Reforestation of degraded landscapes is difficult, but several silvicultural techniques have been developed in recent years to achieve desired objectives.
Many early efforts focused on plantations of fast-growing exotic species. These approaches have been useful in a variety of ecological and socio-economic situations, but are not universally suitable. A much wider range of options is needed to address the increasingly diverse range of field conditions now encountered, and to fulfill the needs and expectations of stakeholders.
These new silvicultural options will need to involve a much wider range of species because they will be expected to produce a greater diversity of both goods and services. The goods supplied will include higher-value timbers as well as non-timber forest products. The services might include better watershed protection, better water production systems, restoration of soil fertility, biodiversity protection and carbon sequestration.
Industrial forest companies are unlikely to be interested in many of these options. Hence, the work needed to develop these new systems will need to be taken up by governments and government research organizations.
Reforestation to achieve these broader goals will not be easy and there are a number of significant impediments to be overcome. Some are technical and others are economic, social or administrative in nature.
Many of the desired rehabilitation efforts will be made by small landowners, rather than by government organizations or corporations. Such small landowners will have a very different set of needs than plantation owners of the past.
Silviculturalists, managers and policy makers seeking to promote reforestation will need to find ways of addressing these concerns if small landowners are to make a significant contribution to national forest rehabilitation programmes.
Reforestation is expensive and changes in current circumstances will require a mixture of incentives and, possibly, also penalties.
Reforestation incentives may involve financial loans, micro financing, taxation changes (where these are appropriate), marketing advice and perhaps even subsidies. Policies will need to target corporations as well as communities and individual farmers.
Some of the more successful reforestation programmes across the region have occurred when national governments have made a serious and prolonged effort over a number of years by providing such supportive incentives and policies.
Acacia mangium planting... after a forest clearing.
Such programmes need not always be large. Over-ambitious government targets sometimes do more harm than good. Simply removing impediments and unnecessary regulatory burdens can have major catalytic value, especially for small landowners.
Appropriate conservation and protection programmes must accompany all reforestation efforts. It makes no sense to spend resources on reforestation, while unregulated logging of natural forests is allowed to continue. The prevention of further degradation should be a high priority and involve serious commitment of resources and substantial penalties for violators.
Successful reforestation and rehabilitation of landscapes in Asia and the Pacific will require new knowledge, new ways of communicating, new approaches and new partnerships. Governments will need to lead the way through policy reform, incentives and demonstrated commitment to halting further degradation of remaining forests. Given appropriate policies, incentives and technical support, small farmers and landowners as well as larger corporations can be expected to respond positively.
