Available with subscription or purchase
Rehabilitation of Degraded Tropical Forest LandsbackgroundThis article discusses the options for the rehabilitation of degraded land on high rainfall areas. It suggests that it is both environmentally and economically disadvantageous to let the degraded land remain in an unproductive and rapidly eroding state. Available with subscription or purchase |
High Diversity Forest Restoration in Degraded Areas: Methods and Projects in BrazilbackgroundThis book addresses different approaches to the restoration of degraded, high diversity tropical and subtropical forests, including methods and empirical results. Available with subscription or purchase |
A Review of the Agroforestry Systems of Costa RicaBackgroundThis literature review provides a historical overview of agroforestry systems in Costa Rica from the 1970s to the present. Available with subscription or purchase |
A Survey of Small-Scale Farmers Using Trees in Pastures in Herrera Province, PanamabackgroundThe Herrera Province on the Azuero Peninsula of Panamá has experienced significant deforestation for the purpose of cattle ranching. research goal & methodsThe goal of the study was to determine more information about the use of trees in smallholder cow pastures. Herreran pasture owners were interviewed about the different uses for trees in their pastures as well as the variety of tree species. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tree biodiversity in farmer cooperatives of a shade coffee landscape in western El SalvadorbackgroundConservation of tropical biodiversity in agricultural landscapes has become more important as the area covered by natural ecosystems decreases. Understanding the types of biodiversity common in agriculturally managed lands, and involving farmers in conservation planning, is important for regional conservation goals. Available with subscription or purchase |
Coffee Agroforestry Systems in Central America: II. Development of a Simple Process-Based Model and Preliminary ResultsBackgroundGlobally, coffee (Coffea arabica, L.) is an important cash crop. In past decades, there was a growing trend in Central America towards high-input monocultures, but most recently, agroforestry is again becoming a common system. However, it is difficult to optimise the selection of shade tree species in an agroforestry system. This article provides information on a simple dynamic model for coffee-agroforestry systems in Central America. Available with subscription or purchase |
Shade management in coffee and cacao plantationsBackgroundShade trees reduce the stress of coffee (Coffea spp.) and cacao (Theobroma cacao) by ameliorating adverse climatic conditions and nutritional imbalances and increase the biodiversity of coffee farms, but they may also compete for growth resources. This review summarizes the literature on ecological aspects of shade-grown coffee and cacao and on management of shade trees, but does not address economic and social aspects of shade-grown coffee and cacao. Available with subscription or purchase |
Arboles de Centroamerica: un Manual para Extensionistas (Trees of Central America: a Manual for Extentionists)EspañolAntecedentesLos agricultores de Centro América afrontan una compleja realidad que usualmente no es considerada en las iniciativas de manejo sostenible, lo que repercute en la falta de éxito de estas. En un esfuerzo por insertar las necesidades reales de los agricultores a estas actividades, este manual busca cubrir la brecha de información relacionada a especies arbóreas nativas de América Central. Available with subscription or purchase |
Performance of an Improved Fallow System in the Peruvian Amazon—Modelling ApproachbackgroundThis research compares the ecological and economic potential of an improved leguminous tree fallow (using Inga edulis) to the traditional grass fallow (dominated by Imperata brasiliensis) in central Peru. Available with subscription or purchase |
Impacts of Native Trees on Tropical Soils: A Study in the Atlantic Lowlands of Costa RicabackgroundThis article describes the results of a study in Costa Rica that compared the soil fertility in a 2.5 year-old plantation of 6 native tree species, grass pasture, and 20 year-old secondary forest. Research Goals & MethodsSoil extractable Ca, Mg, K, P, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn, the pH, exchangeable acidity, organic matter and total N were measured in three plots. Available with subscription or purchase |
