Development of reforestation techniques at degraded sites in East Kalimantan, Indonesia and southern part of Thailand

Tange Takeshi The University of Tokyo

Background
Vast area of tropical forests is degraded by human activities every year. The degraded lands are left as low productivity and low biodiversity. Lack of seed source and severe environmental conditions disturb progressing of succession.

Degradation and recovery

Climax forest with mosaic structure Selective cutting Self recovery, enrichment Proper shifting cultivation Mixture of climax species and pioneer species Short-rotation sifting cultivation Large-scale forest fire Artificial planting

Domination of pioneer species with short life-span Artificial planting Unsuccessful agricultural Degraded land development

Purpose
Development of reforestation techniques for degraded lands with various soil conditions Development of planting techniques of dipterocarps at degraded lands Improvement of nursing techniques of planting stocks

Study sites

N a r a t h i w a t

Nararhiwat, Thailand

Sebulu, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Project in Sebulu, Indonesia

Reasons of degradation: forest fire(1982-83), illegal felling, shifting cultivation Experimental Forest: 3000ha of degraded land Management: Indonesian staffs + one Japanese staff Joint Research Project (19912003) Ministry of Forestry, Indonesia PT. Kutai Timber Indonesia Sumitomo Forestry Co. Ltd. The University of Tokyo

Fig. Sebulu Experimental Forest consists of developed forest dominated by dipterocarps, secondary forest damaged by fire, sifting cultivation and grass land

Nursing of dipterocarp seedlings

Raising from seeds, cuttings and wildings Infection of ectomycorrhizae Physical properties of potting media Light condition

Artificial planting of dipterocarps

Shorea leprosula

Dryobalanops lanceolata Under-planting

Open planting

Fig. Artificial planting at grass land (open area planting) and secondary forest dominated by pioneer species (under-planting)

Survival and growth of planted dipterocarp seedlings

Fig. Survival rate and height growth of Shorea leprosula and S. pauciflora planted by different planting methods (Matsune et al. 2005) solid square: 6m wide line planting hatched square: 10m wide line planting open square: 20m wide line planting open circle: open area planting solid circle: underplanting solid triangle: 5x5m gap planting hatched triangle: 10x10m gap planting

Trial of social forestry

Making a contract with farmers Agro-forestry using fruit tree and fast growing tree

Hindrance for continuation of research project

Friction with local people concerned in social custom in right of land use Deposit of coal under the research site Change in economic activity from selfsufficiency to a market economy system Large-scale forest fire (1997-98)

Project in Narathiwat, Thailand

Reasons of degradation: unsuccessful agricultural development in swamp area Problem soil: sand, peat, acid sulfate soil Joint Research Project (1994 Royal Forestry Department, Thailand The University of Tokyo

Fig. Agricultural development of swamp forest at Narathiwat, southern part of Thailand (photo by K.Kojima)

Swamp forest at To-Daeng, Narathiwat Mean tree height is 25 m and aboveground biomass is 245 t ha-1.(Suzuki 1997)

Dipterocurpus obtusifolius forests at sand dune D. obtusiforius is tolerant to open site conditions of sand dune. (NorisadaKojima 2005)

Fig. Abandoned agricultural lands Upper-right: sand dune Upper-left: peat swamp after wild fire Left: peat swamp dominated by Melaleuca cajuputi

Fig. Planting trial at degraded sand dune in Narathiwat, southern part of Thailand

Limiting factors of tree growth

infertile soil, drought, high temperature, seasonal flooding

Fig. Nurse tree effect on growth of dipterocarp seedlings

Fig. Survival ratio and growth of seedlings planted at sand dune (Norisada et al. 2005) :open area :mix-planting with Acacia mangium ***:p<0.01

VPD (kPa)

4 2 0 50 40 30 20 50 40 30

air

open area forest floor of Acacia mangium

soil 1 cm

Temperature ( C)

20 50 40 30 20 50 40 30 20 50 40 30 20 50 40 30 20

soil 3 cm

soil 5 cm

soil 10 cm

soil 20 cm

Fig. Mitigation of high soil temperature by reforestation (Norisada et al. 2005)

July August

June

Day of year

(Photo by K.Kojima)

Fig. Improvement of nursing techniques for dipterocarp species Large-size pot nursing improved survival of planted seedlings.

Fig. Site preparation by a cultivator. It makes planting works easy and survival of planted seedlings improved (Photo by K.Kojima)

Hindrance for continuation of field studies

Political confusion concerned in Muslim people Wild fire Expanding of oil palm plantation

Key factors for development of reforestation techniques

Selection of tolerant species for mitigation of severe environment of degraded land Light control according to eco-physiological properties of planting species and soil productivity Nursing techniques for development of root system Social system to maintain forests for a long term