Growth and survival of seedlings of 14 species of lowland rainforest trees planted in the La Guaria Annex (Canada Plot) of La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, in 1986 and measured every six months or every year until 1992 (Part 2 of 2)

During the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Costa Rica’s old growth forests were being cut to clear land for cattle pastures and large-scale agriculture. Timber concessions were also growing pine, gmelina, and other non-native trees for harvesting. The Costa Rican government was developing plans for a reforestation program and for a Payment for Environmental Services program to combat forest loss. At this time there were no data available on the growth of native trees species. The TRIALS project (starting with the CANADA Plot) was designed by OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies) and the DGF (Dirección General Forestal) to measure the growth and survival of native tree seedlings planted on abandoned pasture lands at the La Selva Biological Station. Data from these seedlings formed the basis of the reforestation law and the Payments of Ecosystem Services (PES) plan and this model was replicated in many other areas of Costa Rica.20世纪60至80年代，哥斯达黎加的原生老龄林遭砍伐，以清理出土地用于肉牛牧场与大规模农业生产；同时木材特许经营项目亦在种植松树、石梓属（Gmelina）及其他非本土树种以供采伐。彼时哥斯达黎加政府正计划推出造林项目与环境服务付费计划，以遏制森林流失，但当时尚无本土树种生长的可用数据。由热带研究组织（Organization for Tropical Studies, OTS）与哥斯达黎加森林总司（Dirección General Forestal, DGF）联合发起的TRIALS项目（以加拿大样地（CANADA Plot）为起点），旨在对拉塞尔瓦生物站弃牧地上栽植的本土树苗的生长与存活状况进行监测。上述树苗的监测数据成为了该国造林法案与生态系统服务付费（PES）计划的制定依据，该模式随后在哥斯达黎加诸多其他地区得到复制推广。