Scientific Forest Management by Richard Latty Caswell Forest

Scientific Forest Management by Richard Latty Caswell Forest Products

Honduras Future Wood • In order to meet future demands for wood products we must manage our forest resources to produce more wood. • Ability to Harvest More Wood Every Year, Forever.

Imagen de Landsat

Honduras Pine • Honduras Area: 43, 433 square miles (Tennessee: 42, 144) • Area Producing Pine: 10, 000 sq-miles • Annual Wood Production: 1. 5 M M 3

Image of Hacienda Guadelupe

Pine on Hacienda Guadelupe • Area: 6, 500 acres (2, 600 hectares) • Tree Population: < 70 trees/acre (< 175 trees/hectare) • Multi-aged stands • Highly variable densities • Inefficient spatial distributions

HG - a NNE

Problem • Low future harvestable volume • Low future quality • Low overall wood production • Open stands result in high accumulation of combustible fuel and high probability of wildfire • Low predictability of future production and harvestable trees.

HG - NNE

HG - NE

HG - Este

HG - SE

HG - Sur

HG - seccion con buen densidad

Solution Scientific Forest Replanting Using Nursery Seedlings

Program • Plant Seeds in Nursery • Manage Seedlings for optimal growth • Cut Zones in Forest Management Sections – cut all trees • Burn area – preparing soil surface for seedlings • Transplant Seedlings to Forest Zone • Manage competition & fuel loads

Plantulas en Vivero con salud excelante

Vivero Transplante en el Bosque qual los Plantulas estan optima por nacimiente en el Bosque

Pino despues de transplante – 2 anos de edad

Pino con 8 anos

Pino con 15 anos

Benefits • • • More Seedlings/Area (450/acre, 1, 125/hectare) More efficient spatial distribution of Seedlings Healthier Trees Faster Initial and Overall Growth Natural pruning of lower limbs Higher value of harvestable trees Harvestable trees earlier More harvestable trees per area More wood volume/area/year Greater Predictability/Lower Risk Lower Road Requirements Better Wild Fire Control

Additional Costs • • Seeds Seedbed preparation (discing, herbicide) Seed Planting Seedling Maintenance (water, fertilizer, weed control) • Seedling Site Preparation – Controlled Burn, Fire Breaks, Fire Control • Seedling Transplantation • Seedling/Tree Maintenance – Controlled Burns, Fire Control

Cost Savings • Reduced Forest Plan Preparation Costs – no individual tree marking required • Reduced Harvest Cost – more trees harvested from smaller area – reduced cutting, yarding, road maintenance. • Ability to cut wood every year forever.

Specific Information for Hacienda Guadelupe • Pressure treated utility poles & pilings. • Enables harvesting of trees at earlier age (18 to 20 years versus 30 to 45 years for saw timber). • Enables more efficient use of the wood– 95% utilization versus 45 to 65% utilization for saw log). • Enables high labor content in the product prior to export – peel, kiln dry, cut and drill to specification, brand, and pressure treat. • Develops higher skilled labor pool with higher wage levels and valuable experience.

Specific Elements of Plan • Seedling Nursery – plant and maintain 100, 000 seedlings in first year (140, 000 each year thereafter). 8 acres of unforested area suitable for fencing, tiling and irrigating. • Cut 150 acre zones from each Management Section each year, in 50 acre sub-zones • Burn each sub-zone immediately after limbs dry. • Transplant seedlings (450 per acre = 22, 500) to each subzone immediately after burn is complete & favorable soil moisture. • Apply Herbicide where needed to retard understory competition. • Harvest roads will be placed to provide suitable fire breaks for each sub-zone.

Benefits to CODEFOR • More wood now and in the future. • More income now and in the future. • More Profit and less Risk. • Plans that are easier and cheaper to administer. • The work for in the forest is more regular – reducing wood theft problems.

Needed From CODEFOR • Prompt Approval for the “Scientific Forest Management Plan for Hacienda Guadelupe • Schedule payment for Wood Tax at time of harvest & transport

Conclusion • Working in cooperation with CODEFOR we can produce : – More wood volume – Better wood quality – With less time and less risk – With better value to the economy of Honduras