Does scientific forest management promote plant species diversity and regeneration in Sal (Shorea robusta) forest? A case study from Lumbini collaborative forest, Rupandehi, Nepal

Abstract

Scientific forest management is an emerging need for managing existing natural forests of Nepal on the basis of silvicultural intervention. The study was carried out in Lumbini Collaborative Forest at Rupandehi District of Nepal, where Sal (Shorea robusta) forests are being managed under Irregular Shelterwood System with eighty years of cutting cycle since 2011-2012. The study was purposed to find out the intial effects of silvicultural intervention on plant species diversity and regeneration of Sal forest. The vegetative sampling was done using quadrate method based on the principle of simple random sampling both in the managed as well as the unmanaged parts of forest. The study found out remarkable increase in regeneration as well as decrease in plant diversity in the managed first and second-year stands (Block I and Block II respectively) as compared to the unmanaged stand (Block III) at its initial level of implementation. The mean value of diversity, richness, evenness, dominance index and regeneration of S. robusta varied significantly (p≤0.05) between the managed blocks (stands). The seedling density of S. robusta was found higher in the managed blocks (Block I and Block II) as compared to the unmanaged one (Block III) in terms of height class. The study recommends implementation of Irregular Shelterwood System for managing the existing degraded Sal forests of the Terai region of Nepal, however, its long term effects on plant species diversity should be further studied in detail.

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“…The average number of saplings before and after regeneration felling was found to be 1,434 and 2,507, respectively. Awasthi et al (2015) found comparable results in similar sites of Rupandehi district. They recorded 1,644 saplings per ha.…”

“…Hence, the regeneration of S. robusta in the study CFs was found higher after Khanal and Adhikari regeneration felling operation. Awasthi et al (2015) also found higher number of Sal saplings after regeneration felling than no regeneration felling area.…”

“…was 6,804 and 21,063 before and after regeneration felling, respectively (Table 2). Awasthi et al (2015) found 16,555-21,000 seedlings per ha. after regeneration felling of Sal forest under irregular shelterwood system in similar site of Rupandehi district.…”

“…Irregular shelterwood system is a method of shelterwood system in which, few mother/shelter trees will be kept and remaining trees will be removed in regeneration felling operations and existing regeneration and poles will be kept for future crops resulting in a irregular crop, which is why it is known as a irregular shelterwood system. Irregular shelterwood system is one of the prescribed silviculture system for Sal (Shorea robusta) forest management in Nepal (MFSC, 2014;Awasthi et al, 2015). Those saplings and poles grown already in the forest are kept as future trees to reduce the risk of regeneration and use the already grown crops in the future which make the resultant crops uneven-aged.…”

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“…5), because more valuable species are promoted in treatment block and forest management practices enriched the value of stumpage. Awasthi et al [24] found higher seedling and sapling densities in the managed areas (block I and II) as compared to that in the control, i.e., unmanaged area (block III) with no regeneration felling, which could be the result of regeneration felling. However, tree density was found to be higher in the control area with 552 trees/ha as compared to the managed ones (block I with 66 trees/ha and block II with 133 trees/ha) [24], which supports the finding of this study.…”