IPICEX 2008

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IPICEX 2008: “Reinventing the Plantation Industry”

Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia18 – 21 November 2008

“Forest Plantations for Sustainable Society and

Environment”

S. AppanahFAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Bangkok, Thailand

Outline of Outline of presentation presentation

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NationNation’’s economic success based on:s economic success based on:What is below groundWhat is below groundWhat is above groundWhat is above groundClimate for agricultureClimate for agriculturePeople People

Why nations succeed?Why nations succeed?

AgroecosystemsAgroecosystems

Malaysia:Malaysia:

Humid tropics Humid tropics –– aseasonalaseasonal, , everweteverwet climate, climate, warmwarm

Sustainable land management:Sustainable land management:tree crop ecosystems (perennials) tree crop ecosystems (perennials) -- bestbest

cereals/others (annuals) cereals/others (annuals) -- problematicproblematic

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History of plantations History of plantations -- tropicstropics

•• Plantations as recent developmentPlantations as recent development•• <1950s, no major <1950s, no major programmesprogrammes•• Lots of trialsLots of trials•• Natural forests provided most needsNatural forests provided most needs

History...History...

66thth Century Century –– Java Java

1680 1680 –– Sri LankaSri Lanka

1850s 1850s –– Myanmar (Myanmar (TaungyaTaungya))

1860s 1860s –– India (Homogenization) India (Homogenization)

1902 1902 –– NigeriaNigeria

1913 1913 –– TobagoTobago

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History History –– P. MalaysiaP. Malaysia

HeveaHevea rubber rubber –– Kuala Kuala KangsarKangsar

ruru, , kapurkapur, mahogany, , mahogany, tembusutembusu –– PekelilingPekeliling Road Road

nyatohnyatoh tabantaban ((guttagutta percaperca era), era), HeveaHevea,, rambongrambong, teak, , teak, chengalchengal

Experimental plantations Experimental plantations –– FRIM, Cameron HighlandsFRIM, Cameron Highlands

EucalyptusEucalyptus trials trials –– FAOFAO

pines (tin tailing), pines (tin tailing), yemaneyemane ((taungyataungya), ), kapurkapur (line planting)(line planting)

Large scale planting of pine species Large scale planting of pine species –– UNDP UNDP

pines, pines, kapurkapur, , jelutongjelutong

Compensatory Plantations Compensatory Plantations –– fast growing hardwoods (ADB)fast growing hardwoods (ADB)

teak, teak, sentangsentang, , HeveaHevea rubber, rubber, khayakhaya, mahogany, mahogany

18771877

18981898

19001900--19131913

19291929--19411941

19521952

19541954--19581958

19591959--19651965

19661966--19701970

19811981--19921992

19921992--19961996

Public view...Public view...

MonocultureMonocultureHigh productivityHigh productivityReduce pressure on Reduce pressure on natural forestsnatural forests

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Demonstrations so far:

• Species that are able to colonize rapidly

• Grow in open

Plantation areas (x1 000ha)Plantation areas (x1 000ha)

64 22964 22915 52815 5285 4165 4169 0789 07811 01911 0197 9677 9673 4273 427113 237113 237TotalTotal

12112173737720203333881515263263PacificPacific

13 26713 26700000000000013 26713 267Industrial Industrial

30 09530 09512 90912 90924245925921 3341 3341291291 1541 15445 08345 083N.E. AsiaN.E. Asia

1 6341 6349589581 1521 1522 5982 5989749742802803513517 5967 596C. SE AsiaC. SE Asia

3 7563 7568408401 5201 5205 0535 05333633687187133633612 37612 376Ins. SE AsiaIns. SE Asia

15 35615 3567487482 7132 7138158158 3418 3416 6796 6791 5711 57134 65234 652S. AsiaS. Asia

OthersOthersPinePineTeakTeakHeveaHeveaEucalEucalAcaciaAcacia/year/yearTotalTotalRegionRegion

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Romance with miracle trees...Romance with miracle trees...

PinesPinesEucalyptsEucalyptsAcaciaAcaciaLeucaenaLeucaenaPaulowniaPaulownia

Reality may be more complex...Reality may be more complex...

There are problems... There are problems...

Low biodiversityLow biodiversityLoss of ecological servicesLoss of ecological servicesLoss of nonLoss of non--timber forest timber forest

productsproductsFire and disease problemsFire and disease problemsLoss of nutrientsLoss of nutrientsLow on social benefits Low on social benefits

/forest communities/forest communitiesCannot justify conversion of Cannot justify conversion of

natural forests to plantationsnatural forests to plantationsSustainability? Sustainability?

In In favourfavour... ...

High productivityHigh productivityAlready main source in Already main source in

some countriessome countriesReduce pressure on natural Reduce pressure on natural

forestsforestsWastelands maximized Wastelands maximized No choice No choice -- continued loss continued loss

of native forestsof native forestsMore effective in reducing More effective in reducing

greenhouse effect greenhouse effect Genetically modified trees!Genetically modified trees!

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Reality...Reality...

Monocultures (mainly)Monocultures (mainly)High productivity (yes...)High productivity (yes...)

XX Reduce pressure on natural forests:Reduce pressure on natural forests:-- no impact, except in NZno impact, except in NZ-- most conversions for other land uses most conversions for other land uses

(ca. (ca. ½½ size of Finland annually)size of Finland annually)-- only 6only 6--7 % for timber plantations7 % for timber plantations

Environmental consequencesEnvironmental consequences

Forest coverForest coverBiodiversityBiodiversitySoil and nutrientsSoil and nutrientsHydrology and water qualityHydrology and water quality

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Social consequencesSocial consequences

Loss of natural forestsLoss of natural forestsLand grab by big conglomeratesLand grab by big conglomeratesCompanies receive large grants, cheap water & Companies receive large grants, cheap water & electricity, free pollution, usage of herbicideselectricity, free pollution, usage of herbicidesLocal communities: Local communities:

no benefits besides cheap (and dangerous) no benefits besides cheap (and dangerous) labourlabourdisplaced, loss of landdisplaced, loss of landoutsourcing of work, influx of outsiders, illegal outsourcing of work, influx of outsiders, illegal immigrantsimmigrantslose out on nonlose out on non--timber products, game, and other timber products, game, and other environmental benefits (potable water, irrigation)environmental benefits (potable water, irrigation)

Against green deserts...Against green deserts...

Billions of rows of thirsty pine, gum, wattle, masquerading as “forests”

• livelihood impact on rural people

• true costs – water, pollution, displacement

• loss of land, water and biodiversity resources

• multinationals annex land

• ecological debt

• cheap timber for consumers in developed countries

Fast-growing monocultures come at a cost!

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““FastFast--Wood Forestry: Myths and RealitiesWood Forestry: Myths and Realities”” ––CIFOR CIFOR

Fast growing plantations (>15m3/ha/yr; <20 yr rotations)Fast growing plantations (>15m3/ha/yr; <20 yr rotations)Eucalypts, acacias, pines, poplars Eucalypts, acacias, pines, poplars –– expand ca. 1 Mil ha/yrexpand ca. 1 Mil ha/yrEnvironmentalists have exaggerated the negativesEnvironmentalists have exaggerated the negativesIndustries have underIndustries have under--estimated the damage to the estimated the damage to the environment and local communitiesenvironment and local communitiesEconomic assessment, environmental evaluation and Economic assessment, environmental evaluation and social audit should be considered together needed first!social audit should be considered together needed first!Presumption no more conversion of natural forests. Presumption no more conversion of natural forests.

Another trend Another trend ––economic economic

development and development and high high labourlabour costs costs

make monocultures make monocultures plantations plantations unfeasible unfeasible ––

case in Japancase in Japan

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• Various requirements conferred on plantations

• Monocultures have a cost

• Climate change

• Alternatives needed

Drastic rethinking of forest plantations needed!

The world will not The world will not abandon abandon

monocultures. monocultures.

But we need other But we need other options.options.

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Silvicultural and management options!

Demonstrations so far:

• Long/medium rotation hardwood species (indigenous and exotic)

• Unable to grow in open, slow (>30 yr rotations), & “uneconomical”

• Pest and diseases

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Demonstrations so far: • Teak – an exception

• Mahogany – shoot borer

• Hevea rubber – R&D

• Sentang (Azadirachta excelsa)

• Others

• Tropical soils typically deficient in specific macro- & micro-nutrients –need correction

• Role of mycorrhiza in tree growth demonstrated - pines

Micro-organisms & macro- and micro-nutrients

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Tree architecture: growth rates, apical dominance...

Fast firstFast first++++--++--EndospermumEndospermum malaccensemalaccense

Slow firstSlow first++++++DryobalanopsDryobalanops aromaticaaromatica

FastFast++++++++++++ShoreaShorea parvifoliaparvifolia

First fastFirst fast++++++++--++--Dr. Dr. oblongifoliusoblongifolius

First very First very fastfast

++++++++--++--KhayaKhaya ivorensisivorensis

Ht. growthHt. growthD. D. growthgrowth

Apical Apical dominancedominance

Stem Stem formform

Species Species

Mosaic planting Mosaic planting -- landscapelandscape

Wildlife

WaterTimber

Timber

Aesthetics Timber

Timber

Fuelwood

Reserve Forest

Soil, Water, Forests, Human habitat

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New Developments – Multi-storey planting

Forests for peopleForests for people

Poverty eradication Poverty eradication –– rhetoricrhetoricModel of Finland (post WWII)Model of Finland (post WWII)FELDAFELDA--type small tree farms?type small tree farms?Gestation period for trees Gestation period for trees –– too longtoo longIntegrate with short rotation crops (not Integrate with short rotation crops (not necessarily on same site)necessarily on same site)Policy/regulation constraints Policy/regulation constraints Many models availableMany models available

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Rural populations - Agroforestry

Rural livelihoodsRural livelihoods

DamarDamar Rubber Sheep + treesRubber Sheep + trees

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Rural livelihoodsRural livelihoods

Home Garden Jack FruitDurian

Energy Energy forestforest

20% 86%

84%

11%

30% 29%

89%

9%

55%

78%

69%

26% 31%

49% 19%

39%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Bangladesh Bhutan

Cambodia

China India

Indonesia Lao PDR

Malaysia

Maldives Myanmar

Nepal

Pakistan Philippines

Sri Lanka Thailand Viet Nam

Shar

e o

f ene

rgy

cons

ump

tion

Country

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Plantations to a continuum of natural forestsPlantations to a continuum of natural forests

For sustainable society For sustainable society and environmentand environment

Carbon forests:Plantations as carbon offsets?

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Thank youThank you