How Diverse is Tree Planting in the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso? Comparing Small-Scale Restoration with Other Planting Initiatives

In the Sahelian region, different approaches are being used to halt environmental degradation and restore tree cover, with varying degrees of success. Initiatives vary according to projects’ objectives, type of land to restore, and technical practices used (natural regeneration, farmer-managed assisted regeneration, enrichment planting, etc.). This study investigates tree planting choices and selection of tree seed sources in some villages of the Central region of Burkina Faso. The study targeted 96 farmers and compared planting practices adopted by farmers involved in small-scale forest restoration using fences, with those not involved in this initiative. The objective was to understand what portfolio of tree species were planted, what factors influenced tree species selection, what tree seed sources were used, what collection practices were generally adopted, and whether there were significant differences between types of farmers. The results showed that the use of fencing to promote forest restoration support the planting of a more diverse portfolio of tree species than other small scale efforts and includes a greater representation of indigenous trees. Fenced plots have therefore a conservation value in landscapes where the diversity of tree species is progressively declining. In addition to the use of fences, some other key factors affect tree planting, mainly land tenure, availability of diverse tree seed sources, and availability of land. Farmers tend to collect directly most of the planting material they need, but in the majority of cases they do not follow recommended best practices. In light of the ambitious forest restoration targets of Burkina Faso and the need to provide diverse options to rural communities to enhance their resilience vis-à-vis increasing environmental challenges, strengthening the capacity of farmers in tree planting and establishing a robust tree seed systems are crucial targets.

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Assessing Context-Specific Factors to Increase Tree Survival for Scaling Ecosystem Restoration Efforts in East Africa

Land ◽

10.3390/land9120494 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 494

Author(s):

Christine Magaju ◽

Leigh Ann Winowiecki ◽

Mary Crossland ◽

Aymen Frija ◽

Hassen Ouerghemmi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Tenure ◽

Management Practices ◽

Seedling Survival ◽

Household Head ◽

Education Level ◽

Tree Planting ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Farm Size ◽

Tree Survival ◽

Context Specific

Increasing tree cover in agricultural lands can contribute to achieving global and national restoration goals, more so in the drylands where trees play a key role in enhancing both ecosystem and livelihood resilience of the communities that depend on them. Despite this, drylands are characterized by low tree survival especially for tree species preferred by local communities. We conducted a study in arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya and Ethiopia with 1773 households to assess how different tree planting and management practices influence seedling survival. Using on-farm planned comparisons, farmers experimented and compared tree survival under different planting and management practices as well as under varying socioeconomic and biophysical contexts in the two countries. Seedling survival was monitored at least six months after planting. Results show that watering, manure application, seedling protection by fencing and planting in a small hole (30 cm diameter and 45 cm depth) had a significant effect on tree seedling survival in Kenya, while in Ethiopia, mulching, watering and planting niche were significant to tree survival. Household socioeconomics and farms’ biophysical characteristics such as farm size, education level of the household head, land tenure, age of the household head had significant effects on seedling survival in both Ethiopia and Kenya while presence of soil erosion on the farm had a significant effect in Kenya. Soil quality ranking was positively correlated with tree survival in Ethiopia, regardless of species assessed. Current findings have confirmed effects of context specific variables some involving intrahousehold socioeconomic status such education level of the household head, and farm size that influence survival.

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The Impact of Different Tree Planting Strategies in the Piazzas of a Northern Italian City

10.21203/rs.3.rs-528157/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew Speak ◽

Leonardo Montagnani ◽

Hilary Solly ◽

Camilla Wellstein ◽

Stefan Zerbe

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Tree Species ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Tree Planting ◽

Species Selection ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Italian City ◽

The Impact

Abstract Achieving urban sustainability goals, and improving the quality of life in cities, are aided by the careful selection of tree species for public green spaces. Numerous trade-offs and synergies are necessary to consider when selecting tree species for successful public green spaces. In this transdisciplinary research we consider the impacts of nine different tree planting scenarios, as modelled with i-Trees, in three piazzas of Bolzano, North Italy. The scenarios consider the opinions of the general public gathered from focused workshops and data collected via a purposefully created smartphone application. Shade provision and aesthetics were the primary factors that influenced citizen tree preferences. Scenarios which included larger tree species generally performed the best due to the greater provision of ecosystem services that arises with larger tree dimensions. Ecosystem disservices also increase with larger trees but can be minimised by careful species selection. Public participation in the planning of urban green spaces can be a beneficial activity which ensures new planning outputs will be well-received whilst providing opportunities for education of citizens about the multiple ecosystem services and disservices in urban contexts.

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The value of local ecological knowledge to guide tree species selection in tropical dry forest restoration

Restoration Ecology ◽

10.1111/rec.13347 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tobias Fremout ◽

Claudia Elena Gutierrez‐Miranda ◽

Siebe Briers ◽

José Luis Marcelo‐Peña ◽

Eduardo Cueva‐Ortiz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Forest Restoration ◽

Local Ecological Knowledge ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Species Selection ◽

Ecological Knowledge ◽

Guide Tree ◽

Dry Forest Restoration

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Inventory of native and mother trees in Key Biodiversity Areas of Cebu Island, Philippines for species selection in local reforestation programs

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity ◽

10.13057/biodiv/d221105 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Edgardo P. Lillo ◽

ARCHIEBALD B. MALAKI ◽

STEVE MICHAEL T. ALCAZAR ◽

RAAMAH ROSALES ◽

BERNARDO R. REDOBLADO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Forest Restoration ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Forest Degradation ◽

Species Selection ◽

Adult Trees ◽

Native Tree ◽

Native Tree Species ◽

Planting Materials

Abstract. Lillo EP, Malaki AB, Alcazar SMT, Rosales R, Redoblado BR, Diaz JLB, Pantinople EM, Buot Jr. IE. 2021. Inventory of native and mother trees in Key Biodiversity Areas of Cebu Island, Philippines for species selection in local reforestation programs. Biodiversitas 22: 4740-4749. Forest restoration is the counterforce of deforestation and forest degradation. Yet, despite promoting natural recovery after forest harvest, afforestation and reforestation efforts, tropical forest ecosystems still experience a poor ratio of forest loss to forest gain. The study assessed the native tree species and potential mother trees in different Cebu Island Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) as well as their distribution and habitat preferences which can be used in local reforestation programs. A vegetation survey was conducted in three KBAs in Cebu Island, namely Nug-as forest, Mount Lantoy and Mount Capayas to inventory all native species. Assessment based on the phenotypic characteristics of adult trees was also conducted for indicating mother trees. This study in Cebu Island KBAs recorded a total of 292 species, categorized into 125 families and 203 genera, which can be classified into native trees (210), vines and lianas (18), shrub (37), and herbs (27). Out of the 292 species, 214 were recorded in Nug-as forest, 172 in Mount Lantoy, and 145 in Mount Capayas. Of the 210 native tree species, Nug-as forest had 145 species, Mount Lantoy 131 species, and Mount Capayas 109 species. A total of 241 mother trees were identified in the three KBAs, corresponding to 77 species in which Nug-as forest had 143 trees correspond to 52 species, Mount Lantoy had 68 trees correspond to 29 species, and Mount Capayas had 31 trees correspond to 6 species. Such native tree species are recommended for reforestation programs as planting materials that could reduce the risks of failure due to its high adaptability to the environment.

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The impact of different tree planting strategies on ecosystem services and disservices in the piazzas of a northern Italian city

Urban Ecosystems ◽

10.1007/s11252-021-01158-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

A. F. Speak ◽

L. Montagnani ◽

H. Solly ◽

C. Wellstein ◽

S. Zerbe

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Tree Species ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Tree Planting ◽

Species Selection ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Italian City ◽

The Impact

AbstractAchieving urban sustainability goals, and improving the quality of life in cities, are aided by the careful selection of tree species for public green spaces. Numerous trade-offs and synergies are necessary to consider when selecting tree species for successful public green spaces and there is little data on effective species mixes. In this transdisciplinary research we consider the relative impacts of nine different tree planting scenarios, as modelled with i-Tree, in three piazzas of Bolzano, North Italy. The scenarios consider the opinions of the general public gathered from focused workshops and data collected via a purposefully created smartphone application in addition to data from local urban tree inventories. Shade provision and aesthetics were the primary factors that influenced citizen tree preferences. Scenarios which included larger tree species generally performed the best due to the greater provision of ecosystem services that arises with larger tree dimensions. Ecosystem disservices also increase with larger trees but can be minimised by careful species selection. Public participation in the planning of urban green spaces can be a beneficial activity which ensures new planning outputs will be well-received whilst providing opportunities for education of citizens about the multiple ecosystem services and disservices in urban contexts. Model outputs revealed that different tree species choices can have greatly different impacts in terms of ecosystem service and disservice provision.

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Ecosystem Services Provided By Urban Forests In The Southern Caucasus Region: A Modeling Study In Tbilisi, Georgia

10.21203/rs.3.rs-558010/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Levan Alpaidze ◽

Rocco Pace

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Tree Species ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Urban Forests ◽

Living Environment ◽

Tree Planting ◽

Species Selection ◽

Water Runoff ◽

Southern Caucasus ◽

The City

Abstract BackgroundAll cities globally are growing considerably as they are experiencing an intensive urbanization process resulting in significant economic, social, and environmental challenges. One of the major risks is the deterioration of living environment in urban areas due to the high soil consumption and pollution of environmental components. For this reason, cities are required to adopt measures to reduce air pollution concentration and CO2 emissions, preserve biodiversity and mitigate the urban heat island effect. In this context, tree planting has been suggested as one cost-effective strategy because green infrastructures can provide important environmental and social functions which contribute to the quality of life and health of city dwellers.Tbilisi is the largest city in Georgia, with a population of over 1,100,000 inhabitants (about 30% of total population of Georgia). The green space availability in Tbilisi (5-6 m2 per inhabitant) is low compared to other European cities, and in recent years the need to increase the amount of urban vegetation has been underlined at planning level.ResultsIn our study, we implemented for the first time in an Eastern European city the i-Tree Eco model to quantify the main ecosystem services from common tree species in Southern Caucasus. Two parks, Expo Park (694 trees) and Red Park (1027 trees) in the city of Tbilisi have been measured and a model simulation was performed for the year 2018. These urban forests store large amounts of carbon in their woody tissues (198.4 t for Expo park and 126.5 t for Red park) and each year they remove 4.6 and 4.7 t of CO2 for Expo park and Red park. They also positively contribute to the air quality by removing 119.6 and 90.3 kg of pollutants (CO, NO2, O3, PM2.5, SO2), and reducing water runoff of 269.5 and 200.5 m3, respectively.Conclusions This analysis highlighted the key role of urban forests in improving the environmental sustainability of the city of Tbilisi and provides important decision support for the tree species selection in this geographic area with the aim of maximizing the benefits trees can supply to cities.

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Sociological and Organizational aspects of Fuel Wood Growing in Traditional Communities: The Case of Northern Togo

Afrika Focus ◽

10.1163/2031356x-0040102003 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 4 (1-2) ◽

pp. 49-62

Author(s):

Patrick van Damme

Keyword(s):

Land Tenure ◽

Local Population ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Local Communities ◽

Tree Planting ◽

Small Scale ◽

Recent Experience ◽

African Countries ◽

Fuel Wood ◽

Rural And Urban

As in many other African countries, wood is the most important source of energy for the rural and urban populations of Togo. Traditional attitudes towards trees and prohibitive laws explain why trees are not planted “spontaneously” by local communities even though they are facing serious woodfuel shortage problems. Promotion of tree planting has recently been taken up by government agencies and foreign funded projects. Most of them try to get local communities to plant trees, but their efforts are not always very successful. The reasons are manyfold: - the lack of tradition where tree planting is concerned; - the lack of familiarity with the proposed tree species; - the “delayed reward” when trees have been planted; - the abscence of a fuelwood problem, according to the local population; - the location of the newly planted trees: near the house? at the roadside? round the field? - the social organization of the community, and the traditional land tenure system; - the lack of certainty about the ultimate rights to the tree and the possibilities to cut it; - abscence of protection of the stands by a lack of motivation of the planter; - in some instances: the price of the plants; - the persons who are asked to plant the trees are not necessarily those that will have to cut them and use the fuelwood. Recently, it has become clear that the key to successful reforestation lies within the local communities. Small scale approaches may well be the long term solution to the problem of fuelwood and energy supply, and involving women in the project interventions a further step in a more integrated approach. As it is, the recent “social forestry” approach might well be the long expected solution. To meet the objective of having people plant trees, however, it will be necessary to establish a good extension service which not only starts initiatives but also assures a thorough follow up once the planting has started. The problems that have to be overcome - or bypassed - remain difficult, but recent experience has nevertheless given some insight in how to solve them!

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Sociologcal and Organizational Aspects of Fuel Wood growing in traditional Communities: The Case of Northern Togo

Afrika Focus ◽

10.21825/af.v4i1-2.6490 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 4 (1-2) ◽

Author(s):

Patrick Van Damme

Keyword(s):

Land Tenure ◽

Local Population ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Local Communities ◽

Tree Planting ◽

Small Scale ◽

Recent Experience ◽

African Countries ◽

Fuel Wood ◽

Rural And Urban

As in many other African countries, wood is the most important source of energy for the rural and urban populations of Togo. Traditional attitudes towards trees and prohibitive laws explain why trees are not planted "spontaneously" by local communities even though they are facing serious woodfuel shortage problems. Promotion of tree planting has recently been taken up by government agencies and foreign funded projects. Most of them try to get local communities to plant trees, but their efforts are not always very successful. The reasons are manyfold: - the lack of tradition where tree planting is concerned; - the lack of familiarity with the proposed tree species; - the "delayed reward" when trees have been planted; - the absence of a fuelwood problem, according to the local population ; - the location of the newly planted trees: near the house? at the roadside ? round the field ? - the social organization of the community, and the traditional land tenure system; - the lack of certainty about the ultimate rights to the tree and the possibilities to cut it; - absence of protection of the stands by a lack of motivation of the planter; - in some instances: the price of the plants; - the persons who are asked to plant the trees are not necessarily those that will have to cut them and use the fuelwood.Recently, it has become clear that the key to successful refo- restation lies within the local communities. Small scale approaches may well be the long term solution to the problem of fuelwood and energy supply, and involving women in the project interventions a further step in a more integrated approach. As it is, the recent "social forestry" approach might well be the long expected solution. To meet the objective of having people plant trees, however, it will be necessary to establish a good extension service which not only starts initiatives but also assures a thorough follow up once the planting has started.The problems that have to be overcome - or bypassed - remain difficult, but recent experience has nevertheless given some insight in how to solve them! KEYWORDS: woodfuel, Togo, reforestation, integrated development

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Rebuilding Tree Cover in Deforested Cocoa Landscapes in Côte d’Ivoire: Factors Affecting the Choice of Species Planted

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12020198 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 198

Author(s):

Alain R. Atangana ◽

Juvenal Zahoui Gnangoh ◽

Allegra Kouassi Yao ◽

Thomas d’Aquin Kouakou ◽

Anatole Mian Ndri Nda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cote D'ivoire ◽

Tree Species ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Côte D’Ivoire ◽

Tree Planting ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Cote D’Ivoire ◽

Côte D'ivoire ◽

Cocoa Production ◽

Expected Benefits

Intensive cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa producer, has grown at the expense of forest cover. To reverse this trend, the country has adopted a “zero deforestation” agricultural policy and committed to rehabilitating its forest cover through the planting of high-value tree species in cocoa landscapes using a participatory approach. However, little is known regarding the factors influencing farmers’ introduction of high-value tree species to cocoa landscapes. We tested the hypothesis that ten previously reported factors to influence agroforestry system adoption to predict the number and choice of tree species that farmers introduce to cocoa farms. We interviewed 683 households in the cocoa-producing zone of Côte d’Ivoire and counted tree species on their cocoa farms. On average, two tree species were recorded per surveyed farm. Generalized Poisson regression models revealed that, in the cocoa production area, experience in tree planting and expected benefits, including income and food, influence tree species introduction through planting or “retention” when clearing land for cocoa establishment. The age of the farmer also influenced (p = 0.017) farmers’ tree species planting on cocoa farms. Fewer tree species were introduced into current intensive cocoa-production areas than in “old cocoa-loops” and forested areas. The number of tree species introduced to cocoa farms increased with expected benefits and experience in tree planting. The number of planted tree species also increased with farmers’ age. Tree species were mostly selected for the provision of shade to cocoa, production of useful tree products (38%), and income from the sale of these products (7%). Fruit tree species were the most planted, while timber tree species were mostly spared when clearing land for cocoa production.

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Role of small-scale trees plantation and farmers' attitude and skill toward propagation of indigenous and exotic trees: The case of Sidama, Ethiopia

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development ◽

10.18697/ajfand.105.19045 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (105) ◽

pp. 18804-18823

Author(s):

YG Keneni ◽

◽

AF Senbeta ◽

G Sime

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Tree Species ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Small Scale ◽

Grevillea Robusta ◽

Tree Plantation ◽

Exotic Trees ◽

Indigenous Trees

The tree land cover in Ethiopia is declining due to deforestation, agricultural land expansion, overgrazing, firewood use and construction. Farm tree plantation has a potential to improve tree cover and the country's vision towards reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) emission by 2030. This study was conducted in Sidama of Ethiopia to assess the role of small-scale tree plantations, and the attitudes and skills of farmers in propagating and conserving indigenous trees as compared to exotic ones, and to identify major impediments for exotic and indigenous tree plantation. By using stratified random sampling, 149 household heads were selected and interviewed, and the tree plantation practices of 46 randomly selected farmers were observed. Advice and support given to farmers concerning tree plantation and nursery care were collected from 16 Woreda Rural Development Experts. During the study a total of 46 tree species were identified, and 92% of the trees on the farmland were exotic. The percentage composition of the five most dominant tree species were Eucalyptus spp. (79.6%), Cupressus spp (8.5%), Cordia africana (4.8%), Grevillea robusta (3.3%), and Millettia ferruginea (1.8%). The trees provide several direct and indirect socio-economic and ecological importance (construction, fuel, income, medicinal value, fencing, asset for present and next generation, fodder for livestock, garden shade, aesthetic, recreation, spiritual value, improve soil fertility and environmental impact remediation). The majority of farmers prefer exotic trees due to their fast growth, ease of nursery preparation and fast establishment, and higher income generation in shorter period. Though farmers like to plant indigenous trees for their ecological services such as improving soil fertility, producing durable household utensils, shading and other ecological values; land shortage and lack of knowledge on plant biology, nursery preparation and propagation method constrained its plantation. Therefore, introduction of appropriate technologies to the existing farming system is required for sustainable indigenous tree plantation in the study area.

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