A new approach to evaluate site quality for reforestation programs

Abstract

Matching site with trees is a key principle in reforestation programs for centuries.1,2 The conventional approach to evaluate site quality was typically achieved through correlation analyses between tree growth and environmental factors, including indices of climate, soil type, soil fertility, and topography.3,4 This empirical approach works fine, but lacks the fundamental understanding of causal relationships between tree performance and its environment, and it brings inconsistency in key factors determining site quality among tree species, between sites, and among evaluators.