to kill off. But exactly belly area is the targeted area by coconut oil. If belly fat is the thing that bothers you most you need to take in more coconut oil, but be careful and see the recommended daily doze.

- Fastens metabolism coconut oil boosts your metabolism, which means that your body will be burning calories all the day and all the night long. Of course, if you will speed your metabolism up you will be able to burn more calories, but you shouldn`t forget about exercises.

- Controls blood sugar levels which may be the best reason for adding coconut oil to your ration. Sugar levels in your blood is the thing that directly impacts your weight loss. Furthermore, sugar level is responsible for your energy during your working day. So keeping it stable will help you stay focused and energetic.

Don`t forget that coconut oil for weight loss is an additional means. Still your daily ration has to be balanced. Your everyday diet has to contain optimal amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals and water. In such a case your body will receive everything necessary for normal metabolism. As a result you will not feel extreme hunger and won`t eat extra calories.

So no doubt coconut oil has several beneficial features and helps human`s organism to maintain its healthy functioning. Still it is necessary to keep in mind that oil is high in fat and one shouldn`t use it too much, in any case that won`t do you any good. The optimal amount of coconut oil in a daily diet is about 1 TB.

- www.coconut-info.net

COCONUT OIL DIET -THE LATEST OBSESSION OF MODERN PEOPLE

People fighting with extra weight are always looking for magic diet plans that can help get rid of unwanted fat once and for ever. Be careful with these diets, because many of them may have a negative impact on your wellbeing. Coconut oil diet is the latest obsession of modern people.

People who add coconut oil to their eating plan are said to have impressive weight loss results. However, weight loss in not the only benefit they get, because this diet helps increase energy and improve overall wellbeing.

Due to the high amount saturated fats contained in coconut oil, it was considered a harmful product. Later, various studies have disproved that fact and coconut oil was referred to the most wholesome and healthy products. Regular consumption of this oil helps prevent heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and boosts immunity.

Most of coconut oil health benefits are provided by medium-chain triglycerides or unique fatty acids contained in it. When consumed, medium-chained saturated fats get directly into the liver, while other types of fats first get into the bloodstream.

Simple fats that get into the bloodstream and circulate in the body are more likely to be stored in the body as unwanted fat. Medium chained triglycerides are never stored as body fat, because they are immediately burned for energy.

Many people fighting with extra weight stick to low-calorie diet. Such diet gives quick results that unfortunately are not permanent. The body is not happy when it gets fewer calories and starts storing fat, which leads to the increase of appetite and desire to eat something forbidden. Many people start eating sugary food and therefore gain even more weight than they have lost.

Coconut oil diet plan has a different effect. The diet was adopted from countries where people maintain ideal weight without worrying about the amount of protein, carbohydrates or sugar they consume.

These nations know nothing about excessive weight problems, due to the abundance of coconut oil in their countries. All you you need to do to discover the benefits of this diet is to add coco oil to your daily eating plan. This will not only boost metabolism, but will also improve the functioning of the thyroid.

While coconut oil diet is very effective and wholesome, it is necessary to understand that the oil itself will not help you solve the problem of extra weight. The diet emphasizes the importance of balanced and healthy diet, which should necessarily include protein rich foods, like chicken, lean red meat, nuts, eggs and cheese. 

Such diet will force your body to shift from carbohydrate-burning to fat-burning metabolism mode. Saying simply, the body will start burning fat deposits to get energy. This will stabilize the level of blood sugar, eliminate mood swings and fatigue. If you stick to all rules, the first weight loss results will be seen within 2 weeks. Consumption of protein rich food with the addition of coconut oil will teach your body to receive energy from the fats you consume. This is the first phase of the diet which lasts for 14 days.

When on the coconut oil diet plan, consuming products other than indicated in the recommended food list is strictly forbidden. Foods you choose for the second phase of your diet should have a low carbohydrate content. Daily amount of coconut oil you need to consume is 2-3 spoons. This phase of coconut oil diet focuses on the body detoxification and lasts from 4 to 5 weeks.

People sticking to coconut oil diet say it gives amazing results. It teaches you to consume only wholesome and nutritious foods. This, in turn, helps not only maintain your ideal weight, but also detoxify your body and improve overall well-being. This is something you should definitely try!

- www.coconut-info.net

WHAT IS COCONUT OIL GOOD FOR- EXPLORING COCONUT OIL USES

Not every food is proud to hold the title of the "superfood". Indeed, the list of superfoods is quite short and one of the most notable products in this list is coconut oil. This natural oil is known for its unique combination of fatty acids that have amazing health benefits.

What is coconut oil good for? This short article will help you discover the main health benefits of this natural oil.

Unique combination of fatty acids contained in coco oil has amazing medical properties. It is rich in saturated fats which help improve immune system, increase metabolic rate and energy level. Do not be afraid of saturated fats, as not all of them are harmful. Contrary to a popular belief, saturated fats can be very wholesome.

Saturated fats found in coco oil have nothing in common with fats found in products like steak or cheese. These are Medium Chain Triglycerides or simply said, fatty acids of a medium length. What is the difference between long and medium chain fatty acids? The difference is huge and substantial. These two types of fatty acids are metabolized differently and therefore have different effects on the body.

Medium chain fatty acids are the quickest source of energy for your body. They are quickly digested by the body and are never stored as unwanted body fat. Besides, they help prevent the development of several brain disorders.

Coconut oil is rich in vitamins and minerals. It has powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties and can fight a number of diseases, including influenza and colds. Besides, regular consumption of coconut oil helps prevent the development severe diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and several types of cancer. The latest scientific researches show that populations that consume lots of coconuts are the healthiest people on earth. Many of them do not even know about the existence of heart diseases.

Coconut oil helps fight with obesity. This is a magic effect of medium chain fatty acids processing, which is followed by the increase of energy expenditure. The more energy the body burns during the day, the more fat is burnt. Do not forget about healthy diet and sport, however.

Coconut oil has excellent moisturizing effect. It suits all types of skin and hair and helps avoid a number of skin and hair problems. It helps get rid of acne, moisturizes dry skin and decreases greasiness of skin. Moreover, this natural oil is known for its anti-aging effect, which means it prevents the appearance of early wrinkles.

Hair will also benefit from coconut oil treatment. Coco oil helps eliminate the problem of dry scalp and dandruff, nourishes hair roots, stops hair loss and also helps fight with split ends. Regular usage of coconut oil will increase hair growth and will make your hair soft, silky and healthy.

Now let's talk about coconut oil uses.

First of all, it is a perfect substitute to butter and sunflower oil and therefore can be used in cooking and baking. Just dress the salad with a small amount of coconut oil and your body will get necessary amount of nutrients.

When it comes to hair and skin treatment, coco oil can be applied directly on skin or hair. You can apply it alone, or with the addition of essential oils and other natural ingredient, like egg-yolk or honey. Saying short, it is a perfect base for homemade masks.

Indeed, uses of coconut oil, as well as its benefits are numerous and diverse. However, to avail all these benefits you need to know what oil to choose. Always opt for organic extra virgin oil. Forget about refined staff, because it is not able to provide health benefits you need.

- www.coconut-info.net

TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE CHAINSAW-TABLE SAW COCOLUMBER MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT BY SOAKING METHOD

Technology Description
Lumber production from coconut trunk has been commercialized in the Philippines since early 1970's. Cocolumber is used for low-cost construction, furniture/handicraft, pallets, etc.
FPRDI studies show that coconut logs can be processed into lumber with different sawmilling equipment. One of the most efficient processing technique is the chainsaw-table saw lumbering system.

Round coconut trunks are sawn into halves or smaller dimensions as in flitches using a 10HP chainsaw at the cutting site. The flitches are transported to the lumber yard for resawing into desired dimension using a table saw.

The table saw may be stationary or mobile-type with 20 HP diesel engine. The sawblade is circular and the diameter is 510 millimetres.

The chainsaw-table saw lumbering system is designed for rural application. It involves relatively unskilled labour and the processing system may not be capital intensive. The lumber production per 8-hour operation is around 1,500 bd. R. The manufacturing cost is P5 38 per bd. ft. (Table A3.1).
Coconut lumber has a service life ranging from 4 (soft portion) to 18 months (hard portion) when used in contact with the ground. Coconut wood is susceptible to decay-causing organisms such as fungus, termites and powder-post beetles.

Treatment of cocolumber by soaking for 3-6 days in 6% copper-chrome-arsenate (CCA) preservative provides adequate protection from fungal and insect attack. This treatment could extend the service life of coconut lumber by ten times, thus, reducing maintenance cost for the end-users.
The cost of chemical and labour in the preservative treatment of cocolumber is P2.00 per bd. ft.

Outstanding Features Of The Technology

· Chainsaw-table saw lumbering system requires lower investment cost and relatively unskilled labour compared to traditional sawmilling system.· The system entails higher lumber yield/quality and lower processing cost compared to pure chain-sawing operation, the table saw provides an efficient system for resawing the flitches into smaller lumber sizes.
· Preservative treatment improves the durability and prolongs the service life of the cocolumber.
· Production and utilization of cocolumber broadens the raw material base of the wood industry and reduces the pressure on the exploitation of timber from the forest.
· Cocolumber is 3 to 4 items cheaper than traditional lumber.

Target Beneficiaries
Entrepreneurs, cocolumber processors/traders.

Status Of Technology
Commercialized since 1988.

Users Of The Technology
The chainsaw-table saw lumbering system was piloted in Southern Leyte in 1988. Lumber produced were used for school building construction. A similar test was conducted in San Pablo City in collaboration with Mr. Roman de Castro, a chainsaw processor/producer of cocolumber.
The coconut log sawmilling technology was adopted in 1989 by the Quezon Cocolumber Co. in Lucena City; Daraga Agri-business Venture, Inc., Daraga, Albay, Rances Construction Enterprise" Bagacay, Tinambac, Camarines Sur; and the MCB Construction and General Services in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. The technology was also delivered in 1990 to the Guinan Development Foundation, Inc. (GDFI), Guinan, Western Samar and Leyte-Samar Rural Workers Association, Inc. (LABRADOR), Marasbaras, Tacloban City. However, these organizations were unable to commercially apply the technology for reasons beyond the control of FPRDI.

To date, the sawmilling technology is being utilized by some hardware business entrepreneurs in Los Banos, Bay, Sta. Rosa, San Pablo City and Lucena City in Laguna province. The cocolumber processors in these areas usually buy coco-flitches for resawing to required sizes in a stationary and electric powered table saw.

The cocolumber preservative treatment technology was adopted in 1988 by the Maquiling Cocolumber and Trading in Los Banos, Laguna. The MCT has its own treating facility which was constructed with the technical assistance of FPRDI.

Technical Features

A Cocolumber Manufacture
1. Chainsaw description
	Horsepower	I OHP
	Number of Teeth	S2 teeth
	Chain blade	ripping type
	Accessories	filing tools
2. Table saw description
	Type of engine	diesel
	Basic horsepower	20 Hp
	Transmission power	v-belts
	Sawblade diameter	510 mm
	Sawblade thickness	3 mm
	Kerf width	4.4 mm
	Teeth type	carbide-tipped
	Number of teeth	22-26
	Peripheral speed	940 rpm
3. Daily production capacity		1,500 bd. ft.
4. Daily raw material requirement		15 trees
5. Number of working days per month		24 days
B. Cocolumber Preservative Treatment
1. Treating tank description
	Loading capacity	4,500 bd. fl.
	Size	1.2m × 1.2m × 7.62m
	Type of construction	concrete
2. Method of treatment		Soaking
3. Soaking duration		3 to 6 days
4. Type of Chemical		Copper-chrome-Arsenate (CCA)
5. Chemical Concentration		6%
6. Chemical Retention		4 to 8 kg/cu.m.
7. Volume of lumber treatable per drum of CCA (125 kg)		8,753 bd. d.
8. Volume of lumber treated per week		4,500 bd. ft.

Financial Analysis

Fixed Investment
	One (1) Chainsaw	45,000
	One (1) table saw assembly (portable)	110,000
	One (1) shed (200 sq. m. floor area)	100,000
	Office equipment and furniture	10,000
	Land (1,000 sq. m. at P400/sq.m.)	400,000
	Treating trough	10,814
		P675,814
	Working Capital (2 mos.)
	Chemicals (CCA)	60,000
	Raw materials	216,000
	Direct Labour	84,720
	Fuel and lubricants	16,800
	Hauling	57,600
	Repair and maintenance	11,940
		P 447,060
Total Investment Cost (Pesos)		1,122,874

Gross Sales per year	P 3, 888, 000
216,000 bd. ft. × P7.50/bd.ft. =	P 1,620,000
216,000 bd. ft (treated) × P10 50/bd. ft. =	2,268,000
	P 3,888,000

Net Income (ave. per year)	Year 1-5	P 316,877
	Year 6-10	P 401, 766

NPV	+ 225,371
ITRR	26%
ROI	32%
CPP	1.65yr

Table A3.1 - Cocolumber Manufacturing And Treatment Cost

items			Total Cost	Unit Cost
			(P/mo)	(P/bd.ft.)
A. LUMBER MANUFACTURE
1. Raw Materials
	15 trunks/day × P300/trunk × 24 days		108,000	3.00
2. Direct Labour Cost
	Felling/bucking and Flitching (contractual)
	15 trunks/day × P75/trunk × 24 days		27,000	0.75
	Table sawing (P420/day × 24 days)		10,080	0.28
	1 operator × P150/day =	150
	1 receiver × P90/day =	90
	2 helper × P90/day =	180
	420
3. Fuel and lubricants (P350/day × 24 days)			8,400	0.23
	8 li gasoline/day × P9.12/li =	73
	3 li oil/day × P45/li =	135
	20 li diesel/day × P7.12/li =	142
	350
4. Hauling of flitches/lumber
	3000 bd.ft/day × PO. 40/bd.ft × 24 days		28,800	0.80
5. Repair/Maintenance			5,970	0.17
	4 chainsaw blade/mo @ P950 =		3,800
	4 round files/mo @ P'90 =	360
	4 flat files/mo @ P190 =	760
	Retipping of circular saw =	650
	Grinding of circular saw =	400
	5970
6. Depreciation (P223/day ~ 24 days)			5,352	0.15
	Chainsaw P45,000/300 days = 150
	Table saw P110,000/1500 days = 73
	223
	Sub-Total		193,602	5.38
B. LUMBER TREATMENT
1. Chemical
	2 drums CCA at P15,000/drum		30,000	1.71
2. Labour
	4 persons. × P110/day × 12 days/mo.		5,280	0.29
3. Depreciation of treating trough
	P10,814/480 mos.		23	0.001
GRAND TOTAL			228,905	7.38

*Assuming 50% of the total monthly production will be treated

Sources FAO Report,Assessed on 22 February 2016

COCONUT WOOD UTILIZATION TECHNOLOGIES

Efficient processing and utilization of coconut trunks are aimed at solving technical and socio-economic problems especially when the coconut farmer decides to replant his senile palms. Being a monocotyledonous plant, its anatomical, physical, chemical and mechanical properties are different from the conventional woods. Hence, processing techniques and equipment including appropriate machinery have been developed, modified and improved to process cocowood more efficiently and produce comparatively good quality products.

Logging
The technology required for harvesting or logging coconut stems is almost the same as in traditional forest trees. However, the conveniently straight and branchless stems, and their nearly uniform volume and dimension allow the use of comparatively light and simple tools and transportation equipment. Logging operation in a coconut plantation is therefore easier and cheaper than logging under forestry conditions especially in mountains with steep terrain.

Sawmilling
In sawing coconut logs, the most important factors in selecting the milling equipment are profitability and ability to be relocated if this is required; simplicity of design to avoid breakdowns which are difficult to repair in isolated situations; ease of operation as skills of operators will often be limited; an inexpensiveness as the industry is often situated in poorer and underdeveloped areas.

Different type of mills have been tested at the Zamboanga Research Centre in the Philippines and the Timber Industry Training Centre in New Zealand and information gathered could provide a guide to the selection of mills for different conditions. These mills include the medium-size portable sawmill, a larger transportable sawmill, light/general purpose portable sawmill, a mini mill, a breast bench with light weight carriages and a chainsaw with guide attachments.

Problems of sawing coconut logs are similar to the ones encountered by sawmillers when using high density species of tropical hardwoods.

Grading
It has been established that no importer is prepared to make a commitment to purchase large volumes of coconut wood unless both quality of material and reliability of supply are guaranteed. Uniform grading standards for coconut wood are therefore highly desirable. A system of grading coconut wood and the mechanics of its implementation and control should be established in the producing countries. The mechanism for quality control should not restrict efficient management but should aim to protect and rosier the interests of the country, the coconut wood industry, and its customers.

Quality control of coconut wood starts during the logging operation. Coconut wood should be graded hard, intermediate or soft, corresponding to high, medium and low density: high density is above 600 kg/m³; medium density between 400 and 600 kg/m³; and low density less than 400 kg/m³. Because of the widely varying density of material within each log, and the difficulty of differentiating these by superficial inspection after sawing, it is essential that a grading, sorting and identification system be established to track the wood from different parts of a log and from different logs along the length of a tree; this should start in the plantation at the time of felling. Systems of this sort have been designed and are implementable.

Machining
Another important phase in cocowood utilization is machining or the process of cutting and milling the cocowood into various shapes and patterns with the use of woodworking machines.

Seasoning and Drying
Coconut wood must also undergo seasoning process to minimize if not completely avoid problems in its utilization: the appropriate moisture content levels of coconut wood for various uses are as follows: furniture - 10 to 12%; flooring - 11 to 17%; framing timber -15 to 18%; joinery - 12 to 16%; and weatherboards - 15 to 18%. The common drying methods include air drying wood under shed, forced-air, and kiln drying. Depending on existing conditions, 25mm and 50mm coconut boards take 4 to 11 weeks and 16 to 21 weeks to air dry, respectively to attain equilibrium moisture content of 17% to 19%. Drying schedules have been worked out (Tables 8 and 9) for kiln drying coconut wood to avoid drying defects such as collapse, twist, wrap and check.

Preservative Treatment
Coconut is not naturally durable when used in situations favourable to attack by decay fungi and wood boring insects particularly in ground contact and exposed to the weather. The low natural durability can be overcome by the application of suitable wood preservative treatment, for which appropriate prescriptions and dose rates have been developed. Choice of treatment depends on hazard level and cost which can be borne.

The recommended treating processes are presented in Table 10. The treatment schedules of the different processes have been established for coconut wood through a series of laboratory experiments, field and service tests of treated materials.

Finishing
Good quality finish for cocowood involves sanding the surface to remove the knife marks and produce a smooth surface. The use of mechanical sanders instead of manual sanding facilitates finishing the surface of the wood.

Coating involves the sequence application of stain, filler, sealer and top coating materials such as lacquer, polyurethane, polyester and oil finish to enhance the natural beauty of the grain, colour and figure of cocowood products. Usually two or more coats of finishes are applied to cocowood to improve the appearance and quality of the wood products.

Sources FAO Report,Assessed on February 2016

PALM CHARACTERISTICS RELEVANT TO UTILIZATION

Structure/Anatomy
The coconut palm is a monocotyledon; it has an erect pole-like stem and symmetrical crown; the trunk is 30-40 cm in diameter sometimes reaching a meter at the base. Once formed, it does not increase in diameter due to the absence of a cambium. The slender and branchless trunk reaches a height of 20-25 meters or more. Tall coconut varieties take 3-4 years to develop a stem above the ground. It bears leaf scars showing the insertion of the fallen leaves. The distance between leafscars indicates the rate of growth. Leafscars are closely spaced at the top and at the bottom of the trunk but distantly spaced at the middle portion.

In cross-section, the coconut stem has three distinct zones, namely the dermal, sub-dermal and the central zones with the dermal as the most peripheral portion just below the cortex, the sub-dermal between the dermal and the central zone or core. Its main anatomical elements include the fibrovascular bundles, fibrous bundles and the ground tissue.

The fibrovascular bundles consist of phloem, xylem, axial parenchyma and thick-walled schlyrenchyma fibres. The latter element serves as the palm's major mechanical support. The cell walls of the schlyrenchima fibres become progressively thicker from the centre to the cortex of the stem. The xylem is enveloped by parenchyma cells usually containing two wide vessels, a combination of wide and small vessels or clusters of several small and wide vessels.
The ground tissue is parenchymatous and its cell wall thickness decreases from cortex to the inner zone of the central cylinder.

Physical Properties
The physical properties of cocowood depend largely on its density, moisture content and shrinkage (Table 3).

The oven-dry weight-green volume or basic density of cocowood decreases with increasing height of the stem and, at any given height, increases from the core to the cortex. In addition, the basic density at any particular height increases with the age of the palm. Overall, the basic density ranges from 100kg/m³ at the top core portion to 900 kg/m³ at bottom dermal portion of old coconut palms.
The moisture content is negatively correlated with the basic density, i.e. moisture content decreases with increasing basic density and vice versa. The amount of moisture in coconut stem increases with increasing stem height and decreases from the core to the cortex. The moisture content ranges from 50% at the bottom dermal portion to 400% at the top core portion of the stem.

The dimensional stability of the wood is determined by its shrinkage or swelling which accompanies a decrease or increase in moisture content below fibre saturation point. Shrinkage and swelling cause drying defects such as checks and split. Unlike conventional wood where tangential shrinkage is almost twice the radial shrinkage, the tangential and radial shrinkage of cocowood are not significantly different.

Mechanical Properties
The mechanical properties of coconut which define its end use are positively correlated with the basic density. As a result, cocowood has been classified according to three basic density groups as follows: High density wood (dermal) 600 kg/m³ and above, medium density wood (sub-dermal) 400 kg/m³ to 599 kg/m³, and low density wood (core), below 400 kg/m³.

Table 4 presents the mechanical and related properties of the three density groups of cocowood based on green and dry samples. All values of the strength properties decrease with decreasing basic density. Except for impact bending, the values of the other mechanical properties of cocowood at 12% moisture content are significantly higher than in green condition.

The strength properties of high density cocowood compare favourably with Dipterocarpus grandiflorus, Pentacme concorta, and Shorea polysperma (Table 5) which are commonly used as structural materials for building construction. High density cocowood almost exhibits superior strength properties over the aforementioned conventional wood except modulus of elasticity which shows lower strength values as far as compression parallel to grain is concerned.

The medium density cocowood is comparable to Pentacme concorta in terms of modulus of rupture, stress at proportional limit and maximum crushing strength but it is slightly inferior in the rest of the properties. In contrast, the low density cocowood cannot compare with these wood species hence, it should be used only for non-load bearing structures.

Chemical Properties
Coconut wood is comparable to Philippine hardwood/softwood and bamboo as far as holocellulose, lignin and pentosan content are concerned. However, it contains higher ash than Philippine woods. The proximate chemical composition of coconut wood are the following: holocellulose (66.7%); lignin (25.1%) and pentosans (22.9%).

Sources FAO Report, Assessed on 22 February 2016

NATIONAL PARKS OF MALAYSIA

Taman Negara, Pahang/Kelantan/Terengganu

Malaysia’s largest national park, Taman Negara stretches an area of over 4 thousand square kilometres and spans three states. The park’s native flora and fauna belong to one of the planet’s oldest and most varied ecosystems. Tapir, Sumatran rhinoceros, Asian elephant and Malayan sun bear all call this place home. With over 300 species of birds inhabiting the forest canopy, you’re very likely to hear rather than see them.

Niah National Park, Sarawak

The oldest human communities in Southeast Asia lived in the network of cavesin Sarawak. The first known human remains found here dated back nearly 40,000 years. The Great Cave is a spectacle with a 60m high opening that leads out to a gigantic cave chamber. Bordering the caves are rainforests populated by deer, partridges, long tailed macaques, tarsier and hornbills. Forest trails snaking through the jungle lead to the nearby park of Bukit Kasut.

Penang National Park, Penang

Although the smallest national park in the world Penang National Park still manages to pack a sufficient amount of wildlife and geographical marvel into its diminutive 2.500 hectares. Wildly differing habitats are much to blame  with rocky outcrop, mud flats, and wetlands housing an unbelievable variety of animal land plant life. Leaf monkeys, flying lemur, squirrels and a hundred species of birds inhabit the area, add to this the marine life and you’ll be stunned at the diversity of life in the area.

ENDAU ROMPIN - JOHOR

Endau–Rompin National Park

The river through Endau national par has shaped much of the topography. Scenic waterfalls and some of Malaysia’s most wonderful vistas skirt the many hiking trails in the area. The forests in and around the park hold a numerous amount of unusual plant genus, like fan palms and walking stick palm. Animal life is in abundance also, with bear cats and wild boars stalking the undergrowth as gibbons swing through the forest vines.

Easily accessible from Kahang and Bekok in Panang, tourists are often accompanied through the park by guides from local tribes such as the local Jakun tribe. If hiking is not to your taste then why not explore the local villages, go white water rafting or take a beautiful night safari through the blackened evening forests.

- happytimeblog.co.uk

PALM WOOD PRODUCT AND DESIGN GUIDELINES

The machining of coconut palm wood is rendered difficult by the structure of the wood. For cost reasons these difficulties must aIready be taken into account during design (see also Table 4), otherwise processing may become uneconomic and the products do not have the required qualities. The effects of the properties of the wood on its processing during the machining operation are listed in Chapter 8.

Table 4: Design Guidelines for Industrially Manufactured Products

Problemetic:	To be Preferred
Designs and jointing techniques that require a large proportion of manual work	Designs and jointing techniques that can be carried out by the use of machinery
Mortise and tenon joints	Dowelled joints, if strength is sufficient
Profiles with a large material removal volume/large profile depth	Profiles with a small material removal volume/small profile depth
Dovetail joints/Finger joints	Dowelled joints
Frames with a counter profile	Frames with mitre joint
Edge radius < 5 mm	Edge radius > 5 mm
Highly profiled lathe-turned components with a profile base narrowing to a point	Lathe-turned components with small profile projections and a profile base narrowing to a rounded shape (circular rods, hollow cylinders)
Absolutely to be avoided:
Highly profiled cross-grain wood	Non profiled cross-grain wood with rounded edges
Finger joints	Longitudinal wood joints with dowels or tongue

The fact that the strength properties of coconut wood are lower compared to other wood species of the same density classes must be taken into account in the design and jointing techniques for a product. This is especially true for all wood joints in which there are glue bonds between the connecting longitudinal and transverse wood surfaces. The dowel led joint, which has distinct advantages in its manufacture, is especially critical here unless adequate precautions are taken to avoid the known negative factors. Even with coconut wood, however, the dowelled joint can achieve the strengths required in the construction of furniture, windows and doors provided that appropriate precautions are taken.

2.2.1 Preferred jointing and construction techniques

Dowelled joint

The dowelled joint is a simple and universally usable joint. It is used as a frame corner and box corner joint. When using coconut wood, adequate strength values are achieved if the glue is adjusted to a high viscosity and/or the glue is applied several times, especially in the cross-grain wood region, so that excessive absorption of the glue does not occur (starved glue line). This also applies to dowel holes, which have a high proportion of cross-grain wood, depending on the position of the drilled hole. In addition, in the case of jointing surfaces in the cross-grain wood region, special care must be taken to ensure that there are no raised vascular bundles that prevent an accurate, tight joint fit. Figures 5,6 and 7 show the principle of dowelled joints. The dowel spacing distances should not exceed 120 mm.

Fig. 5: Principle of a dowelled joint

Fig. 6: Butt-dowelled frame corner

Longitudinally profiled components are particularly suitable for mitred corner joints.

Source: Nutsch, 1983

Fig. 7: Dowelled mitred frame corner

Source: Nutsch, 1983

Fig. 8: Principle of a tongue and groove joint

Fig. 9: Tongue and groove joint with inserted tongue

Source: Nutsch, 1983

Laminated material

It is possible to design furniture of panel construction with coconut palm wood by means of solid wooden panels (glue-laminate wood panels). The panels are manufactured by gluing wood strips together in the width (see Figure 10). Gluing the strips in the length using finger joints is a problem with coconut palm wood (see Section 8.6.9). The dowelled or tongue and groove joint in the cross-grain wood region is recommended as a jointing principle for longitudinal joints. Strict adherence to the density class is necessary when selecting the wood. Otherwise the panels warp or dissimilar shrinkage and swelling effects occur between the bonded wooden strips. In addition to using the same density class in a single glue-bonded component (panel, squared timber, beam), attention should be paid to uniformity of colour among the individual elements (strips) that are to be glued together. It is also advisable to pay attention to the number of vascular bundles in a surface unit, since these affect the optical and strength characteristics

Laminated beams of the kind used to achieve load-bearing building structures and rather large spans or structural component lengths can be manufactured using coconut palm wood (see Photos 23 – 26). Because of their poor weathering resistance, they are usable only in a protected environment (in this connection see Chapter 7).

Fig. 10: Glue-bonded profile for full-width bonding

Photo 23: Laminated and bolted coconut boards

Hollow cylinder

A further design alternative is offered by sections of coconut palm trunks lathe-turned circular on the outside and centre-bored to an internal diameter of approx. 170 mm. These hollow cylinders (tubes) can be used structurally and decoratively, either as a whole or divided lengthways. Examples of their use include: cheeks and side-pieces for shelves or wall units, side-pieces for the supports of chairs and tables, posts, beams or trusses for wooden structures of all kinds (see also Photos 6,14, 15, 16). As a result of this tube principle, high strengths can be achieved, far exceeding the strengths of the massive material (the trunk as a solid cylinder). Another advantage is that drying cracks are prevented, which occur when drying material with different density areas.

Continue;

2.2.2 The wood structure as a design feature

In addition to its colour, the texture of coconut palm wood is also a conspicuous feature (see Figure 11). The intensity of the vascular bundles stands out to an extent that varies depending on the position in the trunk. They decrease towards the centre of the trunk and towards the top. In a longitudinal section the vascular bundles are as a rule seen as lines running more or less parallel. In a cross-section they appear as dark points in the light-coloured parenchyma tissue. In a diagonal section they appear as short, thick lines. Depending on the arrangement of the different graphical forms of the vascular bundles in the product, an aesthetic image is formed that contrasts with the inherent simplicity of the coconut palm wood.

Fig. 11: Vascular bundles in longitudinal, transverse and diagonal section

Source: Rossmann, 1994

Important
Cross-grain wood surfaces should not show any raised vascular bundles in the joint region; they must be absolutely flat and smooth! The adhesive should be adjusted to a high viscosity (especially when applying to cross-grain wood surfaces); alternatively the adhesive should be applied several times, in dowel-holes as well!

Sources FAO Report, Assessed on 22 February 2016