Growth of native tree species planted in montane reforestation projects in the Colombian and Ecuadorian Andes differs among site and species

BACKGROUND

Tropical Andes in Columbia and Ecuador have been affected by forest clearance and degradation for several centuries. Agriculture has been the primary driver of land use change as well as mining to a lesser extent. To restore the degraded sites, native species have been used in various projects, however with little information on growth performance of the planted tree species in relation to site and soil nutrient status. A greater part of the northern Andes has volcanic ash derived soils.

RESEARCH GOALS AND METHODS

The growth of seven common native species was examined on twelve montane forest sites across the northern region of the tropical Andes, to determine their mean annual increment of diameter and height. Twelve projects were used for field visits and data collection, because of available information from establishment to site protection. Trees under study were counted along the line transects and soil samples were randomly collected for chemical analysis.

CONCLUSIONS AND TAKEAWAYS

From the authors, native species used in restoration grow at different rates across different sites and soil conditions. This is essential knowledge in the selection of species with the best growth rates for the restoration and management of degraded sites.