Shade tree timber as a source of income diversification in agroforestry coffee plantations, Peru

Coffee is traditionally grown in agroforestry systems. Shade trees in coffee plantations provide important ecosystem services, and their timber may also be a good source of income for coffee growers. However, key information on the value of shade tree timber and its potential contribution to the income of coffee growers based on empirical data is lacking. The income that could be obtained from shade trees was estimated for three coffee plantations with different shade tree species. To estimate the marketable timber volume of standing trees, allometric equations were developed. Our results showed that the value of the shade tree timber varied significantly. It represented only 2-3% of the annual coffee farm income on the coffee plantation dominated by native Inga spp. On the other hand, the plantation predominantly shaded by Eucalyptus trees had high potential annual (50-68% of plantation income) and total (92-96% of plantation income) timber value, followed by the plantation shaded predominantly by Pinus (32-49% of plantation income for annual timber volume and 89-94% of plantation income for total timber volume). It is evident that shade trees may be a good economic reserve for coffee growers when exotic Eucalyptus or Pinus tree species are planted. However, using individual-tree data, it was found that the relatively rare native shade tree Retrophyllum rospigliosii, which was found in almost all plantations, has a high timber value and a large timber supply, making it a shade species with high potential for agroforestry.