Tree Rings Reveal How Ancient Forests Were Managed

By analyzing thousands of oak timbers dating from the 4th to 21st centuries, scientists have pinpointed the advent of a forest management practice.

Mean height or dominant height – what to prefer for modelling the site index of Estonian forests?

The availability of a large amount of data from reliable sources is important for forest growth modelling. A permanent plot where trees are repeatedly measured provides a clearer picture of stand alterations. Various factors, including forest management, affect forest growth and accuracy of its assessment. In Estonia, mean height as a regression height prediction at mean square diameter is commonly used in forest management practice. Alternatively, dominant height can be used. The main advantage of using dominant height instead of mean height is that the growth of dominant trees is not so strongly affected by stand density (thinning). The aim of our research was to investigate the difference between mean height and dominant height when used as stand height. The research was based on the Estonian Network of Forest Research Plots (ENFRP). As a result, we found that the average mean height change was significantly greater in the case of thinning when compared to undisturbed stand development, whereas, the average dominant height change in the case of thinning compared to undisturbed development was less significant. As a side result, we developed a regression model that can be used for calculating the dominant height of the main tree species using stand attributes (mean height, quadratic mean diameter and density) with a residual standard deviation of 0.466 m.

Performance of Dalbergia palo-escrito Rzed. & Guridi-Gómez, a valuable timber tree, in a coffee plantation in Hidalgo, Mexico

As a contribution to ex-situ conservation and production recovery of the valuable timber tree species Dalbergia palo-escrito Rzed. & Guridi-Gómez, enrichment planting was undertaken in a coffee plantation at 830 m above sea level in the east of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. The purpose of this study was to assess the growth and health status of this species in order to put forward forest management recommendations. Average growth at 11 years of age (n = 56) was as follows: normal diameter, 13.2 ± 2.9 cm; total height, 10.9 ± 1.9 m. These values represent a mean annual increase of 1.2 cm/year in diameter and 1.0 m/year in height. Significant statistical differences in diameter growth (P = 0.0001) and height growth (P = 0.003) were observed as a function of crown position; growth, both in diameter and height, was highest in trees with emergent crowns in comparison with poorly lit trees. An association was also found concerning infestation by Struthanthus sp. mistletoe: differences in diameter growth (P = 0.002) were found between trees with mild infestation in comparison with healthy trees, which showed more growth. On the other hand, no height growth differences were detected (P = 0.102). Diameter and height growth were comparable to other commercially valuable species of fine Dalbergia timber on the international market, such as Dalbergia sissoo in India and Dalbergia retusa in mixed plantations in Costa Rica. The study suggests pruning out the mistletoe as a control strategy is a recommended forest management practice, as well as releasing poorly illuminated trees from competition and preserving the shade canopy of other native species.

Scientific Forest Management Practice in Nepal: Critical Reflections from Stakeholders’ Perspectives

Design and application of context-specific forest management practices with the participation of key stakeholders plays a significant role in sustainable forest management outcomes. However, key forestry stakeholders often hold different, and sometimes conflicting, expectations in relation to forest management policies and management objectives. Applying the triple-perspective typology of stakeholder theory, this paper assessed the evolution of “Scientific Forest Management” (SciFM), a signature programme of the Nepalese Government, as well as its policy processes and explored compatibility, complexity, cost and relative advantages of the adoption of SciFM. The government believes that without this programme, Nepal is losing 91 Million US Dollar (USD) per year. This study revealed that participation of key stakeholders remained contested from the beginning of its implementation, primarily due to differences they held in understanding and interpretation of SciFM. Although stakeholders’ views converged on the potential role of SciFM to increase forest product supply and the domination of timber-centric management, their perspectives differed in nomenclature and implementation modality of SciFM. Primarily, the community forest users and their networks did not own the concept from the beginning, as they were suspicious of recentralization and bureaucratic dominance in forest governance through SciFM. Since historically ingrained skepticism in both government officials and community forest users’ networks towards each other has negatively influenced the trust-building environment, the management of stakeholders’ relations through frequent and meaningful deliberations, and the simplification of bureaucratic procedures in implementation and capacity development of key actors could be instrumental in achieving SciFM objectives.

UKURAN DASAR KELESTARIAN PRODUKSI PADA HUTAN RAKYAT DI KABUPATEN BARRU The Standard of Sustainable Production on Private Forest Management in Barru

Sustainable private forest management is an opportunition sustainable forest development in Indonesia. However, sustainable production of private forest management has not been known, because characteristics of private forest are different with state forest. This research aims to determine a relevant criteria and indicator of sustainable production on private forest management, case of Barru District. This research used descriptive explorative approach and quantitative-qualitative analysis. Criteria and indicator of sustainable production on Indonesia Community Based Forest Management was used as a reference to examine suitability of the standard on private forest management practice. The standards of sustainable production on sustainable private forest management consists of three criteria, namely: (1) sustainability of resources, the indicators were clearly land rights/status and boundaries, land cover change, intensity of planting, maintenance, and harvesting, (2) sustainability of yield, the indicator is infrastructure of forest management, and (3) sustainability of enterprise, the indicators were,market certainty, market accessibility, market information system, and contribution to social and economic improvement for local communities.Keywords: criteria, indicator, private forest, sustainable production.