Journal of Sustainable Forestry Ecosystem Management in Tropical
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This article was downloaded by: [National Forest Service Library] On: 15 July 2015, At: 10:01 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG Journal of Sustainable Forestry Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wjsf20 Ecosystem Management in Tropical Timber Plantations R. J. Keenan a b , D. Lamb b e , J. Parrotta c & J. Kikkawa b d a Queensland Forestry Research Institute , RO. Box 1138, Atherton, Q, 4883, Australia b CRC Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management , Cairns, Q, Australia c International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service , Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, 00928-5000 d Zoology Department , University of Queensland , St. Lucia, Q, 4072, Australia e Botany Department , University of Queensland , St. Lucia, Q, 4072, Australia Published online: 12 Oct 2008. To cite this article: R. J. Keenan , D. Lamb , J. Parrotta & J. Kikkawa (1999) Ecosystem Management in Tropical Timber Plantations, Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 9:1-2, 117-134, DOI: 10.1300/J091v09n01_10 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J091v09n01_10 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions Downloaded by [National Forest Service Library] at 10:01 15 July 2015 Ecosystem Management in Tropical Timber Plantations: Satisfying Economic, Conservation, and Social Objectives R. J. Keenan D. Lamb J. Parrotta J. Kikkawa SUMMARY. Management of tropical timber plantations is generally based on a single-product output, high-input model, often using an exotic species, that has been successfully used for plantation timber production in many temperate regions. This intensive model may be appropriate in areas designated solely for wood production but where the aim is to produce a wider range of conservation benefits and main- tain more ecosystem functions, alternative plantation management ap- R. J. Keenan is affiliated with Queensland Forestry Research Institute, P.O. Box Downloaded by [National Forest Service Library] at 10:01 15 July 2015 1138, Atherton, Q. 4883 Australia, and CRC Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Man- agement, Cairns, Q. Australia. D. Lamb is affiliated with CRC Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management, Cairns, Q. Australia, and Botany Department, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Q. 4072, Australia. J. Parrotta is affiliated with the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, 00928-5000. J. Kikkawa is affiliated with CRC Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management, Cairns, Q. Australia, and Zoology Department, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Q. 4072, Australia. [Haworth co-indexing entry note]: ‘‘Ecosystem Management in Tropical Timber Plantations: Satisfying Economic, Conservation, and Social Objectives.’’ Keenan, R. J. et al. Co-published simultaneously in Journal of Sustainable Forestry (Food Products Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.) Vol. 9, No. 1/2, 1999, pp. 117-134; and: Contested Issues of Ecosystem Management (ed: Piermaria Corona, and Boris Zeide) Food Products Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc., 1999, pp. 117-134. Single or multiple copies of this article are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service [1-800-342-9678, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address: [email protected]]. E 1999 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 117 118 CONTESTED ISSUES OF ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT proaches will be required. In this paper we describe some alternative management options for tropical forest plantations, incorporating eco- system management concepts, that can potentially result in a wider range ecosystem benefits from tropical landscapes. Some of these prac- tices have been used by plantation management agencies for some time. Others have been applied on a small scale or are still to be tested operationally. Options include: (1) consideration of the forest landscape and management of the matrix in which the plantation is established, (2) the use of native rather than exotic species, (3) using mixed species plantations rather than monocultures, (4) using the plantation to facili- tate natural understorey regeneration, and (5) incorporating more struc- tural and compositional diversity in plantations for wildlife habitat. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: [email protected] <Website: http://www.haworthpressinc.com>] KEYWORDS. Biodiversity, mixed species plantations, forest restora- tion, wildlife habitat INTRODUCTION Reducing the rate of decline in biological diversity while maintain- ing reasonable living standards for an expanding human population is a major conservation dilemma. Many industrialised countries have achieved their present levels of social and economic development through the capitalisation of natural resources and reducing their na- Downloaded by [National Forest Service Library] at 10:01 15 July 2015 tive forest estate, and this model has often been proposed to meet development needs of rapidly growing populations in the tropics (Kahn and McDonald 1997). However, development of tropical land- scapes is problematic because of the comparatively greater loss of biological diversity likely to result from deforestation in the tropics compared with temperate regions and because many tropical land- scapes have a high susceptibility to decline in productive capacity when developed for intensive agriculture (Kahn and McDonald 1997). Timber plantations are seen as a major potential contributor to economic development in many parts of the tropics. In 1990 there was an estimated 15.6 million ha of industrial forest plantations in the tropics, and 28.2 million ha of non-industrial plantations, including fuelwood plantations. The rate of plantation establishment is increas- ing, largely for wood production purposes. Policies for the develop- ment of forest plantations in tropical developing countries usually Keenan et al. 119 target previously-cleared or degraded forest lands but there is also considerable conversion of natural forest to plantations. Development and implementation of policies for the sustainable development of tropical landscapes will require a complex mix of economic, political and ecological solutions. For forested landscapes there are three broad land use options that can be applied in varying proportions to meet different policy objectives (Seymour and Hunter 1992): nature reserves, extensively-managed and intensively-managed forests. A viable and representative system of reserves is the core of any conservation strategy but there is increasing recognition that con- servation objectives cannot be achieved through reserves alone. Man- agement of vegetation outside reserves will be crucial to the survival of many forest dwelling species (Hale and Lamb 1997, Lindenmeyer and Recher 1998). Extensive management involves managing for a wider range of conservation and environmental benefits in addition to the production of timber or other resources and is generally adopted in natural forests. Intensive management usually involves plantations managed to maximise the production of timber, but plantations (or intensively-managed natural regrowth) can also contribute significant environmental benefits such as watershed protection and soil con- servation. The concept of ‘forest ecosystem management’ has been the subject of considerable debate among scientists and forest managers (Swan- son and Franklin 1992, Gerlach and Bengston 1994, Irland 1994, Downloaded by [National Forest Service Library] at 10:01 15 July 2015 Wiant 1995, and Gilmore 1997). It is generally considered to involve managing forests according to sound ecological principles in order to provide a continuing supply of wide range of ecosystem goods, ser- vices and benefits. It embodies many components of the traditional forest management concept of ‘multiple-use’ but also encompasses a more holistic, community-oriented, ecologically and scientifically- based, resource-stewardship philosophy (Kimmins 1997). The combination of highly-weathered soils, high rainfall, and high temperatures often found in the tropics imposes particular limitations on land