Period: 20 July - 3 August 2003. Country: Myanmar
(1) Long-Term Sustainability of Taungya Teak Plantations in the Bago Mountain Range, Myanmar -Transition of the Ecological Environment during the Last 100 Years-
SUZUKI Reiji  (Division of Southeast Asian Area Studies)
Key Words: Taungya, Teak Plantation, Soil Organic Matter, Vegetation Succession, Forest Fire


Weather monitoring station
(2) In the Bago mountain range of Myanmar, "Taungya" teak plantations have been in successful operation for more than one century, and have been considered a rare successful case among tropical plantations.
          However, soil fertility may decrease after the first cycle under the Taungya system, because a large volume of biomass is removed from the forest ecosystem through the harvest of teak. In addition, it has been pointed out that monoculture teak plantations can cause various ecological problems such as severe insect damage or soil erosion. Though the Taungya system in Myanmar has a long history, little research has dealt quantitatively with these problems. Consequently, the future sustainability of the system needs to be examined closely.
          The aim of this research is to evaluate the long-term sustainability of the Taungya system in Myanmar from the following three points of view: 1) nutrient balance, 2) ecological conditions, and 3) socio-economic conditions.

(3) Soil sampling and vegetation surveys were carried out in fields where Taungya plantations had been abandoned after the teak harvest and where the second rotation of Taungya plantation had been started after the teak harvest. In the abandoned fields, recovery of vegetation was observed (the dominant species was bamboo) and therefore, the danger of soil erosion immediately after the harvest seemed to have been mitigated. Under the second rotation of Taungya plantation, the growth of intercrops seemed to be poor, indicating the possibility of soil deterioration (soil samples are now under analysis ).
          Data from seven weather monitoring stations which were set up in the Bago mountain range show that there is an apparent regional difference in precipitation. Precipitation on the western slopes of the Bago mountain range was lower than that in the eastern slopes, and the northern part was drier than the southern part in both slopes. These data are useful for making a suitable site selection for teak plantations.

 
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