A case study of smallholder eucalyptus plantation silviculture in Eastern Paraguay

Abstract

Smallholder eucalyptus (Eucalyptus species) plantation forestry is common among rural farmers in Eastern Paraguay. Yet there has been no systematic study of the silvicultural practices utilized by smallholder plantation owners in the region. In response, I conducted a case study of semi-structured interviews with 45 eucalyptus-owning smallholders. My study characterizes the households that have adopted eucalyptus forestry and the management of these plantations. Silvicultural practices varied among households and, for some parameters, among regions. Improved extension efforts could enable eucalyptus plantation owners in the study population to improve production both for commercial sale and domestic use.Key words: plantations, smallholder forestry, exotic forestry, eucalyptus, silviculture RÉSUMÉ La foresterie propre aux plantations d' eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) réalisées par de petits propriétaires est une chose courante parmi les agriculteurs ruraux de l' est du Paraguay. Cependant, il n' existe aucune étude systématique des pratiques sylvicoles utilisées par les petits propriétaires de plantation de la région. En conséquence, j'ai entrepris une étude de cas à partir d' entrevues semi-structurées menées auprès de 45 petits propriétaires de plantation d' eucalyptus. Mon étude établit le portrait des propriétaires qui ont entrepris de cultiver l' eucalyptus et d'aménager ces plantations. Les pratiques sylvicoles variaient entre les propriétaires et, dans le cas de quelques paramètres, entre les régions. Des efforts accrus de diffusion de l'information pourraient permettre aux propriétaires de plantation d' eucalyptus dans la population sous étude d'améliorer leur production tant au niveau de la vente commerciale que de l'utilisation domestique.

Ecosystem service trade-offs and land use among smallholder farmers in eastern Paraguay

“…2-4, often require extensive training, technical knowledge, and new equipment (Evans 1988). The families described in the present study had all adopted eucalyptus plantation forestry, but were often uncertain about the best silvicultural practices for the exotic species (Grossman 2012). Their adoption may also entail considerable risk for smallholders (Weisskoff 1992).…”

“…This pattern is manifest in present land-use patterns. On average, smallholders in the study population owned a mean of 4.84 ha of forested land, comprising on average only 14.8% of all holdings (Grossman 2012). Seven participants out of 38 owned no forested lands at all.…”

“…In a mixed-methods case study approach involving interviews with heads of farming families who had invested in eucalyptus plantation forestry, I assessed silvicultural management (Grossman 2012) and land-use practices and attitudes (Grossman, personal data) among smallholders in four Paraguayan departments located in the Paraguayan Atlantic Forest ecoregion. This investigation took the form of a holistic, multiple-case study (sensu Yin 2003) in which households were treated as distinct cases.…”

“…(1) A typical smallholder parcel in the study system was divided into several different land uses (Grossman 2012). The model instantiations described below allow for the quantification of expected output of provisioning and supporting service form heterogeneously managed parcels given both observed and potential patterns of land use.…”

“…Given these constraints and trade-offs, I then describe factors that impede sustainable management and potential pathways for more sustainable outcomes. I apply this framework to a system described in earlier work (Grossman 2012), generating a spatially implicit model that, through various instantiations, reflects realized and potential ecosystem-service provision from smallholder farms in eastern Paraguay. This model treats individual smallholders as landscape managers who assign various segments of their holdings to assorted land uses.…”