This document discusses plantation forests, specifically teak plantations. It provides background on silviculture and plantation forestry. Plantation forests are important for supplementing natural resources, replacing natural regeneration, and reforesting degraded lands. The history of plantations is discussed, including early examples in various countries in Asia and Africa. Major plantation programs in Nepal are also outlined. The document concludes with data on the extent of plantations by country in tropical regions up through 2000.

1. Plantation Forest (Teak)
By: Deepak Gautam,
Asst. Professor, IOF, Pokhara

2. Background:
The term silviculture refers to certain aspects of theory
and practices of raising forest crops (Champion and Seth
1968)
 It is defined as the art and science of cultivating forest
crops (Anon 1966)
 Silviculture includes both (a) Silvics and (b) its practical
application.
 Silvics has been defined as the study of life history and
general characteristics of forest trees and crops with
particular reference to environmental factor as the basis
for the practice of silviculture (Anon 1966).

3. Unit:1. Plantation forestry:
1.1 Introduction and scope
 Artificial regeneration is the renewal of a forest crop by
sowing, planting or by other artificial means.
The word “Plantation” is synonymous to artificially
regenerated crop and it is defined as a forest crop raised
artificially, either by sowing or planting.
 Artificial regeneration includes both
(i) reforestation and
(ii) afforestation.
Why plantation? Give some points orally?
1.
2.

4. Why do we need plantation forests?
Supplementing natural resources.
Natural regeneration in several forests is not successfully
obtained. In such cases, area has to be regenerated artificially by
raising plantation. Such planting is called enrichment planting.
 Replacing natural regeneration
In several areas, natural regeneration of forests is uncertain
and very slow. Several times it requires many silvicultural
operations and high cost. In such case forest is restored by
artificial regeneration by sowing and planting or by both.
 To restock and revegetate degraded forest.
The process of natural restocking is very slow and uncertain.
Restocking the land by artificial means is perhaps the
quickest and most effective method of revegetation.

5. Similarly,
To change the crop composition and to introduce
fast growing and exotic species.
To increase the production and meet the demand.
 To utilize and reclaim wasteland.
 To generate employment and improve economy.
 To promote industrial growth.
 To Promote farm forestry and agroforestry.
 To conserve environment etc.
Reference:
Dwivedi. A.P.(2006). A text book of silviculture. Published by International Book Distibuters, Dehradun, India. Pg 291.

6. 1.2 Plantation in Nepal
 No long plantation history of Nepal.
Currently, community plantations have become the major
plantation in Nepal.
Started since first five year plan (2013-2017 B.S.).
153 acre of land planted in the 1st five year plan.
The plantation program focused in every five year plans

7. Major Plantation programs conducted in Nepal :
Sagarnath forest development project/ program
Ratuwamai plantation project
Nepal Australia Forestry Project
Nepalgunj forest development project
Chautara forest development project
Tamagadi Taungya Plantation
Hill forest development project

8. Forest of the world:

14. 1.3 Plantation in the tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth by the Equator. It is
limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern
hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23.5°) N and the
Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at 23°26‘
(23.5°) S.
History of plantation: (Some major included here):
 Bible records, Abraham planting a Tamarisk tree.
 Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa ) was recorded about 220 BC.
 Teak was introduced in Srilanka as early as 1680
 Teak was success in Java, Indonesia ,in 1829 A.D.
 Teak planted in Bangladesh, in 1871.
 In 1866, Changamanga plantation of Sisoo was done in Pakistan.
 Several other plantations were done for various purpose before 1900
AD.
Note: The area of the temperate and boreal forests has now broadly stabilized. It is
the tropical forests that are being so rapidly destroyed.
Reference:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0829e/t0829e04.htm. Reterived on 20 May 2018.

15. Plantation …………….
 By 1945, 180,000 ha Acacia spp. in South Africa.
 By 2nd world war, 80,000 ha teak and eucalyptus in India.
 By 19 31, 25000 ha in Kenya.
 By 1958, 41000 ha in Sawziland ( Africa)
 By 1950, Swertenia mycrophylla in Fiji.
 In 1965, 4.0 million hector in China.
 Between 1966-1980, 140,000 ha in Brazil.
 Between 1971-1979, 28,000 ha Pinus cariba in Fiji.
 Between 1966 -1980, 15000 ha Eucalyptus in Congo & 180,000 ha in
Sudan.
 Between 1966 – 1979, 2.8 million ha in India.
 In 1980, 6million ha eucalyptus in China.
 In 1980, according to FAO (1988) of 11.5 million ha plantation in
tropical countries, among them 7.2 million ha for industries and 4.3
million ha for non-industrial purpose.

16. By country plantation data up to 2000 AD
Burundi: 300,000 ha
Malaysia: 500,000 ha
Ethiopia: 3.5 million ha
Indonesia:300,000 ha
India: 17 million ha
Brazil: 12 million ha
 China: 46.67 million ha. (20% of the world
plantation)- Not included in tropical country.