| European
Tropical Forest Research Network |
Early in the year 2000 Tropenbos International suggested to devote this 2001/2002 winter issue of the ETFRN newsletter to "Innovative financing mechanisms for sustainable management of tropical forests". Tropenbos took great satisfaction in compiling and editing this issue.
With the growing awareness of the value of forest goods and services, the past decades have produced numerous concepts and methods for forest valuation. Though these methods have contributed to a better understanding of the societal values of the forests, they have not by themselves caused a major change in the course of actual land use processes in the tropics, characterised by deforestation and forest degradation. The driving forces behind land use processes are subsistence and direct financial revenues. These processes can not be curtailed by mere theoretical calculations of forest values. In the first place the beneficiaries of these perceived values are often different people and institutions from those who actually use forestlands. Secondly valuation must be translated into actual financing mechanisms that are in the direct interest of the actual forest users and those institutions receiving indirect financial benefits, such as governmental agencies which collect timber licence fees.
More recently the subject of financing forest goods and services has become the focus of debate in international fora. The translation of forest value estimations into actual financing mechanisms is generally perceived as a major challenge to contribute to the conservation and wise use of tropical forests. There is a magnitude of different forest values. Translation into financing mechanisms may not be possible for the full array. But efforts are made all over the world to identify those values that can be captured in financing mechanisms. Various concepts have been developed, others are on the drawing table and practical experiments on the ground have started.
The aim of this issue of ETFRN News is to take stock of what has been achieved and what is in the pipeline. The interest in the subject is reflected in the large number of interesting responses to our call for papers. I am pleased to note that the result is a document presenting a variety of mechanisms that addresses a good mix of forest values. Also the different stages from inception via research and development to implementation are represented. Finally there is more food for thought in the form of indications of possible directions for future research.
This issue will find its way to numerous readers all over the world. It will also serve as a background document for the joint Tropenbos-ETFRN seminar on Forest Valuation and Innovative Financing Mechanisms, March 2002. I am convinced that the content provides meaningful and stimulating information for all concerned with the conservation and wise use of tropical forest, in support of sustainable development and poverty alleviation.
Erik Lammerts van Bueren
Director, Tropenbos International