The Rainforests of Cameroon - PROFOR

Objectives and Content of the Reforms 45Box 3.5Regulated selective harvesting: Diversity and otherconsiderationsDo selectively harvested production forests maintain the diversity oftree species they contain? The ratio of species is likely to change over thelong term. Because the standing volume that is first harvested from a primaryforest “has accumulated over a long period, the commercial timber is likely tobe of a quality and volume that will not be matched in future cuts . . . unlessthe logged forest is closed to further exploitation for a century or more. In thissense the first crop is, in practical terms, not repeatable” (Poore and others 1989).Light-loving tree species will be favored by the opening of stands, but selectiveharvesting may not open the forest canopy sufficiently to favor those species(Karsenty and Gourlet-Fleury 2006; a similar observation on the forest canopywas made for the Amazon by Fredericksen and Putz 2003). Species diversitymay increase temporarily as a result of these changes, but it could also diminishat the regional level as species within production forests become more homogeneous(Bawa and Seidler 1998).Are there additional medium- and long-term issues to consider?Industrial forest management strategies are based on the expectation thatthe number of species accepted by the market would increase in the 30 yearsbetween the first and next harvesting cycle. To maintain the profitability of harvests,industry relies more on finding an increased number of marketable speciesin the next harvesting cycle than on waiting for the same few species harvestedin the first harvesting cycle to recover their original number and volume.Although this strategy is supported by respected forest stewardship agencies,the choice of the medium over the longer term can be debated ad infinitumbecause data on the regeneration of commercial species are insufficient andcannot lead to informed decisions. Evidence for periods longer than a centurywould be needed.Could highly commercial species be planted instead of being left toregenerate? Natural regeneration is the norm in tropical production forests.Public forest managers and other experts do not regard enrichment plantingas financially viable in Cameroon’s UFAs. The UFAs are very large, and new treeswould have to be planted Delivered in the by The highly World dispersed Bank e-library locations to: from which the oldThe World Bankones were harvested. IP : 192.86.100.34Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:06:18Box continues on next page(c) The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank