The remnants of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest consist mainly of secondary forests with great potential for the production of all ecosystem services. However, contrary to the trend seen in other countries, the production of goods in these ecosystems is not stimulated, particularly the production of wood. In this article, we discuss this theme, arguing that secondary forests present high yield of good quality wood, which can generate important source of income to pay the soil rent, stimulating the appreciation for the forest and reversing the processes of its conversion into other land uses. We base our reasoning on the results of a research project on the management of secondary forests for sustainable timber production carried out in the State of Santa Catarina, which has generated original data on the ecology and yield of these forests.