1. Principles of Sustainable Harvesting
- Preserve tree health: Avoid excessive wounding or removing too much resin at once.
- Allow recovery cycles: Give trees time to heal before the next induction.
- Selective harvesting: Only collect mature resin while leaving the tree alive.
- Maintain plantation productivity: Combine harvesting with good care practices (fertilization, irrigation, pest management).
2. Methods of Sustainable Harvesting
- A. Partial Harvesting
- Remove only resin-rich portions of wood from inoculated sites.
- Leave some resin or surrounding wood intact for future resin formation.
- Use sharp, clean tools to reduce unnecessary tissue damage.
- B. Incremental / Layered Harvesting
- Harvest resin in layers over time rather than removing all resin at once.
- Allows tree to regenerate resin for subsequent cycles.
- Best for high-value, large trees where multiple harvests are feasible.
- C. Minimal Wounding
- Avoid creating new wounds at the same site immediately after harvest.
- Space wounds 30–50 cm apart and rotate sites to reduce stress.
- Seal harvested wounds with paraffin wax, tree wound paste, or sterile cotton to prevent infection.
- D. Mechanical + Biological Combination
- If using mechanical or fungal induction, harvest after resin is mature, not during early formation.
- Avoid over-harvesting induced areas; leave some resin for ongoing defense response.
3. Post-Harvest Tree Care
- Irrigation: Maintain consistent soil moisture to reduce stress.
- Fertilization: Apply organic fertilizers or compost tea to support recovery.
- Pest & Disease Management: Monitor for secondary infections at harvest sites.
- Wound Management: Seal harvested areas to prevent contamination and decay.
4. Timing Considerations
- Harvest only mature resin: Typically 12–36 months after inoculation, depending on species and induction method.
- Avoid repeated harvesting at the same site within a single resin cycle to prevent mortality.
- Stagger harvests across a plantation to maintain continuous productivity without stressing all trees at once.
5. Benefits of Sustainable Harvesting
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Tree longevity | Trees remain productive for multiple resin cycles. |
| Resin quality | Mature, high-aroma resin is prioritized. |
| Environmental stewardship | Preserves tree canopy and soil integrity. |
| Economic efficiency | Reduces loss from tree mortality or decay; allows multiple harvests over years. |
6. Best Practices Summary
- Harvest only resin-rich, mature portions.
- Seal wounds after harvest to prevent infection.
- Rotate harvest sites to allow tree recovery.
- Provide post-harvest care: irrigation, organic fertilization, pest monitoring.
- Maintain records for each tree: inoculation date, harvest date, resin quantity and quality.