Comparison of Wood Properties of Planted Big-Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla) in Martinique Island with Naturally Grown Mahogany from Brazil, Mexico and Peru
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Journal of Tropical Forest Science 23(3): 252–259 (2011) Langbour P et al. COMPARISON OF WOOD PROPERTIES OF PLANTED BIG-LEAF MAHOGANY (SWIETENIA MACROPHYLLA) IN MARTINIQUE ISLAND WITH NATURALLY GROWN MAHOGANY FROM BRAZIL, MEXICO AND PERU P Langbour1, J Gérard1, JM Roda1, 2, *, P Ahmad Fauzi2 & D Guibal1 1CIRAD, UPR Bois Tropicaux, F-34398 Montpellier, France 2Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 52109 Kepong, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Received June 2010 LANGBOUR P, GÉRARD J, RODA JM, AHMAD FAUZI P & GUIBAL D. 2011. Comparison of wood properties of planted big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) in Martinique Island with naturally grown mahogany from Brazil, Mexico and Peru. Big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) has been harvested and traded since the 16th century. It is highly valued and is used to craft luxury furniture and items. Its natural populations are found in South and Central America. It has been planted throughout the tropical world and sustainable plantations have existed for many decades in a limited number of areas such as the Caribbean. Wood properties of 24 mahogany plantation trees (< 40 and > 40 years old) from Martinique Island were compared with randomly collected data from CIRAD reference collection: 24 trees from natural forest in Brazil, Mexico and Peru. Density of plantation trees was found to be significantly lower compared with natural forest trees. The tangential shrinkage of young trees (< 40 years old) was significantly higher than that of old trees (> 40 years old). Both values were significantly higher than that of natural forest trees. The radial shrinkages of young and old trees were significantly higher than that of natural forest trees. Although the density of natural forest wood was higher than that of plantation trees, the difference in modulus of elasticity (MOE) was insignificant. The static bending strengths (MOR) of young and old trees were significantly lower than that of natural forest trees. The crushing strength in compression parallel to grain of plantation trees was significantly lower than that of natural forest. Mahogany from Martinique Island seems to be a promising tree species for use in joinery and cabinet work. Keywords: Physical properties, mechanical properties, Caribbean, natural forest, plantation LANGBOUR P, GÉRARD J, RODA JM, AHMAD FAUZI P & GUIBAL D. 2011. Perbandingan antara ciri-ciri kayu mahogani berdaun besar (Swietenia macrophylla) yang ditanam di Pulau Martinique dengan kayu hutan semula jadi dari Brazil, Mexico dan Peru. Mahogani berdaun besar (Swietenia macrophylla) ditebang dan didagangkan sejak abad ke-16. Mahogani bernilai tinggi ini digunakan untuk membuat perabot mewah dan barangan. Populasi aslinya dijumpai di Amerika Tengah dan Amerika Selatan. Mahogani ditanam di seluruh negara tropika. Penanaman secara mampan wujud sejak beberapa dekad yang lalu di beberapa kawasan terhad seperti Karibea. Ciri-ciri kayu 24 batang pokok mahogani yang ditanam di Pulau Martinique (< 40 tahun dan > 40 tahun) dibandingkan dengan data rawak yang diperoleh daripada koleksi CIRAD iaitu daripada 24 pokok dari hutan semula jadi di Brazil, Mexico dan Peru. Pokok yang ditanam mempunyai ketumpatan kayu yang lebih rendah daripada pokok di hutan semula jadi. Pengecutan tangen bagi pokok muda (< 40 tahun) lebih tinggi daripada pokok tua (> 40 tahun) dan kedua-duanya lebih tinggi daripada pokok hutan semula jadi. Pengecutan jejari bagi pokok muda dan pokok tua lebih tinggi daripada pokok hutan semula jadi. Walaupun ketumpatan kayu pokok hutan semula jadi lebih tinggi daripada pokok yang ditanam, modulus kekenyalan kedua-duanya tidak berbeza dengan signifikan. Kekuatan lentur statik (MOR) pokok muda dan pokok tua lebih rendah daripada pokok di hutan semula jadi. Kekuatan mampatan selari ira bagi pokok yang ditanam lebih rendah daripada pokok hutan semula jadi. Mahogani dari Pulau Martinique merupakan spesies pokok yang berpotensi digunakan untuk kerja tanggam dan pembuatan kabinet. INTRODUCTION Big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla, in the international market. The aesthetics of Meliaceae) is probably the most precious wood the wood, its physical characteristics and ease in species from tropical America. It is greatly valued woodworking have paved the way for use mainly *Author for correspondence. E-mail: [email protected] © Forest Research Institute Malaysia 252 Journal of Tropical Forest Science 23(3): 252–259 (2011) Langbour P et al. for noble and luxury items (office interiors, be linked to the soil, growth conditions, age and cabinets, stylish furniture, naval construction and genetics. music instrument). Mahogany has been used in This paper presents some physical and Spain and England since the 16th century. It is still mechanical characteristics of planted big-leaf harvested in Central and South America. Bolivia, mahogany and compares them with wood Brazil and Peru have witnessed intensive harvests properties of big-leaf mahogany from the natural only from the beginning of the 20th century forest in Brazil, Mexico and Peru, obtained (Miller 1999). This species attracts attention from the CIRAD database. A total of 24 trees from forest services and customs since it is CITES in the database were randomly selected. Our listed. More precisely, it is listed in Annex II of comparison is open to criticism because several the Washington Convention which governs the parameters of the data set were unknown, e.g. harvest and trade of protected and endangered the provenance of plantation material and species (ITTO 2004). This means that the species growing conditions of natural forest material. is vulnerable (International Traffic Network However, given the limited publications on wood 2002, CITES 2009, IUCN 2009). characteristics of planted S. macrophylla, our work Due to its endangered status and importance remains a useful first approach. in the global market, big-leaf mahogany is the The case of Martinique Island is specific, for it focus of conservation, harvest and regeneration represents old plantations with long and known (Grogan & Schulze 2008). Beyond that, history since the early 1920s, thus allowing a exemplary progress has been made in sustainable sound comparison with natural forest trees. The valorisation. For many decades, some countries trees selected for the study came from Martinique and/or some private bodies have invested Island, which is located in the Caribbean (14° 30' in plantations in order to ensure a sustained N, 61° 00' W). Big-leaf mahogany was first planted production of high value timber (Mead & in 1905, over 3 ha (Huguet & Marie 1951). It was Odoom 2001, Lugo et al. 2003). Such cases exist planted on a wider scale from 1924 and now covers in Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Fiji), 1500 ha with a log production of 3000 to where the species finds good growing conditions 4500 m3 per year. In this particular case, the local (Hammond 2002) as well as, to a lesser extent, forest department (Office National des Forêts) in some countries of Central America (Costa has succeeded in matching sustainable forest Rica) and South America (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia). conservation with sustainable production of good At the same time, South America still harvests quality timber. However, only approximately big-leaf mahogany from its natural forests. Many 35% of this quality resource is valorised, mainly studies have been conducted in Central and because of restrictive economic local conditions South America on the silviculture, regeneration (harvesting conditions, manpower cost and and harvesting regimes of the species (Verissimo geographical position of Martinique Island). et al. 1995). From a social point of view, there On the island, we can find three sawmills each is a growing number of rural communities who converting approximately 1500 m3 of logs per exercise their rights and they actively contribute year and one mobile mill which converts between to the sustainable management of big-leaf 500 and 800 m3 of logs per year. At the same time, mahogany (Lugo 2005). Of the 108 000 m3 of some logs are milled with chainsaw and specific exports of mahogany sawn timber by Central and equipment frames in order to produce even-sized South America in 2002, Peru accounted for 47% planks at stump. This sawing practice, which and Brazil, 38%. The main consumer countries induces low material recovery rate (between 20 are the United States, Canada and United and 30%), nevertheless, allows the sawn timber Kingdom (ITTO 2004). These three countries to be manually extracted from the forest with an imported around 90 000 m3 of mahogany sawn extremely reduced logging impact. Furthermore, timber in 2002. cable skidding is occasionally used on steep Regarding the wood properties of a specific slopes. species, one usually compares differences With seeds collected in the plantation, the between materials sourced from plantations and seedlings are grown in nurseries. They are later those from natural forests. Such differences may planted at a density of 800 stems ha-1. In between lead to different end-uses and market segments. the rows, a band of 3 m of natural vegetation These physical and mechanical differences may is untouched, which allows natural species to © Forest Research Institute Malaysia 253 Journal of Tropical Forest Science 23(3): 252–259 (2011) Langbour P et al. grow and enrich the vegetation. For the next and localisation of specimen squares used for the three or four years, the rows are regularly assessments are shown in Figure 2. Martinique weeded. When the