Summary: We explore the difficulty of achieving equity for women in two forest and livelihood restoration (FLR) pilot projects, one each in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Philippines. We use institutional bricolage as a framework to explain the context and background of stakeholders’ decision-making and the consequent impact on equity and benefit distribution. In the Philippines, material and institutional support was initially successful in assisting participants to establish small-scale tree plantations. A structured approach to institutional development has successfully evolved to meet the needs of women, even though corruption has re-emerged as a destabilizing influence. In PNG, despite success in establishing trees and crops, the participation of women was subjugated to traditional customs and norms that precluded them from engaging in land management decisions. The capacity-building and gender-equity principles of FLR consequently became compromised. We conclude that in some patriarchal societies achieving equity for women will be difficult and progress will be contingent on a detailed understanding of the effects of traditional customs and norms on participation and decision-making.

Enrichment planting is often suggested as a means of enhancing the productivity of logged rainforest. However, little is known about the long-term survival and growth of these trees. In this study, we used historical data from enrichment planting trials ranging from 15 to 32 years old to examine the survival and growth of 16 tree species across different sites in north Queensland, Australia. The results complement and extend current knowledge on the potential role of enrichment planting from a production perspective. A key finding was that the initial level of post-logging overwood did not appear to affect the immediate survival of enrichment plantings, but in the longer term (up to 30 years) survival decreased as post-logging overwood and regrowth increased. This suggests that removal of overwood should take place at the time of enrichment planting. A further key finding was that despite regular tending to remove vegetation adjacent to the plantings, competition from saplings and trees that were situated outside the tended area emerged as a major source of competition in some plots. By implication, the success of enrichment planting may depend on removal of competition from the entire logged area, not just adjacent to enrichment plantings. Results between individual species and trials varied widely. The best development of Flindersia brayleyana resulted in a mean tree diameter of 32.5 cm at age 22 for the 100 tallest trees per hectare. Although Eucalyptus grandis, Eucalyptus microcorys, and Eucalyptus pilularis all failed—as expected, because they do not normally grow in rainforest—Corymbia torelliana, Cardwellia sublimis, Araucaria bidwillii, Khaya senegalensis, Flindersia amboinensis, and Swietenia macrophylla also failed although they grow naturally in similar sites. In other trials, tree height and basal area growth were often poor. For example, Khaya ivorensis grew to a basal area of only 1.3 m²/ha and a mean height of 7.7 m at age 10, and Flindersia ifflaiana only grew to a basal area of 0.7 m²/ha and a height of 7.9 m, also at age 10. Overall, these results emphasise the necessity of site–species matching before enrichment planting begins and the necessity of post-planting monitoring and remedial tending.