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Design Objectives

Support Sustainable Livelihoods
This project intents to re-establish the very means of livelihood of Indonesian people who suffered from the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster of December 26, 2004 – agriculture. However, it is necessary to acknowledge the physical and ecological degradation of the land and its resources due to poor agricultural practices even prior to the destruction from the tsunami. These include a long history of slash and burn, illegal logging of timber, monoculture plantations,and shifting cultivation. Along with the devastating loss of habitats and lowland forests from the tsunami, it is now critical to implement and adopt more sustainble, community-oriented means in managing natural resources.

The following design strategy includes 3 prototypical plans to implement sustainable agroforestry practices as a means to regreen and increase biodiversity, minimize and mitigate further soil degradation, and promote locally-based forestry and agricultural practices to provide social and economic recovery in tsunami devastated communities. In addtion, a series of suggestions is made on practical components of tropical agriculture after careful researches on various scales of farming systems existed along the lowland forest of the Sumatra Island.

These 3 different prototypes take place at three different scales of development: coastal reforestation (large-scale), the farm (medium-scale), and the garden (small-scale) community-based agroforestry strategies.

These design strategies are generated based on the most devestated lowland forest areas in Aceh Province:

+ Low latitude; equatorial and tropical zones
(i.e. 10ºN to 10ºS)
+ Continuously warm; frost free, and approximately
1000cm of annual rainfall.

These suggestions can be evaluated and adopted based on specific site conditions, community-needs, and resource availability.

Each management plan is composed of a series of phases that adapts to the changing ecology of the forest as well as the changing needs and social development of the respective community. The phasing timeline coincides with the growth and maturity of particular tree and plant species present. Secondary growth rubber forests can take approximately 20 years to mature, as opposed to the rapid growth of a stand of fruit trees that may take only 3 to 5 years to mature.

 
   
Coastal Reforestation  

Use large-scale planning strategies identify and reclaim coastal community land in order to establish and preserve coastal forests, mitigate coastal erosion and reestablish coastal habitat in order to sustain aquaculture.

In order to reestablish vegetation and habitat to Aceh's devastated shoreline, a program will focus on the maintenance of protected swaths of coastal forest adjacent to coastal development and communities and establish community-based forest management practices.

 
   

Phasing

 
Short-term objectives and procedures :  
+ Delineate reforestation areas adjacent to coastal development/communities  
+ Tree Propagation  
+ Building of coastal infrastructure  
+ Establish community ownership of coastal forests  
Long-term objectives and procedures :  

+ Coastal forests to function as a landscape buffer and productive agroforest.

 

+ Establish and preserve sustainable coastal ecosystems.

 

+ Integrate forestry management practices in coordination with other coastal industries and sources of livelihood.

 
+ Establish community-ownership of natural resources adjacent to coastal developments and communities.  
   
Prototypical Phasing Plan:  

Phase I [0-2 years] : Rebuilding Coastal Communities

 

In addition to typical propagation activities, people will begin to rebuild their communities and re-establish coastal development to support industries such as fishing and aquaculture. Within these first couple of years, community projects may include the rebuilding of infrastructure and and planting in forms that will provide a vegetative buffer that will protect the coastline and mitigate further land erosion. In addition to extensive mangrove reforestation, promote the planting of a variety of other coastal species that have been lost, such as the Coconut Palm and Casuarina, a tree used extensively for windbreaks and coastal stabilization. Intercrops can be planted and harvested between trees to help stabilize and protect the soil.

 

Phase II [2-5 years] : Establishing Young Coastal Forests

 

Forest biomass increases as plants and tree species mature and some species begin to bare fruit ready for harvest. The Sea Almond Tree is ready for harvest and processing. Plant shade-tolerant intercrop species as the forest canopy increases.

 
Phase III : 5-8 years : Maturing Coastal Forests  

Coconut tree is ready for harvest. Once the tree has been harvested, all parts of the coconut can be used. The coconut tree can also be harvested for its timber. Processing activities would be necessary to use and sell a variety of coconut products:

  
+ Separating of the coir and the fruit from the shell  
+ Processing of the wood for timber  
+ Production of woven products from coconut coir.  
+ Furniture production  
   

 
   

Initial agroforest plantings contain seed-bearing plants that can wind disperse seeds upland, so planting in rows and allowing forests to infill naturally would be most effective.

There is also the potential to plant agroforests as shelterbelts to create vegetation forms, mimic debris lines, or emphasize topographical features.

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The Farm  

The development of community-based agroforests as an alternative to less sustainable agricultural practices such as shifting cultivation which leads to the rapid destruction of forests.

Establish agroforest shelterbelts alongside farmlands to supplement and replace agricultural activities, provide windbreak, and discourage the necessity of shifting cultivation.

Field Shelterbelts reduce wind speed and prevent wind erosion, provide sheltered areas, and provide shade.

 
   
Design elements  
height and density  

Dense shelterbelts that include tall standing trees of large, evenly dispersed canopies in order to effectively deflect and slow wind.

 
row design  
Plant 2-4 rows of taller tree species near the center of the shelterbelt to achieve an effective windbreak. Shelterbelts do not necessarily have to take up large portions of land, but biodiversity increases with the width of the shelterbelt.
 
species composition  

Species selection determines the success of shelterbelts. It is important to choose native tree species of appropriate hardiness, foliage, uniform and dense canopy, and good live branch retention for the taller species that comprise the center (windbreak) of the shelterbelt. Smaller trees and shrub species should be planted on the outer edges of a belt in order to prevent shade-out from the canopy at the interior.

 
spacing between trees and/or shrubs  

It is suggested that rows should be spaced al 2 to 4 meters apart to allow unrestricted growth. Low growing intercrops to be planted between rows to retain moisture

  
intercropping  

Intercropping techniques can be implemented between tree rows to encourage agroforestry practices within a shelterbelt, simultaneously providing physical shelter and supplementing agriculture practices.

  
 
Prototypical Phasing Plan  

Phase I [0-2 years] : Site Selection

 

Select the location, form, and size of shelterbelt according to the demands, availability of the land, and how it will benefit the adjacent farming practices. Site shelterbelts close to farmland for ease of access. After plantings have been established on the farm, shelterbelts can be formed. Plant intercrops between rows of tree saplings.

 

Phase II [2-7 years] : Intercropping

 

Continued harvesting of intercrops. Once canopy has established, new intercrops and shade-tolerant tree and shrub species can be planted between existing rows of trees and replace herbaceous crop species.

 

Phase III [8-19 years + beyond] : Integrating Agroforests + Farming

 

Forest shelterbelt is fully matured and canopy can reach up to 35 meters in height. Agroforest practices and traditional farming activities are fully integrated. Shelterbelts are managed by adjacent farming communities, benefiting from additional crop resources while increasing the forested land and decreasing the necessity of shifting cultivation and slash and burn practices.

 
   
Planting List  
   
trees  
Ficus elastica (Rubber tree)  

Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Palm Oil Tree )

 

Pinus merkusii (Sumatran Pine )

 

Cocos nucifera (Coconut tree)

  
Acacia mangium (Akasia)  
   
intercrops  

Sweet potato

 

Cinnamon

  

Leguminous crops- groundnut

 

Rice

 
Maize  

Soybean

  
Pineapple  
Banana  
Cocoa  
Taro  
 
 
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The Garden  

Incorporate fruit tree stands adjacent to private and community garden spaces to add vegetative complexity to the site and provide additional resources to complement garden activities and crop production.

   
Design elements  
Fruit tree stands may be planted in a variety of formations that depend on the relationship between the garden and its immediate context. Planting in clusters establishes a distinct canopy within a stand of trees, as well as support a diverse plant community and habitat. Fruit tree stands adjacent to a private or community garden may provide shade and vegetative buffers between neighboring properties, communities, or other garden spaces.  

 

 
Prototypical phasing plan:  
   

Phase I [0 - 6 months] : Container planting

 

Germination and planting of fruit trees in containers to allow mobility and flexibility.

 
   

Phase II [6 months – 3 years] : Transplanting into permanent communities

 

Transplanting container plants into the garden once permanent living spaces have been established. Maintenance of young fruit tree stands and respective garden spaces:

 
+ Planting  
+ Harvesting  
+ Processing/Production activities in conjunction with crop yields from the garden
 
   

Phase III [3 - 5 years] : First Harvests

 
Harvesting from fruit trees depending on growth rate and maturity of trees species and season.
 
   

Phase IV and beyond [5+ years] : Full Garden Production: fruit trees, softwoods, and crop yields.

 

Practice sustainable management methods by balancing fruit tree harvesting periods with garden harvesting and processing activities. Plant a variety of tree species to harvest for a larger variety of fruits, and support year-round management and harvesting activities.

 
   

Planting List

 

Plant low maintenance fruit trees that can be cultivated in low and medium elevations.

 
   

Mangifera indica (mangoes)

 

The mango tree is erect, 30 to 100 ft (roughly 10-30 m) high, with a broad, rounded canopy which may, with age, attain 100 to 125 ft (30-38 m) in width, or a more upright, oval, relatively slender crown. In deep soil, the taproot descends to a depth of 20 ft (6 in), the profuse, wide-spreading, feeder root system also sends down many anchor roots which penetrate for several feet. The tree is long-lived, some specimens being known to be 300 years old and still fruiting. Will bear fruit in 3 years.

 
Annona Muricata (soursop)  
Easy to grow in coastal areas and higher elevations. The soursop tree is low-branching and bushy but slender because of its upturned limbs, and reaches a height of 25 or 30 ft (7.5-9 m). Trees will bear fruit in 3-5 years.
 
Averrhoa Carambola (starfruit)  

Small tree that grows in low to medium elevations, if soil is not rich in nutrients, the fruit is not edible.

 
Sizygium Aquem Merr & L.M. Perry (jambu air)  

Low maintenance tree, grows rapidly, attractive tree with white, red, or pink flowers.

 
   

Or other native, low maintenance fruit trees that accommodate the needs of individuals or a community. As well as intersperse common native softwoods such as Pinus merkusii as a minor source of wood products for local use.

 
   
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