Potential of second-growth Neotropical forests for forestry: the example of Puerto Rico

IF 1.1 Q4 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Forests, Trees and Livelihoods Pub Date : 2019-02-26 DOI:10.1080/14728028.2019.1579673

Jimena Forero‐Montaña, Humfredo Marcano‐Vega, J. Zimmerman, T. Brandeis

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引用次数: 6

Abstract

ABSTRACT The development of appropriate strategies towards the sustainable management of tropical second-growth forests is essential for human well-being and climate change mitigation. The well-documented process of forest recovery in Puerto Rico offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the potential of second-growth tropical forests for forestry. Here, we combined 10 years of forest inventory data with ethnobotanical information to determine trends in forest cover, stand structure, and timber volume, as well as the suitability of useful tree species for timber and non-timber forest products. We observed a period of stability in the process of forest recovery. Even though the forests are still too young for extensive forestry, they are rich in useful species and contain high densities of trees suited for timber and several non-timber forest products. These results suggest that Puerto Rico’s forests have substantial capability for forestry and research on silvicultural practices. Today, numerous government programs encourage reforestation in private forests. However, lack of markets for local forest products and services is a major limitation for sustainable forest management. Therefore, it is worthwhile to support local enterprises of artisans and sawyers and create innovative incentives for forestry, rather than mainly focus on subsidizing landowners to plant trees.

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二次生长新热带森林的林业潜力：以波多黎各为例

为热带次生林的可持续管理制定适当的战略对人类福祉和减缓气候变化至关重要。波多黎各森林恢复的充分记录过程提供了一个独特的机会来评价次生林在林业方面的潜力。在这里，我们将10年的森林清查数据与民族植物学信息相结合，以确定森林覆盖、林分结构和木材量的趋势，以及木材和非木材林产品有用树种的适用性。我们在森林恢复过程中观察到一段稳定时期。尽管这些森林还太年轻，不能进行广泛的林业，但它们有丰富的有用物种，并含有高密度的适合木材和几种非木材林产品的树木。这些结果表明，波多黎各的森林具有相当大的林业和造林实践研究能力。今天，许多政府项目鼓励在私人森林中重新造林。然而，缺乏当地森林产品和服务的市场是可持续森林管理的主要限制。因此，值得支持当地的工匠和锯木企业，并为林业创造创新的激励措施，而不是主要集中在补贴土地所有者植树。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Forests, Trees and Livelihoods Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Forestry

CiteScore

2.20

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Forests, Trees and Livelihoods originated in 1979 under the name of the International Tree Crops Journal and adopted its new name in 2001 in order to reflect its emphasis on the diversity of tree based systems within the field of rural development. It is a peer-reviewed international journal publishing comments, reviews, case studies, research methodologies and research findings and articles on policies in this general field in order to promote discussion, debate and the exchange of information and views in the main subject areas of.