9 de September 2014, La Pitaloza, Herrera Jacob L. Slusser, Panama Coordinator Neotropics Training Program
ELTI es una iniciativa de: En colaboración con:
Ecological Restoration Strategies in Agricultural Landscapes of Panama
What is ELTI? ELTI is… • An initiative of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental
Studies
• In collaboration with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama) and the National University of Singapore (Asia)
ELTI’s Mission • Offer land-use decision makers the knowledge, tools, abilities
motivation and contacts to advance the protection, restoration and sustainable management of productive landscapes
ELTI es una iniciativa de: En colaboración con:
ELTI’s Audience: Decision makers
- Ministry officials, farmers, extensionists, community representatives and other important people who make land use decisions in modified landscapes
ELTI’s Programs:
Training Program - Workshops, field courses, conferences, on-line courses
Leadership Program - Work with ELTI course alumni in two principal areas: 1) personal
development; (2) projects and initiatives
Summary of ELTI
September 9, 2014, La Pitaloza, Herrera Jacob L. Slusser, Panama Coordinator Neotropics Training Program
ELTI es una iniciativa de: En colaboración con:
Ecological Restoration Strategies in Agricultural Landscapes of Panama
Panama’s land use context
Cubertura boscosa en Panamá, 2014. Fuente: ANAM
• More than 30% of Panama’s forests were lost between 1960 y 2000
• Deforestation rate has decreased in the last 10 years due to tougher environmental regulation, land abandonment and reforestation efforts
• While there has been an increase in ecological restoration information, it does not often reach its audience and therefore land degradation continues due to inappropriate land use and management decisions
Mapa de Cobertura Boscosa y Uso de Suelo 2012
Reforestation en Panamá
Tectona grandis,
24,731
Pachira quinata ,
1,505
Pinus caribaea,
1,963
Others, 1,974
Kaya
senegalensis,
1,288Acacia mangium,
1,227
Área reforestada en la República de Panamá (hectáreas) por especie, 1992-2002. Fuente: ANAM 2003
Why plant exotic species? 1. Scientific studies and extensive silvicultural science knowledge 2. Characteristics for poor soils and harsh climates, but also less natural predators 3. High performance and quick rotation 4. High demand by international markets 5. Because they are different (fad)
Reforestation with exotic species can restore certain characteristics but cannot recuperate the complete integrity of the ecosystem.
Why plant native tree species?
Generate additional benefits for the wellbeing of humans and ecosystems, such as:
1. Support more biodiversity
• (Lamb et al., 2005; Harvey et al., 2008; Rodrigues et al. 2009)
2. Improve the provision and regulation of water • (Bruijnzeel, 2004; van Dijk and Keenan, 2007; Ogden et al., 2013)
3. Reduce the susceptibility of ecosystems and different risks • (Chazdon et al., 2009; Calle et al., 2010)
4. Provide cultural and economic valuable species • (Garen et al., 2009; Garen et al. 2011; Hall et al., 2011)
5. Increase the productivity in agricultural landscapes • (Murgueitio et al., 2011)
• Agroforestry and agro-successional systems • Silvopastoral systems (SPS) and intensive silvopastoral systems (iSPS)
Many of benefits but very little knowledge!
Consequences of unsustainable land use…
Consequences of unsustainable land use…
Consequences of unsustainable land use…
Consequences of unsustainable land use…
Can conservation and production live together?
The conflict between conservation and production…
• Ecological restoration is an activity that deliberately initiates or accelerates the
recuperation of an ecosystem in regards to its health, integrity and sustainability
• How can we work with nature against of working against nature?
The function of forests
What do forests do?
Why are forests important? Provide ecosystem services
• The goods and benefits that we obtain from the functions of ecosystems for our wellbeing
1. Production services
2. Support and regulation services
3. Cultural services
Production services
1. Water • Human consumption, cattle,
agriculture
2. Food • Fruit and seeds for human
consumption, cattle and wildlife
3. Wood • Sale, construction, furniture,
paper, artisan works, musical instruments, etc.
4. Medicine • Pharmaceutical • Campo medicine
Foto: STRI
Support and regulation services
1. Soil formation • Maintains soil fertility, structure and
associated organisms • Nutrient cycles
2. Water regulation
• Water infiltration and storage • Decrease of surface runoff and
flooding risks • Maintains stream flow in dry season • Maintains quality of water
3. Regulation of climate • Climate change • Micro-climate (shade)
4. Biodiversity • Pollination • Instrument of equilibrium and
biological control of pests
www.taringa.net/ www.fao.org/forestry ellaboratoriodedarwin http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detrit%C3%ADvoro
La vida en los suelos
• ¿Qué es el suelo?
http://www.afinidadelectrica.com.ar/articulo.php?IdArticulo=172
Bacterias y hongos Protistas y nematodos Micro artrópodos Termitas, hormigas y
lombrices
• ¡El suelo es un mundo! • El suelo está habitado por millones de
animales y microorganismos
• 1 gramo de suelo = 1 billón de bacterias
• 1 m2 = 2 millones de nematodos
• ¡Sus interacciones y procesos juegan un papel grande con la fertilidad de los suelos!
• Si estos organismos mueren, el suelo también “se muere” (no sirve para mantener el crecimiento vigoroso de las plantas)
Ingenieros del suelo
• Se forman estructuras como túneles y hoyos
• Son importantes para los procesos del suelo
• Porosidad del suelo
• Mejor drenaje y aeración
• Infiltración, retención y almacenaje de agua
• Reciclaje de nutrientes • Descomposición de
materia orgánica
• Ayudan a la producción de plantas vigorosas
Foto: Elena Velásquez
Foto: Elena Velásquez
Foto: Elena Velásquez
Los árboles y la vida del suelo
• Los árboles influyen los 4 elementos de la fertilidad del suelo:
1. Favorece y protege los ingenieros y vida del suelo
2. Mejora la calidad física del suelo y lo protege de la erosión
3. Bombea los nutrientes hacia la capa vegetal del suelo y algunas especies fijan nitrógeno
4. Aumenta la capacidad del suelo de almacenar agua
• El árbol provee la materia orgánica que es el
alimento base de casi todos los insectos, gusanos, bacterias, hongos y otros organismos
• La deforestación, la quema, la agricultura,
modifican este frágil equilibrio
¡Los árboles bombea abono para el suelo!
Goldposters.com
Regulación del agua: El ciclo hidrológico
Regulación del agua
• La materia orgánica es importante para la capacidad de almacenamiento de agua
• Protegen el suelo de la erosión ya que frenan el agua de lluvia y evitan la escorrentía superficial
• Los raíces de los árboles rompen y desmenuzan las capas duras del suelo y mejoran la infiltración
• Mantienen mejor calidad y mayor flujo de agua en la estación seca
• Como zona de amortiguamiento en áreas ribereñas para capturar: sedimentos, agro-químicos, estiércoles para proteger las quebradas de contaminación
Regulación del agua: El bosque funciona como una esponja
BOSQUE POTRERO
Water regulation: Forests function like a sponge!
Regulación del clima
Fotosíntesis • Las plantas y árboles utilizan
CO2, absorben la energía solar, agua/sales minerales para producir biomasa y expulsar oxigeno como desecho
Calentamiento global • Secuestración (almacenaje) de
emisiones de CO2 que viene de la quema de combustibles fósiles (gas, gasolina, diésel)
Regulación del clima: Efecto invernadero
Regulación del clima: Las consecuencias del calentamiento global
Desequilibro del clima
• Consecuencias • Temperaturas altas • Paisajes en cambio • Flora y fauna en peligro • Aumento de nivel del mar • Aumento del riesgo de sequias,
incendios e inundaciones • Desequilibrio de nutrientes para las
plantas • Tormentas más fuertes • Poco flujo de agua en estación seca • Demasiada agua en poco tiempo
• Pérdidas económicas • Disminuye la producción agrícola • Daños de inundaciones
Regulación del microclima
• Los árboles modifican el clima en el mundo, pero también en la finca • Reducen la temperatura y la mantienen más constante • Disminuyen la transpiración de las plantas y mantienen la humedad • Protegen contra los efectos nocivos del viento (rompen el viento)
La biodiversidad
Los árboles aumenta la diversidad y son un instrumento de equilibrio • Los árboles funcionan como una
barrera contra las plagas
• Los árboles hospedan muchos animales, aves e insectos que brindan un control biológico para las plagas del suelo
• Atraen animales e insectos para polinizar los cultivos
• Dispersión de semillas, especialmente arboles de maderas muy finas
• Trae mucho turismo al país/interior
Servicios culturales
• Estéticos Ornamentales
• Espirituales
El poder de un bosque viejo
• Culturales Artesanía – sombreros, casas Instrumentos
• Ecoturismo/recreación Fuente de empleo
En resumen: La función de los bosques
Bienes y servicios de producción • Agua, comida, madera, medicina
Provisión y regulación de servicios ambientales:
• Formación de suelos • Regulación de agua • Regulación del clima • Biodiversidad • Servicios culturales
Nos dan los bienes y servicios para practicar la ganadería y aumentar y mantener buena producción
Forest ecology
• Forest ecology is the study of the interrelation of the processes, interactions, flora and fauna of the ecosystem
Dinámicas Forestales
The physical and biological forces that form and change a forest The changes that alter the composition and structure of a forest Two basic elements of forest dynamics are:
1. Disturbances 2. Succession (the stages of growth)
• The forest is always in a process of change!
Wet and dry forest ecosystems
Structural characteristics Wet Dry
Quantity of tree species 50-200 35-90
Canopy height (meters) 20-84 10-40
Canopy stratifications 3 o más 1-3
Basal area (m2/ha) 20-75 17-40
Biomass (t/ha) 269-1186 78-320
Fuente: Murphy y Lugo (1986)
Forest ecology: Disturbance and regeneration
• Natural disturbances • Storms, wind, landslides, pests and
disease, fire
• Human disturbances • Logging, slash and burn, agrochemical
use, fire, development
• Regeneration paths 1. Advanced regeneration 2. Sprouting/coppicing from roots 3. Seed bank 4. Seed rain
Grafico: G. Bloomfield, ELTI
Forest ecology: Phases of forest succession
The growth phases/stages of a forest
Phases of Forest succession 1. Disturbance 2. Regeneration 3. Competitive stem exclusion 4. Understory reinitiation 5. Climax
Intermediates Cimax Pioneers
Forest Succesional Guilds: Pioneer species
Charateristics • First to arrive to disturbed
areas • Grow very quickly • Prefer open sunlight • Cannot tolerate shade • Seeds dispersed by wind • Very soft wood
Short lived pioneers: guarumo, balso, guácimo, gallinazo Long lived pioneers: cedro amargo, zorro
Intermediates Climax Pioneers
Forest Succesional Guilds: Intermediate species
Characteristics • Often present in young forests • Slower growth • Tolerate open areas but prefer
shade • Can remain in understory for
long periods • Mix of wind and
bird/bat/mammal seeds • Wood is hard (high density)
but easy to work
Examples: roble, jagüe, cocobolo, cedro espino
Intermediates Pioneros Clímax
Forest Succesional Guilds: Late successional/climax species
Intermediates Climax Pioneers
Characteristics • Present in young forests, but
only in understory • Grow very slowly • Cannot survive in open
conditions • Prefer shade • Remain in the understory for
many years • Large fruits and seeds dispersed
by mammals • Very hard/dense wood
Examples: madroño, moro, níspero, berbá, espavé, tempisque, algarrobo, muchas especies de palmas
Arrested forest succession
Often, the phases of succession are arrested, retarded or altered in some way Lianas (vines) • Need the trees to grow • Competes for light and nutrients • Strangle and weight down the
crowns of trees Invasive exotic species • Aggressive • Competes for light and nutrients
Management • Intervene (very expensive) • Cut, apply herbicides, plant fast
growing dense shade species
Forest disturbance and soil degradation
¿How have we degraded the forests? • Mining and extraction of oil • Deforestation (extraction de timber) • Conventional ranching • Agriculture
Conflict between development and conservation
Conventional agriculture and ranching practices
Overexploitation of soils
• Complete removal of tree species and seed sources
• Introduction of exotic/ aggressive pasture grasses
• Overuse of agrochemical
• Recurrent fires
• Overgrazing
Consequences of conventional ranching
• Degradation of the provision and regulation of environmental services
• Erosion and loss of soil fertility (more acidic and loss of structure)
• Low quality and quantity of water
• Loss flora and fauna
• Longer dry spells and drought
• Less productivity per hectare
• High mortality of cattle and loss of crops
• Agricultural sector threatened
Fragmented landscapes and degraded ecosystem services
Assisted natural regeneration
Reforestation, agroforestry and silvopastoral systems
Intensity of the action
Adaptado de Chazdon 2008, Lamb et al. 2005
Range of restoration options
Cheaper More expensive
Range of restoration options for productive landscapes
Assisted natural
regeneration Reforestation Silvopastoral
system (SPS) Agroforestry Natural
regeneration
Agro-successional
crops
Range of restoration options for productive landscapes
Assisted natural
regeneration Reforestation Silvopastoral
system (SPS) Agroforestry Natural
regeneration
Agro-successional
crops
Range of restoration options for productive landscapes
Assisted natural
regeneration Reforestation Silvopastoral
system (SPS) Agroforestry Natural
regeneration
Agro-successional
crops
Range of restoration options for productive landscapes
Assisted natural
regeneration Reforestation Silvopastoral
system (SPS) Agroforestry Natural
regeneration
Agro-successional
crops
Range of restoration options for productive landscapes
Assisted natural
regeneration Reforestation Silvopastoral
system (SPS) Agroforestry Natural
regeneration
Agro-successional
crops
Assisted natural
regeneration Reforestation Silvopastoral
system (SPS)
Agroforestry
Range of restoration options for productive landscapes
Natural
regeneration
Agro-successional
crops
SPS: A multi-storied building of biomass
Dispersed
trees in
pastures
Live fences Mixed forage
banks
Intensive
silvopastoral
systems (iSPS)
Silvopastoral
systems
Restoration of
riparian areas
Menu of silvopastoral system (SPS) options
Why SPS? • Increased biomass • Improved nutrition • Less heat stress • Improved fertility and production • More efficient use of land • Protects/restores ecosystem services
How? • Use native/local forage species • Divide pastures • Implement pasture rotations • Deliver water to cattle (quality and
quantity)
Menu of SPS options
• Moderate micro and macro climates (climate change)
• Refuge, forage and fruit, wood, etc. • Maintain biodiversity and corridor connectivity • Maintains nutrient cycles and improves soils
(legumes) • Decreases velocity of rain and improves water
infiltration (decrease erosion, increase stream flow)
Dispersed
trees in
pastures
Live fences Mixed forage
banks
Intensive
silvopastoral
systems (iSPS)
Silvopastoral
systems
Restoration of
riparian areas
Menu of SPS options
• Provides refuge, forage and fruit for cattle • Provides woods and non timber forest
products • Maintains biological corridors • Sequesters carbon (climate change) • Improves and maintains soils (especially
legumes) • Decreases the velocity and improves the
infiltration of water
Dispersed
trees in
pastures
Live fences Mixed forage
banks
Intensive
silvopastoral
systems (iSPS)
Silvopastoral
systems
Restoration of
riparian areas
Menu of SPS options
• Improves quality of cattle feed (proteins, minearls, sugars, fibers and vitamins)
• Improves the nutrition and diet of cattle • Improves fertility and productions of cattle • Improved quality and quantiy of cattle feed
in dry season • Used to prepage silage
Dispersed
trees in
pastures
Live fences Mixed forage
banks
Intensive
silvopastoral
systems (iSPS)
Silvopastoral
systems
Restoration of
riparian areas
Menu of SPS options
• Dual purpose system (meet, milk, wood, NTFPs)
• Produce valuable woods (long term) • Trees in pastures provide a multitude of
ecosystem services
Dispersed
trees in
pastures
Live fences Mixed forage
banks
Intensive
silvopastoral
systems (iSPS)
Silvopastoral
systems
Restoration of
riparian areas
Menu of SPS options
• Increases amount of forage trees and shrubs (5000-1000 p/Ha)
• Requires division of pasture in 2000m2 • Improves the control of pests and disease • Maintains biomass in summer • Provides an improved quality of food (proteins,
minerals, sugars, fibers and vitamins) • Improves the nutrition o f cattle • Improves fertility and production cattle
Dispersed
trees in
pastures
Live fences Mixed forage
banks
Intensive
silvopastoral
systems (iSPS)
Silvopastoral
systems
Restoration of
riparian areas
Menu of SPS options
• Buffer zone used to capture sediment, agrochemicals, and manure (nitrogen)
• Decreases the velocity of water and flood risk
• Filters water into the water table.
Dispersed
trees in
pastures
Live fences Mixed forage
banks
Intensive
silvopastoral
systems (iSPS)
Silvopastoral
systems
Restoration of
riparian areas
Spondias purpurea
Sistema Silvopastoril de APASPE Los Asientos
Spondias mombin
Gliricidia sepium
Guazuma ulmifolia, Cassia moschata
Luecaena leucocephala
Brachiaria decumbens Brachiaria brizantha
Acrocomia aculeata
Tithonia diversifolia
Enterolobium ciclocarpum, Albizia saman Copaifera aromatica
Jatropha curcas
22 native species (timber and fruit trees)
Guazuma ulmifolia
Shade and fruit trees and palms
Trees in live fences
Riparian restoration zones
Forrage shrubs
Pasture grass
ELTI es una iniciativa de: En colaboración con:
Desmodium spp. Teramnus labialis Native forrages
Productivity and biodiversity of intensive silvopastoral systems (iSPS)
428
258
91
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Bosque Silvopastoril Potrero
Ab
un
da
nci
a
(Slusser, J. 2013. Yale F&ES ELTI On-line)
(Giraldo et al. 2013)
Abundance of beetles
Available forage (lbs.)
Restoration strategy diagnostics
$ $
Adequate land use?
Adequate land use planning
Economic restoration
Necessary to know the local context before you restore:
• Availability of labor?
• Cost of workers?
• Input costs?
• Are desired species available and appropriate for your area?
• Knowledge of systems and new technology/practices?
ARCHIVO ELTI
Foto: Emily Webster
Traditional reforestation versus natural regeneration
Natural regeneration Benefits
• Inexpensive ($100 p/ha/year)
• Minimum management can produce a diverse forest (biologically and economically valuable)
Disadvantages • Requires regeneration source • Adequate regeneration of desired species is a
challenge • Growth rates may not equal plantation rates*
Traditional reforestation Benefits • Plant timber desired timber species in desired
system (multiple objectives) • Organized system with history of scientific
information
Disadvantages • Cost and labor ($2000-$4000p/ha) • Buy seedlings, prepare land, set up system,
maintenance and protection
ARCHIVO ELTI
iSPSi with leucaena versus iSPS with guácimo
Guácimo Benefits
• Very inexpensive to establish (natural regeneration)
• High in digestible protein content, grows quickly and maintains most leaves in summer
• Multipurpose tree: Forage, fruit, shade
Disadvantages • Requires regeneration source • Requires pruning and thinning management • Culturally considered as a weed
Leucaena Benefits • High protein, fixes nitrogen, re-sprouts
quickly, maintains leaves in summertime
Disadvantages
• Does not function en acid soils
• Difficult to obtain seeds and other inputs
• Very costly to plant
ARCHIVO ELTI
Farm planning
ARCHIVO ELTI
ARCHIVO ELTI
Conclusions
• PCVs have an amazing opportunity to drive behavior change and promote sustainable practices
• Conservation and production can live together in the same landscape, without farmers having to quit
their traditional livelihoods
• Understanding ecological processes and the benefits that trees provide us helps us to utilize them to improve ecosystem services and also sustain production
• One has to reflect in the farmer’s personal situation (farm context, owner’s objectives, available resources) before implementing any restoration strategies
• One has to consider all of the menu of options and strategies to implement ecological restoration….there is not one magic system that will function for everyone
¡Gracias! Ing. Jacob L. Slusser Panama Coordinator Neotropics Training Program [email protected] www.elti.org
ELTI es una iniciativa de: En colaboración con: