Principles of CNFM Technical indicators with quantitative options

43 Figure 1. Systematic consideration and logical FLR framework used in China First, an FLR planning task will be conducted according to the utilization characteristics function zones, dominant species feature shade tolerance and rate of growth and the designed FDT. Subsequently, one of the seven silvicultural models to meet these preconditions to realize multifunctional goals at the stand operation level is to be undertaken. Objective and principle Function zoning Species classification FDT Stand Operation Regime Enclosure Single target tre e selection cut Clear-cutting Mosaic clear-cutting in Strip intermediat e cutting Shelter cutting Group selection cutting 44 3. Case study of FLR in the ECTF The ECTF is situated in the Chinese tropical montane region Figure 2. It is a state-owned forest management unit founded in 1979; it began with afforestation as the main management activity on an area of 1.92 ha. Initially the ECTF was managed for timber only, and the dominant tree species were Pinus massoniana and Cunninghamia lanceolata which occupied 81 percent of the total area. Some fast-growing species like Eucalyptus and Acacia were also part of the experiment before 2000. As the stand grew into middle age, it came under attack from pine moths which caused significant damage to the trees; severe soil degradation also occurred. Thus a need for change was deemed necessary. The first approach was a mixed afforestation experiment in the late 1990s. The second was to emulate CNFM with cultivation of high-value hardwood native species, thereby transforming most of the conifer plantations. Revised steps, beginning in 2010, addressed developing a multifunctional management plan for the whole management unit, characterized by function zoning and the setting up of long-term goals for every stand FDT design to realize sustainable management at the landscape level. All these steps transpired within 15 years to make the ECTF an exemplary case of FLR in China. These activities and initial results have been reported in the Chinese media and journals Stone 2009.

3.1 Function zoning and CNFM model of the ECTF

The goal of the ECTF’s MFFM is to maintain the health and vitality of forests and develop their economic and ecological service functions at the same temporal and spatial scales. In the ECTF’s function zoning, all management areas are divided into the following four types: 1. Ecological protection forest zone – forests that have special ecological and natural conservation values, and need to be protected; harvesting is forbidden. 2. Ecological forest zone – some tending optimization and low intensity harvest activities allowed. 3. Commercial forest zone – restricted felling, low intensity felling for timber production; clear-cutting forbidden.

4. Commercial forest zone – timber production with no restriction on operation intensity.

Based on the results of function zoning for ECTF forest areas, the four function zones can be regarded as the premise and precondition for arranging the different silvicultural models to ensure the necessary ecological functions for maintaining natural ecosystem integrity, and then to realize MFFM at the landscape level.

3.2 Species consideration for the MFFM plan

Tree species or species groups are the basic elements for MFFM. The most important aspect is to understand the species characteristics and identify optimal combinations of species in mixed stand situations or for forest transformation. Species features such as the growth environment altitude, soil type and bedrock, economic value, growth cycle, nutrient preserving capability, water and soil conservation, drought tolerance, fire resistance, landscape aesthetics and so forth have to be considered in the design of silvicultural models. As a new development towards productivity and biodiversity promotion at the landscape level, the silvicultural tree species in the ECTF have been enriched from four dominants Pinus massoniana, Cunninghamia lanceolata, Eucalyptus spp., Mytilaria laoensis to 20 species as shown in Table 2. This table was derived from the ECTF’s long years of management experience and provides an important guide for the ECTF; it also serves as a reference for other tropical montane regions. Figure 2. Location of the ECTF in the Chinese tropical montane region