Plantation Forestry in the Tropics: Tree Planting for Industrial, Social, Environmental, and Agroforestry Purposes

Tree-planting and plantation forestry in tropical countries are expanding rapidly. Social and community forestry, tree planting to control soil erosion, and the use of agroforestry, as well as many industrial afforestation projects, are all part of the response to tropical deforestation and are central to much rural development. The international Tropical Forest Action Programme (TFAP) promotes these many roles for tree-planting. This book covers each role, setting the essential silviculture in the wider development context. This new edition has been completely revised to provide up-to-date accounts of silvicultural practices, rural development issues, and the wider role that tree-planting plays. The chapters on agroforestry and protection forestry have been virtually rewritten, while throughout the book the important place of social forestry is recognized with frequent illustration and inclusion of important principles. For example, extension programmes, community participation, and issues of tree and land tenure are included, in addition to questions of species choice for fuel or fodder or poles, how to match species and site, coppicing and piollarding, and the many other ingredients of woodlot, farm forestry, or agroforestry management. Particular attention is paid to difficult sites. The silviculture underpinning successful industrial plantation forestry remains at the heart of the book. Many developments in tree improvement and forest nurseries through to considerations of forest protection and monocultures are all covered. The greater length of the second edition brings needed balance in the 1990s to include the wider issues outlined - from industrial plantation to social forestry. Thus the book provides the student with a comprehensive introduction or the practitioner or development specialist with an overview of plantation forestry and tree planting in tropical countries as part of sound land use.