Thinning Levels of Laurel Natural Regeneration to Establish Traditional Agroforestry Systems, Ecuadorian Amazon Upper Basin

(1) Background: The Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav.) Oken (laurel) natural regeneration management is a widespread practice among smallholders in the Amazon upper basin for the establishment of traditional agroforestry systems. This tree management approach is opposite to the development project proposals that contemplate reforestation with nursery seedlings in the Amazon region. The present study evaluated the effects of thinning levels on the diameter and basal area increment of laurel in a traditional agroforestry system; (2) Methods: A randomized complete block design with three replications was used, and the target variables were the growth rate of diameter at breast height (DBH) and the basal area of trees. Twelve square field plots, 400 m(2) each, were established in a plot network covering a 1.0 km x 0.5 km area. Three thinning levels were applied: light, moderate, and intensive thinning; (3) Results: The traditional agroforestry system investigated was characterized by a marginal growth of laurel trees, with an average yield of 125.26 m(3) ha(-1) (+/- 15.39) and MAI of 13.92 m(3) ha(-1) at 9 years of age with a tree density of 418 trees ha(-1). The average value of the relation between the number of trees and the basal area removed (NG value) was 1.15, with small variation among plots, so all of them were thinned from below. The intensive thinning treatment, leaving 200 trees ha(-1), caused the greatest annual increase in individual tree DBH (2.03 cm) and basal area (61.37 cm(2)) in both absolute and relative terms and improved tree height/diameter ratio; (4) Conclusions: Management of laurel natural regeneration for the establishment of traditional agroforestry systems could be improved by thinning at early ages, leaving 200 well-spaced laurel trees per ha.