East Asia and Pacific
Tropical rain forest fragmentation and its ecological and species diversity changes in Southern YunnanBackgroundAnimal species richness is understood to decline with fragmentation of tropical forests. While the same is assumed of plant species richness, fewer studies have been undertaken on this subject. This study on sacred groves in southern Yunnan, southwestern China, evaluates the plant species richness of these tropical rainforest fragments. Open access copy available |
Gmelina Boom, Farmers Doom: Tree growers risks, coping strategies and optionsBackgroundThe widespread smallholder tree plantations of Gmelina arborea established in the South Philippines in the 1980s led to price boom and bust cycles rather than the expected economic returns for growers. This study evaluates grower responses to the timber price bubbles of the 1990s and recommends policy responses. Open access copy available |
Afforestation and Reforestation Projects in South and South-East Asia Under the Clean Development Mechanism: Trends and Development OpportunitiesbackgroundThe Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was created as part of the 2007 Kyoto Protocol to assist countries in achieving both development and sustainability. Afforestation and reforestation (AR) projects are a part of the CDM protocal, but can be challenging to implement and measure. research goals & methodsThis study reports on survey results regarding CDM-AR projects. Surveys were conducted in South and South-east Asia of both (i) experts and (ii) developers, investors, and consultants. Open access copy available |
Disturbance, Recovery and Resilience in Tropical Forests: A Focus on the Coastal Peat Swamp Forests of Malaysian BorneoBackgroundThis thesis represents four years of work investigating the long-term ecological changes that have occurred in the coastal peat swamp forests of Sarawak, in Malaysian Borneo over the Late Holocene. Research Goals & MethodsThree peat cores were extracted from sites along the coast of northern Borneo and fossil pollen and charcoal analysis performed on them in order to look at how vegetation has changed in the past, and what factors may have caused disturbances to the baseline forest communities Open access copy available |
Managing Forest Remnants and Forest Gardens in Peru and IndonesiaThis chapter describes the forest management of flooded vareza of the Amazon forest in the Napo-Amazon floodplain in Peru. The area is rarely cultivated intensively due to flooding, but human populations have always been higher in this region than in upland forest areas of the Amazon. Some of the most important forest areas are known as capinurales, home to the capinuri tree (Maquira coriaceae), which is harvested for wood and resin. Inga spp. and Rheedia spp. (carichuelo) are collected for fruit. Open access copy available |
Mahogany and Kadam planting farmers in South Kalimantan: the link between Silvicultural activity and stand qualityBackgroundIncentive structures in Indonesia have promoted forest plantations conducted and managed in partnership with local farmers. This paper examines the relationship between farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, silvicultural activity and the quality of their mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) and kadam (Anthocephalus/Neolamarkia cadamba) plantation stands in two independent case study villages in South Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Available with subscription or purchase |
Land Ownership and Forest RestorationBackgroundReports have indiciated that the majority of forests worldwide are owned by governments yet are typically managed similar to an open-access regime. Moreover, the use of forests by various stakeholders have led to issues, typically regarding access and ownership. This paper examines the connection between ownership regimes and restoration. Open access copy available |
Readiness for REDD: Financial Governance and Lessons from Indonesia’s Reforestation Fund (RF)backgroundThis article explains how REDD payments can generate significant financial flows into Indonesia, and how efficient and transparent financial governance is necessary. Using the history of the Indonesia's Reforestation Fund, this article offers recommendations for effective REDD financial management. Open access copy available |
Facilitation of Forest Landscape Restoration on Abandoned Swidden Fallows in Laos using Mixed-Species Planting and Biochar ApplicationbackgroundThis article aims to assess the feasibility of a plantation with eight mixed native species fertilized with rice husk biochar as a technique for soil amendment at a specific site in Laos. Research Goals & MethodsThe use of biochar was compared to inorganic (NPK) fertilizer and to no fertilization. The effects on the planted seedlings establishment and growth were monitored for four years. Open access copy available |
China's sloping land conversion program: Institutional innovation or business as usual?BackgroundChina’s Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) is the largest land retirement program in the developing world, having the goal of converting 14.67 million hectares of cropland to forests by 2010, primarily targeting high-slope and marginal lands. The program is being implemented in more than 2000 counties across 25 provinces in China and affects tens of millions of rural households using PES models to promote afforestation. Open access copy available |
