Page 1 of 4 Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Collaboration for Agriculture & Rural Development Project 033/05 VIE Field evaluation and advanced vegetative mass-propagation technology for scaling up high-value plantations of Pinus caribaea and related hybrids in Vietnam Milestone 10: Outputs 1 - 3: Objective competency assessment of Vietnamese stakeholders (institute staff and nursery managers) in tree improvement strategies, establishment and management of hedge and container nursery systems, and establishment and management of demonstration sites Report Title: Competency assessments September 2008 Page 2 of 4 1.0 INTRODUCTION CARD Project 033/VIE seeks to review existing experience with and performance of several tropical conifer species in Vietnam, particularly Caribbean Pine, and to establish further trials of improved genetic material, including hybrids. The project aims to provide capacity building for forest research institutions relating to Pinus tree improvement and mass propagation systems via training in Queensland and Vietnam, development of small-scale hedge and nursery infrastructure, and a study tour to Australia, involving forest managers and researchers. Finally, the project seeks to build awareness among large and small-scale forest growers including ethnic minorities, through the establishment of collaborative demonstration plantings in priority regions for Pinus plantation expansion in Vietnam, supported by appropriate training. This Milestone 10 Report provides an objective competency assessment of Vietnamese stakeholders relating to the three main Project objectives: Pinus tree improvement, nursery techniques and establishment and management of demonstration sites. 2.0 PINUS TREE IMPROVEMENT Objective 1 for this Project was to: Identify, for the benefit of existing and prospective pine growers in Vietnam, the most highly productive, well-adapted varieties and hybrids of Pinus caribaea , in comparison to other pine species currently planted, for priority pine planting zones. The Key Performance Measures (KPMs) are: • Existing trials reviewed • New trials established • Pine breeding strategy and related capacities reviewed and strengthened The Project enabled a co-ordinated review of performance data from existing Pinus trials and related germplasm, resulting in a report by Dr Mark Dieters from the University of Queensland. (Refer Milestone 8). The report provides suggestions for the continued improvement of P. caribaea in Vietnam, which would logically be co-ordinated by the Research Centre for Forest Tree Improvement (RCFTI), part of the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam (FSIV). RCFTI researchers have demonstrated an excellent capacity to develop and implement tree improvement strategies as is evidenced by impressive achievements in developing other commercially important trees species such as several Eucalyptus and Acacia species, particularly Acacia hybrids. As well, they manage several existing Pinus tree improvement programs including P. merkussii and P.kesiya. They have also selected elite trees from local Caribbean pine trials and plantings. The Project also included some technology transfer initiatives relating to Pinus grafting and pollination techniques used in Queensland, including the provision of two detailed “How to” posters and power point presentations on these matters. These resources complement existing Vietnamese knowledge and will help to build institutional capacity. In addition to data collation and re-measures on existing trials, the Project resulted in the establishment of further genetic trials comparing a range of local and Queensland Pinus taxa. If RCFTI staff and their collaborators managing the various trials at the local level continue to maintain and periodically collect data from these trials, they will provide an important future resource to update Vietnam’s Pinus tree improvement strategy. Page 3 of 4 3.0 PINE CUTTINGS VIA HEDGES AND CONTAINERISED NURSERIES Objective 2 for this project was to: Based on proven technology and systems in Queensland, provide practical training and support to forest research institutes in Vietnam to enable the development and local adaptation of hedge and containerised nursery systems for the mass propagation of containerised pine cuttings. The Key Performance Measures are: • Trained personnel able to establish and manage hedge beds, collect and set shoots and raise container cuttings. • Locally adapted Nursery Manual and related checklists developed • Three pilot scale hedge and containerised nursery facilities established As part of Objective 2, the Project provided several training opportunities to Vietnamese institute staff and nursery managers relevant to the development and management of pine hedges and containerised nurseries. Following intensive training of four Vietnamese in Queensland over a two-week period in June 2006 (including competency assessments at all stages of training), the trainees and associated nursery managers co-ordinated the construction and operation of pilot hedge and nursery facilities in three locations (Ba Vi, Phu Ninh and Dalat). Some months later in May 2007, on-site training courses were conducted at Ba Vi and Dalat for a wider group of Vietnamese institute staff and nursery managers. The training covered aspects of general nursery planning and site layout, nursery hygiene, establishment and maintenance of pine hedges, collecting and setting cuttings, potting mix formulations and container types and stock-raising including watering, irrigation regime and pest and disease management. Follow up competency assessment, involving completion of a multiple choice question test, has recently (July 2008) been completed by the participants in both of the nursery training courses. The results of this assessment (attached) indicate that there has been a generally high level of knowledge retention since the courses were conducted in May 2007. To help build capacity and promote a consistent approach, a nursery manual was developed based on the Forestry Plantations Queensland Manual, but with some aspects tailored to Vietnamese conditions. It was also translated into Vietnamese. The manual, together with several operational nursery staff “Checklists” that are based on the manual, provides a valuable resource for on-going competency assessments. During a follow up visit by Queensland project staff in November/December 2007, it was evident that two of the pilot hedge areas (Ba Vi and Phu Ninh) had suffered heavy losses in hedges during the preceding hot summer months. Hedges have been re-established over much of the Ba Vi site and techniques changed slightly to (hopefully) reduce the risk of future hedge deaths. As well, advice was provided regarding watering and light regimes after cuttings had been set and rooting has started. Separate to the CARD Project, FPQ has recently developed an informative video based on the Toolara Nursery in Queensland which illustrates many of the techniques, practices and equipment and safety issues associated with raising exotic pine cuttings. A copy of this video, including a transcript, was recently provided to RCFTI. It is hoped that this resource will assist with further capacity building beyond the life of the Project. In summary, it is considered that the institute staff and nursery managers involved in this Project have developed adequate skills and capacity to establish and maintain hedge and associated containerised Pinus cuttings nursery systems, despite the early setbacks experienced at two of the pilot nurseries. Objective 3 for this project was to: Page 4 of 4 Create improved awareness amongst rural poor smallholders (particularly central highland minorities) and industrial forest growers in key pine growing regions, regarding the potential performance of improved varieties of Caribbean pine (including hybrids where appropriate) to supply a range of forest products and services via the establishment of large scale demonstration plantings in collaboration with local land owners / forest growers. The Key Performance Measures (KPMs) are: • Establish two demonstration trials with a large scale forest grower • Establish community and individual farmer managed plantings in collaboration with local ethnic minority community near Dak P’Lao, Dak Lak and Lam Dong FRC As detailed in the Milestone 9 report, demonstration trials have recently been established at: • Lac Duong, Lam Dong Province • Dak P’Lao, Dak Nong Province • Van Diem, Nam Dan, Nghe An Province • Cam Lo, Dong Ha, Quang Tri Province For the first two sites, staffs from the Lam Dong Forest Research Centre have been involved in the planning and establishment phases of these trials and will provide ongoing support to the local landholders to promote good early survival and growth. Based on the good performance of other pine trials initiated by staff from Lam Dong FRC and inspected by the Queensland Project leader during several visits to Vietnam, it is reasonable to assume that Lam Dong FRC, working with their various collaborators, can competently maintain the various trials that they have helped to establish as part of this Project. The newly constructed Forest Office at Dak P’Lao, and the on-site facilities to be established by the Paradise Company near Lac Duong, will provide additional technical support to assist the long-term performance of these trials. The demonstration trials at Van Dien, Nam Dam (by Management Board of Nam Dan Forest Protected Areas) and Cam Lo, Dong Ha (by Research Centre for North Central Vietnam) have been established in conjunction with adjacent genetics trials. They will be managed by the local forest station staff in conjunction with RCFTI staff who will periodically visit them to collect growth, survival and tree health data from the genetic trials. Since these groups maintain many other trials as part of their on-going tree improvement programs throughout Vietnam, it is reasonable to expect that these pine trials will be tended at least as well as other tree improvement trials, provided adequate resources are committed to these tasks, especially during the next few years. . mass-propagation technology for scaling up high-value plantations of Pinus caribaea and related hybrids in Vietnam Milestone 10: Outputs 1 - 3: Objective competency assessment of Vietnamese. planning and site layout, nursery hygiene, establishment and maintenance of pine hedges, collecting and setting cuttings, potting mix formulations and container types and stock-raising including. development and management of pine hedges and containerised nurseries. Following intensive training of four Vietnamese in Queensland over a two-week period in June 2006 (including competency