Landscapes
A Review of the Agroforestry Systems of Costa RicaBackgroundThis literature review provides a historical overview of agroforestry systems in Costa Rica from the 1970s to the present. Available with subscription or purchase |
Principles and Practice of Forest Landscape Restoration: Case Studies from the Drylands of Latin AmericabackgroundDryland forests cover nearly 30% of the surface of the earth and are of global importance for biodiversity and human livelihoods.Many dryland forest ecosystems have been destroyed or highly degraded due to unsustainable land-use practices, including livestock ranging, overharvesting, conversion to agriculture, and rapid urban growth. This document provides the results of a study evaluating the application of forest landscape restoration to dryland ecosystems in Latin America. Open access copy available |
Multifunctional Shade-Tree Management in Tropical Agroforestry Landscapes – A ReviewbackgroundThis article discusses the benefits of shade systems in the production of cacao and coffee crops, with a particular focus on the long-term cycle of cacao production. 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 |
Tropical Forest Restoration within Galapagos National Park: Application of a State-transition ModelBackgroundFew restoration models address ecological and management issues across the vegetation mosaic of a landscape. Because of a lack of scientific knowledge and funds, restoration practitioners focus instead on site-specific prescriptions and reactive rather than proactive approaches to restoration; this approach often dooms restoration projects to failure. This synthesis article tests a state-transition model as a decision-making tool to identify and achieve short- and long-term restoration goals. Open access copy available |
The Structure and Composition of a Tropical Dry Forest Landscape After Land Clearance; Azuero Peninsula, PanamabackgroundThis article describes natural regeneration that has occured in five different habitat types in the Azuero Peninsula of Panama. These habitat types include active pasture, 2-yr abandoned pasture, 5-yr abandoned pasture, forest riparian zones, and a secondary forest fragment. This region is characterized by agricultural and cattle ranching landcapes in areas that previously were tropical dry forest (1700 mm rainfall per year) until the mid-20th century and have recently been undergoing rapid turnover in land ownership. Available with subscription or purchase |
Rehabilitation and Restoration of Degraded ForestsbackgroundThis book offers a comprehensive overview of rehabilitation and restoration at the landscape and local levels, providing information on the factors which are known to impact succession, as well as different approaches to reforestation. The authors discuss the importance of including human well-being along with ecological well-being into any plan for rehabilitation or restoration. Open access copy available |
Rehabilitation of Degraded Forest Ecosystems in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam: An OverviewbackgroundThis document describes reforestation policies and actions in the four countries of the lower Mekong river: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam. Open access copy available |
Community Based Forest Management in Cambodia and LaosbackgroundThis working document provides a comparison of community-based forest management (CBFM) in Cambodia and Laos. Some foundational factors distinguish the two countries, including governmental structure, population, ethnicities, and terrain. However, in both countries, a majority of the population lives in rural subsistence communities, with livelihoods often strongly dependent on forest use. Open access copy available |
Postdispersal Seed Fate of Tropical Montane Trees in an Agricultural Landscape, Southern Costa RicabackgroundThis study seeks to understand postdispersal seed fate in Montane Costa Rica in order to better identify factors driving forest regeneration. Available with subscription or purchase |
