Potential native timber production in tropical forest restoration plantations

• Published in: Perspectives in ecology and conservation Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 294 - 301
• Main Authors: Krainovic, Pedro Medrado, de Resende, Angélica Faria, Amazonas, Nino Tavares, de Almeida, Catherine Torres, de Almeida, Danilo Roberti Alves, Silva, Carina Camargo, de Andrade, Henrique Sverzut Freire, Rodrigues, Ricardo Ribeiro, Brancalion, Pedro Henrique Santin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Ecological restoration; Growth-oriented logging; Large-scale restoration; Reforestation; Tropical forestry; Tropical timber
• ISSN: 2530-0644; 2530-0644
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2023.10.002

Restoring tropical forests still relies on expensive tree planting. Timber production from native trees offers a promising opportunity to make restoration financially viable, but species growth data are lacking. We assessed the potential of tropical forest restoration plantations for producing native timber in the Atlantic Forest. For that we inventoried a chronosequence of unmanaged restoration plantation sites with ten commercial native tree species. Then we developed growth models and used the Growth-Oriented Logging (GOL) method to inform targeted management decisions, including an optimized timber-focused scenario, based on growth and bole quality assessment. Usually, growth-rate classes for saw wood production would be defined according to the time necessary for achieving 35 cm in DBH. Harvesting age was markedly reduced using GOL for species of fast-growth (from <50 to <25 years), intermediate-growth (from 50 to 70 to 25–50 years), slow-growth (from >70 to 50–75 years). Following GOL, basal area was 42 ± 30% larger at harvest (taking 35 ± 23% more time) or 60 ± 16.5% smaller (taking 66 ± 16% less time). The optimized scenario speeded tree-size achievement and anticipated harvesting in an average of 58 years. Species selection, individualization, and silvicultural management are critical for producing timber in forest restoration programs.