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Country report on Tree improvement of fast growing species

Presented to the Seminar in Indonesia by Sorn Somoline

1- Background

Cambodia's primary rainforest cover decreased from over 75% in 1960s to about 60% today ( FA, May 2007 ). The country has only about 10 million hectare of forested area remaining. Most of the logging is conducted to satisfy the international demand for tropical timber. Logging rates accelerated dramatically during the 1990's when unprecedented numbers of lumber mills were constructed. Land encroachment is becoming a serious problem in Cambodia, as well as globally, especially in light of global warming, floods and erosion. Besides cutting forests for construction, land property, cutting pressure on forests also exist to satisfy the growing demand for energy. Fuel wood is the number one source of energy in Cambodia and is widely used for cooking. For electricity Cambodia relies entirely generation equipment using import of fossil fuel, mainly diesel oil. The combination of high world prices of fuel oil and high importation taxes ( >100%) results in very expensive electricity, especially in rural areas (often $0.60 to $0.90 per KwH). The high cost of fuel cost of diesel generated electricity is major obstacles to developing local businesses in rural and provincial areas of the country where 80 % of the population reside.

Table 1: Forest Cover change

Unit: ha 1960s1 1973/76 1985/87 1992/93 1992/93 1996/97

Total area 18,103,500 18,153,500 18,153,500 18,153,500 18,152,985 18,152,984 Inland Water Body 451,500 481,400 567,100 411,100 446,163 469,138

Land Area 17,652,000 17,672,100 17,586,400 17,742,400 17,706,822 17,683,847 Forest Area 13,277,100 12,711,100 11,852,400 11,284,200 10,859,695 10,638,208 Percentage of Forest Cover 75.2% 71.9% 67.4% 63.6% 61.3% 60.2%

Source : Forestry Statistics to 2002

Table2: Forest cover and other land use of Cambodia (Ha) 2006

Forest Type Area (ha) % Evergreen Forest 3,668,902 20.2 Semi-evergreen Forest 1,362,638 7.5 Deciduous Forest 4,692,098 25,8 Wood Shrub land Dry 37,028 0.2 Wood Shrub land evergreen 96,387 0.5 Bamboo 35,802 0.2 Other forest 971,341 5.3 Total Forest 10,864,186 59.8 Non Forest 7,296,456 40.2 Total Area 18,160,674 100.0

Source: FA, May 2007

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RkahV 1> karERbRbYl KMrbéRBFig. 1. Change of Forest Cover

75.2%

71.9%

67.4%

63.6%

61.3%60.2%

58%

60%

62%

64%

66%

68%

70%

72%

74%

76%

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000qñaM Year

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Period of 1970s, the estimated annual production of logs and fuel woods was 385,000 m3 and 357,000 m3 respectively, and average log exports amounted to 94,508 m3. During the period of 1990s, log production increased substantially each year from 600,000 m3 in 1991 to 4.3 million m3, with export earning of 114 US$ million, in 1997 (DFW 2001). Large tracks of natural forest are under heavy pressure due to logging, encroachment, shifting cultivation. With the population growth rate at 2%, the rural people estimate 84.3% of total population use fuel wood for cooking that particular to forest degradation (Hang, 2002 ). An estimate six million m3 of wood is used every year as fuel wood (Soktha, 2001 ). However, the ongoing forestry reforms give priority to reforestation activities that need to improve the fast growing species for quickly requirement of rural people and industries such as rehabilitation of degraded forest or improve soil fertilize, erosion protection, fuel wood, animal food and product paper.

2- Tree Improvement in Cambodia

In Cambodia, the priority species are indigenous ones. Economic calculations, which compare indigenous species and fast growing exotics, demonstrate that a higher wood quality and value can compensate for a slower growth rate. A valuation that also includes biological and social consideration and future demand would clearly recommend planting indigenous species. Cambodian government has collaborated with Tree seed Project to establish 23 seed sources in natural forest outside protected area. In addition to the objective of seed collection, the seed sources are considered as protected sites for conserving genetic resources of the priority species. 2.1. Reforestation

Reforestation activities have take place in the poor site. Between 1985 and 2006, a total area of 16,825 ha was planted throughout the country. The main species used being Acasia and Eucalypt. From 1995-2002, the seedling distribute for tree plantation were estimated around 38,330,972 seedling included distributed by Forestry administration, 14,796,948 seedling, by Forestry of province 6,414,831 seedling , by Hun Sen Nursery 7,247,234 seedling, by British American Tobacco Cambodia Ltd(BAT) 9,873,959 seedling (FA, May 2007) . In 2003 the Department of Forest and Wildlife plan for the plantation of 1,625 ha through its planting station focusing on Eucalyptus camcalduleus, Tectonis grandis and Dipterocarpus spp. In addition 1.3 million of seedling will be produced for distribution to the local population, consisting of a mix of exotics natives and fruit (DFW 2002). Tree plating activities by armed forces will cover until 2002-2006 had 1,678ha (FA, May 2007) . A pre requisite for successful tree planting is good quality seed, which requires conservation of forest genetic resources. Among the 21 species used in planting programmes only three are exotic (acasia, eucalypt, and teak) and the rest are indigenous. Acasia spp. and Eucalyptus spp. account for the largest share of seedling production and play a significant role in large-scale plantations for rehabilitation of degraded forests or in the pulp and paper industries. The number of planting tree exported to oversea still in a small scale.

- In2000-2006 Cambodia export 165 m3 of Acasia and Eucalyptus, 6,459 Std of

Processing wood and 6,000 Tone of veneer. These product were export to China, French, Korea and Thailand.

- In 2005-2006, 630,000 Tone of Acasia and Eucalyptus charcoal were exported to Japan, Korea and Thailand. (FA, May 2007) .

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Table 3: Main species for plantation Khmer reading Scientific Name Seedling

Category Remark

Akasya Acacia spp. Short-term Mainly A. auriculiformis Angkanh Cassia siamea Short-term Preng Kchal (Eucalyptus) Eucalyptus spp. Short-term Mainly E. camaldurensis and E.

terreticornis Trosek Peltophorum dasyrrhachis Short-term Krakhop Muntingia calabura Short-term Kanthum Thet Leucaena leucacephala Short-term Chres Albizia lebbeck Medium-term Chan Kiri Albizia saman or Rain Tree Medium-term Chanty Anacardium occidentale or Cashew Medium-term Tiep Barang Annona muricata or Soursop Medium-term Tiep Srok Annona squamosa or Custard Apple Medium-term Thkow Anthocephalus chinensis Medium-term

Khnao Artocarpus heterophyllus or Jacklfruit Medium-term

Loung Reach Cassia fistula Medium-term Tuek Doh Chrysophyllum cainito or Milk Fruit Medium-term Kngaok Delonix regia Medium-term Mien Dimocarpus longan or Longan Medium-term Srorkom Madhuca elliptica Medium-term Svay Mangifera indica or Mango Medium-term Romduol Mitrella mesnyi Medium-term Kamping Reach Sandoricum koetjape Medium-term Pring Syzygium spp. Medium-term

Chhat Terminalia catappa or Indian Armond Medium-term

Kuy Wellughbeia edulis Medium-term Thnong Pterocarpus macrocarpus Long-term Ko Koh Sindora siamensis Long-term Dong Cocos nucifera or Coconut Long-term

Kaya Khaya senegalensis or African Mahogany Long-term

Srol Sluk Pii Pinus merkusii Long-term Maisak (Teak) Tectona grandis Long-term Beng Afzelia xylocarpa Long-term Synonym:Pauhidia

cochinchinensis Phdiek Afzelia xylocarpa Long-term ChanKrasna (Agarwood)

Aquilaria crassna Long-term

Kranhuong Dalbelgia cochinchinensis Long-term Chhou Teal Dipterocarpus spp. Long-term Mainly D. alatus Doun Chem Tarriefia javanica Long-term Koki Hopea spp. Long-term Mainly H. odorata

Source: FA, May 2007

2.2. Main species for plantation a- Fencing around the homestead and fields : Popular tree species include Leucaena

leucacephala, Pithecellobium dulce, Sesbania grandiflora, Casuarina equisetifolia), Acacia, Hura crepitans, Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and other types of trees for construction.

b- Along roadsides: shade, beautification of the landscape, a good and clean climate, prevention of soil erosion, drainage, prevention of dust from flying onto people houses, and providing wood for various uses. Appropriate species include Delonix regia, Casuarina

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equisetifolia), Albizia saman, Bauhinia variegata, Swietenia macrophylla, Hopea odorata, Peltophorum dasyrrhachis, Peltophorum plerocarpum, Cassia fistula, Lagerstroemia floribunda, Eucalyptus camadulensis, Cassia siamea, Dipterocarpus alatus, and Acacia auriculiformis.

c- In public places: such as hospitals, schools, pagodas and public gardens provides particular

advantages such as shade and beauty, which is very beneficial to all people. These species include Hopea odorata, Dipterocarpus alatus, Delonix regia, Albizia saman, Cassia siamea, Cassia fistula, Casuarina euqisetifolia, Afzelia xylocarpa and Pterocarpus macrocarpus.

d- To prevent erosion: include Barringtonia asiatica, Pithecellobium dulce, Bambusa spp, Psidium guajava, Nauclea orientalis, Acacia, Eucaliptus camadulensis, Crateva andansonii, Ficus spp., and vines (khtum).

e- For animal fodder: Species include Leucaena leucacephala, Moringa oleifera, Hura

crepitans, and Sesbania bispinosa.

f- Agro-Forestry system: include Leucaena leucacephala, Sesbania bispinosa, and Moringa oleifera.

g- Barriers against storms and floods include Casuarina equisetifolia, Eucalyptus

camadulensis, Acacia, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Delonix regia, Bambusa Spp, and Albizialebbeck.

2.3. Seeds selection

There are no enterprises or private companies dealing with tree seed supply. The demand for

seed is still low and it is not possible to estimate future demands because none of the users have long term plans for tree planting activities, there by posing a major constraint to planning for the ongoing supply of good quality seeds of appropriate species, which is, by nature, a long-term process. Instead, tree seeds are obtained in a number of ways some formal and others informal. The nursery managers collect the seeds by selecting good mother trees and test the seeds by cutting them to see if they are still alive. Some case the nursery managers advise local people on the selection of good mother trees. This is the most common method of obtaining seeds; however without seeing the seeds source, it is difficult to evaluate the quality. Indigenous tree seeds are usually purchased from local people and therefore, quality cannot be assessed other than through the germination rate. Currently, Forestry Administration purchases seeds of Acasia and Eucalyptus from Vietnam for distribution to the planting station and nurseries. More over, the Reforestation Office are regulated purchases seeds from Thailand and Australia.

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Table 3: Seed sources in the natural forests

Location No. of site

Species Area (ha) Province District

No. of mother tree

1 Dalbergia oliveri 12.5 Preah Vihear TbengMeanchey 78 2 Sindora cochinchinensis

Tariettia javanica Shorea hypochra Shorea vugaris Dipterocarpus costatus Anisoptera glabra

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Kampong Thom

Sandan

100 39 22 19 396 323

3 Pterocarpus macrocarpus 20 Siem Reap Chikreng 83 4 Azadirachta indica 50 Banteay

Meanchey Mongkul Borey 90

5 Pinus merkusii Fagraea fragrans

104 Kampong Thom Santuk 72 70

6 Dalbergia oliveri Pterocarpus macrocarpus Xylia dolabriformis

21 Ratanakiri O Chum 21 20 22

7 Afzelia xylocarpa Dalbergia oliveri Pterocarpus macrocarpus

18 Ratanakiri Lumphat 27 41 14

8 Afzelia xylocarpa Dalbergia oliveri Shorea cochinchinensis

20 Ratanakiri Kaun Mum 26 17 07

9 Hopea ferrea 30 Ratanakiri Kaun Mum 88 10 Dalbergia cochinchinensis 50 Siem Reap Varinn 67 11 Dipterocarpus alatus 7 Siem Reap Angkor Wat 43

Source: CTSP, 2002

Tree improvement in Cambodia is commencing and only very few activities have been carried out by the CTSP since 2002. Seeds production areas for four species such as Dipterocarpus turbinatus, Hopea odorata, Aquilaria crassna and Afzelia xylocarpa have been estsblished in a 10 ha plot at Kbal Chhay, Sihanoukville. Seed orchard for two species : Tarrietia javanica and Shorea vulgaris have been planted in a two ha plot at Kbal Chhay. A provenance trial is being conducted by CTSP at Bak Sna where two species of Afzelia xylicarpa and Pterocarpus macrocarpa from six provenances were planted in a 5 ha plot in 2004.

In 2003 , The CTSP conducted to a survey to estimate seed demand. The finding are presented in Table 4, but as they are based on a sample only ( for the surveyed nurseries ), the national annual seed demand will be higher. Among the 21 species used in planting programmes only three are exotic ( acacia, eucalyptus and teak ) and rest are indigenous.

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Table 4: Result of seed demand survey No. Species Amount of

seed (Kg) seed supplier

1 Acacia spp. 156 Vietnam, CSIRO, local people 2 Afzerlia xylocarpa 1072 CTSP’s seed sources, local people 3 Albizia lebbeck 2 local people 4 Anisoptera costata 5 local people ( natural forest in Kompong Thom ) 5 Aquilaria crassna 1 local people 6 Azadirachta indica 137 local people 7 Cassia siamea 10 local people 8 Dalbergia bariensis 2 CTSP’s seed sources 9 Dalbergia cochinchinasis 5 CTSP’s seed sources, local people 10 Dipterocarpus alatus 604 CTSP’s seed sources, local people 11 Eucalyptus spp. 16 Vietnam, CSIRO, local people 12 Eugenia jambolina 1 local people 13 Hopea odorata 64 Pagoda, local people 14 Leucaena leucacephala 2 local people 15 Melaleuca cajiputi 1 local people 16 Peltophorum dasyrhachis 1 local people 17 Pterocarpus macrocarpus 14 CTSP’s seed sources, local people 18 Shorea farinose 5 local people 19 Shorea vulgaris NA CTSP’s seed sources, 20 Terrieta javanica 72 CTSP’s seed sources, 21 Tectona grandis NA Thailand, Kampong Cham province

Source: CTSP (2003)

3- Usage and advantage of fast growing species People plan tree for various reason including maintain water sources, upgrading soil quality,

improving climate, supplying construction timber and wood energy, provide shelter for livestock and furthermore for social advantage, cultural and traditional conservation and for beautifying the landscape.

3.1. Fast growing species

In Cambodia, fast-growing species offer important advantages for rural economic development such as Leucaena leucacephala, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Accacia auriculiformis, Peltophorum pterocarpum, Cambretum quaddrangulare and other speciecs.

These tree farms will not displace important rice crops grown in the wet paddy areas, very important for improving the livelihood of rural people. It can provide high yields of woody material for energy purpose. So its can use as a good way to reduce deforestation of community and local natural forests. In Cambodia, the amount of forested area has decreased rapidly in the last 15 years because of an increased demand in the national and international market for tropical wood for furniture. The result of these practices and resulting deforestation are drought, global warming, land erosion and floods. In order to protect the environment and restore forested areas, fast growing trees can be used. Together with the positive impact on forests, farmers can benefit from planting fast growing species by improved soil conditions (through nitrogen fixation). Eucalyptus citriodora – a fast growing tree whose leaf provides oil on distillation, while the harvested branches furnish a valuable fuel wood supply.

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3.2. Fast growing species for plantation a. Construction timber include Dipterocarpus spp., Hopea odorata, Anisoptera costata,

Tarretia Javanica, Eucalyptus spp., Pterocarpus pedatus, Afzelia xylocarpa, Terminalia alata, Xylia dilabriformis, Sindoza cochinchinensis, Tectona grandis.

b. Furniture include: Dalbergia cochinchinensis, Dalbergia bariensis, Afzelia xylocarpa,

Pterocarpus pedatus, Toona febrifuga, Tectona grandis.

c. For ply wood include: Dipterocarpus alatus, Dipterocarpus costatus, Anisoptera costata, Mangifera duperreana

d. Paper industries: Pinus merkusii, Acassia spp, Eucalyptus spp. ,Bamboo

4. Institutional framework and capacity-building activities

A statement on national forest policy was issued by the Royal Government of Cambodia in 2002. It directs the management of forest resources towards the national goals of environment protection, biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction, economic development and good governance. According to forestry law, provision is made for gene conservation within protection forest, and within special management areas of forest concession. Application can be made to the Royal Government of Cambodia ( RGC) by MAFF to designate appropriate areas of the permanent forest reserve as protection forest. Management plans will be prepared, implemented and enforced for these areas by the forest administration. Within the permanent forest reserve, the ministry of MAFF has the authority to issue permits for the establishment of botanical gardens or experimental station, and the establishment of forest nurseries to provide seedling, and local people in tree planting activities. A forest genetic resource strategy is in the process of development. The process includes a number of diverse stakeholder, and covers the selection of priority species, species distribution and gene ecological zoning, conservation status of key populations, methods of conservation, and organization and implementation of the strategy. The RGC ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1995, and the forest sector has been represented through the preparation of the mandatory National Report on Biological Diversity, and the National Biodiversity and Action Plan. The RGC view the CBD as a framework to achieve sustainable development through the sustainable use and protection of biodiversity, and is now taking serious steps towards implementing conservation program and awareness- raising for the sound use and conservation of biodiversity resources. From 1999, with financial support from the Royal Government of Denmark-DANIDA, a tree seed project was formulated with nine counterpart staff and one technical advisor. The objective of the project is to promote the use of good quality tree seed from good seed sources. Since 1999, the CTSP has conducted many training courses for seed user and producer. The project also publishes thousands of posters, species leaflet and technical books for distribution during Arbor Day and to provincial foresters, nursery managers, farmers, NGOs and other seed users. A series of TV sports on the subject of using good quality seed and of conservation of priority species are being developed by the CTSP in collaboration with DFW.

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In 2002, with financial assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA), the DFW established a training centre. A number of courses have already been conducted on different subjects related to the field of forestry. 5. Reference

-Cambodia Tree Seed Project (CTSP),2003. Seed source registration. The Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Phnom Penh. 23 pp. - Department of Forestry and Wildlife (DFW).2001. Technical Report on Development Plant for the Sustainable Forest Management in Cambodia. Phnom Penh, Cambodia 24 pp. - Department of Forestry and Wildlife (DFW)/ Reforestation Office.2002. Untitled Papers relating to plans for planting stations and nurseries. Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Department of Forestry and Wildlife (DFW).2003.Cambodia Forestry Statisticsto 2002. Phnom Penh, Cambodia - Forestry Administration, / Statistics section Planning and Accounting Finance Office. May 2007 , Cambodia Forestry Statistics 2006 , Phnom Penh, Cambodia -Hang, C.N,2002. Economic planning and protected areas: toward the sustainable management of natural resource. Working Paper, May 2002, Ministry of Finance, Phnom Penh, Cambodia -Soktha, M.2001. The state of forest management and conservation in Cambodia. pp3-16 in Proceeding of the Southeast Asian Moving Workshop on Conservation, Management and Utilization of Forest Genetic Resources ( J.Koskela, S. Appanah, A.P.Pedersen and M.D. Markopoulos,eds). FORSPA & FAO, Bankok, Thailand. 6. Abbrevation FA - Forestry Administration DFW - Department of Forestry and Wildlife CTSP - Cambodia Tree Seed Project STd - Double Steer CBD - Convention on Biological Diversity

RGC - The Royal Government of Cambodia MAFF - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries