Economic incentives
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 |
Putting Participatory Domestication into Practice in West and Central AfricabackgroudThis article reviews the process of participatory community tree domestication in central Africa. Research Goals & MethodsIn case studies examined, nurseries were planned in coordination between the International Center for Agroforestry Research and local communities, and the two groups divided the funding and supply of nursery materials. No salaries were paid to the farmers working in the nursery. ICRAF staff trained community members in propagation techniques. Open access copy available |
Taungya in the PhilippinesbackgroundThis book chapter provides a description of the ecological effects of deforestation in the Philippines and a history of the failed social forestry programs that began in the 1970s. Open access copy available |
Smallholder timber plantation development in Indonesia: what is preventing progress?BackgroundIn the context of a supply-demand problem in Indonesia’s forestry sector in 2006 causing an increase in illegal logging, the government of Indonesia undertook measures to stem illegal logging and incentivize plantations. This paper evaluates a community timber plantation program in Indonesia called HTR (Hutan Tanaman Rakyat, community timber plantation). Open access copy available |
Timber Investment Returns for Selected Plantations and Native Forests in South America and the Southern United StatesbackgroundThis study examines the value of timber investments in South America. Exotic Eucalyptus in the southern cone (Argentina + Chile) are the most profitable, with Internal Rate of Return of 13-23%, followed by exotic loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), whereas investments in the southeast USA is less profitable. Available with subscription or purchase |
Trade-offs between tree cover, carbon storage and floristic biodiversity in reforesting landscapesbackgroundThe multiple benefits of reforestation projects for carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services are taken as a given. Yet not all forests are equal. Plantation-type reforestation projects typically undertaken for carbon sequestration are known for low species richness and inadequate provision of other ecosystem services. This study explores the relationships between an increase in tree cover area and changes in forest carbon storage and the potential of a landscape to provide habitat for native floristic biodiversity. Available with subscription or purchase |
Manejo, uso y aprovechamiento de frutales nativos de la Amazonia Colombiana (Management and use of native fruit trees of the Colombian Amazon)Desde los mediados de la década de los 80’s, las especies frutales de la Cuenca Amazónica fueron identificadas como una alternativa productiva. Los autores presentan aspectos de la comercialización de especies frutales nativas de la Amazonia Colombiana, en el contexto mundial del mercado de productos exóticos (frescos y procesados) que ha crecido continuamente. Open access copy available |
Evaluación técnica y financiera de la silvicultura desarrollada en un bosque natural de la Guayana venezolana (Technical and financial evaluation of silvicultural management in the Venezuelan Guayana)Los autores analizan el funcionamiento de una empresa forestal que ejecuta, desde 1996, un plan de ordenación y manejo forestal en un bosque seco tropical, El Dorado- Tumeremo, con una superficie productiva 66 000 ha (Estado Bolívar, Venezuela). Se aprovechan unas 30 especies según diámetros mínimos de corta, clasificadas según su potencial comercial: las comerciales (Hymenaea courbaril, Pouteria caimito, Spondias mombin, Cordia alliodora, Andira sp., Manilkara bidentata y Peltogyne pubescens), las potencialmente comerciales (Cordia bicolor, Fagara martinicense, Tetragastris panamensis, Ceiba pentandra, Brosi- mun alicastrum, Aspidosperma megalocarpum, Astronium lecontei) y las que no tienen valor com Open access copy available |
Reforestation Strategies Amid Social Instability: Lessons from AfghanistanBackgroundThis study evaluates recent reforestation programs in Afghanistan in anticipation of larger scale programs needed to address watershed-scale degradation. Research Goals & MethodsIt surveys reforestation programs in rural upper watershed areas in Afghanistan in order to provide insight for similar problems in insecure regions elsewhere, especially where reforestation may help reverse degradation and assist with social stabilization efforts. Open access copy available |
Financial, Economic and Environmental Profitability of Reforestation of Imperata Grasslands in IndonesiabackgroundThis study assesses the profitability of roundwood production in forest plantations established on Imperata grasslands in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Research Goals & MethodsThis study uses the discounted cash flow method on the Riam Kiwa reforestation trial area. It also explores the importance of fiscal incentives to financial profitability of roundwood production in forest plantations established on Imperata grasslands. Available with subscription or purchase |