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• Planting techniques: Digging, refilling and planting with preprepared seedlings are employed in most dry zone
plantations Figure 6. The main reason for digging is to collect scarce rain water. Refilling with soil from elsewhere is also necessary to provide enough nutrients for young seedlings as the physical and chemical conditions of the soil at
the site are very poor. Various pittrench sizesdesigns are employed based on slope conditions. The most common trench size on sloping ground is 6 x 1.5 x 1´ with a centre pit of 1 x 1 x 1´, and on flat land is 3 x 3 x 1´ with a centre
pit of 1 x 1 x 1´. Following planting, weeding, fertilization, patching and protection from fire, grazing animals and human beings are essential. Watering and fencing are also important for the success of dry zone plantations.
Figure 6. Rejuvenating the dry zone through land rehabilitation 5.2.2 Protection of remaining natural forests
This strategy is applied to rehabilitate large areas of degraded natural forests in a cost-efficient manner. It is applied in areas where genetic resources such as mother trees and stumps still remain and is carried out in both highly productive and
low productive e.g. the Central dry zone or mountainous areas sites. Only government departments such as the Forest Department and DZGD undertake this work. Government expenditure is only about US6.00 per hectare. Major field
operations include checking the forest boundary, boundary repair, building of guards’ houses in protected forest areas, clearing of inspection paths, putting up warning notices, assignment of forest guards average of one guard for 250 ha
and regular patrolling of the area to protect against fire, grazing, illegal cutting, encroachment and other disturbances. Although the budget looks low on a per hectare basis, when extensive areas of 500 or 1 000 ha are treated, it is still
workable and the minimum targets can be met. However, the approach could be made more productive with bigger budgets.
The outcomes are quite slow and not very apparent in the first few years. After three to five years the results can be impressive. If such protection is continued, even heavily degraded forest can regrow to its optimum condition in 15 to 20
years.
Compared to forest plantation, the long-term results are much more attractive in terms of environmental, ecological, social and economic values. Both local communities and foresters prefer this operation over monoculture plantations. It is a
promising strategy to restore degraded forests in an efficient and effective manner.
Land preparation Preparing a pit trench
Trench digging Nursery
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5.3 Case study: Rehabilitation of Shin-ma-taung Hill in the Central dry zone of Myanmar
5.3.1 General characteristics
This is an isolated hill in central flat land peaking at 525 masl Figure 7. The total area of 7 687 ha is made up of 7 300 ha of reserved forest and 400 ha of unclassed forests. Severe weather and environmental conditions such as low rainfall,
high temperature and frequent droughts are common. The average annual rainfall has been 450 mm for the last 20 years. Maximum day time temperature rises to 45°C in summer months March to May; the lowest temperature is about 12°C
on winter nights December to February. The soil is poor, mostly sandy gravel and rocky, and is not productive.
Natural vegetation is dry-thorn forests, dominated by Acacia, Ziziphus and Neem species. The area is well known for Limonia acidissima, locally called Thanakha, from which facial and body cream is made.
Figure 7. Location of Shin-ma-taung Hill
Source: DZGD 2013.
5.3.2 Deforestation and forest degradation in the area
Shin-ma-taung Hill used to be covered with good dry forest until the 1960s. Since the 1970s, the area faced severe pressure for logs, poles, posts, fuelwood and so forth. After 30 years of such intensive cutting and overexploitation, the once-green
hill became highly degraded and partly barren. Local streams and ponds dried out, and the wild animals disappeared. Furthermore, the harsh climatic and edaphic conditions made it difficult for the degraded forests to recover naturally.
5.3.3 Rehabilitation efforts
Rehabilitation was initiated by the Forest Department in 1995. Since its formation in 1997, the DZGD took over this responsibility and has been carrying out the work to date.
The main strategy is a combination of plantation establishment and protection of remaining natural vegetation. The protection of remaining natural forests is applied where genetic resources such as mother trees and stumps still remain.
From 1998 to 2003 a total 4 926 ha of degraded forest has been kept under continuous care and protection Figure 8. Plantation establishment was applied in barren areas with no vegetation for natural recovery. In this case both village
fuelwood plantation, community forest plantation, watershed plantation and hill regreening were established. The aim was to rehabilitate the area and also to provide basic needs for local communities. Trees used for plantation establishment
are mostly local indigenous hardy species like Acacia, Ziziphus and Neem. From 1995 to 2001, 2 165 ha of forest plantation were established. This included 807 ha of village fuelwood plantation, 31 ha of community forest plantation, 324 ha of
watershed plantation and 1 001 ha of hill regreening plantation.
The total rehabilitated area, a combination of natural forest protection area and forest plantation, has reached up to 7 091 ha, or 92 percent of the hill area. Only 596 ha remain untouched. These untouched areas are mostly steep slopes and rocky
areas that are difficult for any field operation. Authorities are expecting them to recover naturally over time.
Site Location
Shin-ma-taung Hill Yesagyo Township, Pakokku District,
Magway Region, Central Dry Zone of Myanmar
