This paper reports experiences and inferences in the development of a decision support system (DSS) for smallholder tree plantation development in Regions 2, 10, and 13 in the Philippines. It was found out that farmers in these regions are not practicing intensive plantation management. Silvicultural practices and cultural management including weeding, fertilization, pruning and thinning, if practiced, are done arbitrarily. Choice of species is mainly based on seed availability, and time for harvest is selected based on gut feeling and more often dictated by the need to convert crops to liquid assets. Although the farmers claimed they are realizing positive returns from investment, analysis showed that the production from plantations can be increased. A DSS is being developed to show these realities to the farmers and to allow them to evaluate options to increase production. The main component of the system is a database on silvicultural regimes and management requirements of mahogany, mangium and yemane in plantations. Data were gathered from reported results of previous studies. The DSS also has a database of the various policies affecting the decisions that farmers take. The other component of the system is a dynamic growth model that simulates plantation performance. With the databases and the dynamic models put together in a DSS, a decision-support tool is developed that allows the developers to conduct a trial and error or ‘what if’ analysis on a proposed or existing plantation, prior to implementation of an activity or treatment. The DSS is being developed to assist smallholder tree plantation developers in making technical and business decisions, from choice of species to conduct of cultural management activities to final harvest to transport of raw materials
