This document describes existing multi-species forest plantations in Brazil. It discusses how plantations of cocoa, rubber, and palm trees with other forest species have been considered agroforestry systems in Brazil. However, these plantations only have a forest component, so they are actually multi-tree species forest plantations rather than agroforestry systems. The document proposes an initial multi-species forest plantation with African mahoganies, pines, and palm trees that would provide timber and non-timber products and cash flow in the short, medium, and long term. It describes the methodology for establishing such a plantation with different spacing and harvesting approaches for each species.

1. Mul$ Species Forest Planta$ons in Brazil
Laercio Couto, Ph.D.
Antonio Marcos Rosado, D.Sc.
Juliana M F C Brune9a, D.Sc.
Thannar Bubna
June 2021

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11. Exis+ng restMul+ Species Forest Planta+ons in Brazil
• The establishment of mul+ species forest planta+ons in Brazil is an old prac+ce
• It is very well known in Brazil the mixed planta+ons of cocoa and rubber trees and also
involving palm trees and other forest species
• These planta+ons have been considered and called agroforestry systems
• However in these planta+ons we have only the forest component and thererfore they are
in fact mul+ tree species forest planta+ons and not agroforestry systems
• The objec+ve of this presenta+on is to show how tree species can be
interplanted to generate mul+ species stand planta+ons to produce +mber
and non +mber forest products
• A mul+ species forest planta+on can generate cash flow in the short,
medium and long term

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15. The Ini+al Proposal
• A mixed forest stand with African Mahoganies, Pines and Palm trees
• Palm trees will provide non +mber forest products and economic returns in
the short run
• Pines will provide +mber and non +mber forest products and economic
returns in the medium term
• African Mahoganies will provide 4mber products and economic returns in
the long run
• The existence of several species of African Mahoganies, Pines and Palm
trees, will provide possibilty of a very large number of mul+ species forest
planta+ons

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24. The Mul+ Species Forest Planta+on Methodology
• Site prepara+on should be done in strips 2 m width for each species
• A ripper should be used along the longitudinal axis of the strips
• The ini+al spacing for the Khaya sp and Pinus sp should be 5 m x 4 m
• The palm species should be planted between the trees in the lines
• Palm trees will be harvested at ages of 6 to 9 months
• Pine tapping will start at the age of 7 to 8 years
• Thinnings of Pines and Khaya will start at the ages of 10 to 12 years

25. Ini+al Spacing
K + K + K + k + k
+ P + P + P + P +
K + K + P + K + K
+ P + P + P + P +
K + K + P + K + K
K = Khaya sp (5 m x 4 m)
P = Pinus sp (5 m x 4 m )
+ = Palm tree (2 m between two trees in each line)

26. Thanks !!!
Daniels Forestry
University of Toronto
laercio.couto@utoronto.ca
+55 1 9 5483-9392