The Overstory Book


Book Description

Whether in a small backyard or a larger farm or forest, trees are vital to the web of life. Protecting and planting trees can restore wildlife habitat, heal degraded land, conserve soil, protect watersheds, diversify farm or garden products, beautify landscapes, and enhance the economic and ecological viability of land use systems. Careful planning and sound information is needed to reach these goals. The Overstory Book distills essential information about working with trees into 134 short, easy-to-read, single-subject chapters. Each chapter shares key concepts and useful information, so readers can get back to planting and protecting more trees, gardens, and forests, more effectively. * Discover time-tested agricultural and conservation techniques from indigenous and traditional peoples * Work with beneficial microorganisms, from mycorrhizal fungi to nitrogen-fixing bacteria and more * Create abundance with fruit trees, timber trees, vine crops, vegetables, mushrooms, and more * Form alliances with animals, from wildlife, birds, and insects to integrated, free-range livestock * Design effective tree-based windbreaks, noise barriers, live fences, and erosion buffers * Understand how to grow or obtain the highest quality seeds, seedlings, and plant materials * Restore fertility, productivity, and biodiversity with trees * Work with multipurpose plants including trees, palms, bamboos, and more * Market products effectively to improve economic returns sustainably * Locate helpful internet sites, organizations, people, and publications * And much more!




Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences


Book Description

A combination of broad disciplinary coverage and scientific excellence, the Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences will be an indispensable addition to the library of anyone interested in forests, forestry and forest sciences. Packed with valuable insights from experts all over the world, this remarkable set not only summarizes recent advances in forest science techniques, but also thoroughly covers the basic information vital to comprehensive understanding of the important elements of forestry. The Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences also covers relevant biology and ecology, different types of forestry (e.g. tropical forestry and dryland forestry), scientific names of trees and shrubs, and the applied, economic, and social aspects of forest management. Valuable key features further enhance the utility of this Encyclopedia as an exceptional reference tool. Also available online via ScienceDirect – featuring extensive browsing, searching, and internal cross-referencing between articles in the work, plus dynamic linking to journal articles and abstract databases, making navigation flexible and easy. For more information, pricing options and availability visit www.info.sciencedirect.com. Edited and written by a distinguished group of editors and contributors Well-organized encyclopedic format provides concise, readable entries, easy searches, and thorough cross-references Illustrative tables, figures, and photographs in every entry, produced in full color Comprehensive glossary defines new and important terms Complete, up-to-date coverage of over 60 areas of forest sciences - sure to be of interest to scientists, students, and professionals alike! Editor-in-Chief is the past president of the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations, the oldest international collaborative forestry research organization with over 15,000 scientists from 100 countries




Agroforestry in rice-production landscapes in Southeast Asia


Book Description

This manual is intended to help rural advisory and agricultural extension workers guide farming communities in the establishment of agroforestry practices in rice-production landscapes in Southeast Asia. It sets out the steps to be taken to successfully integrate trees in rice-fields and associated farms and landscapes and presents practical tools that can be used by extensionists when supporting farmers who are implementing agroforestry practices on their farms. The ultimate aim of this guide is to support farmers in increasing the overall productivity of their farms while increasing resilience to climate change, improving the health of the surrounding environment, and enhancing the livelihoods of their communities.










ISTF News


Book Description







Rhizobium Biology and Biotechnology


Book Description

This book provides in-depth reviews of the role of Rhizobium in agriculture and its biotechnological applications. Individual chapters explore topics such as: the occurrence and distribution of Rhizobium; phenotypic and molecular characteristics of Rhizobium; impact of Rhizobium on other microbial communities in the rhizosphere; N2-fixation ability of Rhizobium; Rhizobium and biotic stress; Rhizobium-mediated restoration of an ecosystem; in silico analysis of the rhizobia pool; further biotechnological perspectives of Rhizobium.







Growing Good Tropical Trees for Planting


Book Description

This Manual is the third in a series of readable, well illustrated handbooks about propagating and planting tropical trees.The five Manuals have been designed to provide clear and concise information on how to select, grow, plant and care for tropical trees, in both moist and drier parts of the tropics. They are intended for anyone interested in growing trees, from the small-holder to the large-scale grower, from local communities to national governments and from school and further education teachers to research and extension staff of agricultural and forestry departments. They provide illustrated, step-by-step instructions, practical guidelines and an outline of the thought processes behind them.Manual 3 deals with the all-important stage of the tree nursery. Growing good planting stock that is likely to establish successfully in the field depends on:• choosing a suitable site for the tree nursery• having some understanding of how tropical trees grow• selecting appropriate genetic origins of seeds and cuttings• producing young trees with favourable root systems• recognising the important relationships between trees and micro-organisms• building a well-trained nursery team• looking after the young trees carefullyThe procedures described in this series of Manuals may be used with the majority of woody species to provide diverse seedling or clonal mixtures. They include techniques for ‘domestication’, so that superior planting stock can increasingly be used. This can help to capture more rapidly the great potential for multiple usefulness offered by tropical trees, while also encouraging conservation of their genetic resources.