Latin America and Caribbean

Growth, carbon sequestration, and management of native tree plantations in humid regions of Costa Rica

Background

The Costa Rican government has provided incentives for reforestation programs since 1986 and initiated a Payment for Environmental Services program in 1996. These incentives yielded native species reforestation programs throughout the country. This study examines growth, carbon sequestration, and management of seven native tree species (Vochysia guatemalensis, Vochysia ferruginea, Hyeronima alchorneoides, Calophyllum brasiliense, Terminalia amazonia, Virola koschnyi, and Dipteryx panamensis) in single-species plantations managed by small landowners.

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A Re-emerging Atlantic Forest? Urbanization, Industrialization and the Forest Transition in Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil

background

The Atlantic Forest region of southern Brazil has experienced rapid urbanization and industrialization in the second half of the 20th century. Trends in other regions of the world might suggest this would lead to increased forest cover in rural areas, however a developing country such as Brazil may present a different scenario.

research & methods

This research presents an analysis of forest cover change in the Atlantic forest of Santa Catarina, Brazil between 1975 and 1995/1996.

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Importance of Input Classification to Graph Automata Simulations of Forest Cover Change in the Peruvian Amazon

Background

In an area of Peru difficult for remote sensing imaging of deforestation and regeneration, the authors evaluate landcover and detect changes in landuse using novel data simulation techniques.

Research goals & Methods

The authors aim to compensate for remote assessments of deforestation or reforestation that may be strongly dependent on the seasonality of input images. To do this, they ran graph automata simulations while varying forest cover inputs to model land cover change. 

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Forest Expansion in Northwest Costa Rica: Conjuncture of the Global Market, Land-Use Intensification, and Forest Protection

background

This article examines the land cover conversion trends in Costa Rica, a topic that is widely studied in developed coutries but less so in developing. 

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Analysis of the Carbon Sequestration Costs of Afforestation and Reforestation Agroforestry Practices and the Use of Cost Curves to Evaluate their Potential for Implementation of Climate Change Mitigation

background

This article analyzes the carbon sequestration costs of agroforestry afforestation/reforestation projects (ARPs) as part of the UN's Clean Development Mechanism by evaluating both economies of scale and opportunity costs that affect total sequestration costs. The study uses an agroforestry project called Scolel Té in Chiapas, Mexico to calculate the average net present value (ANPV) of the project in terms of carbon price and project area.

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Scolel'te Plan Vivo Project

Background

Starting with a pilot program in 1994, the Scolel'te Project is one of the longest running projects in the Plan Vivo network. It is an ecosystem services program that focuses primarily on reforestation in the Chiapas region of Mexico. 

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Geographic Variation in Tree Growth and Wood Density of Guazuma crinita Mart. in the Peruvian Amazon

background

This research addresses intra-specific variation in the native Peruvian tree species Guazuma crinita, a fast-growing pioneer species and priority timber tree used in reforestation and agroforestry systems. It also evaluates the tree growth and wood density of G. crinita varieties from 11 provenances in the Peruvian Amazon.

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Cloning of erect, thornless, non-browsed nitrogen fixing trees of Haiti's principal fuelwood species (Prosopis juliflora)

Background

Prosopis juliflora (bayawon in Creole) is a spiny leguminous tree that is used throughout arid regions of Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean for fuelwood and fodder.  Due to its genetic diversity, pod protein and carbohydrate content varies widely, suggesting advantages of clonal reproduction. This Haiti-based study tests exotic and native varieties of Prosopis for growth rates.

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Evaluation of 15 Indigenous and Introduced Species for Reforestation and Agroforestry in Northeastern Mexico

Background

This article presents the results of a reforestation study in the Sierra Madre Mexico.

Research Goals & Methods

Ten native species (Pithecellobium, Prosopis, Helietta, Cordia, and Acacia spp.) and five exotic species (Leucaena and Eucalyptus spp.) were raised in a nursery and planted in June of 1984. Measurements took place between 1985 and 1999.

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Facilitating Regeneration of Secondary Forests with the Use of Mixed and Pure Plantations of Indigenous Tree Species

background

This research presents the abundance and diversity of woody species regenerating under tropical plantations (mixed and single-species) and a control of natural regeneration at La Selva Biological Station in the Atlantic humid lowlands of Costa Rica.

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