STOCKTYPE DEVELOPMENT AND SELECTION FOR IMPROVED RESTORATION SUCCESS IN LEBANON. Karma Bouazza, Olga Kildisheva, Matthew Aghai, and Anthony S.

Transcription

1 STOCKTYPE DEVELOPMENT AND SELECTION FOR IMPROVED RESTORATION SUCCESS IN LEBANON Karma Bouazza, Olga Kildisheva, Matthew Aghai, and Anthony S. Davis July 2014

2 Outline Overview of Lebanon LRI Nursery Component Objectives Native Tree Nurseries Past Practices New Native Tree Nurseries Culturing Practices Outplanting and Target Plant Concept Direct Outcomes Summary

3 Overview of Lebanon

4 Overview High flora biodiversity Forests have economic, social, cultural and symbolic importance 13.2 % (139,376 ha) is forest 2,3

5 Basis for reforestation in Lebanon >35 % of primary forest lost forest fires urban expansion grazing, agriculture Unregulated grazing and poor outplanting success have limited regeneration

6 Nursery Component Objectives

7 Overview Reforestation success depends on several factors at different levels: Native nursery Field Community Nursery culturing practices dictate seedling quality pre-planting and influences survival rate post-planting

8 Objective The Lebanon Reforestation Initiative aims at strengthening the production of vigorous tree seedlings by native tree nurseries and increasing the survivability rates of planted trees

9 Lebanon Reforestation Initiative Strengthening native tree seedlings production Technology transfer Research Capacity building Nursery growers were introduced to the Target Plant Concept

10 Native Tree Nurseries Past Practices And Seedling Quality

11 Conventional Native Tree Nursery Practices Native soil Large volume polybags Uncontrolled irrigation Limited knowledge on nutrient management Limited record keeping or planting schedule

12 Seedling Quality Issues Seedlings production independent of site conditions Poor container selection and root binding/spiraling Absence of hardening = high seedling mortality following outplanting Decision made to improve reforestation success through improved seedling quality

13 New Native Tree Nursery Culturing Practices

14 Target Plant Concept Designed nursery practices to meet the limiting factors identified on reforestation sites in Lebanon Soil depth Rooting profile Seed source Seedling quality Planting season and handling

15 Adaptive management to refine practices Identifying specific characteristics resulting in outplanting success in Lebanon Outreach and Research Implementation Empirical monitoring data

16 Container Selection (stocktype) Identified as primary mechanism to provide higher quality seedlings Selection based on Plant growth habit and outplanting site conditions Different volume and size for variable outplanting site conditions Need for healthy, rapid root growth Polybags to Deepots: Same concept Better air pruning and root system Less growing media used

17 Container Volume by Species Species Stem height Diameter Container volume (ml) Cedrus libani 15 cm minimum 2 mm minimum Pinus pinea cm 3 mm minimum Quercus sp cm 4 mm minimum Pinus brutia Abies cilicica 10 cm minimum 2 mm minimum Ceratonia siliqua cm mm minimum Laurus nobilis cm 3 mm minimum Acer sp cm 3 mm minimum Arbutus andrachne cm Crataegus sp Celtis australis cm 4 mm minimum Cercis siliquastrum cm 4 mm minimum Amygdalus cm 3 mm minimum Pyrus syriaca cm Pistachia palaestina cm 4 mm minimum Sorbus sp cm 4 mm minimum

18 New Propagation Environment Simple tunnel structure, removable cover gives more control of temperature Prevent weed emergence Greenhouse cover Month Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Greenhouse 100% covered Greenhouse 50% covered Greenhouse 100% uncovered

19 Improved Irrigation Management Planned irrigation Uniform water distribution Decrease water loss Using irrigation zones and monitoring irrigation needs to meet seasonal plant water demands Using the block weight method to determine irrigation timing

20 Irrigation zones Block weight method - Gravimetric weight scale throughout the growing season Month Species Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Cedrus 85% 85% 85% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% libani Pinus pinea 85% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60%

21 Following Block Weight Method APJM P.pinea Uniform production of seedlings Species Stem height Diameter Pinus pinea cm 3 mm minimum 15 Stem height cm APJM P.pinea Stem diameter mm

22 Improved Growing Media Affordable growing media producing good quality seedlings Local availability of material Recommendations from nurseries in Europe and the US Published scientific research

23 Improved Growing Media First year: 50% coco peat + 50% jiffy peat moss (JPM; ph 5.6) % hydrogel Second year: 50% coco peat +25% JPM (ph 5.6) + 25% JPM (ph 4) +1.5% hydrogel *the second year mixture had a lower initial ph than the first year mixture (ph = 5-5.5)

24 Fertilization (+2MgO+5S+TE) controlled release of all macro and micro nutrients 6 months release rate Recommended rate according to local trials: 6 gl -1 of growing media Decrease labor and electrical power cost

25 Monitoring and Record Keeping Tracking of all activities (height, diameter, tissue analysis, etc.) Providing a stronger reference for adjustments in the future Systematic measurements: ph and EC Stem height and diameter Root development

26 Hardening Prepares seedlings for stresses postplanting Nursery culturing practices are adjusted to prepare seedlings for site conditions : For dry sites, shoot growth should be diverted to root and stem growth Achieved by gradually decreasing irrigation levels

27 Difference in Quality: More Robust Seedlings Lower survival rates Higher survival rates

28 Outplanting considerations

29 Limiting Factors on Outplanting Site Heavily degraded, rocky soils Grazing Climate Competing vegetation

30 Outplanting Window D. Stringer

31 Outplanting Tools and Techniques Traditional Pick and Hoe - Two Man Planting Combo Tool - One Man Planting D. Stringer

32 25% Survival Rate of Past Projects

33 SUCCESS! More than 400,000 seedlings produced under new practices at the native tree nurseries since implementation in to 90% survival rate after one to two years monitoring post-planting, compared to less than 25% survival using past nursery and outplanting techniques BEFORE AFTER

34 Success! Involving local communities Higher survival rates and healthier seedlings

35 THANK YOU Nursery, outplanting, and community partners throughout Lebanon The Center for Forest Nursery and Seedling Research at the University of Idaho US Forest Service International Program USAID