Showing papers in "Australian Forestry in 2017"
TL;DR: In this article, smallholder tree-farmers already make substantial contributions to national forest assets, wood production, exports and national incomes, and their role in wood production will become increasingly critical to meeting society's needs.
Abstract: Influenced by increasing population and prosperity, global wood needs are expected to treble by 2050, and an increased dependence on plantations will see demand for planted wood grow from 500 Mm3 to 1500 Mm3 over the next 30 years. Expansion of planted wood resources using conventional commercial plantation models is challenged in the crowded landscapes of Asia, where land tenure, access and ownership are ambiguous and it is unlikely that conventional plantations will be able to expand to meet demand.Forest assets managed by smallholder tree-farmers already make substantial contributions to national forest assets, wood production, exports and national incomes, and their role in wood production will become increasingly critical to meeting society’s needs. Benefits arising from the raw materials they produce are largely unrecognised in official statistics, partly because the many thousands of small stands of trees are widely scattered and flexibly managed by numerous tree-farmers as ‘living bank acc...
57 citations
TL;DR: The most fire-prone country in all continents, Australia is the most fire prone country in the world, with large areas of the country affected by bushfires each year.
Abstract: Australia is the most fire-prone of all continents, with large areas of the country affected by bushfires each year. Bushfires can have profound impacts on communities and on the environment. Tradi...
25 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the policy and regulatory environment for smallholder plantation teak to understand how instrumental and normative factors may influence compliance with plantation regulations and affect participation in new governance structures such as grower groups.
Abstract: Past policies to promote the planting of trees by smallholders have been effective in Lao PDR. In Luang Prabang Province over 15 000 ha of teak (Tectona grandis) have been established. New policies to stop illegal logging, promote timber legality of wood exports and encourage domestic wood processing aim to mobilise this teak resource as an alternative to timber from natural forests. Several factors are thought to inhibit smallholder participation in the timber value chain and this risks their exclusion from international markets. These factors include the hidden nature of their teak plantation resource, inability to comply with complex regulations and limited capacity to engage with markets. This paper explores the policy and regulatory environment for smallholder plantation teak to understand how instrumental and normative factors may influence compliance with plantation regulations and affect participation in new governance structures such as grower groups. The results emphasise the need for po...
24 citations
TL;DR: An experiment in a second rotation acacia hybrid (Acacia mangium × A. auriculiformis) clonal plantation in central Vietnam examined factors determining total wood production and its apportionment t...
Abstract: An experiment in a second rotation acacia hybrid (Acacia mangium × A. auriculiformis) clonal plantation in central Vietnam examined factors determining total wood production and its apportionment t...
21 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an ensemble of global circulation models and a range of scenarios on plant response to elevated CO2 (eCO2) and site conditions were used to predict the direct effects of climate change on the productivity and mortality risks for Australia's blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantation estate.
Abstract: Australia’s climate is changing and Australia’s forests have been identified as vulnerable to climate change impacts. The process-based model CABALA, an ensemble of global circulation models, and a range of scenarios on plant response to elevated CO2 (eCO2) and site conditions, were used to predict the direct effects of climate change on the productivity and mortality risks for Australia’s blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantation estate. The modelling showed considerable uncertainty about future outcomes across large parts of the estate, with best-case and worst-case scenarios varying from decreased to increased production. In some areas we can be confident of future outcomes. Nevertheless, it is clear that, across the whole estate, appropriate management can reduce risk and ensure that we are able to capitalise on potential beneficial aspects of climate change. Under most future scenarios, without adaptation, the drier parts of the plantation estate are at risk. However, in all but the eastern a...
21 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, Eucalyptus pellita has been identified as a potential species to complement native hardwoods for solid wood and veneer production, but very little information is available in the literature on the mechanical and processing properties of E.pellita.
Abstract: Eucalyptus pellita has traditionally been grown in South-East Asia as a fibre source, particularly for pulp production. It has also been identified as a potential species to complement native hardwoods for solid wood and veneer production. However very little information is available in the literature on the mechanical and processing properties of E. pellita, particularly for plantation-grown trees in the tropics. Individual trees from two sites (7-year-old and 9-year-old) in the Malaysian state of Sarawak were selected for recovery trials of solid wood and veneer. The major impediment to utilisation of both solid wood and veneer is the high incidence of end-splitting, particularly for solid wood where the mean green board to air-dry board recovery was only 31%. In addition, the presence of knots in the veneer was undesirable but neither site was maintained for veneer production or had been pruned. The mechanical properties (strength, stiffness, hardness and density) were all sufficient to suggest...
18 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on lessons related to the development of viable medium, small and micro-enterprises based on non-timber products in East Nusa Tenggara (ENT), Indonesia, that are relevant to the international aid shift towards private sector development and women's economic empowerment.
Abstract: This paper focuses on lessons related to the development of viable medium, small and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) based on non-timber products in East Nusa Tenggara (ENT), Indonesia, that are relevant to the international aid shift towards private sector development and women’s economic empowerment. Most of the products traded in the 11 428 market stalls surveyed in informal-sector market places in ENT were not from forests or agroforests, but were vegetables, second-hand clothes and other products. Most of the forest and agro-forestry products being sold were low entry-point, low-value products, sold as part of people’s survival or coping strategies. Nevertheless, a few specialist products, such as indigo, hand-woven textiles, Symplocos leaf mordants and Lygodium fern baskets, have been remarkably successful in reaching global markets. Developing business partnerships with local producer groups and entrepreneurs is easier said than done, and requires strategic choices. In addition, enterprises need ...
17 citations
TL;DR: The genotypic and phenotypic correlations between growth traits and ash content, extractives content with 1% NaOH, lignin content and calorific value were all negative, indicating that the clones of higher growth rates had lower values for wood chemical properties and lower energy value.
Abstract: Eucalyptus has become an important genus for pulp wood and veneer wood grown in short rotations in China, and is also a potential resource for energy production. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters, relationships and genetic gains, and to consider the implications for growth and calorific values based on clonal forestry. We assessed growth traits, wood properties, individual tree wood weight and individual tree calorific value for 23 Eucalyptus hybrid clones in China, measured at 8.5 years. There were significant differences in growth traits, basic density, individual tree wood weight and individual tree calorific values between clones, while differences in ash content, extractives content with 1% NaOH, holocellulose content, lignin content and calorific value were not significantly different between clones. Coefficients of genotypic variation ranged from 15.1% to 87.1% for growth traits, and 3.7% to 29.3% for wood properties, and were 24.3% for individual tree wood weight and...
15 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a preliminary assessment of climate change impacts on planting domains is presented for Eucalyptus pellita and the E. urophylla x E. grandis hybrid in parts of China and south-east Asia.
Abstract: A preliminary assessment of climate change impacts on planting domains is presented for Eucalyptus pellita and the E. urophylla x E. grandis hybrid in parts of China and south-east Asia. Simple descriptions of climatic requirements are verified and, where necessary, refined. Climate data for current conditions and projected temperature rises of 1.10, 1.96 and 3.83°C (means across the study area compared against a 1986–2005 baseline) are then used to map at a 10-minute (about 18 km) resolution areas that are likely to have suitable climatic conditions for growing these species in the future. For E. pellita a 1.10°C temperature rise has little impact on climatically suitable areas, while E. urophylla x E. grandis may lose some currently suitable areas in southern China and Sumatra. If temperatures rise by more than 2°C, then larger currently suitable areas will fall outside the range of climatic conditions that are known to be suitable for the two taxa. The vulnerabilities of eucalypt plantations of...
14 citations
TL;DR: A recent study examined the possible impacts of climate change on 657 Australian eucalypt species in the period to 2085 using species distribution modelling (SDM) as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: A recent study examined the possible impacts of climate change on 657 Australian eucalypt species in the period to 2085 using species distribution modelling (SDM). The study predicted that ‘within the next 60 years the vast majority of species distributions (91%) across Australia will shrink in size (on average by 51%)’. The purpose of the present paper is to demonstrate some of the strengths and weaknesses of this previous study. Its main strength is that it identifies relatively hot and dry areas of species distributions that may be vulnerable under climate change. Its main weakness is that the individual analyses tend to overestimate the areas of species natural distributions. Consequently, the predicted percentage losses of species distribution areas are unreliable. To illustrate the problem the freely available Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) is used examine two contrasting species (Eucalyptus diversicolor and E. nitens) in detail, so readers will be able to apply similar methods to any eucal...
14 citations
TL;DR: Research in the 1960s and 1970s by Merrilees, Hallam and Jones brought to prominence the concept that firestick farming shaped the Australian environment creating small-scale mosaic vegetation p...
Abstract: Research in the 1960s and 1970s by Merrilees, Hallam and Jones brought to prominence the concept that ‘fire-stick’ farming shaped the Australian environment creating small-scale mosaic vegetation p...
TL;DR: Almost all plantations across a series of 11 sites were highly responsive to P fertiliser, and thus there was no substitutability between management types: weed control, genotype and P needed to be managed in combination to achieve maximum productivity.
Abstract: Tropical plantations are an important source of forest products both to meet the growing demand for wood, and to facilitate the transition from native forests to more sustainably produced forest resources. Management of these plantations for optimal productivity and resource-use efficiency is vitally important, and nutrient management is a critical component of sustainable plantation production. In this study, we explored the response of Acacia mangium plantations in South Sumatra, Indonesia, to fertiliser and their requirement for fertiliser, focusing on phosphorus (P) at establishment. Almost all plantations across a series of 11 sites were highly responsive to P fertiliser, with nine of the 11 sites having more than double the productivity in P-fertilised treatments at age 1 year compared with control treatments. However, the quantity of P required for 90% of maximum growth was generally low by age 2 or 3 years, and 10 kg P ha–1 at establishment was sufficient to ensure that at least 90% of max...
TL;DR: Ninety families from six provenances of Eucalyptus loxophleba subsp. gratiae were established near Brookton, Western Australia and Condobolin, New South Wales, and 89 of these same families were e...
Abstract: Ninety families from six provenances of Eucalyptus loxophleba subsp. gratiae were established near Brookton, Western Australia, and Condobolin, New South Wales, and 89 of these same families were e...
TL;DR: Soil stability can be derived from both parameters, and negative consequences for soil functions can be predicted if the ratio PC/σ1 is <0.8, which forms the basis for the proposed quantification of induced soil deformation processes.
Abstract: The stress impacts of forestry machinery were determined and compared with internal soil strength to evaluate soil stability and identify soil compaction processes. In order to simulate a typical timber harvest, we analysed the soil deformation processes of one harvester (HA; 24 tonnes (Mg)) and one timber hauler (TH; 28 tonnes (Mg)) at three different sites in Germany, on soils derived from loess. The 1st pass was carried out with the HA and the 2nd to 5th passes were carried out with the TH. To determine stress impacts, the major principal stress (σ1) was measured using a stress-state transducer system installed at three different depths (20, 40 and 60 cm). Before and after wheeling, soil samples were taken to determine the precompression stress (PC)—as the fundamental parameter for internal soil strength—and the hydraulic parameters saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and air capacity (AC). The combination of stresses at the various depths and the internal soil strength forms the basis for th...
TL;DR: In this article, the diversity of households in the mid-Nepal hills was analyzed using survey data from 521 randomly selected households in six villages in six rural Nepal regions, and a cluster analysis derived the following household typology based on socioeconomic variables.
Abstract: Socio-economic diversity can help to bring about innovative development in agroforestry practices. The diversity of households in the mid-Nepal hills was analysed using survey data from 521 randomly selected households in six villages. A cluster analysis derived the following household typology based on socio-economic variables—Type 1: resource-poor Brahmin/Chhetri; Type 2: resource-poor Janajati; Type 3: resource-rich mixed-caste households; Type 4: resource-rich Brahmin/Chhetri; Type 5: resource-rich Janajati; Type 6: resource-poor Dalit households. The analysis revealed that social status (caste/ethnicity), household status on foreign employment and landholding are strong predictors of household segmentation in rural Nepal. This paper suggests revision of existing wellbeing ranking approaches using these socio-economic variables for more inclusive and equitable agroforestry and community forestry outcomes.
TL;DR: Principal component analysis suggested clear patterns of geographic variation between seed sources from the natural distribution and between the Chinese seed sources.
Abstract: Variation in 12 morphological and growth characteristics were assessed in 3.5-month-old Corymbia citriodora subsp. citriodora seedlings. The taxon is known as C. citriodora throughout this paper. T...
TL;DR: The authors provides an overview of the potential changes in climate in key forest growing regions; current knowledge of the impacts of climate change on Australian forests, forest industries and forest-dependent communities; adaptation options; and approaches to potential climate change challenges.
Abstract: Australia has a highly diverse and variable climate and its forests evolved under a relatively high level of climatic variation. However, human-induced changes in climate are likely to exceed historical ranges of variability and rates of change, and have effects on forests well beyond the experience of forest managers. These conditions will require implementation of management practices appropriate to a changing climate. This paper provides an overview of the potential changes in climate in key forest-growing regions; current knowledge of the impacts of climate change on Australian forests, forest industries and forest-dependent communities; adaptation options; and approaches to potential climate change challenges. Developments in understanding are considered, and information gaps, research needs and policy changes required to support adaptation are discussed. In order to adapt well to a rapidly changing climate, forest managers will need to better understand how global climate change will impact on the local environment where their resources, assets and people are located, and consider their key vulnerabilities and how climate might affect their wider supply chains, inputs, customers and competitors. Improved monitoring can provide clear signals of change. New tools are required that integrate climate scenarios into organisational and business planning. Industry leaders will need to encourage experimentation, adopt greater flexibility in raw material supply sources, in species and genetic selection, and in plantation and native forest management practices, and have strategies in place to adapt quickly during periods of rapid change.
TL;DR: The authors explored the literature on climate effects on wood properties, with a particular focus on Australian plantations and forests, and also presented results from modelling exercises, designed to explore possible growth and wood property changes in two Australian forestry regions under a hotter and wetter future, or an even hotter and drier future.
Abstract: While focus is often placed on possible reductions in forest growth and timber volume yield under different future climates, less attention is paid to changes in wood properties, such as wood density. In this paper we explore the literature on climate effects on wood properties, with a particular focus on Australian plantations and forests. We also present results from modelling exercises, designed to explore possible growth and wood property changes in two Australian forestry regions under a hotter and wetter future, or a hotter and drier future. While the effects of different climates on tree growth and wood formation are complex and difficult to generalise, some broad tendencies can be identified. Temperature has varied effects on wood properties, but much research has shown that the density of wood is higher when formed under higher temperatures. Similarly, an elevated concentration of atmospheric CO2 (eCO2) has been found to have variable effects, but trees in eCO2 environments can produce hi...
TL;DR: This paper presented a case study analysis of the leadership of this innovation, based on historical research, and demonstrated the importance of leadership and capacity to bring systems thinking into the development of institutions and into the governance arrangements for sustainable forest management.
Abstract: South Australia was the first British colony in Australia to legislate for a forest service. It established a Forest Board in 1875 that subsequently became the first Woods and Forests Department in 1882. This was an innovation in the Australian colonies and a first for the independent colonies of the British Commonwealth. George Goyder, the colony’s surveyor-general, and head of the Lands Department, played a critical role in the creation of these organisations. This paper presents a case study analysis of the leadership of this innovation, based on historical research. The results demonstrate the importance of leadership and capacity to bring systems thinking into the development of institutions and into the governance arrangements for sustainable forest management. It demonstrates that history can play a vital role in informing the leadership skills required for twenty-first century forest management.
TL;DR: Although teak had significantly greater stem growth than flueggea in the 4-year plots, 15N uptake were similar to flueGgea, which may mean that competition for growth resources was still minimal or that access to the resources was equal and growth rates differed between species.
Abstract: As part of an ACIAR project aiming at improving community forestry in Solomon Islands, mixed-species plantations were established to assess the feasibility of inter-planting teak (Tectona grandis L f) and flueggea (Flueggea flexuosa Muell Arg) Flueggea is a native hardwood used for timber and fence construction, and early removal of flueggea from a mixed-species stand could have a similar silvicultural outcome to thinning a single-species stand of teak Using 15N-labelled ammonium sulphate, we investigated the competition for nitrogen (N) between the two species The 15N-labelled tracer was applied to the soil surface of plots containing pairs of trees, one of each species, in 2-year-old and 4-year-old mixed-species stands, after the pairs of trees were isolated from the rest of the stand by an impermeable membrane After 12–18 months, the isolated trees were measured and harvested, and each tree component (roots, stem, branch and foliage) was weighed and analysed for total N and 15N enrichmen
TL;DR: Risks in temperate eucalypt and radiata pine plantations in Australia are examined from the perspectives of individual pest and host responses to climate change and the response of the host-pest system to climate.
Abstract: Climatic changes are likely to alter the distribution and abundance of insect and fungal pests of Australia’s plantations, and consequently the frequency and severity of outbreaks and damage to the host. Using review and synthesis of published literature, we examined these risks in temperate eucalypt and radiata pine plantations in Australia from the perspectives of individual pest and host responses to climate change and the response of the host-pest system to climate. The pests vary in their patterns of damage caused, host tissues affected, season of damage and the stage of stand development targeted. Twenty-one major pests were identified, the majority of which (71%) are defoliators and pests of eucalypt plantations rather than radiata pine plantations. Documented distributions of these pests are presented. The possible consequences of climate change for pest risk are examined in relation to effects on (1) pest lifecycles, (2) pest distribution, (3) frequency and severity of outbreaks, and (4) ...
TL;DR: The top-ranked groups of families were dominated by those having as parents plus-trees of local Secano plantation origin that had been selected for superior growth and form, indicating the applicability of this strategy for improving productivity of E. globulus in drier areas of the Bío-Bío Region.
Abstract: In 2006 a research project commenced to breed drought-hardy Eucalyptus globulus for the lower rainfall Secano area (mean annual rainfall below 1000 mm y–1) of Chile’s Bio-Bio Region. Three populati...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe three related activities designed to develop small businesses based on short-rotation coppice (SRC) agroforestry systems for fuelwood.
Abstract: Fuelwood is an integral part of the Papua New Guinea domestic economy, with consumption estimated at 1.8 m3 person–1 year–1. Social stress in many districts is evident by high prices for and the conflict generated by competition for fuelwood. This paper describes three related activities designed to develop small businesses based on short-rotation coppice (SRC) agroforestry systems for fuelwood. These activities are: 1) a survey of domestic fuelwood consumers and vendors (n = 4110) in fuelwood-stressed districts in urban and rural areas of lowlands and highlands; 2) field trials of ten candidate SRC species, at two spacings, in 2–3 year rotations, with measurements of wood volume after two years, coppice vigour, burning characteristics, and market acceptance; and 3) facilitating the establishment of SRC-grown charcoal businesses. The survey found the fuelwood economy has a very short, direct supply chain in a completely informal environment. This paper summarises the fuelwood economy and illustrat...
TL;DR: The phenotypic and genetic correlations between individual tree volumes at ages 2 and 5 years with end-splitting at age 5 years were generally positive, but significant differences between seed sources and families within seed sources were observed, which could make simultaneous improvement of these traits difficult.
Abstract: Eucalyptus grandis is one of the main commercial forest plantation species in the highlands of Sri Lanka. An E. grandis genetic improvement program was initiated in 1995 with the establishment of a first-generation provenance-family trial cum seedling seed orchard (SSO), and several seed production areas (SPAs) using seeds from natural stands in Australia. In 2007 a second generation was initiated, comprising a seed-source/family trial with 132 families from plus-trees selected in Sri Lanka: 72 families from the first-generation SSO, 28 families from two of the first-generation SPAs, and 32 families from plus-trees selected in local plantations. Diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree height measurements were taken at ages 2, 5 and 7 years. Trees from a first thinning conducted just after the 5-year assessment were used for assessment of log end-splitting. Significant differences between seed sources and families within seed sources were observed for individual tree volume but not for log end-spl...
TL;DR: In this article, field trials were conducted in three Tasmanian Eucalyptus nitens plantations to quantify growth responses and operational factors associated with applying controlled-release fertilisers (CRF) at plantations.
Abstract: Field trials were installed in three Tasmanian Eucalyptus nitens plantations to quantify growth responses and operational factors associated with applying controlled-release fertilisers (CRF) at pl...
TL;DR: Social licence to operate is defined as "the level of acceptance or approval continually granted to an organisation's operations or project by local community and other stakeholders" as mentioned in this paper, and it has become more commonly applied to largescale industries such as forestry, agriculture and fisheries, and more recently still to a much broader range of activities, from banking to greyhound racing.
Abstract: Social licence to operate can be defined as ‘... the level of acceptance or approval continually granted to an organisation’s operations or project by local community and other stakeholders’ (Black 2013). An industry can be said to have gained a social licence to operate when it is viewed as a socially responsible, legitimate and trusted contributor to the host community and to society more broadly. The term social licence to operate was first coined in the late 1990s and applied mainly to extractive industries. In the last decade it has become more commonly applied to largescale industries, such as forestry, agriculture and fisheries, and more recently still, to a much broader range of activities, from banking to greyhound racing. It has become far more widely used in public discourse. Even in its earliest articulation, when it applied exclusively to the relationship between extractive projects and neighbouring human communities, social licence has always been just a metaphor, albeit a powerful one. Social licence is most clearly understood and demonstrated when it is withdrawn or eroded, with consequent impacts on access to markets for products, imposition of additional legislation and regulation governing the activities of the industry, or operational impacts resulting from protest, legal or industrial action. Loss of social licencemay be a reaction to an undesirable or unacceptable action or change in a business activity, or it may occur as a result of the changing expectations or standards by stakeholders. Operationalising the metaphor of social licence presents significant conceptual and implementation challenges that are likely to become increasingly complex when moving from, say, a single forest coupe or plantation to single businesses, and to the forestry sector as a whole. Nevertheless, there are instructive examples of strategies leading to successful outcomes at all scales in a range of industries (Moffat et al. 2016). The extractive industries were amongst the first to recognise the need for a social licence to operate particular projects, which often have readily identifiable areas of potential conflict with host communities, and a clear and unambiguous business case for early resolution. Nevertheless, social engagement strategies in the extractive industries have become increasingly sophisticated, moving beyond compensation and minimisation of offsite impacts to fairer, long-term distribution of benefits with regard to mineral development, more inclusive models of governance, and a greater understanding of social acceptance. The Australian cotton industry has also made notable gains in social licence, from a low base in the 1990s—the contemporary Australian cotton industry enjoys a reputation as a leader and innovator in sustainable agriculture, with a positive image in the marketplace and a strong relationship with global retailers (Roth 2014). The forestry industries are generally more skilled at identifying and mitigating business risk from environmental variables (e.g. climate, pests) and market variables (pricing, competition, consumer demand), than they are at evaluating and mitigating socio-political risk. Addressing the former risks represents a greater proportion of the research, development and extension (RD&E) investment, although there are examples of effective social research and public outreach (e.g. the ‘Wood. Naturally Better’ campaign of Forest and Wood Products Australia). The business case for investment in social licence research closely tracks the business case for building a social licence to operate per se. First, in order to reduce the level of operational risk from social issues it is necessary to understand what these issues are before an effective response can be formulated. Second, it is necessary to understand how these issues are changing. Research can identify who the key stakeholders are, and their level of involvement, and ultimately, help businesses engagewith the belief systems of these stakeholders, and to develop business systems that embrace corporate social responsibility goals. Reliance on the communication of scientific findings alone is a strategy that is unlikely to succeed in allaying community concerns, for all that it may be necessary to inform industry practice, meet regulatory requirements or to underpin the longterm viability of the industry. Recently there has been an apparent decline in the communities’ trust of scientific findings, probably exacerbated by the presentation of contradictory evidence, and experts disagreeing in the public domain. Local stakeholders and members of the public are generally poorly equipped to discriminate between reliable and unreliable scientific evidence, or to judge which source of scientific evidence is likely to be the more credible. Organisations or campaigns that are opposed to a particular forestry activity sometimes have little difficulty in finding apparently well-credentialed experts to put the scientific case against the activity. In the faceof public disagreementbetween scientists and their findings, the majority of stakeholders will stick with their preconceptions and will not be swayed by the science, no matter how sound. This goes again to the need for organisations that carry out or support scientific research to engage with the belief systems of their target audiences, if the expectation is that the research will influence outcomes in the socio-political environment. A long-term investment is usually required to improve trust and political capital. Individual businesses and the forestry sector more broadly need to know where is the most sensible place to make such an investment. The central question from an industry or business perspective, is therefore ‘What programs, policies, standards and business systems are needed to achieve social licence?’ This presupposes that a substantial majority of participants in the industry accept the need for a social licence to operate. Questions that need to be considered include the following:
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of the literature found that predicted changes to Australian forest growth and mortality varied between regions depending on the models and assumptions used, and that impacts of climate change on forest operations will depend on the magnitude and speed of the climate changes and the management decisions used to adapt to these changes.
Abstract: Few studies have considered potential climate change impacts on forest operations. A review of the literature found that predicted changes to Australian forest growth and mortality varied between regions depending on the models and assumptions used. Impacts of climate change on forest operations will depend on the magnitude and speed of the climate changes and the management decisions used to adapt to these changes. If forest growth declines and management changes are not able to maintain current mean tree sizes at final harvest, costs and productivity of forest harvest and haulage operations at an individual harvest unit level will be affected. Slower forest growth would also mean that less harvest and haulage capacity would be required, unless additional forest planting occurs.The literature review identified the potential for substantial areas of the Australian Eucalyptus globulus plantation estate to be less productive in the second rotation due to the impacts of climate change on growth and t...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss work carried out in Indonesia to strengthen research capacity and support policy development for the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).
Abstract: This paper discusses work carried out in Indonesia to strengthen research capacity and support policy development for the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). It addresses the questions: in an apparently receptive policy environment, what are the challenges facing the adoption of recommendations generated by policy research funded by foreign-funded projects, and what are the implications for the evaluation of the research? The paper reflects on some of the key research findings, on the contributions that capacity building for research can make to policy development, and on some of the challenges faced by policy-focused research projects and their assessment. It shows that many factors can influence the adoption of policy recommendations generated by research, leading to significant challenges for the evaluation of policy research activities.
TL;DR: For example, climate is one of a number of variables that has played an important role in determining what species are grown for wood production in Australia for over 100-years.
Abstract: Plantations have been managed for wood production in Australia for over 100 years. Climate is one of a number of variables that has played an important role in determining what species are grown wh...
TL;DR: Endospermum medullosum (whitewood) is a commercially important plantation and agroforestry timber species in Vanuatu, used locally and for export, and its breeding population constitutes a repository for genetic variation already lost from wild sources.
Abstract: Endospermum medullosum (whitewood) is a commercially important plantation and agroforestry timber species in Vanuatu, used locally and for export. Commercial development depends on both increased productivity and genetic resource conservation. A second-generation progeny trial on Espiritu Santo Island was measured at ages 2 and 3 years. Growth traits were of low-to-moderate heritability, varying from 0.13 for height at 2 years, to 0.30 for diameter at breast height (DBH) at 3 years. Genetic correlations between growth and form traits were generally encouraging, with form at 3 years moderately-positively correlated (0.49 to 0.56) with the growth measures at ages 2 and 3 years, and no adverse correlations evident. Families of Espiritu Santo origins were consistently amongst the highest ranked for both growth and form traits, while families of Malekula and Pentecost Island performed poorly. These results are supportive of the recurrent selection and breeding strategy being implemented to deliver econ...