Tree growth performance in private plantations in Nepal’s central Terai region

Abstract

The forest policy of Nepal places higher emphasis on community forestry development rather than on private forestry. However, farmers of Nepal’s central Terai region have long focused on the establishment of private tree plantations, with community forestry generally not having been encouraged in this region. Private forestry can be a viable option for promoting sustainable management of the national forest in the Terai because pressures on the national forest are reduced when farmers get their basic needs (i.e. fuelwood and fodder) from their own private plantations which are grown primarily for commercial purposes. The main commercial species in central Terai are Dalbergia sissoo, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Gmelina arborea, Tectona grandis and Anthocephalus chinensis. Although farmers are commercially motivated, they lack the skills and knowledge to maximize income from their forests. Species’ growth rates and market values determine the income that farmers can gain from their plantation investment. However, there have been no studies to assess the growth patterns and performance of these species so that farmers can select the right species and right harvesting age for the best economic return on their investment. This study examined the growth performance of these five economically important tropical timber species in two different types of plantations: bond plantation (plantation along bonds of the cultivated field) and stand plantation.