Glenn Galloway, Luis Ugalde and William Vásquez
Abstract
Silvicultural management of tropical plantations has lagged far behind advances in plantation establishment. Even though lack of thinning in fast growing plantations rapidly leads to competition-induced stress, reforestation programs in many tropical countries have failed to recognize the urgency of the problem. Quantitative tree characteristics including live crown ratios, height-diameter ratios, diameter and height increments are useful indicators of tree and stand vigor. Practical approaches to plantation management are described which are being applied in plantations of teak, melina, eucalypt and other species in Central America. Promising areas of research are outlined including stand dynamics of tropical plantations and the need for long-term monitoring of permanent plots in thinned stands. The important role of public and private sector entities, universities and international research organizations in future research is emphasized.
Keywords: Tropical plantations, stand dynamics, stand vigor, thinning, site productivity.
OE Nov 21, 1996