Effect of farmer woodlots on farmers

Evaluation of farmers woodlots in the aspects of growth and effect on farmers

Thilina Jayarathne and Upul Subasinghe

Paper presented for the 14th International Forestry and Environmental Symposium 2009

The total forest cover of Sri Lanka is estimated as 32% from the total land area. More than 50% of this area lies in the dry zone where the original forests have been cleared drastically. Plantation forests are therefore being established particularly with exotics as local species are very slow growing, despite their very high timber value. Teak was the first exotic species introduced to Sri Lanka by Dutch in the 17th century for replanting purpose. Other than planting by Forest Department of Sri Lanka, the other methods of establishing teak plantations were community forestry projects (CFP), and now by participatory forestry projects (PFP).

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the farmers' woodlot programmes to identify the effects on farmers. For this purpose, a questionnaire survey was conducted to obtain information on their socio-economic status and management constraints from Anuradhapura, Thambuttegama, Kekirawa Ranges (Anuradhapura Forest Division), Habarana Range (Polonnaruwa Forest Division) and Galgamuawa Range (Kurunegala Forest Division). The questionnaire was distributed among randomly selected ten farmers of each plantation (altogether 214 plantations).

The results revealed the inadequacy of current lease agreement (25 years) and 100% of the respondents wanted to have an extension varying from 5 to 50 years. Moreover, 98% of the total respondents agreed to implement this programme for a second rotation. Farmers have been given a proper guidance by the government officers during the initial establishment stage of the farmer's woodlots. However, it has become inadequate with the time, especially when pruning and thinning are required. Elephant's damages and lack of water are the major problems faced by the most of the farmers. However, according to the farmers, there were minimum elephant damage after plantations become naturalised as witnessed in the Rambukwewa plantation in the Kekirawa range.

Results and direct observations also indicated that some lands given to establish farmers' woodlots are marginal lands for plant growth. Most of lands also indicated frequent fire and erosion. Since teak needs comparatively more nutrients for plant growth, it is recommended to evaluate the chosen sites for (i) the available nutrient levels, (ii) required timber species to match the site quality and (iii) the required growth rate.

In order to enhance the income of the farmers, it is recommended to start the second cycle of woodlots soon after completing the present one, perhaps with better management techniques. However, the plantations vulnerable for elephant damages should not be replanted using teak unless there is an effective protection system. Otherwise such plantations should gradually be converted to natural dry zone forests by the local species such as Azadirachta indica and Tamarindus indica.

Establishment of farmers' woodlots in Sri Lanka

Establishment of farmers' woodlots in Sri Lanka

Abstract of a seminar presentation

Asanka Wijewarnasuriya

Farmers’ Woodlots are an outcome of some donor funded social forestry projects such as Participatory Forestry Project (1993-1999) implemented by the Forest Department. There are about 15,500 ha of Farmers’ Woodlots have been established in 19 districts of Sri Lanka. The major species used for this purpose is teak (Tectona grandis). In addition to that, species such as Neem (Azadirachta indica), Eucalypts (Eucalyptus species) and Khaya (Khaya senegelensis) have also been used. There are monocultures and mixed-cultures such as Neem-Teak mix.

People belonged to lower income groups have been selected for this programme and they were given incentives for the establishment of Woodlots. They were given lands under a lease agreement for a period of 25 years, and food coupons, seedlings, fertilizer, right of intercropping in the given land and technical assistance were also given. Those incentives encouraged them to establish Woodlots by using their labour, time and knowledge. People have the right to harvest timber after the rotation age of 25 years.

Establishment of Farmers’ Woodlots has contributed to increase the tree cover and to conserve the natural forests. By fufilling the objective of establishing those forests, poverty reduction has occurred due to Farmers’ Woodlots. However, growth rates in most Farmers’ Woodlots are poor. In accordance to provincial yield table values, most of the woodlots fall in height class III. In respect of Farmers’ Woodlots, per tree average volume was found to be 38% with regards to provincial yield table values. The major reason for poor growth rates has been the less productivity associated with the lands selected. Mismatching of species and sites, water shortage, uncontrolled burning of weeds have been other reasons for poor growth.

Most of the people participated for Farmers’ Woodlots Programmes, due to early incentives. Therefore, it is obvious that people haven’t been educated well about the importance of the programme. Inadequate monitoring and assistance of Forest Department is another problem which has lead to weak maintenance of Woodlots by farmers. Most of the people who participated to Farmers’ Woodlots Programme have ignored the final or the long-term benefit which is timber. Due to the incentives given, people have completed the planting of seedlings and the maintenance of Woodlots during the first 3-4 years successfully. However, in respect of the long-term benefits, Farmers’ Woodlots Programme has been unsuccessful.

In order to overcome those issues, it can be recommended that planting of Nitrogen Fixing Trees in vacant places after thinning operations, planting of elephant repellent tree species around the woodlots and extending the rotation period for existing woodlots. For newly establishing woodlots consideration of site-species compatibility, use of fast growing species and use of a better monitoring plan can also be recommended.

Evaluation of Teak Growth in Farmer Woodlots in Sri Lanka

Evaluation of growth of teak (Tectona grandis) managed as farmer woodlots in dry and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka with reference to selected soil physical and chemical properties
by
Thilina Jayarathne and Upul Subasinghe

The replanting activities using new species were started in Sri Lanka as early as 1680s with the introduction of teak. Since then teak has become widely planted in dry and intermediate zones of the Island. One of the main methods of establishing teak plantations was by the farmer woodlots with a participatory approach.

However, the growth studies of those woodlots have not widely been conducted in Sri Lanka to identify the social issues and the management problems. Therefore this study was conducted to identify the growth of teak under diffferent soil parameters of farmer woodlots and to identify the possible relationships among growth parameters and soil properties. For this purpose, 17 teak plantations were selected for the data collection with age varying from 8 to 13 years. Those plantations were seleced from Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Forest Divisions to represent the dry zone and from Kurunegala Forest Division to represent the intermediate zone. Three farmer woodlots from each plantation were randomly selected and three sample plots were laid in each woodlot. Dbh and total height were measured for all trees in each sample plot. Bulk density, pH, mechanical properties, colour, soil nitrate, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium were measured using standard methods at the laboratory for the collected soil samples.

After statistical and graphical analysis of those variables, it was observed that both height and dbh indicated exponential relationship with plantation age. The sand% of the selected plantations varied from 68.6 to 96.4%. The clay% varied from 0.3 to 7.5%. Silt% changed from 3.2 to 27.2%. The observed soil types were belonged to sand, sandy loam and loamy sand. The heighest bulk density was 2.313 gcm-3 while the lowest was 0.896 gcm-3. The observed nitrate values varied from 2.133 to 7.466 ppm. The highest and lowest values of phosphorus concentration were 254 and 56 ppm respectively. Potassium varied from 4.126 to 8.326 ppm. However, calcium was not detected for most of the soil samples. It was important to note that the pH values were below 7.0 for all plantations.

When the sand% of soil increased, the growth of teak showed a decreasing trend and higher growth rates were observed with increasing clay%. Moreover, both height and a growth index developed for this study showed an increase with high amounts of nitrogen. Moreover, it was observed that soil nitrogen and phosphorus tend to increase with increasing clay% of soil. Growth of teak in most farmer woodlots are in between height classes II and III according to the yield tables published by Sri Lanka Forest Department.