Southern Cross University

Central coastal Vietnam is the driest part of the country with most of the rain falling in only 3-4 months of the year. Rainfall in the wet season can be very intense causing flooding and erosion. It also has extensive areas of sandy soils which have low nutrient content and organic matter. In the long dry season agriculture in the region is highly dependent on irrigation water which is often in short supply. This project will develop, evaluate and extend practices which aim to increase the efficiency of use of scarce irrigation water and improve soil management in horticultural tree crops in central coastal; Vietnam and subtropical NSW. The projects activities in Vietnam are focussed in the provinces Ninh Thuan and Binh Binh.

The project aims to
Assess the potential sources, availability and costs of irrigation water in landscape units long central coastal Vietnam;
Identify current farmer practices and perceptions in relation to irrigation water and nutrient management.
Increase the technical capacity of the Agricultural Sciences Institute for Southern Coastal Central Vietnam
Evaluate water and nutrient management strategies to improve productivity and profitability of tree crops and resource use efficiency.

The water resource assessment indicates that irrigation from shallow groundwater is the dominant water source for farms in Binh Dinh. The sandy soils here occur across a flat to undulating riverine landscape extending 30 km from the coast. The watertable fluctuates from 4-6m between the wet and dry season. Wells are common and are used for both irrigation and domestic supplies. There are some farm dams and these fill from both groundwater and surface runoff.
There are three types of water resources for irrigation in the sandy soil area of Ninh Thuan. First, the coastal wind blown sands dune systems act as recharge areas for fringing wetlands and groundwater fed streams. Second, surface storage in small dams of runoff water and spring fed dams are found in the mid and upper sub-catchment valley floors and mountain toe slopes containing weathered granite colluvium. Third, groundwater and diverted river water are used in the alluvial levee soils on the floodplain near the river which is mainly sandy loams. Irrigation wells within a few kilometres of the coast have become saline due to seas water intrusion. Government reservoirs have been constructed in the higher parts of the catchment in Binh Dinh and Ninh Thuan to supply water for irrigation and hydroelectricity and more are planned.
A survey of farmer practices was conducted in Ninh Thuan and Binh Dinh. The survey questioned 150 farmers in each province about their farming system, water use and fertilizer use. Ninety five percent of farmers surveyed use wells for household water and irrigation. Irrigation water in Ninh Thuan is usually available for 3-6 months of the 9 month dry season. Most farmers use both animal manure and urea with most fertiliser being applied to high value crops such as vegetable, grapes, and apple. Nearly all farmers heavily cultivate the soil to construct furrows for water distribution.
As part of the capacity building objective, an irrigation course developed by NSW DPI was adapted to suit Vietnamese needs, translated and presented to a group of 30 Vietnamese researchers, extension officers and some NGO staff. The course ran over 3 days and covered soil and soil water characteristics, plant water requirements and scheduling, and assessing and managing locally appropriate irrigation systems to meet crop needs efficiently. The Vietnamese partners intend to use this course as part of a process for increasing farmer irrigation skills and productivity.
A nutrient management experiment and an irrigation experiment have been established on red ferrasol soils on the Alstonville Plateau, NSW. The nutrient management experiment is evaluating the effects on incorporation of biochar (10 t/ha, green waste and cattle feetlot waste biochars) on forage production (pinto peanut and annual ryegrass). Initial results indicate that dairy waste char enhanced growth of rye grass in the presence of N fertiliser and increased available nutrients. This was not the case with green waste char.
A simple daily crop-soil water balance model has been partially constructed to assess the average irrigation requirement of a closed canopy crop for each month of the year. The model also calculates the probability that soil moisture will exceed a given amount during each month of the year. The model uses long term climatic data (rainfall and potential evapotranspiration), crop factors, irrigation amount and rootzone soil water capacity as inputs. Following further testing and refinement, the model has application for assessing irrigation management strategies in both NSW and Vietnam. An irrigation experiment is being established on a blue berry orchard to evaluate partial irrigation strategies. These experiments will be used for training activities with visiting Vietnamese scientists.

Accomplishments during the second year of this project include: 1) establishment of cashew and mango irrigation field experiments and demonstration trials in Binh Dinh and Ninh Thuan provinces; 2) establishment of biochar field experiments with groundnut and cashew in Binh Dinh province; 3) completion of soil nutrient management workshop and intensive small group technical sessions for Vietnamese team; 4) Binh Dinh cashew farmer field day held by the Vietnamese partner; 5) establishment of blueberry irrigation experiments in NSW; 6) completion of biochar field experiment in NSW; 7) two key members of the Vietnamese team delivered a presentation at the Asia Pacific Biochar Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, and visited NSW Department Primary Industries, Wollongbar and Alstonville in May 2009.
The Vietnamese partner has established four irrigation trials in Binh Dinh and two in Ninh Thuan that aim to demonstrate that cashew and mango yields can be increased by extending irrigation beyond flowering (current practice). The impact of extending irrigation beyond flowering plus irrigation during the pre-wet season first vegetative flush of cashew is also being assessed in a replicated field experiment established in Binh Dinh. A second field experiment in Binh Dinh aims to evaluate alternating root wetting. Irrigation scheduling using mini-evaporation pans is being introduced through each of these trials and drip irrigation is being introduced in one of the Ninh Thuan demonstration trials. Positive yield responses to irrigation scheduling using the mini-evaporation pan, drip irrigation and extending irrigation beyond flowering have been achieved in the Ninh Thuan cashew field trials. Unfortunately, unseasonal, frequent rainfall has been detrimental to irrigation field trials in Binh Dinh. These field trials will be repeated in the third year of the project, which will hopefully see less rainfall.
In Ninh Thuan, a table grape field trial was established to demonstrate how irrigation scheduling using mini-evaporation pans and using drip irrigation can be applied to improve water and nutrient use efficiency and reduce nutrient leaching. Irrigation using the mini-evaporation pan has reduced irrigation inputs by more than 30% without any apparent consequences for grape yield or quality. Widespread farmer adoption of these simple, inexpensive irrigation strategies could reduce nutrient leaching at the catchment scale which will ultimately deliver environmental and community health benefits by improving the quality of groundwater used for drinking, livestock and irrigation.
In June 2008, a soil nutrient management workshop was delivered in Binh Dinh province. Most of the 30 participants are involved in the project at a leadership or technical level. Practical demonstrations in monitoring nutrient leaching were presented to equip participants with skills for assessing strategies to reduce nutrient leaching. Participants were also introduced to the concept of nutrient budgeting, thus laying a foundation to be further built upon by ACIAR project SMCN 2007/109 "Sustainable and profitable crop and livestock systems for south central coastal Vietnam" which commences June 2009.
In addition to the irrigation trials, two field experiments have been established to investigate biochar soil amendments to improve the water and nutrient holding capacity of sandy soil. The effects of biochar on plant nutrient uptake and fertiliser use efficiency is being examined on cashews and groundnut. The first season's results from these experiments will be available mid-2009. Preliminary biomass and yield assessments indicate positive yield responses for both cashew and groundnut crops.
In April 2009, the Vietnamese partner conducted a very successful cashew farmer field day in Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh. One hundred letters of invitation were distributed and eighty people attended. The day was also attended by local and national television and print media. The program covered multiple components of cashew cropping systems including pest control, nutrient and irrigation management. Farmers were introduced to mini-evaporation pans, biochar as a soil amendment and were shown the cashew irrigation and biochar field experiments.
In NSW, a field experiment has been established near Wollongbar to evaluate the application of water budgeting, deficit irrigation and partial rootzone drying (PRD) for achieving water use efficiencies in blueberry production. Demonstrating a plant physiological response to PRD and deficit irrigation treatments has been made difficult by frequent and above average rainfall throughout the duration of the field study. However, all irrigation strategies have shown substantial water use efficiency gains in comparison to the standard "rule of thumb" farmer practice. A stomatal closure response to PRD was observed during a glasshouse experiment with blueberry plants. This response was not accompanied by a reduction in plant turgor, indicating that, under more demanding field conditions, PRD could potentially be used to conserve water by reducing transpiration in blueberry plants.
A biochar soil amendment field experiment conducted at Wollongbar, NSW has been completed. Results from the experiment have demonstrated a statistically significant 20% dry matter biomass yield increase for annual ryegrass grown in soil amended with biochar made from cattle feedlot residues when combined with NPK fertiliser. Without the addition of NPK fertiliser, feedlot biochar increased plant uptake of N, P and K by 7, 14 and 26% respectively. Biochar made from municipal greenwaste did not deliver such results but both biochars increased soil C by 0.5%.

Over the past two cropping seasons a prolonged wet season followed by two typhoons affected cashew field experiments. This year unseasonably hot conditions at flowering resulted in nut-set failure across Ninh Thuan and surrounding coastal provinces and yields recorded from field trials were well down on previous seasons. The situation is of concern as many cashew farmers will receive little to no income from their orchards this year. Binh Dinh province did not experience the same climatic extremes and cashew yields here indicate benefits from following guideline fertiliser inputs and scheduling irrigation using mini-evaporation pans.

Soil moisture and water table monitoring in Binh Dinh indicates that cashew trees planted in lower lying areas access shallow groundwater. This may explain why at least one Binh Dinh cashew farmer achieves high yields despite irrigating only once at flowering. Delaying irrigation until groundwater has fallen below a threshold has potential to reduce the irrigation season by several weeks. Groundwater uptake by cashew trees, and the need to adjust irrigation scheduling accordingly, is being examined as part of current field activities but a more extensive assessment is needed.

Irrigation scheduled using a mini-evaporation pan demonstrated a 53% reduction in water use, compared with the farmer standard practice of daily flood irrigation, without affecting yields in a Ninh Thuan table grape trial. Monitoring at this trial site confirmed heavy leaching of nutrients below the root zone under flood irrigation and raised electrical conductivity and high nitrate levels in underlying groundwater. A gravity fed drip irrigation system trialled with table grapes in 2008-2009 proved to be troublesome. Following subsequent communications the NGO supplier, International Development Enterprise (IDE), has begun developing a cost effective pressurised drip system. ASISOV, Ninh Thuan and a farmer from Ninh Hai, who has been using pressurised drip irrigation with grapes for 6 years, are assisting IDE in trialling the new system with tomato and chilli crops into which grape seedlings have been planted. The results from this trial are promising.

A groundwater quality survey was conducted in Ninh Hai district in March 2010. Thirty one irrigation wells were assessed for salinity and nitrate levels. Groundwater salinity ranged from EC 2 to 13 dS/m, averaging EC 5.5 dS/m. These EC levels are considered high for sensitive crops including most vegetables. Thirty percent of the wells had nitrate levels above 250 mg/L. A survey of Ninh Hai farmers indicated that flood irrigation is carried out daily and that variable but high rates (>1000kg N/ha) of fertiliser are commonly applied. Anecdotal evidence indicates that groundwater salinity problems occur extensively along the coastal strip of southern central Vietnam. An unrealised opportunity exists to target Ninh Hai for research to identify amelioration strategies with the outcomes potentially having broader impacts across the region. Such strategies may involve improved fertiliser and irrigation management, soil amendments and hydrological solutions.

Experiments involving rice-husk biochar soil amendments continue to produce promising results. The initial biochar-groundnut experiment reported in 2008-2009 has been repeated on the same site and replicated at several other sites. It is apparent that rice-husk biochar is enhancing soil moisture availability to plants. This appears to be a major factor involved in higher biomass and nut yields observed in biochar treated soil. The results also implicate biochar in increased plant nutrient uptake and increased rates of soil carbon deposition. Initial cost benefit analysis indicates that, at a cost similar to manure, biochar will provide a financial benefit in peanut production. This is before factoring in the potential to reduce fertiliser inputs which still needs to be assessed. Continuing the existing biochar experiments for 5 years (preferably 10 years) will provide an opportunity to evaluate the longevity of biochar affects and the potential for longer term economic benefits.
Activities within Australia have also seen excellent progress. The most recent results from an ongoing biochar-pasture field experiment indicate that feedlot biochar significantly increased soil phosphorus availability over a three year period. Non-char soil carbon has also increased at a faster rate (up to 0.8% Dumas C) in feedlot and greenwaste biochar amended soils than in unamended soil.

Outcomes from a completed blueberry irrigation experiment in NSW demonstrated the inefficiencies of the industry standard 'rule of thumb' approach to irrigation with a 21% (0.77 ML/ha) reduction in water use achieved by scheduling irrigation based on Penman-Monteith ETc estimates. Applying regulated deficit irrigation during late spring to early autumn achieved a 32% (1.33 ML/ha) water saving without significantly reducing berry yield or quality. Plant responses to partial rootzone (PRD) drying observed during glasshouse trials were not repeated in the field experiment. However, results from the glasshouse trial indicate that it would be feasible to repeat a PRD field experiment under more favourable conditions.

Another highlight from the past year was a visit to Australia by five members of the Vietnamese project team who each undertook intensive training during their two week stay.

The Whitewood project started in late November 2007 with the visit of five Australian members of the project to Santo, and a busy ten-day period of planning and beginnings of work with collaborators Department of Forestry Vanuatu and Melcoffee Sawmills.

Our greatest progress to date has been in the area of identifying site selection criteria for Whitewood plantations on Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu. Extensive soil sampling was done, in coordination with the establishment of thirty Permanent Sample Plots in Whitewood plantations. These are useful in estimating yields and will be monitored throughout the project.

Using the set of soil samples taken along with tree measurements and existing knowledge summarised in the VANRIS system, project soil scientist John Grant estimates that there are approximately 69,203 hectares suitable for successful Whitewood plantations, out of 395,120 ha on the island. We did not detect a range of site indices in this area, with the soils being broadly similar across all plots sampled and precipitation adequate for good tree growth.
From December 2007 through to May 2008 a series of trial plots were established, to deal with issues of weed control, plantation management and spacing-thinning. These will be augmented in September 2008 by another series of trials, focussing on agroforestry combinations and mixtures with other tree species.

Wood quality sampling will begin in July 2008, in conjunction with collection of seed and cuttings from seed orchards.

The project commenced in April 2007. A focus of initial project activities was to examine the respective roles and effectiveness of the private and public sector in the tree nursery sector (Objective 1 of the project). We have described the current and public sector nursery industry and policy environment in the Philippines. We have surveyed a total of 177 nursery operators in Leyte and Mindanao including nursery operators and nursery managers from communal, government and private nurseries. The survey involved personal interviews with respondents and assessment of the physical quality of planting stock in the nursery. Preliminary data analysis has been undertaken and published in a conference paper. We have also undertaken a comparative analysis with other SE Asian countries, including both a desktop study and visits to Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand to look at nursery practices and systems. The results of this investigation have helped inform other activities in the project and journal papers based on this analysis have been published in a special issue of Small-scale Forestry.
We have developed a policy assessment model and used this to identify a series of policy options to be implemented by the project at the local level in conjunction with DENR and the World Agroforestry Centre. The policy assessment model is based on a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) and has undergone extensive validation and testing. The refined model was then used to identify key leverage points for intervention. Stakeholders at a project workshop developed a series of potential pilot projects to be considered for implementation as part of the project. The BBN was then used to explore potential impacts of possible policy interventions and from this process the 'best bet' intervention measures were identified and pilot studies initiated. Improving Technical Skills was consistently a very important intervention for lifting the effectiveness of all nursery sub-sectors. Training, however, which directly influences Technical Skills in the BBN model, was found to have little influence on Technical skills for the individual and communal nursery sectors in particular. Another interesting finding arising from the BBN, was that implementing interventions simultaneously, as an intervention package, is much more likely to improve nursery effectiveness that implementing a single intervention by itself. The analysis of the ratings of potential areas for intervention by participants revealed three main themes, namely Markets, Quality of Seedlings and Funding (of nurseries). We used the model to identify a series of possible intervention measures and then refined and reduced these and developed pilot schemes in which the measures were implemented at a local level. This was achieved with extensive consultation and involvement of key stakeholders and researchers. The pilot studies are currently being implemented.
We have also commenced an economic evaluation of the private sector nurseries. We are using data from the survey of nursery operators and managers to develop benchmarks of current performance and to identify improvements in current business practices. We have also commenced work on testing business strategies to enhance the economic viability of tree seedling nurseries. Extension materials on best nursery practices are being developed and will soon be distributed to nursery operators and extension workers. Training of nursery operators have been carried out to enhance their skills in seedling production and improve their knowledge about the importance of seedling quality. We will conduct further training and assessments of the effectiveness of the training over the next year. Collaboration with four pilot municipalities in Leyte has been established and a Memorandum of Agreement between the project and the mayors of these municipalities were signed. The agreement emphasizes the regulation of the seedling quality from the communities of these municipalities. Controlling of seedling quality will be the responsibility of the Local Government Unit with the technical support from the project. The project has started to draft the nursery accreditation and certification procedure, and develop criteria for certifying nurseries, which require them to apply the best practice technologies. Certified nurseries are expected to attract more sales and higher prices.

The project commenced in April 2007 and has made rapid progress. As at 31 May, activities associated with the first objective (Examine the respective roles and effectiveness of the private and public sector in the tree nursery sector) and second objective (Develop a policy assessment model and identify policy intervention points at both the national and at the local level) have been completed. The pilot testing of a nursery accreditation and seedling certification poliy was commenced in three municipalities. Subsequently the project has been approached by three additional organisations who wished to participate. In early 2009, team members led the development of a draft DENR Administrative Order (national policy) for an accreditation scheme for nurseries based on outcomes of project research. The draft has been forwarded and reviewed by the Ecosystems Management and Development Bureau and Forest Management Bureau of the DENR central office in Manila. Project members have reviewed the draft of the DAO on Seed Certification developed by the ERDB-DENR.
During the year we have developed a database of mother trees in Leyte. This database has been distributed to private nursery operators, managers of government nurseries and other interested parties through offices of DENR, DA, VSU and through demonstration nurseries established by the Q-seedling project in partnership with DENR and LGUs of pilot municipalities. A similar database is being compiled in our study area in Northern Mindanao. The project also established seed centre at LSU. This centre has been distributing seeds of various species to partner municipalities, has disseminated nursery best management practices manual to nursery operators and has been providing information of nursery locations to seedling buyers.
During the year we also completed a 'Guide on Production of High Quality Seedlings in Smallholder Nursery' This guide sets out the best management practices for producing high quality seedlings in smallholder seedling production. A Primer on Forest Nursery Accreditation (LGU-based) was developed which explains the importance of nursery accreditation and provides information about the nursery accreditation process and guidelines. Posters were also developed on Quality Seedling Production which illustrate the importance of quality germplasm in seedling production and highlights aspects to be remembered in quality seedling production. We have also commenced revision of the 'Q-seedling series' which is a topic-based series on quality seedling production. The information is taken from material from the best practice manual but broken into specific subject per series number.
The project has also finalised a training video on quality seedling production - which is designed to assist trainers and extension workers in carrying out training on quality seedling production with stakeholders. Team members also developed a jingle on the importance of high quality seedlings - a song and dance video highlighting the importance of high quality seedling. This 'jingle' is designed to be used as ice breaker piece or intermission during training classes on quality seedling production.

The project commenced on 1 January 2005, with the official signing of the documents on April 7, 2005 in Manila. A project launch was held at Leyte State University on February 11, 2005 which was attended by Australian and Filipino Project staff, and representatives from Leyte State University and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. This was followed by a two day project planning workshop. The workshop was attended by 29 participants including researchers from The University of Queensland, Southern Cross University an Leyte State University. The DENR Regional Director along with two Regional Technical Directors and the forestry manager from PCARD also attended. At this workshop, detailed research plans were presented by the lead Filipino and Australian researchers and critically discussed. At the workshop, the DENR Regional Director agreed to second two DENR staff full-time to the project. These staff are to based in the ACIAR office at Leyte State University. A comprehensive planning workshop proceedings with some 231 pages has been subsequently produced and distributed. Copies are available from the project leaders on request.

During the year significant progress has been made towards the project objectives. The first objective of the project is to assist DENR to overcome policy implementation constraints to tree registration and log transport. During 2005 we worked closely with DENR staff to identify key constraints and how to overcome them. As part of this process we held one policy workshop and two action research workshops involving DENR and ACIAR staff. From these workshops, teams of researchers and DENR were formed to address a number of specific issues which were identified as being critical to achieving Objective 1. Significantly, a primer on tree registration, harvesting, transport and marketing policies in private lands has been developed and validated during a series of further workshops and meeting involving DENR staff, including meeting. The primer has now been officially endorsed by DENR Region 8 Executive Director. Distribution of the Primer commenced in January 2006. The second objective of the project is to assist tree growers to satisfy market requirements and improve productivity. An extension program is being developed and trialled which aims to test mechanisms to improve the silvicultural skills of farmers. As part of this program, the use of 'bus tours' taking smallholder treefarmers to demonstration sites in order to delivery key information about silviculture has been developed. During 2005, two pilot tours were undertaken and their effectiveness is currently being assessed. In addition, a pilot program involving cost effective ways of linking buyers and sellers of timber has been commenced. A key part of Objective 2 is to identify the market requirements for timber and a number of interrelated activities have been commenced in this area. A timber enterprise survey has been finalised and interviews have commenced. In addition, a detailed assessment of the current timber resource on Leyte is being conducted by field teams measuring both timber quantity and log quality from existing tree farms. As part of Objective 3 we are identifying and promoting livelihood systems and policies which incorporate forestry and which recognise the socio-economic circumstances of smallholders. During 2005 we designed a socio-economic survey to collect the necessary data. The questionnaire we developed will be administered to all treefarmers who have their tree farms measured as part of activities conducted as part of Objective 2.

During the year significant progress has been made towards the project objectives. The first objective of the project is to assist DENR to overcome policy implementation constraints to tree registration and log transport. During 2006 we worked closely with DENR staff to identify key constraints and how to overcome them. We set up a School of the Air radio program on tree farming policies with active participation of Department of Environment and Natural Resources personnel, municipal mayors, councillors and municipal agricultural officers. Further policy and action research workshops were held during the year with key stakeholders to discuss issues with various policy impediments and to identify strategies to overcome these impediments. One result of these workshops was the finalisation of the "Primer on Tree Registration, Harvesting, Transport and Marketing in Private Lands". The primer has now been reproduced in three languages (English, Waray-Waray, Cebuano). The primer has been widely distributed on Leyte and to key institutions and government departments elsewhere in the Philippines. The World Agroforestry Centre (formerly ICRAF) has provided funding to reproduce additional copies.

The second objective of the project is to assist tree growers to satisfy market requirements and improve productivity. An extension program has been developed and trialled which aims to test mechanisms to improve the silvicultural skills of farmers. As part of this program, the use of 'bus tours' taking smallholder treefarmers to demonstration sites in order to delivery key information about silviculture has been developed. During 2006, two further pilot tours were undertaken and their effectiveness is currently being assessed. In addition, a pilot program involving cost effective ways of linking buyers and sellers of timber was ran throughout the year and a follow-up assessment will be undertaken in 2007. A key part of Objective 2 is to identify the market requirements for timber and a number of interrelated activities have been conducted in this area. During the year 51 owners of timber enterprises were interviewed from Leyte, Cebu and Samar. The survey has provided a wealth of information which is currently being analysed. In addition, a detailed assessment of the current timber resource on Leyte was largely completed by field teams measuring both timber quantity and log quality from existing tree farms. Data has been collected on 5,664 trees from 532 plots established on 119 tree farms. Analysis of this data has commenced. As part of Objective 3 we are identifying and promoting livelihood systems and policies which incorporate forestry and which recognise the socio-economic circumstances of smallholders. During 2006 we conducted a socio-economic survey to collect the necessary data. The questionnaire was administered to all treefarmers who have their tree farms measured as part of activities conducted as part of Objective 2. This data is currently being analysed.

The foci of activities in the third year of the project have been to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot schemes established in the first two years; undertake analysis of data from surveys of smallholder tree farmers and timber processors; and to further develop and distribute outputs from the project such growth and financial models, and extension materials.
During the year project researchers were active in disseminating outputs from the first two years of the project. A School-on-air Radio Program on Tree Farming Policies was presented and a CD version subsequently prepared and distributed. Extension materials (e.g. primer on tree registration, harvesting approval and log transport; booklet on tree growing; manual on tree nursery establishment) were widely distributed to smallholders, local governments and DENR staff in Leyte, Southern Leyte and Northern Samar. Various training activities were also undertaken including to 80 farmers in Claveria and Misamis Oriental through the ACIAR CATP Program. Presentation of project-related research outputs were also made in two important national forums - the National Agroforestry Congress and National Forestry Education Conference.
Much effort was placed in the analysis of several large data sets that have been collected as part of project activities and the preparation of journal articles and conference papers. A large number of publications have been prepared and published since January 2007, including both journal articles (18) and conference papers (23). Many of the conference papers are also in the process of being further developed and refined and will be submitted to refereed journals. The publications arising from the project during 2007 and the first part of 2008 are listed below. It is worth noting that of the 18 journal articles published, 6 were co-authored by Australian and Filipino researchers and a further 5 were authored solely by Filipino researchers. There is a similar pattern with conference publications with 16 of the 23 conference papers having at least one Australian and one Filipino author. This highlights the significant efforts placed in developing the capacity of Filipino researchers.
A highlight of the activities in 2007 was the involvement of the research team in the organisation of the IUFRO 3.08 Small-scale Forestry conference. The theme of the conference was "Improving the Triple Bottom Line Returns from Small-scale Forestry". This theme was very closely aligned to the focus of the research being undertaken as part of ASEM/2003/052. The conference attracted about 90 delegates from some 20 countries. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the research being undertaken as part of the project and to obtain critical and constructive feedback from many highly respected international scientists. Project researchers and staff presented 21 papers, of which 15 involved at least one Australian and one Filipino author. Filipino collaborators presented 13 of the 21 papers. Participation in the conference also served to focus the efforts of project researchers in writing up project results into formal conference papers covering almost all of the research undertaken through the project. Many of these conference papers are currently being refined into journal papers.
A key part of the project has been to develop the research skills of Filipino collaborators. In the initial phases of the project the focus was on developing the ability of local researchers to design and implement research projects. In the third year we have focussed our efforts on developing the data analysis, presentation and writing skills of Filipino collaborators. To this end, we have produced many jointly authored publications and the Filipino members of the research group played a prominent role in presenting papers at the IUFRO 3.08 conference.
At the end of 2007, a project extension of one year was granted. This project extension will be used to complete the analysis of the extensive data sets that have been compiled and to prepare further journal articles. In addition, we will undertake some further research into how smallholder tree farmers may be able to access developing carbon markets - which are emerging as a potentially important means of improving financial returns from tree farms.