East Asia and Pacific
Low technology tree propagation and the restoration of natural forest ecosystemsBackgroundThis chapter outlines the need for reforestation in Southeast Asia, with a focus on Thailand, and describes the nursery and propagation processes necessary for successful production of native species for reforestation. The paper focuses mainly on the Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU), which was established to address the need for information on native species for reforestation, especially information on seedlings and nursery practices. Most information on propagation available before the creation of FORRU referred to exotic species. Open access copy available |
New Options for Land Rehabilitation and Landscape Ecology in Southeast Asia by "Rainforestation Farming"backgroundThe authors describe a methodology for reforestation called "Rainforestation Farming" developed in the Philippines in the 1990s to restore forest cover on degraded lands covered with Imperata cylindrica grass in the Visayas region Available with subscription or purchase |
Assisted Natural Regeneration: Methods, Results and Issues Relevant to Sustained Participation by CommunitiesBackgroundThis article describes forest restoration in Kandis village on Palawan Island, Philippines, an assisted natural regeneration (ANR) project, and focuses on the social issues that affect success of ANR projects. research goals & methodsThe ANR approached used includes fire prevention, ring-weeding, and flattening of grasses. Open access copy available |
Helping Forests to Help Themselves—Accelerating Natural RegenerationbackgroundThis chapter walks through the basic techniques of accelerated (or assisted) natural regeneration (ANR), describing when it is appropriate, when it should be combined with other techniques, how to increase the seed rain, and areas of needed research. Open access copy available |
Manual of Reforestation and Erosion Control for the PhilippinesbackgroundThis manual provides a detailed guide to reforestation, including information about species selection, nursery techniques, site preparation and plantation design, weed and fire control, stand improvement and other practical aspects of establishing and managing tree plantations. Additionally, there is a large portion devoted to erosion control, using trees and engineered structures to stabilize slopes and decrease the velocity of water runoff. Open access copy available |
Creative Ecology: Restoration of Native Forests by Native TreesbackgroundThis article describes how the "native forests by native trees" restoration method used in Japan was applied to reforestation in Malaysia, and later in Brazil, Chile, and parts of China. Open access copy available |
Restoration of degraded forest land in Thailand: the case of Khao KhoBackgroundThis chapter discusses the deforestation of Khao Kho district, situated in Thailand’s central highlands, in the 1970s and restoration efforts in the 1990s. Over 75% of the district was forested until 1968, when as a counterinsurgency strategy the Royal Thai Army began to build roads, deforest the district and encourage agricultural settlement in this heretofore intact forest. Deforestation and maize cultivation on these steep hillsides, often with already-poor soil quality degraded in situ, led to rapid degradation with farming untenable by 1990. A UNDP-funded reforestation project – managed by the Army – was initiated in 1990. Open access copy available |
Reforestation of Mangroves after Severe Impacts of Herbicides during the the Viet Nam War: The Case of Can GiobackgroundThis article describes the detrimental impacts of chemicals used in the Viet Nam war on mangroves with a focus on the reforestation efforts of the mangroves of the Can Gio district. In the 1980s, poor management, combined with stress from fuelwood collection and conversion to shrimp ponds, limited the success of mangrove restoration. Between 1978 and 1989,29,583 ha of Rhizophora apiriculata were planted; however, due to a lack of technical experience and a very high planting density, by 1990 only 18,125 ha remained. 35,000 ha of mangrove were replanted by 1996 and, in 2001, about 20,000 ha still survived. Open access copy available |
Institutional Issues and Political Challenges in Scaling Up Agroforestry: The Case of Landcare in the PhilippinesbackgroundThis paper presents the results of case studies of four municipalities in the Philippines participating in the Landcare agroforestry program which benefited from differing levels of institutional, technical, and government support. The paper assesses how effectively the Landcare program was able to scale up based on differing levels of support. Open access copy available |
The Sabah Biodiversity Experiment: A Long-Term Test of the Role of Tree Diversity in Restoring Tropical Forest Structure and FunctioningbackgroundThis article details the initial stages of an experiment in Borneo which aims to study the relationship between tree diversity and lowland dipterocarp rainforest functioning during restoration after selective logging. Open access copy available |
