Forest Plantations
Growth in pure and mixed plantations of tree species used in reforesting rural areas of the humid region of Costa Rica, Central AmericaBackgroundDespite government incentives in Costa Rica for establishing and maintaining native tree plantations since the 1990s, farmers and small landowners often lack adequate knowledge about plantation management. Yield and rotation periods for each of the ten most common species grown in monoculture have previously been published. This paper compares productivity in monoculture and mixtures at La Selva Biological Station in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. Open access copy available |
Uganda Carbon Neutral Project 2017BackgroundPrevious programs have demonstrated that carbon payment programs can greatly benefit local livelihoods while also promoting ecosystem services. Thus, the Embassy of Ireland in Kampala began a carbon neutral program with the Ndangara-Nyakiyanja Tutuguke Group in Rubirizi Distract, Uganda to pursue these outcomes Goals & ApproachThe goal of the program is to reduce degradation and relieve pressure on existing forests. This is achieved through paying small-scale farmers to plant trees. Many of these trees provide other economic benefits, such as fruit or medicinal trees. Open access copy available |
Carbon Neutral: Uchindile Mapanda, TanzaniaBackgroundAs part of BP's Target Neutral program, this project is addressing grasslands that have been classified as degraded by establishing commercial forests at Uchindile and Mapanda districts in the Tanzanian Southern Highlands. Open access copy available |
Degraded Lands Worth Protecting: the Biological Importance of Southeast Asia's Repeatedly Logged Forests.BackgroundThe study examines the impacts of second logging cycles on biodiversity by comparing species richness, species composition and population-level responses of birds and dung beetle species across unlogged forest, first rotation forest, and second rotation forest in Sabah, Malaysia. Research Goals & MethodsThe authors sample 18 sites, 6 for each forest type, over a two year period. They use point count and mist net censuses for bird species and pitfall traps to count dung beetles. Open access copy available |
Seed rain under tree islands planted to restore degraded lands in a tropical agricultural landscapeBackgroundPlanting native tree seedlings is the predominant restoration strategy for accelerating forest succession on degraded lands. However, planting tree “islands” is less costly and labor intensive than establishing larger plantations and simulates the nucleation process of succession. Tree islands can attract seed dispersers to gradually spread restoration patterns from the islands. Restoration design can be informed by assessing the effect of potential planting arrangements on seed dispersal by birds and bats and determining the influence of surrounding forest cover. Open access copy available |
Can tropical farmers reconcile subsistence needs with forest conservation?backgroundDespite efforts to protect tropical rainforests through various policy initiatives, forests continue to face pressure from smallholders' subsistence needs, especially in montane regions. This paper proposes a means to turn abandoned montane pastoral land into productive agroforestry land as a viable alternative to further encroachment on existing forests. Available with subscription or purchase |
Adaptabilidad y crecimiento de especies nativas en areas en recuperacion del noroeste de la provincia de Misiones (Adaptability and growth of native species in recovery areas in the northwest of the province of Misiones)BackgroundThis study takes place in the Argentinean province of Misiones, where there was a high level of land degradation and strong need for reforestation to restore productivity to the landscape. Open access copy available |
Growth, biomass, carbon storage and nutrient distribution in Gmelina arborea stands on red lateritic soils in central IndiaBackgroundLarge-scale plantations are being established on degraded lands in India to restore the productivity of these soils and landscapes and to sequester atmospheric carbon. Gmelina arborea is a fast-growing indigenous tree used for timber, fuelwood, pulp and fodder already in use in reforestation projects. However, its growth and biomass production has been inadequately studied, particularly in the poor red laterite soils that dominate degraded landscapes. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Rain–Runoff Response of Tropical Humid Forest Ecosystems to Use and Reforestation in the Western Ghats of IndiaBackgroundThis study expands on a previous study in the Western Ghats of India (Uttar Kannada, Karnataka State), that suggested a greater occurrence of infiltration-excess and potentially higher streamflow in degraded and reforested areas. Analyzing rainfall–streamflow data, the authors attempt to determine the impacts of different land cover types on stream discharge hydrograph components (viz, total flow, quickflow and delayed flow), the dominant stormflow pathways, and the impact of reforestation efforts on these processes. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Impact of Forest Use and Reforestation on Soil Hydraulic Conductivity in the Western Ghats of India: Implications for Surface and Sub-Surface HydrologybackgroundThis article presents research on the surface and sub-surface permeability of degraded and restored forests and their dominant stormflow pathways in the humid tropics of Uttar Kannada district, Karnataka, India. The authors attempt to determine to what extent field saturated hydraulic conductivity (K*) isaltered due to long-term forest degradation as compared to other studies in the humid tropics. They quantify changes in permeability following forestation of plantations and degraded landscapes and investigate the likely effect of wet-season conditions and the implications this has for predicting hydrologic consequences of forest degradation. Available with subscription or purchase |
