Innovative agroforestry designs for oil palm-dominated landscapes

TRAILS stands for “climaTe Resilient lAndscapes for wIldLife conServation”; it is a multidisciplinary research project aimed at assessing innovative solutions for wildlife and people in oil palm-dominated landscapes in Sabah, Borneo Island, Malaysia. Mixed-tree forests can provide habitat in a context of industrial agriculture, as pioneer native tree species proved efficient in restoring healthy riparian forests and providing food and shelter for wildlife. Biodiversity corridors also contribute to climatic resilience, as agroforestry systems mitigate climate change through the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in plants and soil. Mixed plantations are also able to improve livelihoods: it is key to understand ecosystems services and wellbeing values attributed by local communities to the reforestation of riparian areas and the transition from monoculture plantations towards mixed-planted systems. TRAILS objective is to install oil-palm-based agroforestry systems, using selected oil palm seedlings and native forest tree species grown in locally-run village nurseries. The project aims at monitoring the dynamics of recolonization by wildlife in areas covered with mixed-planting, riparian corridors, and oil palm plantations. TRAILS was allocated an area of ca. 100 ha by the MOPP plantation, from which 22 ha were planted in September 2022, using 15 different native forest species for a total of 3,000 saplings. Three specific planting designs were installed. A 15-ha extension of the project is planned for 2023 on the same site, involving the plantation of 3,000 more trees. The project monitors the agronomic performance of oil palms planted under agroforestry designs. TRAILS also aims at understanding key characters of climate resilience through the monitoring of bioclimatic condition of the parcels and their ability to provide environmental services. TRAILS builds on a complementary partnership, linking academic, NGOs, private and public stakeholders, thus enabling integrated approaches arising from various science fields, from agronomy and forestry to veterinary sciences, including a detailed socioeconomic approach

TRAILS: A pilot agroforestry project for oil palm-dominated landscapes

Through the loss of structurally complex habitats, biodiversity is drastically reduced in oil palm-dominated landscapes and deforestation impairs key ecosystem services. Despite its commercial success, intensive oil palm monoculture must cope with constraints imposed by climate change and labour shortages. Deep changes are needed to adapt the traditional plantation model and to innovate on more resilient cultivation systems. Oil palm-based agroforestry is expected to regenerate biodiversity in monocultural landscapes while providing sustainable income to farmers. The TRAILS Project has established an international consortium linking a research organization (CIRAD), a community-based environmental NGO (HUTAN), a Malaysian University (Universiti Putra Malaysia), and a commercial oil palm plantation (Melangking Oil Palm Plantations). The consortium has set up experimental oil palm-based agroforestry plots in a commercial plantation located in Sabah, Malaysia, a global hotspot of biodiversity. Our agroforestry trials seek to assess the ability of a forest species (either as an individual or mixed planting) to be successfully associated with oil palm and to create more viable complex diversified agrosystemswhich will be able to support wildlife in a sustainable way. The Sabah Biodiversity Centre (SaBC) is currently preparing the nomination of the Kinabatangan landscape as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve, and Hutan has been appointed as the consultant to assist in this initiative. Partners are organising a workshop on the draft management plan for the Kinabatangan Biosphere Reserve (KBR) that will include key stakeholders from state government agencies, community leaders, oil palm companies, and tourism operators. We would be honoured if you could present a brief introductory talk about "the TRAILS project: Innovative agroforestry designs in oil palm plantations" as a key project conducted in the Kinabatangan

Designing innovative agroforestry systems in oil palm-dominated landscapes

Background. TRAILS stands for “climaTe Resilient lAndscapes for wIldLife conServation”. TRAILS is a multidisciplinary research project aimed at identifying innovative solutions at the landscape level. Methods. Mixed-tree forests provide habitat: Pioneer tree species are most efficient in restoring sustainable riparian forests and provide shelter for wildlife. As soon as the canopy starts closing, small mammals, primates or birds start to disseminate seeds originating from nearby patches of natural forests. Biodiversity corridors provide climatic resilience: Agroforestry systems have an important role to play in mitigating climate change, through the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in plants and soil. Changes in GHG emissions and soil organic carbon stocks are monitored after land conversion into agroforest. Mixed plantations provide a livelihood: It is key to understand changes in the structure and stability of oil palm planters' income induced by the transition from monoculture plantations towards mixed-planted systems. Objectives • To install oil-palm-based agroforestry systems: mixed planting are installed using selected oil palm seedlings and native forest species grown in dedicated nurseries in the study area (Sabah, Borneo Island, Malaysia). • To monitor wildlife recolonization dynamics (abundance, diversity, and mobility) in areas covered with mixed-planting, riparian corridors, and oil palms. • To study the agronomic performance of oil palms: growth, development, and nutrition of palms together with fruit yields and bunch characteristics are measured. • To understand key characters of climate resilience through the monitoring of bioclimatic condition of the parcels and their ability to provide environmental services. • To analyze the socioeconomic impact of the transition from oil palm monospecific plantation to agroforestry systems. Conclusion TRAILS builds on a complementary partnership, linking academic, NGOs, private and public stakeholders, thus enabling integrated approaches arising from various science fields, from agronomy and forestry to veterinary sciences while including a detailed socioeconomic approach of livelihoods

Innovative agroforestry designs for tropical plantation landscapes - the TRAILS project

TRAILS stands for “climaTe Resilient lAndscapes for wIldLife conServation”; it is a multidisciplinary research project aimed at assessing innovative solutions for wildlife and people in oil palm-dominated landscapes in Sabah, Borneo Island, Malaysia. Mixed-tree forests can provide habitat in a context of industrial agriculture, as pioneer tree species are efficient in restoring healthy riparian forests and providing shelter for wildlife. Biodiversity corridors also contribute to climatic resilience, as agroforestry systems can mitigate climate change through the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in plants and soil. Mixed plantations also improve livelihoods: it is key to understand ecosystems services and wellbeing values attributed by local communities to the reforestation of riparian areas and the transition from monoculture plantations toward mixed-planted systems. TRAILS objective is to install oil-palm-based agroforestry systems, using selected oil palm seedlings and native forest tree species grown in locally run village nurseries. The project also aims at monitoring the dynamics of recolonization by wildlife in areas covered with mixed-planting, riparian corridors, and oil palm plantations. The project monitors the agronomic performance of oil palms planted under agroforestry designs. TRAILS also aims at understanding key characters of climate resilience through the monitoring of bioclimatic condition of the parcels and their ability to provide environmental services. TRAILS builds on a complementary partnership, linking academic, NGOs, private and public stakeholders, thus enabling integrated approaches arising from various science fields, from agronomy and forestry to veterinary sciences, including a detailed socioeconomic approach

Synergies for Improving Oil Palm Production and Forest Conservation in Floodplain Landscapes

Lowland tropical forests are increasingly threatened with conversion to oil palm as global demand and high profit drives crop expansion throughout the world’s tropical regions. Yet, landscapes are not homogeneous and regional constraints dictate land suitability for this crop. We conducted a regional study to investigate spatial and economic components of forest conversion to oil palm within a tropical floodplain in the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The Kinabatangan ecosystem harbours significant biodiversity with globally threatened species but has suffered forest loss and fragmentation. We mapped the oil palm and forested landscapes (using object-based-image analysis, classification and regression tree analysis and on-screen digitising of high-resolution imagery) and undertook economic modelling. Within the study region (520,269 ha), 250,617 ha is cultivated with oil palm with 77% having high Net-Present-Value (NPV) estimates ($413/ha?yr–$637/ha?yr); but 20.5% is under-producing. In fact 6.3% (15,810 ha) of oil palm is commercially redundant (with negative NPV of $-299/ha?yr-$-65/ha?yr) due to palm mortality from flood inundation. These areas would have been important riparian or flooded forest types. Moreover, 30,173 ha of unprotected forest remain and despite its value for connectivity and biodiversity 64% is allocated for future oil palm. However, we estimate that at minimum 54% of these forests are unsuitable for this crop due to inundation events. If conversion to oil palm occurs, we predict a further 16,207 ha will become commercially redundant. This means that over 32,000 ha of forest within the floodplain would have been converted for little or no financial gain yet with significant cost to the ecosystem. Our findings have globally relevant implications for similar floodplain landscapes undergoing forest transformation to agriculture such as oil palm. Understanding landscape level constraints to this crop, and transferring these into policy and practice, may provide conservation and economic opportunities within these seemingly high opportunity cost landscapes

Designing innovative agroforestry systems in oil palm-dominated landscapes

Background. TRAILS stands for “climaTe Resilient lAndscapes for wIldLife conServation”. TRAILS is a multidisciplinary research project aimed at identifying innovative solutions for wildlife and people in multiple-use landscapes. Methods. Mixed-tree forests provide habitat in the context of industrial agriculture: Pioneer tree species are efficient in restoring healthy riparian forests and providing shelter for wildlife. THen small mammals, primates or disseminate seeds originating from nearby patches of natural forests and contribute to the natural cycle of forest regeneration. Biodiversity corridors contribute to climatic resilience as agroforestry systems can mitigate climate change through the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in plants and soil. Changes in GHG emissions and soil organic carbon stocks are monitored after land conversion into agroforest. Mixed plantations can also improve livelihoods: It is key to understand changes in the structure and stability of oil palm planters' income induced by the transition from monoculture plantations towards mixed-planted systems. Objectives • To install oil-palm-based agroforestry systems: mixed planting are installed using selected oil palm seedlings and native forest tree species grown in locally-run nurseries in the study area (Sabah, Borneo Island, Malaysia). • To monitor wildlife recolonization dynamics (abundance, diversity, and mobility) in areas covered with mixed-planting, riparian corridors, and oil palms. • To study the agronomic performance of oil palms: growth, development, and nutrition of palms together with fruit yields and bunch characteristics are measured. • To understand key characters of climate resilience through the monitoring of bioclimatic condition of the parcels and their ability to provide environmental services. • To analyze the socioeconomic impact of the transition from oil palm monospecific plantation to agroforestry systems. Conclusion TRAILS builds on a complementary partnership, linking academic, NGOs, private and public stakeholders, thus enabling integrated approaches arising from various science fields, from agronomy and forestry to veterinary sciences while including a detailed socioeconomic approach of livelihoods

Aerial Surveys Give New Estimates for Orangutans in Sabah, Malaysia

Great apes are threatened with extinction, but precise information about the distribution and size of most populations is currently lacking. We conducted orangutan nest counts in the Malaysian state of Sabah (North Borneo), using a combination of ground and helicopter surveys, and provided a way to estimate the current distribution and size of the populations living throughout the entire state. We show that the number of nests detected during aerial surveys is directly related to the estimated true animal density and that a helicopter is an efficient tool to provide robust estimates of orangutan numbers. Our results reveal that with a total estimated population size of about 11,000 individuals, Sabah is one of the main strongholds for orangutans in North Borneo. More than 60% of orangutans living in the state occur outside protected areas, in production forests that have been through several rounds of logging extraction and are still exploited for timber. The role of exploited forests clearly merits further investigation for orangutan conservation in Sabah