Forests for People

[

] 300

on imports of 4 million m

of hardwood timber each year. At present,

almost all of Viet Nam’s plantation timber is processed into pulp or

reconstituted panel products. New technologies, such as spindle-less

lathes and veneer slicers, do not require logs as big as those for sawn

timber, giving rise to an emerging interest in veneer production.

ACIAR is researching the production of veneer and engineered

wood products from small diameter plantation logs and linking

of certified timber to high-value markets. Fast-growing eucalypt

and

acacia

logs can be used for the production of veneer, provided

they have appropriate log and wood quality. This research aims to

help smallholders achieve higher prices for their plantation timber,

leading to reduced demand in Viet Nam for hardwood logs sourced

from primary forests in other countries.

In Laos, up to 50,000 hectares of predominantly teak-based plan-

tations have been established over the last twenty years, primarily

by small landholders. ACIAR’s research in Laos has focused on

enhancing teak log quality and improving the quality of furniture

made from plantation timber, through better knowledge of timber

properties and applying appropriate processing, drying and manu-

facturing systems. Working collaboratively with local researchers

and nine sawmills and furniture factories, the capabilities, weak-

nesses and opportunities of the individual participating companies

were assessed. Methods were developed and training held to make

production processes more efficient, reduce wood waste and

improve the health and safety of the employees.

Agroforestry systems

In northern Laos, ACIAR’s teak agroforestry project has established

trials of teak grown with other high-value agricultural crops, such as

paper mulberry, bananas, pineapples, broom bush and ‘Job’s tears’, to

generate cash income during the early years of a teak plantation. Most

of these agroforestry systems are being established on land formerly

subject to shifting cultivation. This project has already demonstrated

good results with important information on growth rates,

financial returns and farmers’ motivations for planting

teak and other species. Landowners are benefiting from

additional income from the sale of products in the short

term with the promise of a long-term revenue stream

from the sale of teak logs within 20 years.

In PNG, ACIAR’s agroforestry projects are fostering

the adoption of commercial high-value tree growing

and firewood production by landowners. Landowner

decision-making has been assessed in relation to incorpo-

rating commercial trees into existing agricultural systems

and community-based plant nurseries have been devel-

oped. Trials of potential fuelwood species with coppicing

characteristics have been established in different regions

and the production of charcoal from different species

is being explored. To tackle the problem of poor avail-

ability of high quality tree seedlings, research is being

conducted on improving the quality and availability of

seedlings through seed collections locally and overseas,

vegetative propagation and the development of teak seed

stands and nurseries. Participatory rural appraisals have

been conducted in a number of regions to assist local

communities in identifying the most highly valued local

tree species for inclusion in the project.

In Indonesia the expansion of smallholder teak growing

faces various impediments, including inferior wood quality

due to poor silviculture, inability of farmers to wait for teak

returns and low log prices for smallholder-grown teak. An

ACIAR project, managed by CIFOR, aimed to improve the

livelihoods of smallholder teak growers through research

on introducing and adapting silvicultural technologies, the

development of financial incentives and improved market

access for smallholder teak growers. Project activities,

Farmers in Viet Nam have benefited from the production of sliced veneer from

9-year-old

Acacia mangium

trees

Teak-based agroforestry system near Luang Prabang in Laos

Image: Tony Bartlett