Fuelwood and Charcoal Research in the Dominican Republic Douglas M. Knudson William R. Chaney Franklin A. Reynoso ..... ++:, ;t ,Instituto Supeflor de Agricultura a Purdue University . Comislon Nacional de Politica Energetica * Agency for International Development Fuelwood and Charcoal Research in the Dominican Republic Douglas M. Knudson William R. Chaney Franklin A. Reynoso Results of the Wood Fuel Development Program Executor Coordinator Advisor Financed by the Government of the Dominican Republic with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development under contract number 517.0144-C-00-399-00 Purdue University, Dept. of Forestry and Natural Resources, 1988 PREFACE The Dominican Republic has the physical and biological requisites to be a net exporter of wood products. Instead, it now imports virtually all of its manufactured wood and faces serious shortages of fuelwood and charcoal. Wood-based products are the Dominican Republic's third most costly industrial and agricultural import. Other serious national and international costs are those derived from the deforested watersheds of this mountainous nation: eroded soil, silted-in reservoirs, irregular water flow in rivers and irrigation canals, nonfunctional hydroelectric plants, as weil as businesses and families that must spend increasing amounts of their time or income to attain adequate fuel. Indications are that the problems are just beginning as the population grows and the forest resource declines. This publication presents results of the first major forestry research effort in the Dominican Republic. Purdue University had the pleasure of collaborating in the effort with the Instituto Superior de Agricultura (ISA) in Santiago under auspices of the National Energy Policy Commission (COENER) and the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Assistance was also provided by the Federal University of Vioosa, Brazil. Some of the research results presented have not been published previously. Most of the results, however, have been published in Spanish as "Technical Notes" of ISA and distributed throughout the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. During the life of the project, 31 student theses, internal reports, special papers and class materials for short courses were produced. This publication is Purdue University's interpretation of the research findings. Dominican foresters, representcd by co-author F. Reynoso, contributed importantly to this volume. However, responsibility for errors in fact or interpretation rests with the Purdue co-authors. Forestry research is normally thought of as a long-term enterprise. This research effort demonstrates that certain kinds of important results can be achieved in the relatively short time when appropriate research designs and strategies are executed with the efficiency of the Dominican scientists and their collaborators involved in this research program. The institutional capacity for sustained research of ISA has been increased substantially by this collaborative effort. The return of several young scientists now in training in Brazil and the U.S. will help accelerate the pace of the research activity at ISA. The remarkable tree growth rates documented in this report suggest that the Dominican Republic has the potential to become self-sufficient in many essential forest products and to eventually develop forest industries to serve new internal and foreign markets. Future research will produce information on means of obtaining yield increases and will identify other tree species having potential to contribute to the economic development and improved environmental protection of this nation. D. Woods Thomas Associate Dean and Director International Programs Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 Table of Contents Page CHAPTER I - Introduction .I......................1 A Dominican Republic Perspective ........ ................. 3 Description of the Project .i...................10 References .. ........................ 11 CHAPTER II - Characterization and Management of Native Dry Forests . 13 The Dry Forests .......................... 15 Subtropical Dry Forest ..................... 15 Subtropical Thorn Forest .................... 16 Description of Study Area ..................... 16 Research Objectives ........................ 17 Experimental Approach and Procedures .... ............... ... 18 Woody Plant Identification ...... ................... ... 18 Forest Composition and Ecological Dynamics ..... ........... 18 Forest Management ... ''.'.........*.'.'.....................21 Control of Understory Vegetation .... .............. 21 Enrichment Planting ..................... 22 Thinning .......................... 22 Sprout Management ...................... 24 Results ....................... ...... .... 25 Trees of the Dry Forest .................... 26 Identification ........ ....................... ... 26 Forest Composition and Ecological Dynamics .. .............. 31 Forest Management ....................... 34 Control of Understory Vegetation .... .............. 34 Enrichment Planting ..................... 36 Response to Thinning .................... 37 Sprout Management ...................... 38 Management Recommendations .................... 39 References .. '.................... ...... .. 40 CHAPTER III - Plantation Establishment and Management . ........ 43 Synopsis of the Findings ....... ..................... ... 45 Research Strategy and Design ................... 46 Objectives ........................... 46 Strategy . Staey.................... .... .................. .. 46 46 Designs . Desgn...............................,. °. .. ,. ......... 447 Species Selection Experiments and General Results .. ......... ... 51 Locations and Conditions .................... 51 General Results ......... ........................ 54 Promising Species ....................... 58 Analysis of Lead Species Performance .... ............... ... 60 Azadirachta indica ....................... 62 Calliandra calothyrsus .... .................. 70 Cassia siamea ......... ......................... ... 73 Eucalyptus camaldulensis ....... .................... ... 78 Eucalyptus robusta ....................... 81 Leucaena leucocephala ....... ..................... ... 85 Page Discussion of Other Species ....... .................... ... 92 Eucalyptus spp......... ......................... ... 92 Acacia scleroxyla (candel6n) ...... .................. ... 92 Casuarina equisetifolia ....... .................... .. 94 Melia azedarach - violeta or chinaberry ... ............ 96 Nursery Practice ......... ......................... ... 96 Spacing .I Spcn.................. ......... ,.................10 00 Species and Trials ......... ....................... i.100 Importance of Spacing ..... ......................... 101 Weed Control ........................... 102 Pruning .............................. 105 Fertilization ........... ........................... ... 106 Water Conservation ......... ........................ ... 108 Livestock ....... ....................... 109 Agroforestry ........... ........................... ill Cost Projections for Plantations ...... ................. ... 114 Financial Estimates ........ ....................... ... 114 In-Testment Case 1 ......... ....................... ... 116 Investment Case 2 ......... ....................... ... 118 Economic Analysis for Dendroelectric Plants ... .......... .. 119 The Prospects ........................... 119 References . .................. ........ 120 CHAPTER IV - Charcoal Production ....... ................... ... 125 Introduction ........... ........................... ... 127 Fuelwood and Charcoal Technical Qualities .... ............. ... 127 Fuelwood Basics ......... ........................ ... 127 Charcoal Basics ......... ........................ ... 128 Parameters of Production Quality ...... ................... 130 Research Results .......... ......................... ... 130 Specific Gravity .......... ........................... 131 Wood Drying .......... .......................... ... 131 Dimensional Changes During Conversion .... ............. ... 133 Charcoal Manufacturing ........ ..................... ... 134 Traditional Harvesting and Manufacturing Methods . ...... .. 134 Characteristics of Charcoal Operations ... .............. 135 Forest Conditions ...................... 135 Environmental Impacts from Traditional Methods . ....... .. 135 Introduction and Comparison of Kilns ...... ............ 138 Description of Kilns ....... .................... ... 138 Kiln Comparisons ...................... 141 Species Comparisons ........ ..................... ... 144 Costs of Charcoal Manufacture ...... ................... 145 Wood and Charcoal Marketing ...... .................. ... 147 Community Consumption Studies ...... ................... 147 Charcoal Marketing Models ......... ............... 149 Conversion to Other Fuels ....... ..................... 152 References ........... ............................ ... 153 CHAPTER V - Policy ........... ............................. 157 Forestry Solutions for Economic Development ...... ............ 159 Government Forest Policy Goals ...... .................. ... 161 Prospects for Forestry Development ..... ................ ... 161 Recommendations for Forestry Progress ...... ............. 163 Page Research Development and Policy ...... .................. 164 The Mao Experimental and ISA Campus Forests .. .......... 165 References ............................ 167 PROJECT SUMMARY ..........................