A new noteworthy tool for improving forest

biodiversity in reforested areas: the

effectiveness of Miyawaki method in

Mediterranean reforestation programs

Federico Vessella

Department of Forest and Environment (D.A.F.), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, via S. Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.

Thessaloniki, March 22-24 2011

Miyawaki method

Applications and results

Miyawaki has been succesfullyapplied in several Far Eastcountries, (e.g. Japan, China,Malaysia, Thailand) and in SouthAmerica (Brazil and Chile).Experimented in thousandshectares, Miyawaki always allowsclimax vegetation achievement.

Advantages compared to traditional methods

After planting, any human care is not required, such

as weeding or thinning;

Undergrowth with late-successional species is

immediately on site;

Forest stand becomes quickly part of natural

ecosystem

Method limits

Accurate botanical and ecological analysis of sites

is need, thus specialists are required for

environmental investigations;

Manpower need is high;

Planting costs are quite expensive

Method restrictions – adaptability to Mediterranean climate

Sites where Miyawaki successed

Some Mediterranean climate patterns

Method involvement in Mediterranean environment

Miyawaki method was never tested in Mediterranean

environment, mainly because is unknown

Difficulties are linked to Mediterranean climate

characterized by summer aridity, in several cases by winter

cold, and by thin soils

Nevertheless, it could be interesting for the Mediterranean

context, because in this area complete environment

restoration takes long time

Maintenance planting cost are reduced to the first year

Our experiment

Site location

Sardinia - Italy

Municipality of Pattada

I.G.M. 1:25000 of experimental field

Aerial view (2006)

A

B

Site A Site B

Surface 4500 m2 c.a. 1000 m2 c.a.

Altitude a.s.l. 760 m 885 m

Slope 4° 0°

Aspect North-East Flat

Geology Granite Granite

Soil Lithic and Dystric Xerorthents

Lithic and Dystric Xerorthents

Plant number 1759 1828

Density 4000 plants/ha 18000 plants/ha

N. of species 32 17

Project description

Climatic features

of the area

Site A:List of spontaneous species

Site B:List of spontaneous species

Potential vegetation (climax)

Mixed forest with Quercus ilex, Q. suber, Q. pubescens and Ilex aquifolium

Our changements to the original method

No new soil addition (20 cm labour of first pre-existent soil)

Use of some local pioneer species (Pinus pinaster) together with late successional ones to improve plant community resilience

Test of different types of mulching

Planting scheme

List of species used for the plantation

Planting scheme

Mulching Map

Straw mulching

Saw mill residuals

Planting results after 11 years

Site B

Site A

Planted species: 28

Native species in not worked strips: 4

Qualitatively all survived

Traditional reforestation technique

Test Area closed to Site A in a 30 years old reforested zone

10 species (31,25%)

Test Area in a coeval reforested zone lightly far from Site A

7 species (21,88%)

Test Area in a gradoni reforested site 7 species (21,88%)

37%

63%

Quantitative analysis

Survived

Total planted species: 23

Forest species: 17

Qualitatively 7 forest sp. survived

19.69%

80.31%

Quantitative analysis

Survived

Site A Site B

Plant survived Plant survived

Specific survival percentage

Acer monspessulanum

Ilex aquifolium

Laurus nobilis

Celtis australis

Castanea sativa

Cedrus libani

Arbutus unedo

Spartium junceum

Quercus ilex

Ligustrum vulgaris

Malus domestica

Myrtus communis

Fraxinus ornus

Pyrus communis

Pinus pinaster

Rosmarinus officinalis

Quercus pubescens

Quercus suber

Taxus baccata

Viburnum tinus

Sorbus torminalis

pioneers

M.S.

L.S.

Site A

Site A

Site A

Quercus suber

Site A

Natural

regeneration of

Pinus pinaster

Site B

Site B

Site B

Quercus suber

Site B

Pyrus pyraster

Site B

Juniperus oxycedrus

Comparison with traditional methods of reforestation

More rapid development of trees, in particular ofpioneer species

Greater richness in species, also climaticspecies (Quercus ilex, Q. suber, Q. pubescensand Ilex aquifolium are present)

30 years reforested area outside SITE A

20 years

gradoni

reforestation

Max height = 4 m

Improvement opportunities and conclusions

Improve soil characteristics adding compost or local

vegetal material

Reducing pioneers species without excluding at all

Test for the optimal plant density

Use high quality seedlings

Reduce planting costs

Pre-Forest cultivation approach should help solving thoseproblems and Miyawaki method should be applied as interestingtool for forest restoration programmes in Mediterranean countries

The mobile pre-cultivation unit,adapted to a standardisedcontainer size for transportationon a lorry, train or boat to anyoptional forest nursery.

• introduce a new technology build on pre-cultivation (in mini-plugs) of

forest regeneration materials (FRM) in a cost efficient and

environmental friendly production unit not affected by outdoor climate;

• integrate these technologies into a functional system for large scale

production of pre-cultivated forest regeneration materials adapted to

transplanting and further growth at forest nurseries all over Europe