Biodiversity and Conservation Biology in Plantation Forests – an overview of the IUFRO Conference held in Bordeaux, 27-29 April 2005.
Jactel, H., Franc, A. (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France), Quine, C. (Forest Research, United Kingdom), Brockerhoff, E. (Ensis, New Zealand), Sayer, J. (WWF International, Switzerland), Parrotta, J. (USDA Forest Service, USA). Summary: Plantation forests range from intensively managed short-rotation crops to agro-forests and areas of enriched secondary forests. They are expanding rapidly in many parts of the world and are providing an increasing share of forest products. While economic competitiveness will inevitably lead to a continuation of this trend, the expansion of plantations is often resisted by civil society because of the popular perception that they harm environmental functions and especially that they are “sterile” and lack biodiversity. These concerns have been justified in situations where exotic plantations have replaced biodiverse natural forests. Conference presentations included empirical studies of the biodiversity values of different types of plantation forests in temperate and tropical countries and ways in which plantation management can be adapted to assist biodiversity outcomes. It was argued that biodiversity considerations should be given more attention in planning and managing plantation forests, both within plantation management units and in the broader landscapes within which plantations are located. The costs and benefits of biodiversity to plantation owners and managers, the application of “ecosystem approaches”, the co-benefits of carbon sequestration schemes under the CDM, and recent initiatives related to the certification of plantations were also discussed. http://www.pierroton.inra.fr/IEFC/manifestations/2005_IUFROD8.html Publication of some contributions as scientific paper in a special issue of Biodiversity and Conservation is in progress.