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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Retention forestry and biodiversity conservation: a parallel with agroforestry

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In forested landscapes two general management systems – retention forestry and agroforestry – have been proposed as potentially efficient components of landscape approaches to ease the conflict between biodiversity objectives and human needs. In two recent reviews, Gustafsson et al. (2012) and Lindenmayer et al. (2012) provide a global overview of current knowledge about the practice and ecological roles of retention forestry. A few years ago, Bhagwat et al. (2008) produced a similar review addressing the role of agroforestry in biodiversity conservation. Here we draw a parallel between research on the ecological effects of retention forestry and agroforestry. We argue that conservation science and practice would benefit from bridging these two separate fields and the experiences achieved. Gustafsson et al. (2012) defined retention forestry as “an approach to forest management based on the long-term retention of structures and organisms, such as live and dead trees and small areas of intact forests, at the time of harvest”. The retention approach is broadly applicable to tropical, temperate and boreal forests (Lindenmayer et al. 2012). Agroforestry is defined as “intentional management of shade trees with agricultural crops” (Bhagwat et al. 2008). The agricultural component of agroforestry systems may also consist of pasture (Mosquera-Losada et al. 2008). Agroforestry systems are widespread in the tropics but also relevant to temperate regions (e.g. Gordon Nature Conservation 4: 29–33 (2013)