Source Year: 1996

The potential of smallholder rubber cultivation in agroforestry gardens, to fulfil the goals of conservation and sustainable rural development, was assessed. The structure and species composition of trees in 11 rubber gardens in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, were examined in 1991 and 1992, using a single 0.10 ha plot/garden. Although 41 distinct morphotypes were encountered, rubber dominated the sample of 370 trees. Richness within plots varied (3-15 morphotypes), as did the predominance of rubber (24-97;of all basal area, 24-91;of all individuals). The importance of rubber within a garden was negatively correlated with the number of morphotypes present. Tree diversity may limit the potential productivity of rubber gardens. Thus, smallholders may not be willing to maintain diversity at the scale of a single garden. Although species-accumulation curves indicate that substantial tree diversity may exist across all rubber holdings, diversity is likely to be lost from the system if individual owners reduce species richness in their gardens. Rubber agroforestry as currently practised in West Kalimantan is not an ideal model for maching rural development needs with the achievement of conservation goals. Other models, such as tenkawang- and durian-based fruit gardens, do exist in Kalimantan and elsewhere, and should be evaluated for incorporation into policy and development strategies.