Enrichment planting Enrichment planting is the process onimproving the quality of the plantation or forests. It is the action taken inorder to maintain or increase the plantation or forest condition. There are fewways being practises on implement the enrichment planting method in forestrysector such as:-1. SpacingThe process where different timber ofspecies being planted according to their ultimate crown-diameter ratio. It isbeing used to obtain any of a wide range of forest management objective whereto undertake to reduce density, control stocking in young stand, preventstagnation, shorten the rotation and speed the production of trees of a givensize. 2.
Site preparationThe most important method on theenrichment planting as it will affect the entire plantation condition if thewrong site is being chosen. We need to have knowledge and need to consider thelocal weather condition in order to prevent the damage on the enrichmentplanting process. This method should been commence during the dry period andstop before the rainy season. 3. Preparation of base linesAll the vegetation that ranging fromherbaceous undergrowth to small trees found along the base lines should beencleared leaving only bigger trees especially of the commercial timber speciesto serve as Station Trees. 4. Preparation of planting line andplanting corridor The plantation need to be planted alignedon sun’s direction in order to allow the planted seedling to obtain maximumexposure to sunlight.
The vegetation need to be cleared from planting corridorsand need to be stacked on the adjacent unclear areas and left to degradenaturally. All the non-commercial and over changing the planting corridors willbe girdled.”Restoration &Nature Trail Establishment in Bukit UMS” Based on the project “Restoration& Nature Trail Establishment in Bukit UMS” established by Institute for TropicalBiology and Conservation (ITBC) in Universiti Malaysia Sabah, they had alsoimplement the enrichment planting method in order to maintain the condition ofthe forest. Figure 1 shows the implementation of enrichment planting practicesby this project. It is purposes on sustain the forest condition and continuethe enrichment of existing secondary forest area. Figure 1 Condition onimplementing the enrichment planting Enrichment planting requires thecanopy manipulation to optimise the growth and survival of the planted trees.
Usually,we need to practices this enrichment planting on the potential degraded landand also the degraded land. The practices is influence by the ability of thespecies to survive as young seedlings under existing natural forest stands. As a prevention on making thepotential degraded land to become the real degraded land, we need to secure itwith a good action such as enrichment planting and many others actions. Advantages ofenrichment planting Thereare few advantages that can be gain by implement the enrichment plantingprocess which are:-1.
Helps to conserve the habitatservicesEnrichment planting can help onconserving the watersheds and the microclimates of the plantation area or theforest area.2. Maintains a supply of naturalresourcesNatural resources that provide abeneficial purposes to people or organism that live in or near the area.
Thus,it will maintain the food sources and the shelter/habitat for the wild plantand wild animals. 3. Minimal the disturbance of soilThis will help on maintaining thesoil structure and the recycling nutrients.
4. Inexpensive way to obtain plantingmaterialIt will happens when a self-sownseedling are available.