Abstract
In order to sustain timber yields from selectively logged tropical forests, a commonly advocated silvicultural treatment is to release future crop trees (FCTs) from competition by cutting lianas (i.e., climbers or woody vines) and girdling over-topping trees (i.e., liberation thinning). In a lowland forest in Central Guyana, we tracked development of 20-40 cm DBH FCTs in permanent sample plots for 21-years after three treatments each replicated three times; firstly through low-intensity reduced-impact logging (RIL; 8 trees/ha) followed by FCT release, secondly by low-intensity RIL only, and thirdly with no logging. The benefits of FCT liberation to three common commercial timber species (Chlorocardium rodiei, Carapa guianesis, and Castostemma fragrans) were still evident 21-years after treatment (23-years after logging). Compared to conspecific FCTs of the same size at the time of treatment in the logged-but-untreated and in the unlogged control areas, the crowns of liberated FCTs remained more exposed to light, grew faster, and fewer suffered liana infestations.
