Intercropping Short Rotation Timber Species with Teak: Enabling Smallholder Silviculture Practices

Abstract

Community forest management for timber production requires short- and long-rotation companion species to fulfill the demands of the timber industry, improve farmer welfare and maintain environmental sustainability. Four species (Falcataria moluccana, Neolamarckia cadamba, Acacia mangium and Gmelina arborea) were tested as short-rotation timber crop companion species for teak (Tectona grandis) on dry-rocky soil in the Gunungkidul community forest. The selection of short-rotation timber species was based on growth performance and survival rate at the teak site. Two years after planting, the viability of G. arborea (87.3%) and A. mangium (78.2%) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of N. cadamba (40.6%) and F. moluccana (18.0%). G. arborea and N. cadamba achieved the best growth in terms of height, diameter, basal area, and volume, with the growth of A. mangium and F. moluccana being significantly inferior. Gmelina arborea has the ability to adapt to teak sites, grow well, and accompany teak. Neolamarckia cadamba demonstrated good growth with potential as a teak companion, and it demonstrated limited drought tolerance on the dry-rocky soils of the study sites. Acacia mangium had a high survival but produced slow growth, indicating that it required an advance evaluation in future years. Falcataria moluccana has different growing site requirements to teak so the performance was relatively poor at the study site. This mixed pattern provides benefits to farmers through commercial thinning of short rotations species, 5–8 years post establishment. Thinning operations will also increase the productivity of residual teak stands. The diversification of timber species in community forests can provide earlier returns, enabling the adoption of silviculture management by smallholders and communities.

Promoting smart agroforestry of sengon-based arrowroot and cardamom to support food security

“…The planting area is located in a good environmental condition for the cultivation of arrowroot and cardamom in an agroforestry system. In accordance to the other studies that the optimum temperature for sengon growth is 22-29℃, wet climate, with rainfall of 2000-2700 mm [20], arrowroot plants optimally grow at an altitude of 5 -1,351 m asl, temperature 20-36℃, humidity 40-72% and light intensity 12-56% [21], meanwhile cardamom requires a dry but cool climate at temperature 20-30℃ with 30-70% sunlight intensity, and requires shade throughout its life cycle [7], so they are very appropriate to be developed in a smart agroforestry system. The use of organic matter in the form of manure and treatment of bokashi fertilization supported the improvement of soil physical and chemical properties in this research, including the increase of total soil nitrogen, cation exchange capacity and porosity in clay-textured soils, and reduced soil bulk density.…”

Evaluating agroforestry patterns to increase land productivity of Falcataria moluccana private forests in Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara

“…Infertile soil conditions also cause less optimal development of F. moluccana. As happened in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, the incremental growth and survival of F. moluccana were lower compared to three other timber species, so it was not recommended as a short-cycle companion species with teak (Sudomo et al, 2021). The planting time of the agroforestry pattern is also thought to affect the productivity of F. moluccana.…”

The effects of teak shades at different ages on early growth of 3 tuber species in Semin Village, Gunung Kidul

“…tubers under the stands in private forests. Private forests in Semin Village were dominated by teak stands (Tectona grandis L.f.) (7). However, there were also other stands such as mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni L.Jacq.)…”