Performance of Klinki (Araucaria hunsteinii K. Schuman) in the Humid Tropics of Costa Rica

Abstract

Araucaria hunsteinii K. Schuman (Syn. A. klinki Lauterbach), locally known as Klinki, is a tropical conifer from Papua New Guinea, which was introduced to Costa Rica in 1966 by the Tropical Agriculture Research and Training Center (CATTE). Due to its capacity for carbon sequestration and long-term storage, and wood production, EARTH University, located in the Atlantic lowlands of Costa Rica, established two research plots with the species in October 1993 to monitor its growth in the humid tropical lowland conditions. Results show that the species performs well under such soil and climate conditions. It seems probable that Klinki may be considered as a promising species for commercial timber production and for long-term carbon sequestration in the tropics.