Sayer, Jeffrey (2008) International perspective: restoring tropical rainforest landscapes; restoring what and for whom? In: Stork, Nigel E., and Turton, Stephen M., (eds.) Living in a Dynamic Tropical Forest Landscape. Wiley-Blackwell, Malden, MA, USA, pp. 552-554.

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Abstract

[Extract] Vast sums are spent on reforestation and forest restoration throughout the world. Such programmes have often been controversial and have often failed to re-establish forest cover. They are frequently driven by simplistic political agendas and suffer from having vague objectives, or objectives that are not consistent with established scientific facts. Thus we see major investments in planting fast growing, thirsty trees in programmes to counter desertification in Northern China and Africa where other land cover types would be more ecologically appropriate. We see highly fire-sensitive conifers with low timber values planted to restore forest cover in burnt areas in southern Europe and the western USA where the native fire-tolerant species would protect against future fires and provide a variety of products and services of local value. We see trees planted on hillsides to augment water flows and prevent landslides in situations where empirical evidence suggests that they may have the opposite effects to those sought. Fast growing commodity timber trees are being widely planted for low value pulp in place of natural forest that provided multiple benefits for local people.

Item ID:	18803
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-1-4051-5643-1
Date Deposited:	05 Oct 2011 05:31
FoR Codes:	07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0705 Forestry Sciences > 070504 Forestry Management and Environment @ 100%
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9612 Rehabilitation of Degraded Environments > 961203 Rehabilitation of Degraded Forest and Woodlands Environments @ 100%
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