Restoration of Degraded Natural Limestone Forests in Cat Ba Biosphere Reserves, Vietnam
Tran Hai Long
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam and Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Bioresources, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea, Korea.
Trieu Thai Hung
*
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Sangjun Im
Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Bioresources, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea, Korea.
Dang Thi Hai Ha
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Ninh Viet Khuong
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Nguyen Van Tuan
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Hoang Thanh Son
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Tran Hoang Quy
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Trinh Ngoc Bon
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Tran Cao Nguyen
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Phung Dinh Trung
Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, 46 Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Tran Nam Binh
Department of Social Science, Human and Nature, Ministry of Science and Technology, 113 Tran Duy Hung, Cau Giay, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Le Hong Lien
Vietnam National University of Forestry, Xuan Mai, Chuong My, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Qiwen Li
Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Bioresources, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea, Korea.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Vietnam experienced significant forest cover change during the last half of the twentieth century, and restoration of natural forests have increased since the 1990s. This study developed comparisons of human-intervened and naturally restored forests in Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam in order to gain a better understanding of restoration options for the dual objectives of biodiversity conservation and forest cover. The overstory trees (species composition, growth, and diameter distribution) and natural regeneration (species richness, density, and height distribution) were measured and compared in twelve plots established in natural (NPS) and artificial restoration (RPS) models for post-selective-logged forest, and natural (NPC) and artificial restoration (RPC) models for post-clear-cut forest. Results indicated that the overstory trees and natural regeneration of RPS and RPC was higher than that of NPS and NPC. We concluded that the forest restoration models had shown successes, although extensive silvicultural techniques should be applied for a more stabilized development, especially in the RPC.
Keywords: Natural limestone forest, forest degradation, overstory, regeneration, forest restoration