Newsletter 27

Dear readers,

For millenia, forests have been an important resource for the peoples of Latin America, and they still are. The region's forests are also important for the rest of the world. Their effect on global climate is still poorly understood, and this is the subject of at least one large international research programme. The forests of Latin America are also the home of many well-known, and economically important plant species, such as rubber, cocoa, avocado, mahogany, to name a few. Leucaena leucocephala , one of the most famous, or infamous multi-purpose tree species, also originates in this region. Biodiversity is very rich in forests in the Amazon basin, but also in the Costa Rican cloud forests for example, and 'new' species are still regularly discovered. The research project on non-timber forest plant resource assessment is involved in the documentation of some of this diversity, and aims to formulate recommendations to promote sustainable development of these resources. The report on palm heart harvesting in Guyana's North-West district provides several clear research-based recommendations for the sustainable exploitation of this forest product, which provides income for many local people.

This issue of the ETFRN News can only highlight a small sample of all the forest research projects in Latin America, but I hope it will give you a taste for more, or inspire you to write a contribution on the fascinating research project you are involved in yourself. Please note the themes for future issues on the backpage, and do not hesitate to write.

Best regards,

Willemine Brinkman

ETFRN News is a quarterly publication of the European Tropical Forest Research Network and has a ciruculationof 3,600 copies. Texts may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes citing the source.

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