Forest extension in small units forested with carob trees in Formosa

Abstract

Since 2005, there have been forest plantations with carob tree (Prosopis alba Griseb) in Formosa. The foresters, mainly small agricultural producers, opted for this activity as an alternative, within the framework of the National Law No. 26,432 (extension of Law No. 25,080) of Investments for Cultivated Forests. Forestry Extension is an educational process whose object of intervention is related to specific technical aspects of the management of forest plantations or native forests. In this article we describe the outreach practices carried out within the Provincial Forestry Program for promoting afforestation with this species, in which faculty members and students of Forestry Engineering of the National University of Formosa participated in order to link their theoretical training with practice. The implementation of management in small productive units, individual technical assistance in the field and training encourage the producer to manage their plantation with suggestions involving silvicultural techniques constructed through "shared learning". This methodology optimizes the learning of the participants, and favors the feedback of the process in general and the techniques used. At the same time, it contributes to the formation of the student and links university with the environment.