Approaches to the economic evaluation of agroforestry farming systems

The economics of agroforestry systems can be approached in a purely analytical fashion with mathematical equations and diagrams explaining the principles of analysis. This paper argues that such an approach may be useful for teaching purposes but has little practical relevance. There is an urgent need for a practical tool with which multi-disciplinary teams can asses agroforestry systems. The simplest and most common approaches to the economic analysis of farm management problems are various forms of budgeting. Recent advances in micro-computer technology provide the means by which the principles of partial budgeting can be adapted to the needs of agroforestry taking account of its multiple component nature, seasonal variability and long life span. The paper sets out the specifications for such an approach and indicates how it might be used.     

The role of agroforestry in the farming systems in Rwanda with special reference to the Bugesera-Gisaka-Migongo (BGM) region

The Rwandan farmers, faced with a perpetual land shortage, have evolved certain intensive systems of organic agriculture. These systems, particularly the homestead (compound) farming, involve the combination of food, fodder and tree crops. to a certain extent these systems can satisfy the multiple needs of the subsistence farmers living under several risks and constraints. However, they cannot cope with the expanding food demand of the rapidly increasing population. Some multipurpose, low-input technologies and agroforestry approaches have been designed to improve the productivity of these traditional systems; these include inter/mixed cropping systems and rotations, alley cropping with leguminous trees and shrubs, use of planted fallow, planting tree legumes on anti-erosive lines, mixed farming,community forestry and woodlots, and tree planting on farm/field boundaries. The essential aspects of these technologies are briefly discussed.ISAR-IITA FSR PROJECT, B.P. 629, Kigali RwandaISAR-Swiss Intercooperation, c/o Forestry Department, B.P. 617, Butare, Rwanda     

Evolution of agroforestry based farming systems: a study of Dhanusha District, Nepal

This paper examines how agroforestry-based farming systems evolved in the Dhanusha district of Nepal following the conversion of forest into agriculture during the early 1950s. Some data are from two focus group discussions with agroforestry farmers and one meeting with agroforestry experts. The farmers?? discussion traced the development of farming practices from 1950 to 2010 to identify the drivers of land use change. The experts?? discussion resulted in a scale to differentiate the prevailing farming systems in the study area considering five key components of agroforestry: agricultural crops, livestock, forest tree crops, fruit tree crops and vegetable crops. Data related to the system components were collected from the randomly selected households. The study reveals that land use had generally changed from very simple agriculture to agroforestry, triggered by infrastructure development, technological innovations, institutional support (subsidies and buy-back guarantees) and extension programs. A range of farming systems with varying degrees of integration was evident in the study area: simple agriculture; less integrated agroforestry; semi-integrated agroforestry and highly integrated agroforestry. The three types of agroforestry systems, which are the focus of this study, varied significantly in terms of farm size, cropping intensity, use of farm inputs, tree species diversity, tree density, home to forest distance and agricultural labour force.     

The farming system and traditional agroforestry systems in the Maya community of San Jose, Belize

Shifting slash-and-burn agriculture is likely one of the main causes of forest degradation in southern Belize. Although many development projects have attempted to reduce the impacts of agriculture on the tropical rainforest, the situation is still a cause for concern. A study of the farming system of the San Jose Maya community was therefore carried out to examine agricultural production in its social, cultural, economic, and political context. Results demonstrate that agricultural production contributes to forest degradation because of the limited availability of agricultural land, the low level of investment in agricultural production, the land tenure system, limited marketing opportunities, and the exclusion of Mayas from the country's political and economic domains. Agroforestry could, however, offer a partial solution to the problem of forest degradation. Three types of traditional agroforestry systems are practised in San Jose: the milpa (a slash-and-burn agriculture system), cacao (Theobroma cacao) cultivation under shade trees, and the homegarden. These traditional agroforestry systems almost entirely meet a family's needs for food and wood, and generate at least 62% of family income. Improving the productivity of these systems could help to reduce pressure on the forest in southern Belize.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The role of agroforestry in industrialized nations: the southern hemisphere perspective with special emphasis on Australia and New Zealand

Agroforestry in Australia and New Zealand is dominated by silvopastoralism. Farmers may employ combinations of shelterbelts, shade trees, widely spaced trees over pasture, or more densely planted woodlots. In addition to wood production and shelter, erosion control, amenity and landscape planting, and conservation of natural forest are often important. Many farm forestry people show considerable innovation.In temperate wetter areas of Australia, eucalyptus and, to a lesser extent,Pinus radiata (radiata pine) dominate agroforestry tree plantings for wood, shade, shelter, and salinisation and erosion prevention. The One Billion Tree Program, initiated by the Australian Federal Government, provides limited funding for tree planting. Joint farmer ventures with the State or local industry are also common. Most State governments also provide advice, and planting is tax deductible. Local landcare groups, formed to encourage sustainable agriculture, often promote tree planting, particularly where soil degradation is a problem. Melbourne University and other Techncial Institutes offer training in agroforestry.In New Zealand, a third of the farms require trees for soil conservation. This, together with the growing recognition of the financial benefits of planting trees, has resulted in small landowners doing most of the current planting of 80,000 to 100,000 ha yr^–1. Most farmers plant radiata pine, but eucalyptus and other hardwoods, including willows and poplars, are also widely used. There are almost no government incentives for tree planting in New Zealand. The Farm Forestry Association is the major extension organization. Lincoln University has an important teaching and research commitment, and the New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited has developed very useful management models.     

Classification of agroforestry systems

Classification of agroforestry (AF) systems is necessary in order to provide a framework for evaluating systems and developing action plans for their improvement. The AF Systems Inventory (AFSI) being undertaken by ICRAF provides the background information for an approach to classification.The words system, sub-system and practice are commonly used in AF literature. An AF system refers to a type of AF land-use that extends over a locality to the extent of forming a land utilization type of the locality. Sub-system and practice are lower-order terms in the hierarchy with lesser magnitudes of role, content and complexity. In common parlance, however, these terms are used loosely, and almost synonymously.Several criteria can be used to classify and group AF systems (and practices). The most commonly used ones are the system's structure (composition and arrangement of components), its function, its socio-economic scale and level of management, and its ecological spread. Structurally, the system can be grouped as agrisilviculture (crops — including tree/shrub crops — and trees). silvopastoral (pasture/animals + trees), and agrosilvopastoral (crops + pasture/animals + trees). Other specialized AF systems such as apiculture with trees, aquaculture in mangrove areas, multipurpose tree lots, and so on, can also be specified. Arrangement of components can be in time (temporal) or space (spatial) and several terms are used to denote the various arrangements. Functional basis refers to the main output and role of components, especially the woody ones. These can be productive functions (production of basic needs such as food, fodder, fuelwood, other products, etc.) and protective roles (soilconservation, soil fertility improvement, protection offered by windbreaks and shelterbelts, and so on). On an ecological basis, systems can be grouped for any defined agro-ecological zone such as lowland humid tropics, arid and semi-arid tropics, tropical highlands, and so on. The socio-economic scale of production and level of management of the system can be used as the criteria to designate systems as commercial, intermediate, or subsistence. Each of these criteria has merits and applicability in specific situations, but they have limitations too so that no single classification scheme can be accepted as universally applicable. Classification will depend upon the purpose for which it is intended.Nevertheless since there are only three basic sets of components that are managed by man in all AF Systems, viz. woody perennials, herbaceous plants and animals, a logical first step is to classify AF systems based on their component composition, into agrisilvicultural, silvopastoral and agrosilvopastoral (or any other specialized) systems. Subsequently the systems can be grouped according to any of the purpose-oriented criteria. The resulting system name can thus have any one of the three basic categories as a prefix; for example agrisilvicultural system for soil conservation.Some of the major AF systems and practices of the tropics are grouped according to such a framework. The scheme appears a logical, simple, pragmatic and purpose-oriented approach to classification of AF systems.     

Agroforestry in Europe: a review of the disappearance of traditional systems and development of modern agroforestry practices, with emphasis on experiences in Germany

Agroforestry is a new name for a rather old practice. From a historical point of view, various agroforestry systems existed in Europe, of which the wood pastures (Neolithicum), the Dehesas in Spain (~4,500 years old) and the Hauberg of the Siegerland (established in the Middle Age) are the most prominent. Other widespread systems in Europe were hedgerows, windbreaks and Streuobst (orchard intercropping). Due to mechanisation and intensification of agriculture, trees have been progressively removed from agricultural fields and traditional agroforestry systems slowly disappeared. Today, agroforestry systems are again increasing in interest as they offer the potential to solve important ecological and, especially, biodiversity problems, while at the same time enabling the production of food, wood products and fodder for cattle. Although agroforestry systems offer many advantages, many farmers are sceptical of these systems and are critical and risk-averse with regard to adopting new practices. However, in comparison to traditional systems, modern agroforestry systems can be adapted to current farming practices. By selecting suitable trees and appropriate tree management, high-quality timber can be produced without influencing agricultural crops excessively. In future, agroforestry systems will become increasingly important as they offer the prospect of producing woody perennials for bioenergy on the same land area as food and/or fodder plants, while enhancing overall biodiversity.     

Linking on-station research with on-farm testing: The case of agroforestry and organic matter-based cropping systems for the Rwanda farming systems improvement project

Hillside farming with its attendant erosion and decline in soil fertility is common-place in the area served by the Farming Systems Improvement Project. The project is designing land-use systems that would check erosion, increase soil organic matter and restore soil fertility. These systems will allow small farmers to increase or maintain product long-term basis without resorting to the use of high doses of inorganic fertilizers which are not readily available in the country. The use of leguminous shrubs and cover crops as nutrient sources — concepts embodied in agroforestry and organic farming systems — are options that landuse experts think might solve the problem. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the biological feasibility of these interventions in the project area. This paper reports how FSIP combined problem diagnosis and analysis, researcher-managed adaptive trials and a field day to attack this lack of information. The rationale for using this approach is to address farmers' real needs, save time and minimize risk to poor farmers. This article is a contribution from the University of Arkansas' USAID-supported Farming System Improvement Project (FSIP) in Rawanda (USAID 696-0110), B.P. 625, Kigali, Rawanda. Authors are the project's soil scientist/agronomist and its extension and training specialist respectively.     

Linking on-station research with on-farm testing: The case of agroforestry and organic matter-based cropping systems for the Rwanda farming systems improvement project

Hillside farming with its attendant erosion and decline in soil fertility is common-place in the area served by the Farming Systems Improvement Project. The project is designing land-use systems that would check erosion, increase soil organic matter and restore soil fertility. These systems will allow small farmers to increase or maintain product long-term basis without resorting to the use of high doses of inorganic fertilizers which are not readily available in the country. The use of leguminous shrubs and cover crops as nutrient sources — concepts embodied in agroforestry and organic farming systems — are options that landuse experts think might solve the problem. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the biological feasibility of these interventions in the project area.This paper reports how FSIP combined problem diagnosis and analysis, researcher-managed adaptive trials and a field day to attack this lack of information. The rationale for using this approach is to address farmers' real needs, save time and minimize risk to poor farmers.This article is a contribution from the University of Arkansas' USAID-supported Farming System Improvement Project (FSIP) in Rawanda (USAID 696-0110), B.P. 625, Kigali, Rawanda. Authors are the project's soil scientist/agronomist and its extension and training specialist respectively.     

Traditional agroforestry systems and biodiversity conservation in Benin (West Africa)

In the past, the conservation of biodiversity has been mostly understood in terms of the management of protected areas and natural forests, ignoring the possible role of farm areas and the ways through which rural communities have promoted biodiversity in their subsistence agricultural production systems. The present study focused on the floristic diversity within traditional agroforestry parkland systems around the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Benin and showed the diversity of tree species in the area as well as socio-economic factors which affect the practice of this farming system. We used questionnaires and interviewed a total of 118 households to collect data. Respondents were interviewed on their farms and during the interview; we inventoried the number of tree on the farm and determined the farm size. Twenty-one tree species belonging to 14 botanical families were recorded during the surveys and the average stand density of the woody component of farmlands was 7.97 ± 5.43 stems/ha. A number of both native and exotic tree species occurred in the parkland agroforestry systems with dominance of indigenous tree species. Species richness varied with the size of household where households with small land holding conserve more tree species in their field than households with large land holdings. 64% of households surveyed were making deliberate efforts to plant tree species on their farmlands. The most important reasons which determined household ambitions to conserve woody species on farmland were tree products contribution to food and medicine. Results also showed that respondents who noticed that trees were decreasing in the wild conserve more tree species on their farmlands. This research highlights the role of traditional agroforestry practices to support tree species richness and provides evidence of the farms’ role as biodiversity reservoirs.     

Organic carbon pools in a Luvisol under agroforestry and conventional farming systems in the semi-arid region of Ceará, Brazil

Many environmental benefits have been attributed to agroforestry systems in various ecosystems around the world. However, there is a limited amount of information to evaluate this agricultural system in the semi-arid region, specifically in the region of Ceará, Brazil. The objective of this work was to evaluate five agricultural (four agroforestry and one conventional) systems in order to test the hypothesis that the agroforestry systems promote an increase in the soil organic carbon stocks and organic carbon pools, thus improving soil quality. The following treatments were tested: agrosilvopasture (AGP), silvopasture (SILV), traditional agroforestry (TRAG), intensive cropping (IC), and native forest (NF). The soil samples were collected at four depths: 0–6, 6–12, 12–20 and 20–40 cm. Total soil organic carbon stocks and the organic carbon pools (microbial biomass-C, mineralizable-C, oxidizable-C, free, occluded light fraction organic matter, and C in the humic substances) were analyzed. After 5 years of experimental cultivation, the soil under the SILV system presented the best results for the attributes studied, preserving, and in some cases, improving these attributes, when compared to the other conditions. The traditional agroforestry system (TRAG) reduced total organic carbon stocks and, consequently, C in some organic matter compartments, indicating that the fallow period was not sufficient to maintain soil quality. The AGP and IC systems presented significant losses in some of the soil organic matter (SOM) pools, suggesting that the soil environment had been degraded. The most labile SOM components were considered sensitive indicators of change in the soil quality. The silvopasture system can, therefore, be recommended as an alternative soil management strategy for food production and for the maintenance of soil quality and agricultural sustainability in the semiarid region of Ceará state.     

Hill agroforestry systems in south Sikkim,India

In the Mamlay watershed of south Sikkim, India, about 80% of the population depend on land for their livelihood. The agricultural land-use activity includes agroforestry, horticulture and animal husbandry besides growing crops in irrigated or unirrigated fields. Trees are maintained in the farms mainly for fodder and rarely for fuel purposes. Cropping system is characterised by cultivation of cereals and cash crops to ensure supply of food grains and returns for daily needs. This paper presents data on crop production and farm management aspects including the linkages among tree-crop-animal components of a hill agriculture system. Crop diversity is high and crop combinations are fixed and well tested. Unpalatable grasses are used for composting by mixing with cow dung to meet high demand for manure and thus exhibit efficient recycling of plant material. The system is at low input level, and is therefore adopted by even the poorest section of society. Limited infrastructure facilities, sloping terrain, inaccessibility to most agricultural zone, depletion of natural resources from forests, water scarcity during lean period and heavy rainfall during monsoon, and erosion are, the main constraints which need to be improved through research using scientific means.     

Factors affecting the dynamics of tree diversity in agroforestry parklands of cereal and cotton farming systems in Burkina Faso

Despite their socio-economic and ecological role, many studies have shown that the parklands are degrading very rapidly. Therefore, there is a need to undertake restoration actions for both production and environmental services. To do so, there is a need to identify factors that are affecting the dynamics of parkland systems. The present study aimed at characterizing and quantifying tree diversity of parkland systems taking into consideration the household’s wealth status, land uses, market access and the type of farming system (cereal based on the “Plateau Central” and cotton based in “Boucle du Mouhoun”). Six villages (Kienfangué, Ipelcé, and Kuizili with easy access to the market and, Karang-Tanghin, Nionsna and Targho with poor access to the market) in the “Plateau Central” and six villages (Bondoukuy, Ouahabou and Yaho with easy access to the market and, Dora, Fakéna and Mamou with poor access to the market) in “Boucle du Mouhoun” were studied. In each village, the Participatory Analysis of Poverty and Livelihood Dynamics method was used by rural farmers to rank farmer households of their communities and that gave three groups of wealth status that are poor, fairly well-off and well-off. Five households representing each of the three wealth groups in each village, giving a total of 15 households per village, were randomly selected by wealth group. Tree/shrub inventories were conducted in all land use types (house fields, village fields and bush fields) of the 180 selected households for the 12 studied sites. The number of species in the different land use types ranged from 96 to 102, but the majority of species were represented by less than 10 individuals. This indicates the selection effect made by the farmers to the parklands. Land use and farming system showed a clear effect on tree diversity in parklands. The effect of accessibility to market was evident in some cases whereas wealth status did not show any effect. Despite the statistical significant effect of farming system and land use type, the ANOVA models accounted for relatively little variation, indicating that other factors may contribute to tree diversity in parkland systems. The most threatened species were Adansonia digitata, Afzelia africana, Bombax costatum, Celtis integrifolia, Ficus asperifolia, Ficus iteophylla, Lannea velutina, and Parkia biglobosa. These species were represented in the largest diameter class (≥80 cm) or showed very few individuals in the different diameter classes. Due to the increasing degradation of the parklands, a domestication and conservation strategy of key threatened species needs to be developed and implemented with the participation of local communities.     

Impact of agroforestry intervention on farm income under the subsistence farming system of the middle hills, Nepal

Practices that minimize the rate of soil degradation, increase crop yields and raise farm income are key to sustaining agricultural productivity in the hills of Nepal. The use of farmland is undergoing rapid changes in response to increasing population pressure, deforestation and subsistence needs. Against this background, this study examined the impact of an agroforestry intervention project on farm income based on a sample of subsistence farm households in Dhadhing district. The project was implemented by Nepal Agroforestry Foundation in 1993/94 to increase fodder production through the promotion of agroforestry. A total of 223 households (82 with project and 141 without project) were interviewed during May–October 1998 to collect information on production and agroforestrys' impact on farm income. The benefit-cost analysis showed that the agricultural system including agroforestry was more profitable than the conventional one. The results also showed that the introduction of mulberry trees for sericulture could further enhance the profitability of an agroforestry-based system. Thus, agroforestry has great potential for enhancing food production and farmers' economic conditions in a sustainable manner through its positive contributions to household income.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Carbon storage benefits of agroforestry systems

The process of land degradation is a local phenomenon that occurs field by field. Because of the extent at which it is occurring, however, it also has a global dimension. Agroforestry represents a link between the local and global scales. From the farmer's perspective, agroforestry can be a way to increase crop yields and the diversity of products grown. An additional benefit is the creation of a carbon sink that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Successful agroforestry systems will also reduce land clearing and maintain carbon in existing vegetation. An extensive literature survey was conducted to evaluate the carbon dynamics of agroforestry practices and to assess their potential to store carbon. Data on tree growth and wood production were converted to estimates of carbon storage. Surveyed literature showed that median carbon storage by agroforestry practices was 9 tC/ha in semi-arid, 21 tC/ha in sub-humid, 50 tC/ha in humid, and 63 tC/ha in temperate ecozones. The limited survey information available substantiated the concept that implementing agroforestry practices can help reduce deforestation.The research described in this article has been funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This document has been prepared at the EPA Environmental Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, through contract number 68-C8-0006 to ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc. It has been subjected to the Agency's peer and administrative review and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.     

Enhancing the food security of upland farming households through agroforestry in Claveria,Misamis Oriental,Philippines

The impact of agroforestry on food security of upland farmers is least recognized and appreciated given that the linkage between them is quite complex and not well understood. The crucial role of agroforestry in enhancing food supply and augmenting family income is commonly ignored. This study aimed to get a deeper understanding of the role of agroforestry in ensuring food security of farming households in the Philippine uplands. A combination of participatory approaches including participatory rural appraisal, household survey, focused group discussions, field experiments and simulation modeling were used for the study conducted in Claveria, Northern Mindanao, Philippines. The first major finding was that the prime responsibility for ensuring adequacy of food production and supply for the farming households rested on the husband and wife. The second major finding based on the simulation results was that agroforestry increased and stabilized corn yields under hedgerow system. Moreover, fruits from perennial crops and trees served as secondary food crops especially during lean months of food supply. The last major finding was that the adoption of agroforestry significantly increased the level of benefits by around 42–137%, compared with the low income from continuous annual monocropping. The key to making upland farm households food secure is to increase the productivity of their farms and home gardens. A good start is to promote the agroforestry system in upland areas, and it is thereby recommended that both national and local government units mainstream their policies and efforts toward promotion of agroforestry adoption in the Philippine uplands.     

Tropical floodplain agroforestry systems in mid-Orinoco River basin,Venezuela

Agricultural studies in seasonally flooded areas in the tropics have been limited. Orinoco alluvial soils are more fertile than adjacent non-flooded soils, and have been considered as potential areas for further agricultural development. Traditional agroforestry practices offer some possibilities to overcome the most limiting factors of floodplain cultivation. Indigenous knowledge of these traditional agroforestry practices was assessed and some indicators of the system's nitrogen and biomass dynamics were monitored. Nitrogen inputs by sediment and plant residues were 1668 and 47 kg ha^–1, respectively. Traditional selection of sediment by tree-and-grass barriers and litter management strategies increase nutrient-use efficiency in floodplain agroecosystems.

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Resumen Estudios agrícolas en areas tropicales sujetas a inundación estacional han sido limitados. Los suelos aluviales o vegas del Orinoco son más fértiles que suelos cercanos no sujetos a inundación y por lo tanto han sido considerados como areas potenciales para desarrollos agrícolas. Prácticas tradicionales de agroforestería constituyen una alternativa en el control de importantes factores limitantes en la agricultura de vegas. El conocimiento técnico autóctono asociado con prácticas agroforestales tradicionales de vegas fue evaluado y algunos indicadores de la dinámica de nitrógeno y biomas adel sistema fueron monitoreados. La contribución de nitrógeno por sedimentos y hojarasca fue de 1668 and 47 kg ha^–1 respectivamente. La selección del tipo de sedimento a depositarse en la parcela agrícola, por medio de barreras de vegetación, y el manejo adecuado de resíduos orgánicos constituyen estrategias tradicionales que aumentan la eficiencia de uso de nutrientes en sistemas agrícolas de vegas.

     

Dimensions,volumes and growth of Cordia alliodora in agroforestry systems

In Central America, combinations of the timber tree laurel (Cordia alliodora (R & P) Oken) with coffee (Coffea arabica L.), cacao (Teobroma cacao L.) or pastures, are amongst the best examples of traditional agroforestry. Growth data, taken annually for 5–8 years in twelve permanent agroforestry sample plots, together with annual ring counts of basal discs and stem volume measurements of felled C. alliodora, were analyzed to determine whether the factors of site and associated crop affect laurel growth rates as well as the following relationships: (D) diameter at breast height-total height (H); D-age (A). These two factors had no influence on the D−H relationship. The permanent plot measurements indicated that D growth rates increased in the order: pasture; sugar cane (Saccharum cvs L.); coffee; cacao; but the ring growth analysis did not detect any significant differences. On average, predicted growth rates are 3 cm/year to age 5, 2 cm/year between ages 5 and 10, and a D of 55 cm after 34 years, which was calculated to be the optimal biological rotation.The real commercial volume (V_CR) obtained by farmers is only 64% of the total overbark stem volume (V), but if silviculture were improved the V_CR could be considerably increased. A predictive equation for V is presented as well as the average form factors for V (0.425) and V_CR (0.272). Considering the average C. alliodora densities reported in this study (68–290 trees/ha), a 34-year rotation would give a V of 298–690 m³/ha and a V_CR of 191–442 m³/ha.     

Scots pine stand establishment with special emphasis on uncertainty and cost-effectiveness,the case of northern Finland

The effect of uncertainty on the cost-effectiveness of alternative chains of stand establishment in northern Finland was examined. The data were from a reforestation study of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) consisting of 288 sample plots, which were measured with respect to regeneration success. The study design included four site-preparation methods (patch scarification, ploughing, prescribed burning and disk trenching) combined with three reforestation methods (sowing, planting with containerized seedlings and planting with bare-rooted transplants). Initial reforestation density was 2,500 spots or seedlings per hectare, and the regeneration success was modeled as probability with two thresholds, namely 500 and 1,100 saplings. On formerly spruce-dominated as well as pine-dominated sites the most cost-effective chain was ploughing and planting with containerized seedlings, when threshold was 1,100 saplings per hectare. However, with threshold of 500 saplings the best performer was ploughing and direct sowing on both sites.