Domestication of Indigenous Timber Species in Degraded Open Karst Lands: A Decade of Experience

Abstract

This study tested the domestication potential of 43 indigenous timber species in 1.2-ha degraded karst land. Survival, height and diameter growth performance and site factors were periodically monitored Results showed twenty-eight indigenous forest timber species thriving ill an open karst area including 8 dipterocarps: norig. mayapis, white lauan, bagtikan, guisok-guisok. 'ka/un!i or manggasinoro, red lauan and yakal-kaliot. The non-dipterocarps include hitangllo/ & kalillgag. Species with 100% survival were aniam gubat, bayokbok. ipil. ka/umpit; Jamog. - puso-puso, sagimsim and taluto. White lauan had a survival of 96% and molave had 92%. Kalumpil had the highest increment both ill heighl and diameter. Kalrm;pit ' was followed by dao, duguan, milipili. Among the dipterocarps, white lauan gal the highest diameter and height growth increment. Narig, with its waxy leaf surface of all Ihe dipterocOlps, was tolerant under full solar exposure. Domestication farms should include or integrate fruit trees, vegetable trees (like bago or Gnelum gnemon) and other economic plants. Domestication trials of barit" anis/ag, sudiang, other dipterocGJps. bago, nito. sig-id, rattan and other sources of raw materials for handicrafts should also be tried.

 

Keywords: Indigenous Timber Species