A culture of conservation: how an ancient forest plantation turned into an old growth forest reserve - the story of the Wamulin forest.
Abstract
This paper determines the ecological and cultural role of forest plantation and how it turns into an old growth forest reserve. A case study of a very old second-growth forest in southeastern China is presented -the Wanmulin forest- in which a forest plantation planted approximately six centuries ago has now developed into an old forest with extraordinary high biodiversity levels, an immense carbon pool, and a rich culture. This case illustrates that, although human activity is the main cause for the disappearance and degradation of many forests, when human interests and cultural values align, a forest plantation can develop through natural processes into an old forest with characteristics similar to primary old-growth forests.