Temporal Systems and Woodlots, continued.
Improved Fallow. Planting trees to improve fallow periods is applicable in areas where shifting cultivation is practiced. NFTs can be planted to enhance soil amelioration, and reduce fallow periods. Trees can be purposefully planted (e.g., though a handful of scattered seeds) in land that is being abandoned. The use of NFTs in this way can lead to quicker rejuvenation of the soil as well as tree products. Important genera used to improve fallow are similar to those used for hedgerow intercropping.
Land Rehabilitation. Land rehabilitation is long-term fallow for land that has been so over-exploited, or impacted in some way, that it has no short-term potential for productive agriculture. In such lands, trees can be planted to both provide products, and to gradually rehabilitate the soil. In land rehabilitation, trees are planted in wider spacings, as in a plantation, since they are expected to be in the ground longer. NFT genera of consideration here would be similar to those presented for windbreaks and for wide-row intercropping. Choice would largely be determined by the type of tree product desired, ex., Dalbergia species for quality timber production. |
