Description
This Manual is the fourth in a series of readable, well illustrated handbooks for propagating and planting tropical trees.
The five Manuals have been designed to provide clear and concise information on how to select, grow, plant and care for tropical trees. They are intended for anyone interested in growing trees, from the small-holder to the large-scale grower, from local communities to national governments and from school and further education teachers to research and extension staff of agricultural and forestry departments. They provide illustrated, step-by-step instructions, practical guidelines and an outline of the thought process lying behind them.
Manual 4 is concerned with the key choices that lie between propagation of good planting stock, and its planting and successful establishment. These usually include:
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good communication between all those with an interest
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some understanding of how tropical ecosystems function
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a consideration of the type of planting site
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choosing which groups of trees to plant
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deciding on a suitable growing system for the young trees
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preparing the site for planting
The procedures described in this series of Manuals may be used with the majority of woody species to provide diverse seedling or clonal mixtures. They include techniques for ‘domestication’, so that superior planting stock can increasingly be used – this can help to capture more rapidly the great potential for multiple usefulness offered by tropical trees, while also encouraging conservation of their genetic resources.
Contents
Introduction
Why plant tropical trees?
Natural and artificial regeneration
Agroforestry
Overcoming the problems of replanting trees
Involving everyone with an interest
The need for field trials
General principles of tree survival
Introduction to ecosystems
Average climate and extreme conditions
Variety of terrain and soils
Litter and nutrient recycling
Interactions with other plants
Effects of animals
Human activities
Types of planting site
Introduction to diverse conditions
Improving farmland
Reclaiming degraded land
Protecting slopes
Enriching logged forest
Restoring savanna
Maintaining mangrove woodland
Community tree planting
Planting in towns, parks and reserves
Field experiments and demonstrations
Which tree species, for what purpose?
Introduction to mixtures
Local or introduced?
Soil-improvers
Food and medicines
Forage for domestic animals
Fuel from trees
Timber trees
Raw materials from trees
Various building materials
Household and agricultural uses
Multipurpose trees
Shade, shelter and ornamental trees
Cultural and religious significance
Deciding on the growing system
Introduction to favourable environments
Controlled openings of the canopy
How many storeys?
Mixtures or pure stands?
Choosing the planting pattern
Research layouts
Preparing the ground
Introduction: minimising soil damage
Access to planting site
Felling and logging
Clearing or burning?
Soil cultivation
Drainage and terracing
Safety measures
Experimental areas
Sources of further information
Ecology and sustainable management
Agroforestry and micro-organisms
Trees for various uses
Index