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

Tree planting and plantation forestry in tropical countries is expanding rapidly. Social and community forestry, tree planting to control soil erosion, and use of agroforestry, as well as the 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 and, this book, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics, covers each one seeking to set the essential silviculture of how to grow trees in tropical conditions in
the wider development context. This new edition has been completely revised to bring up-to-date (1991) silvicultural practices, rural development issues, and the wider role tree planting now plays. Treatment of agroforestry and protection forestry has been virtually re-written 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 all included, in addition to questions of species choice for fuel or fodder
or poles, how to match species and site, coppicing and pollarding and the many other ingredients of woodlot, farm forestry or agroforestry management. Particular attention is paid to difficult sites such as the need for terracing on sloping ground, or micro-catchments in arid areas, or coping with
industrial waste land and saline soils. The silviculture underpinning successful industrial plantation forestry remains at the heart of this book. Many developments in tree improvement and forest nurseries through to considerations of forest protection and monocultures are 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.