Establishment and maintenance plan for Pericopsis mooniana

Establishment and maintenance plan for Pericopsis mooniana

Abstract of a seminar presentation

Based on a hypothetically formed plantation company

Sarath Ranaweera

Pericopsis mooniana (Nedun) is a perennial tree of family Fabaceae. Mature height and dbh of this species are 20-30m and 30-70cm respectively. The trees are usually located in low land wet zone forests. Timber of Pericopsis mooniana works well with the tools. It has high durability. Colour of heart wood is dark brown and sap wood is pale in colour. It is good for furniture paneling, veneer and turnery production.

Nedun Plantation Company will start to establish a commercial Nedun plantation in June 2010. It is an investment company with Eco-friendly business plan. The company hopes to provide Nedun timber to local market and provide employment opportunities for rural people. For this proposes a land is selected in Karapagala, Mathugama. It is a barren one due to long term Tea cultivation, as well as due to high soil erosion.

The land should be developed using sloping agricultural land technique. Then Gliricidia is used to soil enhancement because it is a Nitrogen fixing and Nutrient recycling tree. Coir dust is applied as a mulch and Gliricidia shoots are lopped and laid on ground as twice per year. In addition to that Desmodium is planted as live mulch.

Nedun seedlings (purchased from FD) are planted in May-June of 2011 after totally killing of Desmodium using Glyphosate. Then Nedun and Pepper seedlings are planted. N.P.K. ratio (9:13:9) fertilizer is added to Nedun plants in first three years and just after PCT at year 7. Two pruning treatments must be done at age 4 and 7. Creeper cuttings are conducted twice per year until year 5. At pre-commercial thinning, 500 trees are removed at 7 years age. Pepper yield can be obtained from year 3 to year 13 of Nedun plant age. At year 13 of Nedun plants, 1^st commercial thinning is done to remove 300 trees. This practice cannot be done with Gliricidia and Pepper. Therefore they are removed before this thinning. Gliricidia timber can be sold as fire wood. After that, the 2^nd commercial thinning is done and sold as timber at 20 years age by removing 150 trees. We assume 0.3m³ volumes at 13 years, 0.5 m³ volume at 20 years and 1.0m³ volume at 40 years from a tree. Pest and diseases threats are minimal to Nedun plantation. Most of the time leaf eating caterpillars make damages. There is no severe damage after 3 years of Nedun plant. Therefore contact poisons can be applied within nursery period to first 3 years whenever necessary. There is a minimum threat to occur a forest fire, because this plantation is located in the wet zone. Most of the time surrounding people tend do illicit felling. Therefore the company expects to provide security using four watchers. One other benefit in addition to above of Pericopsis mooniana is that it can used to prevent soil erosion due to the heavy crown. It is also a carbon sink and create scenic value as a natural forest are more important through environmental view.