Moving towards the ecological intensification of tree plantations

Abstract

Current biodiversity and climate crises are forcing society to adopt new forms of forestry management that reconcile conservation, environmental health, and productivity. Ecological intensification, a pathway to improve yield productivity by increasing biodiversity and ecological functions, can and must be applied to forestry as a way to achieve sustainable and resilient tree plantations. Ecological intensification differs from other initiatives of sustainable management in that biodiversity is the vehicle to boost productivity and is not incompatible with protected areas. An appropriate management to restore and/or enhance both above- and below-ground diversity will increase not only productivity in the short term but also the long-term viability of tree plantations in a climate-change scenario