Assessing the Socioecological Perspectives of Eucalyptus Cultivation and Plantation Expansion in Laos

Abstract

In Laos, the cultivation of fast growing trees as eucalypts has been promoted due to a rapid decline in natural forest cover. However, this expansion of fast growing trees might not end in a win-win situation for both humans and the environment. This paper examines the social and ecological potentials of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) cultivation and the resultant environmental consequences. To achieve this, we carried out a comprehensive survey of published scientific literature obtained through Web of Science, Researchgate, Mendeley, and Google Scholar. We found that eucalyptus is a fast-growing source of wood and produces oils used in fuels, fragrances, and insecticides. Despite being of this high commercial value to rural farmers and large industries, eucalyptus harms watersheds and if not properly managed, destroys ecosystems through its allelopathic and water absorption tendencies. Nevertheless, with adequate and effective management and proper sustainable planning or involvement of rural farmers in the decision making process, eucalyptus cultivation would have a very positive social and ecological impact.

Co2 Emission Trends and Risk Zone Mapping of Forest Fires in Subtropical and Moist Temperate Forests of Pakistan

“…Globally, tree cover loss was observed to have attained a record 2.97 million km 2 in 2016 (Weisse and Goldman, 2017), the loss is 51% higher than the previous year with forest fires being the primary cause of this spike. In the Brazilian Amazonian region tree cover loss was estimated at over 370,000 km 2 nearly three times more than in 2015, this increase mainly occurred in the states of Pará and Maranhão, which were heavily affected by fire in late 2015 and early 2016 (Chanthalath, 2017) Forest fires are the greatest potential risk to stored terrestrial carbon and each year an estimated 2-3 PgC are released into the atmosphere corresponding to about 3-4 million km 2 of burnt forests (Giglio, 2006;Hansen et al, 2013;Weisse and Goldman, 2017). Forest fires cause changes in the earth's biological and physical characteristics which over the years, affect carbon exchange (Harden et al, 2000;Vilen and Fernandes, 2011).…”