Australian Trees and Shrubs: Species for Land Rehabilitation

1673 cover (Q9) pu_1673 cover pu 13/03/12 12:50 PM Page 1 A AND FARM PLANTING IN THE TROPICS SPECIES FOR LAND REHABILITATION ustralian Trees and Shrubs: A USTRALIAN TREES AND SHRUBS: SPECIES FOR LAND REHABILITATION AND FARM PLANTING IN THE TROPICS AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AUSTRALIAN TREES AND SHRUBS: SPECIES FOR LAND REHABILITATION AND FARM PLANTING IN THE TROPICS Editors ~ John C. Doran and John W. Turnbull The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) was established in June 1982 by an Act of the Australian Parliament. Its primary mandate is to help identify agricultural problems in developing countries and to commission collaborative research between Australian and developing country researchers in fields where Australia has special competence. Where trade names are used this does not constitute endorse- ment of nor discrimination against any product by the Centre. © Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research GPO Box 1571, Canberra, Australia 2601. Doran, John C. and Turnbull, John W. 1997. Australian Trees and Shrubs: species for land rehabilitation and farm planting in the tropics. ACIAR Monograph No. 24, viii + 384 p. ISBN 1 86320 127 0 Cover photo: Oliver Strewe, Wave Productions Design and art production: design ONE SOLUTIONS Film separations: Trendsetting Pty Ltd Printing: Pirie Printers CONTENTS Preface v Acknowledgments vii Chapter 1. The Australian Environment 1 A.G. Brown, J.W. Turnbull and T.H. Booth Chapter 2. Australian Vegetation 19 J.W. Turnbull Chapter 3. Selection of Species and Provenances for Planting 39 D.J. Boland Chapter 4. Seed, Nursery Practice and Establishment 59 J.C. Doran Chapter 5. Introduction to the Species’ Digests 89 J.C. Doran, J.W. Turnbull, P.N. Martensz, L.A.J. Thomson and N. Hall Species’ Digests – List of 112 Major Species 100 List of 52 Minor Species 345 Acacia 102 Acacia 346 Albizia 236 Allocasuarina 350 Allocasuarina 240 Atalaya 351 Alphitonia 242 Buckinghamia 351 Alstonia 246 Callitris 352 Asteromyrtus 248 Cassia 352 Banksia 252 Casuarina 352 Brachychiton 254 Dendrolobium 352 Capparis 256 Dodonaea 353 Casuarina 258 Elaeocarpus 353 Davidsonia 270 Eucalyptus 353 Elaeocarpus 272 Grevillea 355 Eremophila 274 Hicksbeachia 355 Eucalyptus 276 Lophostemon 356 Flindersia 290 Melaleuca 356 Geijera 292 Neofabricia 356 Grevillea 294 Paraserianthes 356 Lysiphyllum 304 Persoonia 357 Macadamia 306 Petalostigma 357 Melaleuca 308 Pleiogynium 357 Melia 328 Syncarpia 357 Paraserianthes 330 Terminalia 358 Parinari 332 Ventilago 358 Santalum 334 Sesbania 336 Syzygium 338 Terminalia 340 References for Species’ Digests 359 ABBREVIATIONS ACIAR Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research ATSC Australian Tree Seed Centre AusAID Australian Agency for International Development (formerly AIDAB) CATIE Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research CIAT Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation CTFT Centre Technique Forestier Tropical DANIDA Danish International Development Authority dbh Diameter breast height FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations F/FRED Forestry/Fuelwood Development project GIS Geographical Information Systems ICRAF International Centre for Research in Agroforestry IRBET Institut de Recherche en Biologie et Ecologie Tropicale IRDC International Research and Development Corporation IRRI International Rice Research Institute IUFRO International Union of Forestry Research Organisations LARP Laos/Australia Reforestation Project MAI Mean annual increment MPT Multipurpose Tree NAS National Academy of Sciences OFI Oxford Forestry Institute PREFACE his book is an extensive revision and enlargement of growing wood and other tree products in small-scale Tof “Multipurpose Australian Trees and Shrubs: plantations are becoming more feasible and attractive as Lesser-known Species for Fuelwood and Agroforestry” population pressure on natural resources increases and which was published by the Australian Centre for agriculture becomes more intensive. Smallholders, espe- International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in 1986. cially in Asia, are increasingly taking the option of This book was a popular reference text in Australia and growing trees on their land either as woodlots, line plant- other countries with similar environments and has been ings or with crops in a variety of agroforestry systems. reprinted. In view of rapid advances in knowledge of The search for suitable trees to include in these many of the species and changes in taxonomy, it was plantings is focusing on improving the productivity of decided to revise and enlarge the book. The revision has those species already in use and in finding new species been undertaken by scientists at CSIRO Forestry and to meet particular environmental and social situations. Forest Products. John Doran assumed the major role Smallholders are pragmatic and will generally grow the of preparing the monographs of the new species and trees most suited to their needs whether they be editing the book and the number of authors increased. indigenous or exotic. Often they plant a mixture of The additional expertise has been provided by Trevor species to provide a variety of products and services Booth and Lex Thomson. and reduce the risk of loss. While the developing coun- There has been a critical reappraisal of the tries are increasingly exploring their own woody content of the book with new species added and genetic resources there is still a demand for exotic trees previous monographs receiving extensive revision and to fulfil particular roles or provide specific products. In up-dating. Species of greatest potential receive two to Australia, the rising awareness of the rural community four pages of text while minor or little-known species of the role of trees in preventing or ameliorating land are relegated to quarter-page treatments. The original degradation has stimulated interest in the use of book focused only on lesser-known species but now Australian trees and shrubs. some of the better-known and more widely planted Australia has rich genetic resources of woody species such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Grevillea plants many of which are adapted to the harsh climatic robusta are included. There are now descriptions of 166 conditions and the nutrient deficient soils of this vast species. New coloured photographs have been used to continent. Evaluation of Australian trees and shrubs to illustrate the habit of the trees and shrubs described. meet local and international needs was stimulated Most tree and stand photographs were taken in natural when ACIAR initiated a program of research to utilise forests and woodlands. The five introductory chapters more fully the potential of the Australian woody flora which support the species descriptions have been to meet the wood needs of resource-poor people in retained and revised to a greater or lesser extent. developing countries. Since the first edition of this book was published In 1983 ACIAR convened a meeting of foresters, in 1986 the area of tropical forests and woodland has botanists and others conversant with the woody flora of continued to shrink in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Australia. About 170 species of trees and shrubs were Remaining forests are often degraded and hence less nominated as having potential for planting in a range productive and there has been extensive degradation of of environments for fuelwood, poles, shelter, fodder soils due mainly to inappropriate agricultural practices. and other community uses. Some of the selections On the positive side, prospects for greater development were short-lived, crooked multi-stemmed shrubs but v which might nevertheless meet the needs for small- some of this research have been published and some of scale planting. Emphasis was given to lesser-known the lesser-known species have realised their potential species with a tropical and subtropical distribution, and are now widely planted. In the humid tropics, especially those adapted to infertile soils. The species species such as Acacia aulacocarpa and A. crassicarpa selected were those which were considered: are being planted, on saline sites A. ampliceps and • plants capable of providing products and A. maconochieana have proved outstandingly tolerant, services in addition to fuelwood; and in the semi-arid areas of West Africa and India • adaptable plants that are easily established and A. holosericea and related species are being used as a maintained; and source of human food. Other species did not perform • plants capable of growing in extreme environ- as was predicted and although we now know much ments including arid and humid tropical zones, more about their ecological requirements, they are infertile soils, heavy clays, saline, highly alkaline little used. This research has added substantially to or waterlogged sites or exposed coastal situations. what was often sparse knowledge of the species. Other characteristics considered desirable were: an We particularly draw attention to potentially ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, a capacity for rapid undesirable characteristics of some species. Fast- growth, ability to coppice, and good burning properties. growing, aggressive trees and shrubs are often appro- The first edition of this book included descrip- priate for cultivation in areas experiencing severe fuel- tions of the botanical, ecological, silvicultural

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