Nursery management in relation to root deformation, sowing and shading

The polybag is widely used for seedling production in the Philippines. Seedlings commonly have root deformation which has adverse effects as they grow and develop into mature trees. This study assessed the influence of potting technique and hardening intensity on the growth performance of seedlings in nursery and field conditions. Seedlings of bagras (Eucalyptus deglupta) and mangium (Acacia mangium) were grown in hiko trays and 4" x 6" polybags at the College of Forestry nursery, Leyte State University (LSU). Kalumpit (Terminalia microcarpa) and pellita (Eucalyptus pellita) were used for a trial in the Conalum Agroforestry Farmers Association (CAFA) nursery in Inopacan, Leyte, aimed at validating LSU results and at the same time evaluating farmers' perceptions on the use of hiko trays and polybags in seedling production. It was found that seedlings of bagras, mangium, kalumpit and pellita grown in hiko trays have smaller diameter and height compared with those in polybags at 12 weeks. Root deformation of seedlings was absent in hiko trays but high with seedlings in polybags. As perceived by both farmers and ACIAR researchers, hiko tray seedlings are of high quality exhibiting sturdy shoot, trained roots and homogenous growth

Building-up partnerships for community forestry: The ACIAR smallholder forestry project experience

This paper reports experiences of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) Smallholder Forestry Project in the establishment of a working relationships with a people's organisation in Leyte Province, the Philippines. Strategies adopted in building a partnership with the organisation through the establishment of a community nursery, conduct of field trial research and the emerging practical impacts on smallholders are specifically discussed. Information presented in this paper is the outcome of documented field experiences during the research as well as informal discussions with members of the people's organisation. This project illustrates that within-community research can be an effective extension tool if local people are given the chance to participate in all stages of planning and implementation. Mere participation in research activities, however, is not enough. Ongoing interaction between the researchers and the local people is crucial in paving the way to partnership-building. The developmental partnership that was established has created practical impacts which may lead to more widespread adoption and promotion of farm and community forestry in Leyte Province

Progress and prospects of community forestry in developing and developed countries

The original publication can be found at www.springerlink.comCommunity forestry is practiced in various countries throughout the world, with respect to both native forests and plantations, for livelihood and forest protection purposes and also for urban amenity values. While forests have been managed to some extent by communities for thousands of years, modern models of community forestry have been practiced widely for only about 30 years. Community forestry takes many forms; there is no unique definition or categorisation, although a number of characteristics are frequently present. There is in general, involvement of a local community in forest planning as well as management, for a form of forestry which is usually relatively small-scale, motivated by multiple objectives, and receiving some financial support and organisational assistance by government and non-government organisations. Where plantations are established, these may be managed as common property, individual property rights may apply, or there may be a combination of both. Analysis of the specific research studies included in this issue reveals that community forestry systems have been refined over time as experience is gained in program designs, and notable successes have been achieved. However, ‘the jury is still out’ on whether community forestry has lived up to the optimistic expectations of its proponents.Steve Harrison and Jungho Su