From modena@calypso-2.oit.unc.edu Tue Jul 26 08:52:40 1994 Date: Mon, 25 Jul 1994 16:31:50 -0400 Subject: SYLVANET Vol.8(2), July 1994 SSSS YY YY L V V A N N EEEEEEE TTTTTT S Y Y L V V A A NN N E T SS Y Y L V V A A N N N EEE T S Y L V V AAAAAAA N N N E T SS S Y L V V A A N NN E T SSS Y LLLLLLL V A A N N EEEEEEE T VOL.8, NO.2, JULY 1994 A publication of the International Programs, College of Forest Resources, North Carolina State University ---------------------------------------------------------------------- IN THIS ISSUE: Irish Forestry Broadleaf Forest Management in Honduras Mahogany, the great tree New medicine for mahogany shoot borer RWANDA! Letters to Sylvanet Publications, courses, conferences, etcetera... Best wishes to Dennis and Tom AND... The Distinguished Tropical Forester of 1994 is Dr. Dvorak! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A COUNTRY PROFILE: FORESTRY IN IRELAND by Maarten Nieuwenhuis  HISTORIC BACKGROUND  In the past, due to the suitability of the environment for their growth, forests comprised the natural vegetation over much of Ireland. As human settlement and agriculture expanded, mainly broadleaf forests of birch, oak, elm, alder, and hazel gradually gave way to farmland. Commercial exploitation for lumber, charcoal and tanbark accelerated forest clearance. By 1904, when the Forest Service was founded (then known as the Forestry Division of the Department of Agriculture), the total area under forest (in the 26 counties) was just over 100,000 hectares, all of which was in private hands. In 1948, under a new forest plan, planting target was set at 10,000 ha annually for 40 years, resulting in a state-owned forest estate of 470,000 ha. State aid for private planting was available from 1928, but there were few takers. During the period from 1930 to 1960 fewer than 90 ha per year were planted, while from 1960 to 1980 the annual rate of planting never exceeded 275 ha. In 1988, Coillte Teoranta, the Irish Forestry Board, was established. Coillte Teoranta's main objective is to carry out the business of forestry and related activities on a commercial basis. It took over almost all of the assets of the Forest Service, but the Forest Service remains as the national forest authority. In 1990, two European Union (EU) grant programs were launched, with a significant impact on forestry in Ireland. The Forest Premium for Farmers Scheme provides annual payments during the first 20 years after planting. The Operational Programme provides funds for such activities as afforestation, construction and maintenance of forest roads, improvement of woodland, and efficiency in forest harvesting.  THE PRESENT SITUATION  Seventy-five percent of the forest is state-owned. The low level of private ownership contrasts with most other countries in the EU, for which the average private ownership is 48%. The total forest area in Ireland represents almost 7% of the total land area. In contrast, Germany has 28%, while France has 25% of the area under forest. The dominant species in Irish forests is Sitka spruce. Broadleaf species account for only 3% of the total state forest area. Over 26% of state forests are less than 12 years of age, while over 52% are less than 20 years old. The growth rate of trees in this country is much higher than that in other EU countries. The moist oceanic climate is particularly conducive to rapid growth for Sitka spruce. The present average yield for this species is 16.5 m3 per hectare per annum. Both Norway spruce and Douglas fir have similar growth rates. Yields as high as 32 m3 per hectare per annum have been recorded for Sitka spruce in County Leitrum. The national forest estate is expanding at its greatest rate ever. In 1990, over 20,000 hectares were planted and for the first time, the rate of planting by the private sector is greater than that carried out by the public sector. In 1994, new forestry grants have been introduced, with an emphasis on species diversity, broadleaf forestry, and afforestation of better land.  FOREST HARVESTING  Harvest volumes are increasing very rapidly. In 1990 1.4 million m3 was harvested from Coillte forests. In 1993 this had increased to 1.8 million m3, and for 2010, the predicted volume is 3.5 million m3. In addition, the volumes harvested from private forests will start to increase rapidly when the large areas planted in the last 15 years move into the thinning and clearfelling stages. It is estimated that around 1,000 people are employed in harvesting and transportation. The unavailability of chainsaw cutters in many parts of the country has made it necessary to introduce mechanical harvesters and processors. Most of skidders, forwarders, cable systems and timber trucks are imported, but a small Irish forest machinery industry has developed in the last few years.  THE FOREST INDUSTRY  The forest industry in Ireland was once totally dependent on imported timber. Yet by 1989, it became totally self-sufficient in fencing and pallet material, and 50% self- sufficient in structural timber. At present, there are approximately 100 sawmills and 2 pulpwood industries in operation. The sawmills are located throughout the country and vary considerably in size and output. They use over 1 million m3 on an annual basis. Further expansion will increase this to 2 million m3 by the year 2000. The 10 largest mills satisfy over 90% of the total annual consumption. An upcoming industry-wide reorganisation will result in smaller number of high capacity mills, capable of competition on the international markets. Two pulpwood industries are in operation. One is based in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, producing Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) and processing 400,000 m3 annually and expanding to 600,000 m3 in 1995. The other, in Scariff, Co. Clare, produces chip-board and processes around 250,000 m3 annually. Of the MDF production, 95% is exported. Fifty percent of the chipboard is also exported. A third wood processing industry, producing Oriented Strand Board (OSB), is being established in Waterford with a capacity of 600,000 m3. Another important user of Irish timber is the public utilities indus-try. Large numbers of utility poles are needed annually, and a significant number of these are supplied by the Irish forests. At the moment only Douglas fir and Larch species are used, but Sitka spruce should be accepted in the near future, allowing for a further increase of the use of home-grown timber. Total employment in the wood processing industry, including distribution and services, is estimated at around 4,300. This is expected to increase to 5,700 during the next few years.  SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS  Forest development may interfere with social structures in rural areas, such as asset and land ownership, employer/employee relationships, and isolation of farms and people. A partial solution to these problems is co-operative forestry. Co-operative forestry offers many advantages to those farmers who have small areas of land that they want to afforest, as it allows them to do so and still retain ownership of their land. It groups forest land available on adjacent farms into viable units. Recently developed guidelines emphasise broadleaf species and species diversity. Research is underway in the areas of timber transport planning and transport systems. The aim is to reduce the cost of transportation and minimise the associated environmental impacts.  THE FUTURE  It is expected that by the year 2000 a further 3% of the land area of Ireland will be under forest. Even greater emphasis will be given to species diversity and afforestation of better quality land. The expansion will have a major impact on the contribution of forestry to the national economy, on rural development and employment, and on the landscape. M. Nieuwenhuis, a native of Holland, received his Ph.D. in Forestry at the University of Maine. He lectures in Forest Engineering at the University College in Dublin, Ireland, since 1987. BROADLEAF FOREST MANAGEMENT IN HONDURAS by Dennis F. Desmond Recent M.S. graduate from NCSU's Department of Forestry, Dennis F. Desmond, talked at a meeting of the Raleigh Chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters about his three-week consultancy in April, 1993 with the Rainforest Alliance. The following is a summary of his presentation.  BACKGROUND  Forty seven percent of the almost 5 million hectares of forest land in Honduras is a mixed broadleaf forest. Found along the foothills of the Caribbean coast and in the eastern Mosquitia region, it is being lost at an estimated rate of 64,500 hectares per year. The primary cause of deforestation is land conversion to shifting cultivation and cattle pasture. Previous high-grading for mahogany and other selectively-cut species reduced the value of the remaining forest. Current forest loss due to commercial logging is relatively minor. Until 1992 Honduran forestry laws promoted deforestation. Trees on public and private lands belonged to the state, and there was no incentive for individuals to plant or manage trees. Timber cutters applied for permits from COHDEFOR, Honduras' forest service. COHDEFOR received a stumpage tax from the permit holders. A large part of COHDEFOR's budget was derived from this tax, providing a strong incentive to award permits to all applicants. In isolated broadleaf stands, COHDEFOR had little control over diameter limits, leaving of seed trees, and the moratorium period on cutting of mahogany during its flowering and fruiting season. In 1993, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank made changes in Honduras' forestry laws a precondition for $120 million in loans. Under the new laws, tree tenure has been transferred to the landowners, who must develop forest management plans (FMP). A bidding system, similar to that used by the U.S. Forest Service, ensures that the government gets the highest possible value for the resource. COHDEFOR designates 'forest production areas', in which the highest bidder receives a temporary right to harvest a specified volume in accordance with the COHDEFOR - designed management plan. Follow-up on long-term management is then conducted by COHDEFOR. COHDEFOR may not have the money to accomplish its tasks. Local forest industry seeks to subcontract some of COHDEFOR's responsibilities, such as inventories, forest management plans and activities, in return for preferential bidding rights. Peasant communities and small permit holders may organize into community groups or cooperatives, and work in the forest. Such legal groups do not have to bid, but can request to be assigned a forest management area upon completion of a forest management plan.  THE BROADLEAF FOREST DEVELOPMENT PROJECT  The Broadleaf Forest Development (BFD) Project, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, and begun in 1988, intends to reduce the rate of deforestation. Its first task is to develop a model for a community-based permanent production forest, where the community protects resources that it has long-term rights to manage. The second task is to promote new land-use practices and community development activities to improve the quality of life in rural areas. The project's natural forest management is based on the traditional form of harvest and extraction by small-scale, independent timber cutters. Logs are felled and pit-sawn by hand into cants 4 to 8 feet in length. (COHDEFOR does not allow the use of chain saws because their cutting accuracy is lower and waste higher. Chain saws are permitted for felling.) The cants are loaded onto mules (approximately 50 bf/mule), which take up to several days to pack the wood out to the nearest road. Here they are usually sold to middlemen. Rotation lengths are not known; the project is currently using an extre-mely optimistic 30-year rotation for mahogany and all other species. Pitsawing is a very benign form of logging with respect to forest and soil disturbance. However, it facilitates the elimination of possible seed trees. Any tree left standing is probably defective. Over time, this will reduce and degrade the genetic base. This is unlike mechanical logging, where high costs make cutting of isolated individuals unprofitable. A number of challenges face the BFD project and the participating communities. A first is convincing the communities of the feasibility of making a long-term living from the forest. Most participants view forestry as a part-time occupation along-side agriculture. Assisting in organization of the communities has proven difficult. They are diverse, from a long-established and well-organized Pesch Indian community, to ones composed of colonists who barely knew one another. For example, a community of Las Mangas, were farmers new to timber harvesting. They had no forest management plan for the area they worked in. This area was contested by independent cutters still working under the old permit system. Out of spite, these permit- holders had felled numerous mahogany trees in such a way (downhill, over uneven terrain, or over one another) as to shatter the stems and make the wood worthless. Lack of knowledge and funds, both on the part of COHDEFOR and the communities, prevents the development and implementing of management plans. COHDEFOR has lost and been unable to attract skilled foresters because of low salaries and disillusionment. Most of the country's best foresters have been hired by private industry. With industry scrambling to produce forest management plans, the demands for skilled foresters will only intensify. Guidelines for preparation of forest management plans are so detailed that very few people have the capability to prepare them. It is feared that management plans will be submitted using incomplete or fabricated information. In April 1993, only two of the twelve groups had such plans. Many of the groups have no previous knowledge of the forest or the wood cutting profession. They need capital for purchase of and training in use of saws, mules, felling, and sawing methods. Unskilled workers fell trees in the wrong direction, breaking off the tops of neighboring trees, or landing them on uneven terrain and shattering the stems. Slabs, from which usable cants could have been cut, are left to rot in the forest.  LESSER KNOWN SPECIES  Of the twelve community groups, only two work in areas containing mahogany. The other areas have no mahogany, following high-grading. Lesser Known Species (LKS) receive either very low prices, or else there is no market for them at all. To increase the use of LKS, the following must be overcome: 1) Knowledge of wood properties and species abundance. Such information is critical to forest industries contemplating the use of LKS. 2) Knowledge of biological characteristics (shade tolerance; natural regeneration; phenology; growth rates; etc.), critical for designing silvicultural prescriptions for regenerating and managing the species. 3) Promotion and marketing. Even if a species has desirable wood qualities, is available in sufficient quantities, and can be sustainably managed, forest industries will not use them unless a promotion and marketing effort is made by the producers. Pitsawing into small cants virtually eliminates the export market, which prefers logs. Thus, almost all wood is bought and proces-sed within the country for furniture and handicrafts, limiting markets available to producers. A local timber cutters cooperative, COATLAHL, seeks to reduce the dependence on middlemen. COATLAHL purchases transport trucks, subsidizes the prices of LKS with the higher income obtained from the sale of mahogany, and requires the purchase of LKS along with mahogany. With the establishment of a local sawmill, they will create their own value-added products from their members' wood. Non-Timber Forest Products also offer potential for sustainable income-generation from the forest. However, with so many other things to worry about, little was being done at the time of our visit. MAHOGANY by Dennis Desmond Bigleaf mahogany (Swietenia macro-phylla) occurs naturally from Mexico, through the Atlantic side of Central America, and into the southern Amazon of Bolivia and Brazil. It may be proposed for listing on Appendix II of CITES. CITES is the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species. Species listed in Appendix II can be traded if the host government certifies that the source is sustainable and does not threaten the long-term viability of the species. The two other species of mahogany in Latin America are already considered to be genetically degraded and are listed on CITES' Appendix II list: Pacific coast mahogany (S. humilis), native to the Pacific coast of Central America, listed in 1973; and small leaf mahogany (S. mahogani), native to certain Caribbean islands, listed in 1992. It has been said that if a woodworker could design the perfect wood, it would be mahogany. That is why mahogany has been harvested for centuries for a number of wood products. In Honduras, it commands the highest price, over double that of other broadleaf species. It is the traditional wood for Victorian furniture. In early days, only large, quality trees that were easily accessible were harvested. Now, even smaller trees in isolated areas are sought. The species is capable of high growth rates. It is adapted to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions, but does best on fertile, well- drained soils in tropical dry and tropical moist forest habitats. While successful in plantations in certain regions outside its native range, such as S.E. Asia and the S. Pacific, the planting of mahogany has largely failed in Latin America due to one major pest, Hypsipyla grandella. H. grandella is a moth whose larvae burrow into the terminal part of the tree's stem, causing branching, forking, or deformation of the bole. The species is most susceptible when young. No practical control methods have been developed to date, but some researchers suggest that there is potential for integrated pest management, combining tree improvement for pest resistance with silvicultural controls that maintain vigorous growth in the early years. Three silvicultural plantation systems can help in overcoming the Hypsipyla problem: mixed plantations, taungya systems with agricultural crops such as corn, and enrichment or line plantings in secondary forest. While the basis of the former two systems is essentially to 'hide' the tree from the moth, the latter system relies on natural predators and parasites of the moth. In the natural forest, the major challenge in regenerating mahogany is not Hypsipyla, but the creation of a large enough disturbance or gap. Mahogany is a pioneer, successional, light-demanding species. Normally, it establishes itself following major disturbances such as hurricanes, fire, or shifting agriculture. It can be found in the forest in small, even-aged clumps, or as scattered individuals. Selective cutting does not create significant openings with adequate sunlight in the forest to favor mahogany regeneration. Group selection is probably the most promising silvicultural system for regenerating this species. However, a market must exist for the other tree species harvested. A secure source of seedlings is a must in regeneration of mahogany. Mahogany seeds are wind-dispersed, viable for only a few weeks, and germinate best on exposed mineral soil. Thus, natural regeneration from seed can only occur if mahogany currently exists in the forest. Leaving of quality seed trees for a sufficient period of time, and avoiding of cutting during the flowering or fruiting stage are important. Direct seeding should be done in dry forest habitats, where competition is less. Fortunately, mahogany seeds store well under dry (4-5% m.c.) and cool (35-400F) conditions. Enrichment planting with nursery-grown seedlings is more expensive. With any of these options, seedlings may need tending in the first few years to ensure sufficient sunlight. Shoot-borer damage should be held in check, but not eliminated. Therefore, corrective pruning may also be needed. The creation of large openings (33% overstory reduction is ideal), and the favoring of mahogany regenera-tion, will cause changes in the density, and composition of the forest. The practice may therefore cause significant decline in forest biodiversity. For a related topic see "The Tropical Detective" in Vol. 7(3) 1993 issue of Sylvanet. THE SEARCH FOR NATURALLY - OCCURRING COMPOUNDS TO CONTROL MAHOGANY SHOOTBORER by Ben Bergman An important task facing scientists working toward sustainable forestry systems is that of the control of significant forest tree insects with natural, species- specific, non-polluting compounds. A joint research project conducted by Dr. Giovanni Onore (of the Pontificia Universidad del Ecuador) and Dr. Robert Gara (of the University of Washington) has such a goal. The Quito-Seattle collaboration focuses on the mahogany shootborer (Hypsipyla grandella), a significant pest of Spanish cedar (Cedrella odorata) and mahogany (Swietenia spp.) plantations throughout the American tropics. The approach used by Onore and Gara is that of isolating and identifying naturally-occurring chemical compounds in the tree species which are susceptible and resistant to the shootborer. For example, Spanish cedar is known to emit a volatile compound that attracts the mahogany shootborer. Based on the fact that the shootborer population decreases dramatically following several years of infestation, it is thought that the attacked trees are able to produce defensive compounds. Toona ciliata, for example, is closely related to Spanish cedar, but is highly resistant to the mahogany shootborer. T. ciliata produces compounds which are toxic to the insect. The ultimate aim is to use the constitutive and induced compounds in an applied, integrated pest management system for Hypsipyla. While this work focuses on finding methods for protecting Cedrella odorata and Swietenia spp. from Hypsipyla grandella, it is possible that results from this work will be useful in other tropical regions. The attack of plants within the Meliaceae by mahogany shootborers is a pan-tropical problem. Many methods have been tried over the last two decades in an effort to reduce shootborer populations to an economically acceptable level, but they have been unsuccessful. RWANDA: 200,000 people dead and 2500 sq km of forest destroyed in months of tribal violence. by Felicien Ntawukuliryayo Rwanda, located in central east Africa, is a country of the size of Maryland. It is land-locked between Tanzania to the East, Zaire to the West, Uganda to the North, and Burundi to the south. There are three tribes in Rwanda: Twa, Hutu, and Tutsi. The rivalry between the last two tribes has been going on for centuries. Twa were the first to inhabit Rwanda. They lived by hunting and fruit-gathering. They made pottery. The Hutu followed at about the 7th cen-tury B.C. They were farmers. The Tutsi arrived in 14th century A.D. The three tribes lived in friendship until the 17th century, when the Tutsi managed to kill all the Hutu chiefs and impose a Tutsi king. To avert any resistance, they made people believe that the king had magical powers. A social system was established with Tutsis as lords, owning all the land and the other tribes. The Hutu and Twa thus became slaves of the Tutsi. Because the lords were a minority, they had to scare and oppress people into re-spect; all those who tried disobedience were killed. Nothing changed with the onset of the colonial rule by Belgium in 1918. Belgians were interested in minerals (such as tin, beryl, and wolfram) and in building roads and schools. Hutus did all the work, while the Tutsis were assistants or representatives of the Belgians in the territory. The Hutu were not allowed to go to school. In the 1950s, with the sweep of independence across Africa, the Hutu raised against the Tutsi king and against Belgium. In July 1961, the population voted for a republic and democratic rule. Belgians had to leave. Some Tutsi sought refuge in neighboring countries to avert a revenge. From their safe refuge, they sporadically attacked the Hutu-led Rwanda. The current war started in October 1990 when general Fred Rwigema, chief of staff of the Ugandan army, and major Paul Kagame, chief of secret services in Uganda (both Tutsi), led an army of 15 battalions to attack Rwanda from its northeastern border with Uganda. The war went on for 3 months. A cease-fire was signed and broken many times. Subsequently, peace talks were organized in Arusha, Tanzania, supported by the four neighboring countries, the UN, The Organization for African Unity, the USA, Canada, France, Belgium, and Germany. Arusha accord led to the formation of a coalition government in Rwanda. This government was delayed in taking office due to a split in the major political parties. During this struggle, several Hutu politicians disappeared. They were: Emmanuel Gapyisi, an economist working for the UN, Gatabazi Felicien, civil engineer and Minister of Public Works, and Bucyana Martin, president of one of the political parties. Their families and friends blamed the Tutsi extremist group - Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) for the disappearance. Because they were influential in Rwandan politics, their death increased the tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes. Terror and panic spread over Rwanda when the plane was hit killing the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi, both of whom were Hutu, and other delegation members, both Hutu and Tutsi. Hutu feared that Tutsi would usurp the power, restore the kingdom, and oppress the Hutu again. So they came out with any weapon they could get a hold of, and attacked those who they believed were connected with the death of the president. They then attacked all the Tutsi. Most of the Tutsi were prepared to fight because minorities in power are always prepared "just in case". Hundreds of thousands of people have died in this violence, but the exact number is not known. We, the Rwandans in the US, do not know anything about what happened to our families because there are no working phones or operational post offices. Much fighting took place in Akagera National Park and the National Park of Volcanoes, where the mountain gorilla resides. In the East, RPF used antelopes, impala, buffaloes, and other wildlife as sources of meat for their army. Trees were cut for fire. Large areas of the park were burned intentionally or by accident during the war. Some 2.3 million people have left their homes to seek refuge inside or outside Rwanda. In refugee camps they use a lot of wood to hold up their tents and to cook. It is estimated that more than 120 sq km of native forests have been cleared in the first two months of the war, and that more than 2000 cubic meters of wood are being used daily. Organizations like FAO, ICRAF, ISTF, and SAF should help in assessing and repairing the damage. Felicien is a graduate student in the College of Forest Resources at NCSU. It's been months since he heard from his family or friends in Rwanda; their fate is unknown and we fear to think the worst. Felicien saves us the difficulty of asking; always with a friendly smile on his face, one could never tell the tragedy he is faced with. He is working as hard as ever on his vegetation-mapping project. LETTERS TO SYLVANET: Dr. Robert Kellison's article on Chile in the last issue of Sylvanet brought us several responses. Glad to see them! Preciseness of numbers reported was mainly lost in editorial conversions of units. Edward Wilson, School of Forestry, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland writes the following: I must take issue with some of the comments made by Bob Kellison in his article about Chile. There is a mad rush by North American and other multi-nationals to set up large forestry operations in Chile, a Third world nation that can hardly be said to have a stable democracy (though things do not seem to be as bad as they were). Most of this rush south appears to be related to the tightening restrictions on forestry operations in the Pacific North-West and British Columbia where the natu-ral forest cover has been largely removed in the past few decades. The article did a disservice to forestry if he (Dr. Kellison) thinks that we can view timber production in isolation from the socio-economic aspirations of local peoples (as opposed to governments) and the need to conserve natural forest associations. Foresters may find radiata to be the perfect species in the short-term but surely we should be advocating more balance in silvicul-tural practices. There was little evidence from the article that much effort was being put into improv-ing the native species or that silvicultural opera-tions were being undertaken according to integrated resource management principles. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, one of the foremost centres for the study and conservation of gymnosperms and other montaine tree species, is actively involved in the World Conifer Conservation Programme, aimed at preserving the gene pool of all threatened conifer species. Due to the rush south by major corporations, Chile has been identified as a focal point for this project. Currently, specimens from a cross-section of provenances of the native trees of Chile are being collected by the garden and established in Scotland and other temperate oceanic climatic zones in western Europe. The hope is that these may serve as breeding populations at some time in the future when known seed origins are required to re-establish native tree species in Chile. There almost certainly is room for the type of production forestry discussed by Professor Kellison. However, even though my area of interest is in pine seedling physiology and plantation establishment, I believe there must be more effort made in the management of natural forest types and associations. We must learn to make do with slightly lower yields if we are to take a holistic approach to forestry, one that encompasses the broad spectrum of forest values. Optimisation of forest management should not be confined to inter-nal rates of return and timber production. In Scotland, where vast areas of the countryside have been planted with Sitka spruce, we have learned that in the long-term an economics-driven programme of monoculture establishment does not carry the support of the majority of people. It would be regrettable if we in the north, who now impose strict self-regulation, cannot apply the same standards in nations with such unique and spectacular natural forests as Chile! In my humble opinion, the article should have been ringing alarm bells about the threats to the finest existing temperate rainforests, not praising the monoculture mania of big industry. And from Eduardo Pena, University of Montana: I would like to correct some misinformation in Professor Bob Kellison's article. Spain ruled Chile for 300 years before the country gained its independence in 1818. Before that time, the area was settled by Araucanian Indians. Chile was settled by more than 12 different Indian tribes, I will give some names: Diaguitas, Aymaras, Atacamenios, Araucanos, Onas, Alacalufes, Yaganes, Huilliches, Pascuenses, etc. Remnants of the Indian tribes still exist on reservations that were allocated to them in the 1880s. They are identifiable by their dark skin, colorful dress and simple way of life. The land area of Chile is 75.6 million hectares. Of that area 22 million are forested (aproximately 30 % of the total area). The total land classified as forest land is 33 million. Chile's land distribution is: Forest land 33.8 millions ha or 44.7% Agriculture land 5.5 7.3% Grazing land 8.2 10.8% Non-Productive 28.2 37.2% Of the 22 million hectares of forest, 13 milion hectares are National Parks and National Forest. Between 1965 to 1974, the average area planted per year was 32,000 ha. In 1974, the average area planted had a sharp increase, 83,000 ha, due to the forest incentive program. The average in the last 20 years has been more than 80,000 ha and in the last three years, the plantation rate was above 100,000 ha. The number of stems planted in the 70s was 2500 per hectare (2 x 2 m). The Forest Incentive Program pays for densities between 1,100 to 2,500 only when the survival rate after the first year is 75%. The first tree breeding program started in 1976 with the founding of a tree breeding cooperative by private companies and the Universidad Austral de Chile. In the late 80s a program began for Eucaly-ptus. The most common Eucalyptus planted in Chile are globulus, delegatensis, camaldulensis, cladocalyx, fastigata, nitens, regnans, and sideroxylon. Other conifer species used are Douglas fir, Populus spp., Ponderosa pine and Lodgepole pine in Coyhaique (southern Chile). The best growth rate for Eucalyptus is 40 M3/ha/year, 30 to 35 m3/ha /year for radiata pine. In many places Eucalyptus is growing faster than Radiata pine. PUBLICATIONS: SADC--Newsletter: TREE SEED NEWS The South African Development Community (SADC), in cooperation with the Canadian International Develop-ment Agency (CIDA), has established a TREE SEED CENTRE NETWORK (TSCN) project (duration 6 years: $14 million Can.) involving 10 countries: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Petawawa National Forestry Institute, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada, is the Canadian Executing Agency for CIDA. Project funds will provide resources for professional training, buildings, management, and technical assistance. The principal focus of the project is the creation of a communications system among national tree seed centres that will facilitate the exchange of information, staff, technical expertise and seed. The long term goal is to enhance local capabilities in the region towards achieving a sufficient and sustainable supply of high quality tree seed of diverse species, and thus stimu- late tree planting activities. A major step in getting this project going is the establishment of a newsletter. TREE SEED NEWS is the quarterly newsletter of SADC-TSCN. Two issues of the newsletter have been published. Issue No. 1 (NOV. 93) provides a 'who-is-who' and 'what-is-what' description of the project. Issue No. 2 (Mar. 94) concentrates on the growing of indigenous fruit trees. Seed workers throughout the world are invited to subscribe to the Newsletter Contact: The Editor, Tree Seed News, SADC Tree Seed Network, Private Bag BW 6238, Borrowdale, Harare, Zimbabwe. Voluntary contribution towards the success of the project, ie. information and cooperation, will be greatly appreciated. For more info contact: Hugh O. Schooley Petawawa National Forestry Institute P.O. Box 2000 Chalk River Ontario KOJ 1JO Canada COURSES, CONFERENCES, ETC. ENVIRNOMENTAL POLICY IN THE NETHERLANDS Objectives, instruments and practice Period: August 15 - August 26, 1994 Dutch Environmental policy is considered to be very advanced by policy makers from all over the world. Policy's main objective is cooperation with industry and agriculture. In this course, a critical evaluation of the policy's bjectives, instruments and practices is given by different specialists. Special attention is paid to the role of industry in relation to waste prevention. This two week, full-time course provides a stimulating mixture of lectures, workshops and panel discus-sions, interaction with policy-makers, scientists and business managers, and visits to the Ministry of Environment, and some companies. The number of participants is limited to 30. Application and information: The Amsterdam Summer University P.O.Box 53066, 1007 RB Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel 31 20 620 0225, Fax 31 20 624 9368 E-mail: BrHz@ivip.frw.uva.nl WORLD CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH: CO-PLANET 94 Objective is to provide a forum for individuals and groups working on projects to improve the quality of life on Earth, protect the environ-ment and promote networking. Date: July 27-31, 1994 SPONSORS: GRAN FRATERNIDAD UNIVERSAL in collaboration with UNESCO PLACE: MONTERREY, MEXICO CONTACT Javier Ferrara Morelos 877 OTE. Monterrey, N.L. 64000 Mexico ph: (8) 340 88 53 fax:(8) 345 76 86 INTENSIVE TRAINING COURSES IN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY The Conservation and Research Center of the National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, offers: REMOTE SENSING/GIS (26-30 September 1994). Participants learn to process raw data into map layers, and how GIS is used in making decisions regarding protected areas. Information on hardware, software and data needs will be discussed. Instruction using ARC-INFO by D. Muchoney and R. Meier. Apply to Intensive Training, Conservation and Research Center, Front Royal, VA 22630. Deadline for application is one month prior to course opening date. Tuition is $750, including food and lodging. For more information contact Bill McShea at Tel: 703-635-6500 Fax 703-635-6551 LOCAL HERITAGE IN THE CHANGING TROPICS -- Innovative strategies for natural resource management and control. February 10-12. CALL FOR PAPERS ON: 1. Legal Structures and Local Recognition: ethnicity as identity; roles of international entities; adaptation of culture and management 2. Constructive Market Participation: using local markets; demonstrating value; international marketing 3. Information Technologies: mapping; databases; networking; media attention Send one page abstract by September 1, 1994. Accepted authors will be notified by October 1. Final papers are due November 30. Send abstracts and/or queries to: Andi Eicher, ISTF Conference Committee, Yale School of Forestry and Enviromental Studies 205 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511 Fax:(203)432-5942 Email:cwoodwar@minerva.cis.yale.edu CORRECTIONS: correct address of the "Forest" discussion List is: mailserver@nic.funet.fi An editorial typo in the article on Chile caused limb-free logs (page 3, paragraph 2) to be 76 m (!). READ: 7.6 m. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BEST WISHES TO DENNIS DESMOND AND TOM LENT AS THEY EMBARK ON THEIR FORESTRY VOYAGES !!! Dennis, after 1.5 years of knocking on Himalaya's door, became a United Nations Volunteer in Bhutan. Tom took his brew-meister's (and other) skills to Chile as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Tom will be teaching Forestry. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CLOSE RACE IN THIS YEAR'S TROPICAL FORESTER AWARD: In what was a nail-biter until the final votes were in, Wiliam Dvorak edged Rebecca Butterfield for the Tropical Forester of the Year Award. The third nominee was Frederick Owino. The award is given anually by the Raleigh Chapter of The International Society of American Foresters (ISTF). The purpose of the awards is to recognize those, who (1) made significant contributions to advancing the science, technology, education, and/or practice of professional forestry in the tropics, and (2) used the knowledge and skills of the profession to benefit the society. This year's winner, Bill Dvorak, is Director of the Central America and Mexico Coniferous Resources Cooperative (CAMCORE). Being CAMCORE's director since its inception in 1980, Dr. Dvorak's leadership made possible the expansion of the coop from its somewhat uncertain infancy (5 members in 4 countries) to its current strong support from 20 companies in 11 countries. CAMCORE is vital to the survival and utilization of speicies from some of the most genetically diverse forests of the world, those of Central America and Mexico. Seed collections from over 25 conifer and broadleaf species in 233 locations were made between 1980 - 1992. These species have the potential to form the backbone of much of the tropical plantation forestry in the 21 st century. Congratulations Dr. Dvorak! ONCE AGAIN, SYLVANET INVITES THE FEMALE PROFESSIONALS IN INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR UNIQUE STORIES FOR A SPECIAL ISSUE OF THIS NEWSLETTER !!! > SYLVANET ALWAYS WELCOMES TYPED OR E-MAILED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ITS READERS. Please send materials to THE EDITOR, SYLVANET, College of Forest Resources, Box 8002, RALEIGH, NC 27695-8002, USA. PHONE: (919) 515-7581 FAX: (919) 515-6193 e-mail: sylvanet@cfr.cfr.ncsu.edu Sylvanet Editor: Kathryn Piatek International Programs Director: Jan Laarman > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >