Promoting Biodiversity: Advances in Evaluating Native Species for Reforestation

background

This article describes the design of a long-term species screening trial conducted at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.

Research Goals & Methods

Growth and survivability data is presented for 84 species (17 popular exotics used for timber and 67 little-known local species with timber potential) at 3 years of age.

Conclusions & Takeaways

Of the species with the largest volume, 67% were native. Of the exotics Cordia alliodora and Tectona grandis did poorly, but Gmelina arborea and Eucalyptus deglupta had high volumes. The author presents the species with the highest survival and volume, suggesting that their potential uses different (pulp, timber, agroforestry, reforestation/ecology, volume), and the species to be selected must depend on the goal of the reforestation.