Small-scale management of secondary forests in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract

Sustainable management of tropical and subtropical secondary forests for multiple purposes, including timber, may encourage farmers to promote regeneration of native forest. We studied the population structures and commercial timber production in two adjacent 33 years-old Brazilian Atlantic Forest stands: a 26 ha forest managed through enrichment with three fast-growing commercial timber species, and a 10 ha naturally regenerated unmanaged forest. The tree species presented basal area of 26.9 m2 ha-1 and 23.8 m2 ha-1 in the enriched and the unmanaged forest, respectively. Timber volume (DBH ≥ 15 cm) in the enriched forest was 104 m3 ha-1 (3.7 m3 ha-1 year-1 rate of increment), 67% of which from the species planted in the enrichment process. The unmanaged forest presented 78.4 m3 ha-1 of timber (2.4 m3 ha-1 year-1 rate of increment) (45% from the planted species). Timber volumes and DBH distributions of both stands suggest that selective harvesting could produce valuable timber now, while stimulating growth of the next cycle.