Native Species
Les plantations forestières en afrique centrale: des sylvicultures nouvelles pour répondre aux nouveaux besoins des sociétésThe article provide several arguments for investing in tree plantations in central Africa where tropical wet and dry forests have been degraded and exploitation of forest resources is unsustainable. The authors give examples of benefits from native plantations in addition to exotic plantations. The article concludes by discussing the benefits tree plantations can have on society and the need for more scientific research on native tree plantations in central Africa.
Open access copy available |
Can Pinus Plantations Facilitate Reintroduction of Endangered Cloud Forest Species?backgroundThis study tested the hypothesis that pine plantations can simulate the conditions of early forest succession, acting as a habitat for other native or endangered species to establish. In the cloud forest region of central Mexico, some tree species have become endangered due to land use change for both livestock production and tree plantations. Open access copy available |
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 |
Foliar herbivory and leaf traits of five native tree species in a young plantation of Central PanamaBackgroundTimber plantations often provide economic incentives for land owners to restore abandoned pastures or agricultural land to forest, yet the threat of insect herbivory can diminish these new plantations and compromise the efforts. This study seeks to understand the extent of these threats on tree plantations in Panama. Open access copy available |
The Role of Silvopastoral Systems in the Rehabilitation of Andean Stream HabitatsbackgroundThis article discusses the prevalence and impact of cattle grazing in the Andean region of Colombia. It asserts that ranching drastically alters the oxygen demand of and pH of streams, increases algae growth, and reduces light penetration. Ranching also damages stream flow and riverbanks, leading to higher erosion and run-off. Grasslands on previously forested areas have led to compaction of soil so that there is less infiltration leading to more run-off, floods due to increased speeds and volume, and less water in the streams during the dry season. Open access copy available |
Eden Project and the Forest Restoration Unit, ThailandBackgroundThe Doi Suthep-Pui National Park in north-west Thailand attracts millions of visitors annual but has also been degraded by slash-and-burn agriculture and tourism use. The Forest Restoration Research Unit has collaborated with scientists and the national park to attempt to restore the degraded land and return it to a rich tropical forest. Open access copy available |
BCTL: Mangrove Reforestation Project, Coast of ThailandbackgroundThis project takes place in the Mangrove forests of Thailand. In the past half century, the mangrove forests have been rapidly diminishing due to the expansion of shrimp and salt farms. From 1961 to 1996, Thailand lost approximately 56 % of its mangrove forests. Since then, its indigenous ecosystem has been faced with the threat of extinction. The deforestation also endangers the lives of the local people who live in the coastal areas, where tsunamis pose a real threat. Open access copy available |
Community-based Mangrove Reforestation and Management in Da Loc, VietnamBackgroundIn 2005, the Da Loc commune in Vietnam was hit by Typhoon Damrey, causing major flooding and the destruction of agricultural lands. The dikes that upheld through the storm were surrounded by mangroves, thus a program was devised to increase adaptation and mitigation strategies to strong storms through mangrove reforestation. Open access copy available |
Reforestation of mangroves after severe impacts of herbicides during the the Viet Nam war: the case of Can GioBackgroundDue to years of armed conflict and the extensive use of toxic chemicals in Vietnam in the 1960s, tens of thousands of hectares of mangrove forests were destroyed. In 1978, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minhi City recognized this lost and began investing in reforestation efforts. Open access copy available |
Reforestation with Native Species in the Dry Lands of PanamaBACKGROUNDNatural populations of precious timber species in Panama are being overexploited, and some have been registered in the IUCN Red List in recent years. Within the overall framework of natural resource scarcity and mounting effects of climate change, the need for sustainable production of native trees that offer added values of water cycle regulation, soil improvement, and biodiversity conservation is stressed. Open access copy available |
