Institute Information Project Name Sustainable and profitable development of acacia plantations for sawlog production in Vietnam Vietnamese Institution Forest Science Institute of Vi
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Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development
Project Progress Report
032/05VIE Sustainable and profitable development of acacia plantations for sawlog production in Vietnam
MS9: THIRD SIX-MONTHLY REPORT (MARCH 2007-AUGUST 2007)
Friday, September 28, 2007
Trang 2Table of Contents
1 Institute Information 1
2 Project Abstract 2
3 Executive Summary 2
4 Introduction & Background 3
5 Progress to Date 4
5.1 Implementation Highlights 4
5.2 Smallholder Benefits 4
5.3 Capacity Building 5
5.4 Publicity 5
5.5 Project Management 5
6 Report on Cross-Cutting Issues 5
6.1 Environment 5
6.2 Gender and Social Issues 5
7 Implementation & Sustainability Issues 5
7.1 Issues and Constraints 5
7.2 Options 5
7.3 Sustainability 5
8 Next Critical Steps 6
9 Conclusion 6
10 Statutory Declaration Error! Bookmark not defined
Trang 31 Institute Information
Project Name Sustainable and profitable development of
acacia plantations for sawlog production in Vietnam
Vietnamese Institution Forest Science Institute of Vietnam
Vietnamese Project Team Leader Dr Ha Huy Thinh
Australian Organisation Ensis
Australian Personnel Dr Chris Harwood, Dr Sadanandan
Nambiar, Dr Chris Beadle, Mr Khongsak Pinyopusarerk
Date commenced 1/03/2006
Completion date (original) 31/12/2008
Completion date (revised)
Reporting period 1/3/2007– 31/08/2007
Contact Officer(s)
In Australia: Team Leader
Name: Dr Chris Harwood Telephone: +61-3-62267964
Position: Principal Research Scientist Fax: +61-3-62267901
Organisation Ensis Email: Chris.harwood@ensisjv.com
In Australia: Administrative contact
Name: Linda Berkhan Telephone: +61-3-95452222
Position: Contracts Officer Fax: +61-3-95452446
Organisation Ensis Email: Linda.berkhan@ensisjv.com
In Vietnam
Name: Dr Ha Huy Thinh Telephone: +84-4-8389813
Position: Director, Research Centre for Forest
Tree Improvement
Fax: +84-4-8369722
Organisation FSIV Email: rcfti
Trang 42 Project Abstract
This project supports the development of profitable smallholder tree plantations in Central Vietnam, growing high-value acacia sawlogs for Vietnam’s solid-wood processing industries The project builds the scientific capacity of the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam (FSIV) to breed acacia varieties most suited to sawlog production, and to conduct applied silvicultural research to support sustainable and profitable plantations It will strengthen the extension capacity
of provincial and local forest development authorities to demonstrate optimum growing technologies for the improved acacia breeds, and will help tree-farmer groups to optimise financial and labour inputs to suit their local circumstances Project components include:
• Formulation of silvicultural guidelines for sustainable acacia sawlog production
• Selection of most appropriate breeds for sawlog plantations in central and northern Vietnam, and planning for further genetic improvement to improve sawlog value
• Field trials to compare extensive and intensive silvicultural treatments and determine best technologies to boost productivity, sawlog yields, profitability and sustainability for farmers
• Financial models to help growers judge profitability and select best silvicultural methods
• Training in Australia and Vietnam for managers, scientists, technicians and extension officers The project activities are described in the Executive Summary and Section 5
The project continued satisfactorily with all the relevant project components completed according to schedule This report covers the period March 1, 2007 to August 31, 2007 The three-week scientists training in Australia (Output 4.2) was conducted in March-April
2007 Six scientists from FSIV were nominated to attend One scientist, Dr Pham The Dung, had to default owing to unforeseen work commitments that arose in Vietnam Five other scientists attended and successfully completed the training in Western Australia and
Tasmania These five scientists worked together to produce two separate written trip reports, provided under separate cover as part of this milestone
A project training course “Tree Improvement for Acacia Plantations and Silvicultural
Techniques for Sawlog Production” was held over the period 11-15 June 2007 at the
Southern Forest Science Sub-institute of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City The course was
attended by 13 young Vietnamese scientists and forest technicians (11 men and two women), from different branches of FSIV and provincial forestry agencies, all of whom were involved
in tree improvement and/or silviculture The course included 2 days of lectures, exercises and discussion and 3 days of field work, visiting genetic and silvicultural research trials, participating in stand management demonstrations, and visiting a sawmill to discuss wood utilization As part of the course, simple pre- and post-course written assessments were
conducted, which indicated that the course was well-targeted to the audience and that
learning had been effective Follow-up survey of the participants will be conducted after 12 months to determine the extent to which knowledge has been applied by the participants A separate report on the training course is attached
One additional demonstration pruning trial was established in a stand of Acacia auriculiformis at the Ba Vi forestry research station in northern Vietnam
The report for Milestone 5, Baselines Established, was submitted to CARD in May, 2007
Trang 5Completion of Milestone 7, Acacia Silviculture Demonstration Trial, will take place in November 2007 when the trial is planted out Substantial preparatory work at the field trial site at the FSIV North-Central Station near Dong Ha, including fencing to protect the trial from interference by livestock, has been undertaken by FSIV during this reporting period
4 Introduction & Background
The overall project purpose is to generate and improve incomes for forest growers, particularly poor forest farmers in the rural areas of central and northern Vietnam, through the development of sustainable and profitable acacia plantations for sawlog production
The project has formulated “best-bet” silvicultural guidelines for sustainable acacia sawlog production based on Vietnamese and overseas experience It has reviewed progress in acacia genetic improvement in Vietnam with the specific aim of selecting the most appropriate acacia breeds for sawlog plantations in central and northern Vietnam, and will develop a strategy for further genetic improvement to improve acacia sawlog value Further genetic improvement will depend on a better understanding of the quality requirements of Vietnam’s wood-processing industries, which is being obtained through surveys of sawmills and wood manufacturing plants
Field trials will be established to compare extensive and intensive silvicultural treatments and
to determine and demonstrate best technologies to improve plantation productivity and sustainability, sawlog yields and quality, and profitability for farmers Simple spreadsheet-based financial models will be developed, incorporating existing knowledge and project results, to help extension agents and growers to judge profitability of sawlog regimes for acacia plantations and select the best silvicultural methods for their situations
A two-week study tour was conducted in Australia in May-June 2006 for eight for Vietnamese scientists and managers, to expose them to the management and research environments underpinning established sawlog-growing industries More detailed training in silvicultural and genetic research was provided for six FSIV scientists who visited Australia for three weeks in March-April 2007 A training course was conducted in Vietnam in June
2007 for junior scientists and technicians Three further practical training courses are scheduled forest extension officers and tree farmers These courses will emphasise hands-on training in the field and visits to the project’s demonstration field trials Extension materials including written guidelines, posters and audio-visual materials will be produced These materials will be used by extension agents to describe the technology package developed by the project to a wider target audience of tree farmers The scientific capacity of FSIV will be strengthened through acquisition of additional equipment for wood quality analysis Advice has been provided on upgrading FSIV Hanoi laboratory facilities for chemical analysis of soil and plant samples
The project will achieve capacity building through a combination of formal and on-the-job training, and at the same time is establishing field trials that will serve as demonstrations of the recommended technologies, provide valuable results in the short term to underpin sawlog growing In November 2007 the project will establish a major experimental trial at Dong Ha, central Vietnam, for long-term studies of plantation sustainability The project incorporates three training courses for forestry extension agents and lead farmers to enable them learn a technology package for acacia sawlog production, and production of written and audio-visual extension materials to support a wider dissemination to tree growers across Vietnam
Trang 65 Progress to Date
5.1 Implementation Highlights for the Review Period
The three-week scientists training in Australia (Output 4.2) was completed during March-April 2007 Six scientists from FSIV were nominated to attend One scientist, Dr Pham The Dung, had to default owing to unforeseen work commitments that arose in Vietnam Five other scientists attended and successfully completed the training in Western Australia and Tasmania They were:
• Mr Vu Tan Phuong,Research Centre for Forest Ecology and Environment, FSIV Hanoi
• Mr Le Anh Tuan, Research Centre for Tree Breeding and Improvement, FSIV Hanoi
• Mr Pham Xuan Dinh, North-Central Research and Production Stattion, FSIV Dong Ha
• Mr Dang Thinh Trieu, Silviculture Division, FSIV, Hanoi
• Mr Vu Dinh Huong, Forest Science Sub-Institute of Vietnam, Ho Ch I Minh City
These five scientists worked together to produce two separate written trip reports, one by Mr Phuong Mr Dinh and Mr Tuan, and the other by Mr Trieu and Mr Huong Their reports are provided under separate cover In addition to the nominated Ensis project scientists, several other Ensis scientists contributed to the training, including Dr Daniel Mendham, Dr Don White, Mr Maurice McDonald and Mr Luke Bukeley
A project training course “Tree Improvement for Acacia Plantations and Silvicultural
Techniques for Sawlog Production” was held over the period 11-15 June 2007 at the
Southern Forest Science Sub-institute of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City The course was
attended by 13 young Vietnamese scientists and forest technicians (11 men and two women), from different branches of FSIV and provincial forestry agencies, all of whom were involved
in tree improvement and/or silviculture Khongsak Pinyopusarerk of Ensis, Nguyen Duc Kien and Vu Dinh Huong of FSIV were the trainers The course included 2 days of lectures, exercises and discussion and 3 days of field work, visiting genetic and silvicultural research trials, participating in stand management demonstrations, and visiting a sawmill to discuss wood utilization As part of the course, simple pre- and post-course written assessments were conducted, which indicated that the course was well-targeted to the audience and that
learning had been effective Follow-up survey of the participants will be conducted after 12 months to determine the extent to which knowledge has been applied by the participants A separate detailed report on the training course is attached
One additional demonstration pruning trial was established in a stand of Acacia auriculiformis at the Ba Vi forestry research station in northern Vietnam
The report for Milestone 5, Baselines Established, was submitted to CARD in May, 2007
5.1 Smallholder Benefits
A few smallholders around the demonstration trials near Hue and Dong Hoi have now been exposed to demonstrations of good silvicultural practice for sawlog production Major benefits will occur later during the project lifetime
Trang 75.2 Capacity Building
Five senior Vietnamese project scientists received training in Australia on research planning and research methods Thirteen young Vietnamese forestry scientists and technicians received one week’s training in silviculture, genetic improvement and wood utilization relating to acacia sawlog production
5.3 Publicity
None during the review period
5.4 Project Management
Project management continued to proceed well Planning meetings for the next phases of the project took place in April 2007, when Vietnamese project scientists visited Australia, and in June 2007, when Mr Pinyopusarerk visited Vietnam to lead the training course there Regular contact (several times per month) has been maintained between Ensis and FSIV by e-mail and telephone, throughout the reporting period Funds were transferred from Ensis to FSIV for the training course in June 2007
6 Report on Cross-Cutting Issues
6.1 Environment
No specific issues have arisen during the reporting period
6.2 Gender and Social Issues
Gender balance in the scientific and technical staff receiving training in the course of the project has been identified as an issue requiring close attention, but unfortunately suitable women candidates for the training visit to Australia could not be identified Two out of thirteen of the junior scientists participating in the course in Vietnam in June 2007 were women
7 Implementation & Sustainability Issues
7.1 Issues and Constraints
No major obstacles to the successful implementation of the project have emerged to date
7.2 Options
Not applicable – project is proceeding as planned
7.3 Sustainability
No major issues
Trang 88 Next Critical Steps
The establishment of the major silvicultural trial at Dong Ha will take place in November
2007, during the rainy season in central Vietnam Dr Nambiar and Dr Harwood will visit the site with FSIV project staff in October 2007 just prior to trial establishment to re-sample soil and litter layers to confirm spatial patterns in soil fertility found in the previous sampling conducted in September 2006 While in Vietnam, Dr Harwood will refine the spreadsheet financial modelling with FSIV and provincial staff, and prepare for the first extension course
In late 2007, the first of three extension training courses will be held in central Vietnam This will be attended by 15 forestry extension agents and lead farmers This course will utilize the resource of demonstration thinning and pruning trials established in the Hue region
in late 2006, which by that time will be sufficiently advanced to provide good practical demonstrations of plantation response to thinning and pruning
Dr Chris Beadle of Ensis will lead this first extension course in December 2007 He will also lead a detailed measure and analysis of the thinning response trial at Dong Hoi
9 Conclusion
Not applicable
Trang 10Project Progress Against Proposed Objectives, Outputs, Activities And Inputs Project Title VIE 032/05 Sustainable and profitable development of acacia plantations for sawlog production in Vietnam
Vietnamese Implementing Institution: Forest Science Institute of Vietnam
Measures
OBJECTIVES 1 To review currently available genetic
material for acacia sawlog plantations in Vietnam and recommend best available germplasm for sawlog production
2 To develop guidelines for sustainable plantation silviculture for acacia sawlog production in Vietnam
3 To demonstrate and verify the recommended package of germplasm and silvicultural techniques for sustainable acacia sawlog production through a scientifically designed and monitored establishment trial, and thinning and pruning trials in already-established plantations, in Central Vietnam
4 To strengthen the skills and capacity of staff of the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam in advanced genetic improvement strategies and technologies so they can deliver future genetic improvement in acacia varieties suitable for sawlog production
5 To strengthen the skills and capacity of staff of the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam in silvicultural research that will underpin sustainable plantation management for acacia sawlog production
Written review and recommendations provided to CARD and adopted by MARD Written guidelines provided to CARD and adopted by MARD Establishment field trial and silvicultural field trials set up and monitored, results of trials reported in scientific publications
Study tour and training course in Australia, and training courses in Vietnam, provided as per project log frame
Study tour and training course in Australia, and training course in Vietnam, provided as per log frame
Vietnamese literature can be accessed and cogently summarized
Vietnamese literature can be accessed and cogently summarized Suitable sites for field trials located, trials can be established, protected and assessed
Suitable participants for study tour and training courses can
be identified
Suitable participants for training courses can be identified
All the project objectives as per the original log frame are considered to remain appropriate