| European
Tropical Forest Research Network |
ETFRN-News is a quarterly publication of the European Tropical Forest Research
Network: Editor: Willemine Brinkman
Editorial assistance:Evelyn Whyte
Jelle Maas
Dear readers,
This is the first newsletter of ETFRN phase II, with a special focus on Tropical Forest Research in Africa. It also contains ETFRN news, including changes in the network and new rules on membership, a message from the new Chairman, as well as a note on the European Commission's INCO-DC call for proposals. In future, at least three of the four ETFRN Newsletters will pay specific attention to a theme or region.
The theme of the September/October and December Issues of the Newsletter will be Sustainable Management of Forests, including secondary or degraded forests, and Research Priority Setting Methods respectively. Contributions on these topics are most welcome. Please send articles or short news items you would like to have published to the Coordination Unit, preferably by E-mail or on diskette, before September 1, 1997 (Sustainable Management of Forests) or before November 15, 1997 (Research Priority Setting Methods). For the latter topic, experiences in using different priority setting methods for Tropical Forest Research would be of particular interest.
And yes, the Newsletter will continue to be published four times a year. Although the first newsletter you received this year was prepared and dated December 1996, it was only printed in February 1997 and mailed out in March. My sincere apologies for the confusion this may have caused - in the future I will check the date on the cover before sending it to the printers.
I would like to draw your attention to a new item in the newsletter: Internet Features, compiled by Jelle Maas. It presents Websites which may be of interest to our readers and which have some relation to the region or theme of the Newsletter. I also hope you approve of the slight changes in the cover, headings and lettering. Comments are welcome!
Finally, many thanks go to Markus Radday and ATSAF for the constructive and
helpful way they handed over the ETFRN Coordination Unit's tasks to The Tropenbos
Foundation.
Willemine Brinkman
This is the first issue of our Newsletter prepared by Willemine Brinkman, the
new ETFRN Coordinator since ETFRN Coordinating Unit moved from Bonn to Wageningen.
You will find the same sections as in previous issues, on organisations and
programmes, research cooperation etc, and a new section, devoted to internet
features. This is a new information source provided by ETFRN, giving web site
addresses- we look forward to receiving yours!
It is also a sign that something is changing in our network. Electronic communication
has developed a lot since ETFRN was created in 1992. ETFRN has moved with these
developments by creating this new section in the newsletter and by deciding
to link ETFRN members'web sites with the ETFRN Homepage (see SC1 conclusions).
Communication and information circulation between the tropical forest research
organisations will be facilitated in this way.
There is still much to be done to build our European Tropical Forestry Research
Community. A lot has been achieved in the last four years, while Erik Lammerts
van Bueren was the Chairman of the network. Let's thank him warmly for his work
during those years. And let's go on moving forward.
François Grison
Chairman of the ETFRN Steering Committee
General
The European Commission's DGXII has decided to grant support for the second
phase of ETFRN, from 1 January 1997 till 31 December 1999. During this period,
the network should become more independent and network services should be further
improved. These include the newsletter, question and answer service, the ETFRN
Internet site and access to the databases on European institutes and projects
involved in (sub)tropical forestry research. The ETFRN 3-year plan 1997 - 1999
may be found on the new ETFRN Internet site at http://www.etfrn.org/etfrn/network/frames/intro-3year.html.
Changes
ETFRN Phase II has brought several changes to the network. They are listed
below, more or less in chronological order:
Introducing François Grison, Chairman of the ETFRN Steering
Committee
François Grison has been actively involved with ETFRN since 1993, when
he was appointed by the French Ministry for Scientific Research to act as contact
person for the French National Node of ETFRN at CIRAD-Forêt.
He has worked as a forest researcher in several tropical countries, particularly in Africa, where he was involved in research on genetic improvement of eucalyptus in Congo and of okoumé in Gabon. In Cameroon he conducted research on silviculture of timber species and subsequently managed a forest research centre.
Since 1984, Mr Grison has been employed at CIRAD-Forêt, first in Nogent-sur-Marne, later in Montpellier. Though based in France, he has continued to maintain his work in the field of tropical forestry, travelling and conducting studies in several different countries, including Vietnam, Sabah and Mauritania.
From 1991 to 1995, Mr Grison was also Editor of the Journal "Bois et Forêts des Tropiques".
We welcome François Grison as Chairman. His enthusiasm and support to
ETFRN are inspiring.
ETFRN meetings held
The first ETFRN Steering Committee meeting was held at la Laguna, Tenerife, on 18-19 April 1997. It was hosted by the Office of the Vice-Councillor for the Environment of the Canary Islands. The hospitality of the host organisation, and its cheerful and efficient staff certainly contributed to a very pleasant and successful meeting. I would particularly like to thank Ms Asunción Delgado Luzardo and Ms Conchi Valdivia for all the time and effort spent. The different staff members of the University of La Laguna, who presented their research projects and took time to show us the forest which is closest to 'tropical' in Spain, also deserve our appreciation and thanks.
During the meeting, the different National Nodes briefly reported on ETFRN membership in their country and on the status of the National Nodes' mandates. Except for Sweden, Greece and Switzerland, all countries were represented. It was agreed that all National Nodes should complete the process of receiving a mandate from either researchers or the country administration, or both, within the next few months. Regarding membership, it was decided that the National Nodes will circulate a letter on ETFRN membership to actual and potential ETFRN members in their country. Potential members should be invited to join. For this purpose, the Coordination Unit has drafted letters which the National Nodes may adapt to the country situation.
The Steering Committee also discussed and approved the ETFRN plan 1997 - 1999 and the 1997 workplan, with some comments and rewording. These plans were prepared by the ETFRN Coordination Unit. The 1997 workplan specifies actions to be taken by the Coordination Unit, the National Nodes, and the ETFRN members. The network structure and function were also discussed (see below).
At the end of the meeting, the Steering Committee unanimously elected François Grison (France) as Chairman, Raul de Albuquerque Sardinha (Portugal) as Vice-Chairman and Jochen Heuveldop (Germany) as third member of the Executive Committee. Jane Thornback (UK) spoke for the entire Steering Committee to thank Erik Lammerts van Bueren for leading ETFRN safely through its infant years.
The next Steering Committee meeting will be held in the Netherlands on 30 -
31 January, 1998.
The first ETFRN Executive Committee Meeting was held in Brussels on
20 June 1997. Charles Kessler was introduced as the new contact person for ETFRN
at the European Commission's DGXII. Joachim Kreysa has moved to DGXXIV (Consumer
Health), but attended part of the Executive Committee meeting. He continues
to follow ETFRN with great interest.
The Executive Committee discussed the Coordination Unit's work, membership,
the need to forge close links with other regional networks, and the need to
define a term for those on the Newsletter mailing list who are not an ETFRN
member, the process of formulating a future statute for ETFRN, the organisation
of an ETFRN side meeting at the World Forestry Congress in Antalya, Turkey in
October, and how to further present ETFRN during this event.
Steering Committee decisions on ETFRN membership, the role of the
National Nodes and the Steering Committee:
ETFRN Membership
ETFRN membership is open to: European institutes, organisations, or distinct
units within institutes and organisations dealing with (sub) tropical forest
and related land-use system research comprising a wide range of disciplines
(i.e. forestry, ecology, wood technology, timber, ethnobotany, sociology, law
etc.). ETFRN membership is located at the highest level within the institute
or organisation where tropical forestry or related research is identified as
activity and recognised as responsibility. There is no objection to include
more than one e-mail address of contact persons participating in discussions
or the Question and Answer Service.
Organisations and individuals outside Europe may be included on the ETFRN News
mailing list, and are welcome to use the Question and Answer Service and ETFRN
Internet site.
Members are committed to fulfill the following obligations in order to support the objectives of the network and contribute to its activities:
ETFRN membership has the following advantages:
Services from ETFRN to its members may still be added or changed, based upon demand from ETFRN members.
Access to the ETFRN Internet site, use of the Question and Answer service,
and inclusion in the ETFRN News mailing list is open to everyone.
The National Nodes
The National Nodes remain the national working units of ETFRN. They ensure a large part of the information flow between the Coordination Unit and the ETFRN members in their countries. They support the implementation of ETFRN objectives and seek the support of the Coordination Unit (CU) whenever there is a demand for research cooperation. They contribute to the establishment of the annual work plan and its execution. The National Nodes represent the ETFRN members in their country in the Steering Committee, unless the ETFRN members in the country concerned decide otherwise.
Other major tasks of National Nodes are:
National nodes will be selected among the ETFRN members within a country in
the most appropriate way (approved or elected by the members, appointment by
the national authorities etc.)
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee (SC) is the decision making body of ETFRN. It consists of one representative per country with vote. In addition, a maximum of two observers per country, on ad-hoc basis, without vote, are acceptable. The country representatives will be nominated in consultative process relevant to each country. The major tasks of the Steering Committee are to:
The SC Chairman and Vice-Chairman will be elected by the Steering Committee members. Chairman and Vice-Chairman will be elected for one year. After one year the Chairman is succeeded by the Vice-Chairman.
Within the SC an Executive Committee (EC) will be established for direct and interim contact between SC and Coordination Unit. The Executive Committee will be composed of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Steering Committee and one elected member of the Steering Committee. One observer each from the European Commission and the European Parliament will also be invited to the Executive Committee meetings.
The Executive Committee will assist the Coordination Unit in official procedures (approval of agenda for meetings, minor budget adaptions).
The full text of the ETFRN plan for 1997-1999, which includes the above, is
available on Internet at the ETFRN site, http://www.etfrn.org./etfrn/intro-3year.html.
The Tropenbos-Cameroon Programme is one of the five country programmes of the
Tropenbos Foundation. The programme (operational since 1994) seeks to develop
methods and strategies for sustainable management of tropical rain forest in
Cameroon through scientific research.
Sustainable forest management means that a range of ecological, economic, social and technical criteria have to be met. The Tropenbos-Cameroon Programme aspires to address issues crucial to forest management, and this calls for input from a wide range of disciplines.
The programme consists of 14 interrelated projects, executed by researchers from 7 participating universities and research institutes. Nine projects are currently in execution, and six of those are co-financed by ITTO. For the remaining five projects, EU funding has been obtained, and they will start this year.
The ongoing projects are to execute an ecological land inventory and land evaluation, to improve logging and shifting cultivation methods, to develop a silvicultural system based on natural regeneration and to develop a management model for sustainable timber production. In addition, the social dimensions of the use and management of land and forest, the use of non-timber forest products, the market potential of lesser-known timbers, the impact of land use on erosion and hydrology, mycorrhizae and forest recovery processes are being studied to support the development of land use and forest management methods.
The EU funded projects are to strengthen the ecological basis of forest management further, and to develop a decision making methodology for the management of land and forest in which the results of the entire programme are integrated. The ecological studies will use the land inventory as a basis. Plant biodiversity, nutrient cycling and phytomass development and relations between trees and vertebrates and insects will be studied in relation to human interventions.
For some research positions, as yet no suitable candidate has been found within the participating agencies, and therefore, vacancies for a forest economist and a plant biodiversity researcher will probably be advertised soon.
For further information on the Tropenbos-Cameroon Programme and on forthcoming
vacancies in the EU funded projects, please contact:
Dr W B J Jonkers
Coordinator Tropenbos-Cameroon Programme
Deptartment of Forestry
Wageningen Agricultural University
PO Box 342
6700 AH Wageningen
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 317 484227
Fax: +31 317 483542
E-mail: wyb.jonkers@msc.bosb.wau.nl
or
The Tropenbos Foundation
PO Box 232
6700 AE Wageningen
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 317 426262
Fax: +31 317 423024
E-mail: tropenbos@iac.agro.nl
Internet: http://www.tropenbos.nl
The Institute for World Forestry at the Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products (BFH) in Hamburg conducts research on the structure and composition of forests and on their conservation, management and potential for utilisation in different climatic and economic regions of the world. Research activities also concern agroforestry and silvipastoral land use systems, methods for integrated utilisation of timber and other forest products. A brief overview of current research projects in Africa is given below:
Cameroon: Sustainability of Prunus africana
The natural distribution of Prunus africana is limited to the afromontane forests of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa. This multipurpose tree is a valuable source of locally and internationally acknowledged medicine. The extract from the tree's bark is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. The destructive harvesting method may have harmful ecological effects on several endemic animals which are dependent on P. africana as a food source. It is estimated that under current harvesting practices P. africana will be extinct from the forests of Mt Cameroon in less than 10 years.
The Institute for World Forestry is implementing research activities on the socio-economic value of P. africana at village and industry level and on agricultural land use practices.
As a result, recommendations for the survival and sustainable use of the tree species are expected.
Ivory Coast and Ghana: Duiker Populations
Maxwell- and Black Duiker (Cephalophus maxwelli, C.niger) are the most frequent and abundant forest antelopes in the Guinea Moist Forest Zone in West Africa. As important Non-Timber Forest Products they do have a great socioeconomic value for sustainable use of these rainforests. Decreasing rainforest area and forest quality in the remaining forested areas as well as increasing hunting pressure affect the studied duiker populations. This raises the question of to what extent the traditional use of these duiker populations as a food source is sustainable.
The study investigates the reproductive biology of both duiker species and establishes their reproductive potential under the given ecological conditions in two distinct areas in Central Ivory Coast and in Western Ghana. The study is based on a systematic, long-term (1991-96) collection of reproductive tracts and jaws of both duiker species. Relevant physiological information (eg weight, nutritional or lactation status) of the sampled individuals are also noted.
Cameroon: Ecophysiology of legume tree species
The project works together with groups in Stirling, Aberdeen (Scotland) and Cameroon and aims to investigate the growth, mineral nutrition and ecophysiology of the three most abundant ectomycorrhizal legume tree species (Caesalpinioideae) occurring on very non-ecto-(endo-)mycorrhizal species (Oleaceae) found on neighbouring more nutrient-rich soils. Attention will be principally directed towards the role of phosphorus and water availability and its interaction on the functioning of ecto- versus endo-mycorrhizas. This may highlight the adaptive (advantageous) attributes of the ectomycorrhizal type of symbiosis.
This aim will be achieved by seedling growth experiments in nurseries, transplant experiments to the field (Korup and two outside managed sites), field fertilisation studies, seedling demography and associated field environmental and ecophysiological measurements in Cameroon. In Hamburg more controlled glasshouse experiments will parallel those in Cameroon but with detailed physiological measurements (carbon fixation, leaf water parameters, mineral uptake) and the role of mycorrhizas.
The results obtained will increase understanding of these tropical tree species' ecology and physiology and thus their management in forests, and will provide a more sound scientific basis for their silviculture with a view to reforestation of nutrient-impoverished tropical sites and in agroforestry.
Zimbabwe: Non-Timber Forest Products
The study is part of a CIFOR Restricted Core Project on the "Contribution of Non-Wood Forest products to Socio-economic Development and their Potential Role in Sustainable Forest Management Concepts". The project entails activities in Africa and South America, studying the utilisation and marketing of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP).
The main objectives of the study are the documentation and analysis of the importance and contribution of the handicraft industry to rural livelihoods in the Chivi District (Masvingo Province, Southern Zimbabwe) and the formulation/suggestion of strategies and policies for socioeconomically viable and ecologically sustainable management systems for their possible integration in natural resource management strategies.
For further information on these projects please contact:
Institute for World Forestry
Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products
Leuschnerstr. 91
21031 Hamburg
Germany
Tel: +40 739 62 100
Fax: +40 739 62 480
E-mail: heuveldop@aixh0001.holz.uni-hamburg.de
by Paul Kerkhof
SOS-Sahel (GB) is a NGO with forestry research and development programmes in Mali, Niger, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia. It seeks to understand the diverse range of issues affecting local forest management, with research projects covering biological issues (e.g. "Common trees and shrubs of dryland Sudan") through to social issues ("Women, resource management and migration in the Sahel") and tenure ("Institutions in the Samori Forest, Mali"). It is currently undertaking a three year research project into the criteria for succesful local forest management based on current development projects of this kind, and especially four of it's own projects.
Experience to date suggests that the most important contemporary challenges for decentralised forest management centre on:
The research process is as follows. Collaborative research will be initiated whereby villagers, project staff, collaborating institutions and local researchers will be the main actors. The project will promote critical action research and experiential learning. Local stakeholders will determine their measures of improved forest management and enhanced livelihoods, of 'success' and 'failure', but the process and it's outcomes will also be reviewed by external stakeholders and the public. Four key research issues have been found relevant across the Region. Firstly, agro-ecological research which aims to understand the disequilibrium ecology prevailing in the Sahel. Secondly, institutional research which probably constitutes the heart of this project since dryland forest generally is a communal resource. Socio-economic research will calculate marketed and non-marketed, material and spiritual values of different user groups at local level. Finally, pastoral research is a necessary element to include nomadic people and production strategies in Sahelian forest management.
The project is interested in exchanging experience with other researchers. Please contact:
SOS-SAHEL
Attn: Duncan Fulton
1 Tolpuddle Street, London NW1 OXT, UK
Tel: +44 171 837 9129
Fax: +44 171 837 0856
E-mail: SOSSAHELUK@gn.apc.org
and
Paul Kerkhof, Pl. de la Republique,69210 Savigny
France Tel/Fax: +33 474 720226
In 1994, representatives of national forestry research institutions of Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi and Senegal formed a nucleus of a Forestry Research Network for Sub-Saharan Africa (FORNESSA) following conclusions and recommendations of several regional and international meetings which stressed the urgent needs for strengthening forestry research in Sub-Saharan Africa.
FAO, IUFRO-SPDC (Special Programme for Developing Countries) and the African Academy of Sciences are collaborating in the formulation of a regional project proposal for "Strengthening national capacities and regional cooperation in forestry research in Sub-Saharan Africa" which would include the establishment of FORNESSA as a mechanism to achieve these objectives. The project proposal is being prepared with the participation of concerned sub-regional networks such as CORAF and the SADC Forestry Sector Technical Coordination Unit, and in concertation with international institutions (CIFOR, ICRAF, IPGRI) and networks such as ETFRN. A draft project document will be discussed, finalised and approved during an Expert Consultation on
Forestry Research, planned to be held in Accra, Ghana, 30 September - 2 October 1997, where concerned partners as well as potential donors will be invited.
For further information, please contact:
Oudara Souvannavong
Forest Resources Division
Forestry Department, FAO
Viale delleTerme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Tel. +39 6 52254750
Fax +39 6 52255137
E-mail: Oudara.Souvannavong@fao.org
by Martin Sichel
The Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests (ECTF) is an association of Edinburgh University, Forestry Commission, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE), Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and LTS International with complementary expertise in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate forests. Since its launch by Baroness Chalker in 1991, ECTF has become a leading research, training and consultancy organisation in the UK, and has an international reputation for excellence. ECTF offers a complete service covering resource survey, research, training, integrated management of forests, land and water resources and the conservation of biodiversity. Drawing on more than 200 professional staff, ECTF has successfully completed projects in over 80 countries. Our multi-disciplinary capacity and flexibility over a broad ecological base enables us to undertake a wide range of projects.
ECTF has five interrelated areas of expertise, unified by common themes of strategic and applied research, professional and technical training and institutional strengthening. The Centre can provide its clients with a multi-disciplinary approach to conservation and sustainable utilisation of natural resources. The services offered at ECTF include: forest management, farm forestry, biodiversity and conservation, social and community development and global environmental studies. Current projects involving ECTF member organisations in Africa are summarised below:
Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) Forestry
Research Programme (FRP). The project monitors research results from 13
other projects in the DFID Forestry Research Programme, and links a consortium
of modellers and experimentalists at ITE Edinburgh, Edinburgh University,
Nottingham University, Reading University, Institute of Hydrology and the
University College of North Wales. The aim is to provide potential users
in international and national agricultural research stations with a model
which predicts the combinations of crops, trees, climates soils and management
methods where agroforestry research projects will provide a net yield and
financial benefit to farmers. Additional aims are: to provide assistance
to DFID in managing and selecting agroforestry research projects, and to
develop links with other competition modelling groups world-wide.
Funded by DFID Natural Resources Systems Programme. The goal is to improve
sustainability of commodity production systems on land previously under
natural forest and to improve land-use strategies for agricultural areas
previously under natural forest developed and promoted. Non-adoption of
alley farming techniques has been a setback for agroforestry research and
extension services to Western African farmers. Partly this is explained
by incomplete understanding of the bio-physical processes involved, and
partly by inadequate consideration of socio-economic factors. This project
is a unique attempt to connect the two approaches.
Location Senegal: EU funded programme involving 5 other partners.
The overall objective is to identify those native and exotic tree species
which grow fast, ameliorate soil and use both nutrients and water sparingly.
Cameroonian collaborator is conducting similar studies in Sahelian Cameroon.
There are substantial N2 fixation and mycorrhizal components in the project,
the former focusing on growth stimulation, bacterial persistence after outplanting
and molecular taxonomy.
Location Kenya: ODA funded in collaboration with ICRAF. Objectives are:
Location Kenya: ODA funded in collaboration with KEFRI and ICRAF.
The objective is to examine the competitive effect of M. volkensii
on crops and also the socio-economic implications for its wide scale adoption
in agriculture in semi-arid Kenya. Competition studies will involve the
excavation and mapping of root systems of seedlings, stem cuttings and root
cuttings. Studies will take place on station and in farmers fields.
Location Cameroon: Funded through Darwin initiative; includes
one other British collaborator and one Cameroonian collaborator. The objectives
are to collect germplasm from important indigenous rainforest tree species
(nut and fruit bearing), establish and multiply the trees in nurseries and
then use them in agroforestry trials. There is a substantial training element
involving the teaching of propagation methods to technicians and farmers.
Location: Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon; in collaboration with ICRAF. The objective of this study is to use random amplified polymorphic DNA markers (RAPDs) to assess genetic variation in genebank material of Bush mango ( Irvingia gabonensis and I. ombolu) commercially important multipurpose trees from West and Central Africa. The germplasm was collected from single superior individuals in Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon and was initiated by ICRAF.
ECTF works with international development agencies, governments, research and development institutions, non-government organisations, local communities and the private sector. In particular, we recognise local skills and attempt to maximise local benefits for conservation and sustainable development.
For more information or copies of our brochure, please contact:
Mr Martin Sichel, Coordinator ECTF
Pentlands Science Park
Bush Loan, Penicuik
Nr Edinburgh, EH26 0PH
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 131 440 0400
Fax: + 44 131 440 4141
E-mail: ectf@easynet.co.uk
by John Atibila
Community Welfare Foundation (COMWELF) is a Ghanaian voluntary NGO which promotes integrated community development in the savanna ecosystem through the Community Participation in Conservation (COMPARCON) Programme, which has both developmental and research divisions.
Outline
COMPARCON has implemented the 'Indigenous Peoples Land-use and Ecosystem Conservation
(INPLEC) project' involving community participation in biodiversity resuscitation.
The concept of INPLEC is based on the premise that indigenous people deliberately
protect their sacred sites and plants because of benefits derived; a traditional
strategy in natural resource conservation. COMPARCON is employing this traditional
wisdom to develop a sustainable land-use management system for farmlands and
degraded woodlands.
Broadly, COMPARCON promotes biodiversity sustenance for the welfare of the indigenes through their participation in the identification and prioritisation of developmental objectives and the implementation of project activities. Specifically, COMPARCON aims to: mobilise the rural communities for appropriate conservation of the environment through demonstrating strategies for the conservation of biodiversity in agro-ecosystems and natural woodlands; encourage sustainable income generation from non-timber woodland products to benefit households, particularly women and children.
Research includes: Land tenure systems and traditional/modern concepts of biodiversity;
socio-economic constraints to biodiversity conservation; biodiversity monitoring
in community protected and degraded woodlands; inter-cropping to increase biodiversity
in agro-ecosystems; effect of fire and grazing on biodiversity; effect of low
populations of pollinators, especially bees, on diversity of indigenous trees;
seedlings performance of indigenous species in agro-ecosystem and natural woodland
gene pool enrichment planting; seasonality of non-timber woodland products on
hunger alleviation; and the effect of environmental degradation on the nutritional
status of women and children.
Invitation for Collaboration
The most threatened vegetational zone in Ghana is the savanna ecosystem, where biodiversity conservation is an important consideration for sustainable renewable natural resource management. Unfortunately, developmental research has centred on the high forest zone because of the over-emphasis on timber products. The savanna provides mainly non-timber woodland products essential for the survival of its communities. COMPARCON is inviting researchers and institutions from the European Community and elsewhere to participate in the biodiversity programme.
For further information, please contact:
John Atibila
Executive Director
PO Box 114
Bawku, Ghana
Forestry and industrial organisations in the main forested African countries - Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon and Zaire decided in June 1996 to join together to create a new association: the Interafrican Forest Industries' Association (IFIA).
IFIA will give timber professionals the means to take part in the international debate about the future of African forests and to act in a practical way to promote the sustainable management of forest resources. By so doing, it aims to help improve the quality of life in the region. IFIA's goals are:
IFIA welcomes trade, industry, and forestry related associations in other African
countries to become members. The Presidency is currently held by Mr C Nahaclan
of Côte d'Ivoire. Contact:
Secrétariat Général IFIA,6 Avenue de Sain Mandé
F-75012 Paris, France
Fax: +33 1 43 42 55 22
E-mail: 106422.711@compuserve.com
Source: ITTO Tropical Forest Update, Vol 7, No 1, 1997
ACTS is one of the principal centres for research and policy in Africa, but its influence has become international through a superb and extensive list of publications on environment, trade, biodiplomacy, land tenure and traditional technologies. It is closely linked to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and is one of the supporting institutions for the international journal Biodiplomacy.
ACTS is a non-profit organisation, established in 1988, that conducts policy research, provides training and disseminates information. The Centre promotes the view that technological change, environmental management and institutional innovation are crucial to sustainable development and should be at the core of all development efforts.
In recent years, ACTS has focused increasingly on issues related to the implementation of international conventions, particularly the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Centre's activities related to biodiversity conservation and community development fall within the Technology Management Programme. This aims to identify ways of using technology to facilitate sustainable development programmes, through examining policy, institutional and economic factors. This work is being done in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
ACTS organises occasional conferences and has published and number of monographs and books related to biodiversity conservation issues, including Biological Diversity and Innovation, Biotechnology for Sustainable Development and the Biopolicy International Series. ACTS collaborates with United Nations bodies, and governmental, inter-governmental, private and academic institutions.
Director: Cleophas Torori
ACTS, PO Box 45917, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 2 565173/569986, Fax:+2542569989,
Email: < ahref="mailto:acts@arso.sasa.unon.org">acts@arso.sasa.unon.org
Source: People and Plants Handbook, Issue 2, July 1996
Dr Jamal Eddine Bouachrine from the CNRF
(Centre National de la Recherche Forestière) is looking for research cooperation in the field of ecophysiology of forest trees, especially in arid zones.
Contact: Dr Jamal Eddine Bouachrine
CNRF
B P 830
Marrakech-Gueliz
Morocco
ETFRN
ETFRN has launched a new homepage. The main section of the homepage now consists
of information on ETFRN and its members, information on the European Commission
and a Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) on tropical forest reseach. A CHM is a
guide for information on the Internet. The CHM at the ETFRN homepage provides
guided information on tropical forest research on the internet through an index
on subjects and an index by region. An example of the retrievable information
can be found in this section, which includes the information on Africa. The
ETFRN homepage can be found at: http://www.etfrn.org
ANN-ETFRN
The Austrian National Node of ETFRN is based at the Institute of Forest Ecology
of the University of Agricultural Sciences (Universität für Bodenkultur)
in Vienna. Their homepage contains information on Austrian activities concerning
tropical forest research and has links to both Austrian and International organisations
involved in tropical forest research. The latest news on ETFRN or other relevant
activities is published on the pin board. Homepage: http://ann-etfrn.boku.ac.at
CIRAD-FORÊT
The French National Node for ETFRN is located at CIRAD-Forêt. The main address for the CIRAD-Forêt Internet site is: http://www.cirad.fr/. It contains information on CIRAD, its research departments and activities, its products etc.
The site address for the ETFRN National Node France is: http://www.cirad.fr/etfrn-france.html.
It provides access to the database of French researchers involved in tropical
forest research, which can be searched at researchers' names, skills, organisations
and countries. It also has a news page and it gives information on job opportunities
and meetings, mainly in France.
TROPICAL FOREST FORUM UK
The homepage of the UK Tropical Forest Forum (TFF, URL: http://www.nri.org/TFF/)
gives information on the activities and meetings of the Forum, its function
as a national node of ETFRN and various other relevant information on tropical
forestry such as links, job opportunities and British projects involved in tropical
forest research.
SPAAR
The Special Programme for African Agricultural Research (SPAAR) emerged as an initiative in the mid eighties to enhance agricultural production in Africa by increasing donor coordination in the field of agricultural research. The SPAAR Information System (SIS) was developed as a tool to come to grips with the increasing number of activities. It complements the registration of national funded projects in database CARIS managed by FAO. At present over 5400 projects are recorded in SIS which are now also available on various CD-ROMs (AGRISEARCH-Silver Platter and DAI-INDIX/IDRC). The database has been made accessible through Internet by the International Agricultural Centre in Wageningen, the Netherlands. The database can be searched at: http://www.bib.wau.nl/sis
For project data-analysis the International Agricultural Centre (IAC) has developed,
in cooperation with GIS-Larenstein, a prototype for a user-friendly analysis
and search tool, based on the GIS software Arcview. The PROject Manager Information
System (PROMIS) is developed using data from the multi-donor database on donor-funded
agricultural research projects in Africa, the SPAAR Information System (SIS).
CORAF
CORAF (COnférence des responsables de Recherche agronomique AFricains)
was founded in 1987 to develop a real scientific consensus in Africa and to
reinforce the national agricultural research programmes. Its objectives are
to promote cooperation and information exchange between the member institutes
of 25 member countries and the international scientific community. Their homepage
can be found at: http://www.coraf.org/
FOREST ACTION NETWORK
The Forest Action Network (FAN) was established in 1995 as a NGO to work closely
with local communities in utilising forest resources on a sustainable basis.
As part of the Forest Trees and People Programme (FTPP) it initiates discussions
and disseminates information on community forestry and publishes a newsletter
on east African natural resource management activities at the community level.
This newsletter as well as background information is retrievable through: http://www-trees.slu.se/
SACCAR
The Southern Africa Centre for Cooperation on Agricultural and Natural Resources
(SACCAR) was established in 1984 to promote cooperation between member states
in all fields of food, agriculture and natural resources. More information at:
http://www.info.bw/~saccar/
AFRICAN STUDIES
The African Studies Centre at the University of Pennsylvania (USA) gives information
on their studies, news online on several African countries, and an annotated
list of African Internet links by subject. The site of the African Studies Centre
can be found at: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/
FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) provides a lot of information on all aspects of agriculture (including forestry) throughout the world. The general index can be found at: http://www.fao.org
More specific information on forestry is also available. For instance the State
of the World Forests (SOFO) can be downloaded from
http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/forestry/sofotoc.htm, and an overview
of National Forestry Action Plans of African countries can be viewed at:http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/
forestry/fonprog4.htm
CIFOR
The Centre for International Forestry Research (at: http://www.cifor.org/) has news, links and publications such as 'Capacity for Forestry Research in the Southern African Development Community', CIFOR occasional paper no. 11 at:
http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/OccPapers/OP-11.pdf
MIOMBO WOODLANDS
The Miombo woodlands are the most extensive vegetation type in Africa south of the equator. Information on the Miombo initiative of The International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) can be found at: http://sun.gcc.ntu.edu.tw/IGBP-DIS/ activity_summary/summary_miombo.html#U2.
The following publications on the Miombo woodlands are available from CIFOR:
'Social and Economical Aspects of Miombo Woodland Management in Southern
Africa:Options and Opportunities for Research' (CIFOR occasional paper
no. 2 at
http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/OccPapers/OP-02n.pdf) and 'The
Miombo in transition: woodlands and welfare in Africa',edited by Bruce
Campbell (not yet available through internet, ISBN 979-8764-07-2).
ENVIRONMENT ATLAS
The Environmental Atlas is an Internet-based tool for research on environmental
policy worldwide. The Atlas uses a standard set of criteria to categorise environmental
conditions and policies and facilitates quick access to information about a
single country, as well as comparisons between countries. The Environmental
Atlas is a project of the Resource Renewal Institute's Green Plan Center.
http://www.rri.org/envatlas/world.html
OTHER
Other internet sites with relevant information on Africa are:
TROPIS
TROPIS, the Tree Growth and Permanent Plot Information System, seeks to help
forest scientists make better use of existing tree growth information. One activity
is to maintain a searchable index of people and institutions holding permanent
plot data in both plantations and natural forests. The TROPIS index contains
details about the objectives of experiments and plot systems; the location,
nature and species composition of plots within these systems; and relevant contacts.
It does not contain any raw or growth data, or information likely to infringe
intellectual property rights. It includes information on re-measured plots,
including species/provenance trials; thinning, spacing and other silvicultural
experiments; and continuous inventory systems. The plots need not be current,
but the location of the plot must be known, and the data should be available.
http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/tropis/
The TROPIS Coordinator has published an E-mail newsletter which can be subscribed
to. Send an E-mail message containing "SUBSCRIBE TROPIS" to
listserv@cgnet.com.
EFERN S6
The "European Network for Research on Forest Ecosystems - Resolution S6" (EFERN S6) was established on the basis of a European Ministerial Resolution (Strasbourg Resolution 6). Set up as a 'concerted action' funded by the European Commission (FAIR1 PL95-0883), its objectives are:
A central goal of EFERN S6 is the elaboration of an 'annotated Catalogue of Research Subjects with high Priority'.
EFERN is coordinated by Professor Führer of the Institute for Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Vienna.
Information on the EFERN database may be found on the EFERN Internet site at:
http://efern.boku.ac.at.
SONNERAT The database of the National French Herbarium
on the WWW
By Jean Noël Labat
The SONNERAT database contains a list of vascular plant specimens in the national herbarium at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Phanérogamie, Paris, totalling more than 80,000 entries as of 31 May 1997.
The database can be searched using the name of a taxon (family, genus, or species) and/or by collection data (collector's name and collection number) and/or by the country (using the ISO code). The following data are obtained: database code number (corresponding to the bar code placed on each specimen when it is captured for the database), family, genus, species, infraspecific name, author(s), person who identified the specimen, and collection data, including collector, collection number, date, locality data indicated on the specimen label (country as indicated on the label, followed by the current ISO of the country ), etc.
Obviously not all of the collections have been computerised yet, but material from all of the geographic sectors of the herbarium is being entered. Priority for computerisation follows the following, in decreasing order: families and/or sectors being studies at the Laboratoire (mainly tropical zone), types, newly accessioned collections, and loans. For example, Leguminosae-Papilionoidea from Madagascar and Solanaceae from Asia have been completely computerised, and Asteracece from Africa are now being entered in full. Data for new collections made by several researchers at the Laboratoire are computerised before the specimens are added to the herbarium.
The SONNERAT database is linked with images of live plants (in particular for the flora of Madagascar) and, during the next phase, photos of selected herbarium specimens (types, historical and/or 'important'collections, etc) will be added.The database is accessible in the Web site of the museum at: http://www.mnhn.fr/base/sonnerat.html
For more information, please contact: Jean-Noël Labat, E-mail: labat@mnhn.fr.
CIFOR CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Please note that CIFOR has changed its office address:
Jalan CIFOR
Situ Gede, Sindangbarang
Bogor Barat 16680
Indonesia
Tel:+62 251 622 622, Fax: +62 251 622 100
E-mail: < ahref="mailto:cifor@cgnet.com"> cifor@cgnet.com
The postal address remains the same:
P O Box 6596, JKPWB
Jakarta 10065
Indonesia
WORLD FORESTRY CONGRESS
ETFRN will organise a side meeting during the World Forestry Congress in Antalya, Turkey. The topic of the meeting will be "Research Priority Setting Methods: experiences relevant for tropical forest research". It will be held in the Yunus Emre Room on Friday 17 October 1997 at 1300 hrs.
If you would like to contribute or participate please contact the ETFRN Coordination
Unit.
TROPICAL FOREST SYNTHESIS
The Organisation for Tropical Studies and the Smithsonian Tropical Research
Institute invite proposals for two workshops focused on synthesizing research
objectives for tropical forest ecology in Costa Rica and Panama. Funding is
up to US$15,000 for each workshop. Proposals should describe the general topic,
the specific objectives, the venue and projected products of the workshop, as
well as list the participants and their special contributions to the workshop.
The deadline for applications is 2 September 1997. For further information please
contact:
Bill Wcislow, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 0948, APO AA 34002-0948
Email: jjimenez@ns.ots.ac.cr (Source:
What's Up. The newsletter of the International Canopy Network, Vol 3, No 2,
Winter 1997)
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR GIS
Modest grants (US$300-1500) are available from the 2111-Foundation to help
in the purchase of Remote Sensing equipment or to contribute to field expenses.
For more information contact the Foundation by E-mail foundation@twentyone-11.org)
or through internet (URL: http://www.twentyone-11.org).
E-MAIL DISCUSSION GROUP
From 7 July 1997 an E-mail discussion group will be held in preparation for
the International Seminar "Information on Environmental and Renewable Natural
Resources: Contributions to Sustainable Development" to be held by the Interdisciplinary
Research Group on Rural and Agroforestry in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada
from 17 - 20 August 1997. To join the E-mail discussion group, send an E-mail
as follows: To: majordomo@cidif.org
Subject: (leave blank)
CC: (leave blank)
Message: inscrire colloque
Subsequent messages to the discussion group members should be sent to: colloque@cidif.org.
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR RESEARCH IN AGROFORESTRY (ICRAF)
ICRAF's policy research has 3 key elements. First is research on the role of
agroforestry practices as components of a sustainable land-use mosaic; this
includes an evaluation of the ecological and environmental externalities of
these systems at the local, regional and global scales as well as their role
in poverty alleviation. Second are market and policy failures that affect the
domestication and commercialisation of non-timber tree products and undermine
incentives for a smallholder adoption of agroforestry systems. Third, is research
on the extent to which land and tree tenure institutions and the regulatory
framework create incentives for sustainable resource management. ICRAF policy
research is carried out in collaboration with national and local policymakers
and researchers in order to enhance the quality and likely impact of the research.
This policy research agenda will be implemented in total integration with the
ICRAF regional participatory on-farm research and development programme.
ICRAF is currently seeking to fill the following two positions:
Applications will be considered until 12 September for the Economist position and 1 August 1997 for the Director of Development, or until the positions are filled. Women are particularly encouraged to apply.
TROPICAL FORESTERS REQUIRED
Larenstein University College, with 3000 students and 400 staff the largest agricultural college in the Netherlands, offers education programmes in 9 different fields at Bsc level. In addition the college offers courses and Msc programmes for students from abroad. Larenstein is also involved in project implementation and consultancies in and outside the Netherlands.
As an increasing number of these activities involve forestry our Forestry Department requires additional staff, both to fill in short-term teaching assignments and to carry out consultancy missions.
For that reason Larenstein wishes to get into contact with Tropical Foresters. Successful applicants should have the following profile:
Applications should be directed to:
Larenstein International Agricultural College
Attn: J D Lemckert
PO Box 9001
6880 GB Velp
The Netherlands
Tel: + 31 26 3695717
Fax: +31 26 3615287
E-mail: dlet@iahlvlp.agro.nl
European Commission (1996). Volume I & II (A-D & E-I). EC-DG
VIII, Brussels, Belgium.
ISBN 92-827-8465-7
Orders: European Commission, Directorate General for Development, Sustainable
Development & Natural Resources Unit. Tel: +32 2 299 25 13, Fax: +32
2 296 64 72 (Please note: Vol II is presently out of stock it will be reprinted
but it may take some time (6 months) before the order can be fulfilled).
This publication represents the strategic approach of the European Community to forest sector development cooperation by setting the scene, introducing general principles valid for all types of interventions and defining themes for support to developing countries. Volume I gives information on the guidelines, the objective of the EC forest sector development cooperation and strategic approach, and themes for support, accompanied by a diskette providing checklists and working materials for use by target groups (i.e. NGO, EC, national authorities, project staff). In Volume II, part A provides checklists for programming and is accompanied by detailed instructions. Parts B-F cover the phases from identification to evaluation and provide checklists for each theme, each of them raising issues affecting sustainability in a series of key questions under six sustainability factors. Part G sets out standard terms of reference and the standard structure of study reports for forest sector country studies. Guidelines H and I both set out recommended methodologies for social impact analysis and environmental appraisal of projects and programmes and covers all phases of the Project Cycle from Programming to Evaluation.
On the basis of seven case studies (Congo, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe) conducted in selected African countries, the emerging institutional trends in forestry research are reviewed with the aim of providing examples of alternative approaches to research such as the development of partnerships and joint ventures, the increasing role of profit enterprises and non-profit organisations, the renewed position of the public research institutions and the function of the donor community.
Setting priorities among tree species for genetic improvement research involves an integration of researchers' and farmers' perspectives for choosing those species that will give the greatest benefits. The process requires both socioeconomic and biophysical expertise and begins with an assessment of users', that is resource-poor farmers' needs. Researchers conduct region-wide surveys to determine farmers' preferences among species and, at meetings, assess candidate species according to their researchability, expected adoption, and policy objectives. Once a shortlist of a few (eg 4 to 6) species is drawn up from the above exercises, researchers conduct field surveys to estimate the value of the tree products from these species and validate and rank the species. This prioritisation procedure is flexible; it can be adapted to meet the specific needs of the researchers.
To set priorities for research is no new task. However, the procedures presented in this document are innovative; structured and objective and involve both researchers and farmers. The procedures have been tested in the humid lowlands of West Africa and are being further refined in other areas.
Sustainable development has been the rallying cry for international conservation efforts in developing countries and there are few places on earth where this kind of activity would be more welcome than in the dry deciduous forests of Madagascar. Firstly, Madagscar is one of the 'megadiversity' countries of highest conservation priority with extremely high endemism of plants and animals, whose natural habitats are irreversibly lost at an alarming rate. Secondly, tropical dry forests represent one of the most threatened biomes on earth, the demise of which went largely unnoticed because most of it happened before public awareness of conservation issues.
In view of this situation the Swiss Aid (Intercooperation) in collaboration with the Malagasy Ministry for Water and Forest started a pilot project, the 'Programme Menabe' to study potential ways of sustainable forest utilisation via selective logging on the west coast of Madagascar in 1978. The project was joined in 1987 by an international group of biologists who initiated studies into various aspects of this dry forest ecosystem and the consequences of selective logging on some of its plants and animals.
After describing the general ethnological, geological and botanical situation, the book reviews traditional ways of using forest products as well as the process of deforestation for new farmland. It summarises 15 years of silvicultural experience in forest exploitation, tree propagation and reforestation. The applied part closes with a review concerning the problems associated with projects aiming for sustainable use of forest resources through selective logging imposed upon the project by traditions and political boundary conditions.
The second part of the book describes some effects of selective logging on different groups of animals, ranging from invertebrates to lemurs. It closes with selected case studies on zoological aspects and animal-plant interactions in this dry forest ecosystem.
After numerous books describing consequences of selective logging in tropical
wet forests, the book is the first of its kind that deals with a tropical
dry forest. (Source:Primate Report44, January 1996)
A research thesis by Pascal Schneider, conducted in the Sikasso Region, South Mali, concerned with defining a compromise which satisfies vital material and immaterial needs of the peripheral forest populations while safeguarding natural resources. The results of this research show a positive attitude of the rural population with regard to the natural resources. The range and diversity of the needs of the population corresponds well with the choice of products and services of a reserved forest.With the monetarisation of the economy the need for ready money has increased and subsequently the necessity to develop commercial activities. The sum of the research elements permit the conclusion that the planning of natural resources is the driving force behind the rural development, the positive effects of which increase through communal development. The success of planning depends on taking the framework conditions into account and on accepting the limits they impose.
The French translation of The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests of Africa has been published with financial assistance from the Tropical Rainforest Programme of the Netherlands Committe for IUCN. The French version of the atlas gives a more complete picture of the situation in the forests in tropical Africa than the English version due to the fact that the translator, Charles Doumenge, also translated the French language literature in the atlas. It is an essential acquisition for every organisation active in the African rainforests.
The atlas is divided into two parts: the first part deals with general information about the African forests including biodiversity, protection, native inhabitants, the relation between agriculture and forests, logging, management and the future of the African forests. The second part gives descriptions of the situation of the tropical rainforests by land, illustrated by a detailed map.
This book deals with the intricate linkages between land tenure and natural resource management in Kenya. Previously studied separately, these two themes have now been brought together: the results are policy options that are not only relevant for Kenya, but for many other countries, including industrialised ones.
It is appropriately titled In Land We Trust because of the primary
role of land in an agricultural country such as Kenya. The chapters do not
deal with the technical and economic dimensions of land tenure and natural
resource management, but with something more fundamental: the legal and
constitutional aspects of these two issues. In this respect, this book deals
with the groundrules (in a more generic sense) of the country's development.
(Source: SPORE, February 1997)
The newsletter of the Southern African Botanical Diversity Network (SABONET)
aims to inform Southern African botanists of the activities and developments
of this regional project, which seeks to develop a strong core of professional
botanists, taxonomists, horticulturists and plant diversity specialists
within the 10 countries of Southern Africa who can inventorise, monitor,
evaluate and conserve the botanical diversity of the region.
(Source: People and Plants, Issue 3, March 1997)
The Special Programme for African Agricultural Research (SPAAR) also regularly published directories in the form of small booklets, on agricultural research projects in different countries and regions of Africa. The project directories for Uganda, Tanzania and Mali have been updated this year (1997).
The State of the World's Forests 1997 (SOFO 1997) presents information on the current status of the world's forests, major developments over the reporting period (1995-97), and recent trends and future directions in the forestry sector. The demands on forestry today are complex and challenging, and the debate on the role of forests in society - their purpose, their benefits and their beneficiaries - is as vigorous as ever.
The forestry sector today is attracting an unprecedented amount of international attention. It is also undergoing dynamic evolution in response to economic, political and social developments, changing perceptions of the role of forests, and the concerns of a wide range of interest groups. Accurate, current and easily accessible information on the world's forests and on developments in the forestry sector is more important than ever for the formulation of sound policies and informed public opinion.
The State of the World's Forests report, which is published every two years, aims to provide such information. SOFO 1997 is divided into four major sections: situations and prospects for forest conservation and development, which supplies information of forest cover; forest management and forest products; policy, planning and institutional arrangements; a special issue section which presents information on efforts to develop
criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management; and six regional reviews which together cover all the countries of the world. SOFO is of interest to all those involved in forestry policy formulation and planning.
The BOS Foundation has compiled a guide to Dutch organisations on tropical forest and nature management, based on an inventory commissioned and financed by the National Reference Centre for Nature management (IKC-N), of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries. The objective is to provide an overview of Dutch institutional expertise on and involvement in tropical forest and nature management,through which access to information and expertise on specific issues in this area is improved. The intention is to update the contents every two years.
The guide provides information on 90 organisations in the Netherlands, arranged in four categories:
Apart from addresses, telephone and fax numbers, email addresses and names of informants, the overview includes objectives of the organisations and their activities, specifically in the field of tropical forests and forestry and cooperation with other Dutch organisations on these issues.
This working document is the result of a two-month orientation survey of the experiences and the major issues of community-based sustainable timber production in the tropics.
So far, the mainstream of tropical timber production for commercial purposes is dominated by large private enterprises. The long term sustainability and social benefits of these activities are often questioned. However, during the past years at various locations, community-based timber production projects have been initiated which may constitute better alternatives for forest communities than large scale activities. This study has been commissioned to get a better picture of the current initiatives in the field of community based timber production, to systematise the experiences gained and to derive some lessons for the design of these - often small scale - activities.
It is hoped that the results of this study will contribute to the further development of this important and promising field of forestry. The IKC Natuurbeheer will continue to monitor and support the advancement of community-based timber production. Therefore, any experiences and reactions from readers are very much appreciated.
In recent decades the focus of the development of forest management has gradually shifted from a government based 'command and control' strategy towards strategy that is more market-based and also more oriented towards rural people. The key concepts in this strategy are decentralisation and privatisation, community-based and participator forestry, local empowerment, accountability and 'responsibilisation'.
It is against this background that the role of 'incentives' as an instrument to stimulate local tree growing and forest management has emerged as an issue in the broader debate about sustainable forestry. This working document, largely drawing on existing literature and a number of resource persons, aims to fuel this debate by structuring existing views and experiences on the use of incentives in relation to sustainable forestry, and to learn lessons about their desirability, applicability and effectiveness.
Who works with ICRAF in Indonesia? (see p 381) with SCOT-Conseil
in France ? (see p 377)
Who specialises in termite ecology ? (see p 355) in soil fauna
? (see p 319)
Who works with the SALT Programme? (see p 341)
Who knows the Galapagos ? (see p 321)
French researchers do a lot around the tropical world but how can you contact them? How do you find the right person you need to get in touch with? The Directory of French Tropical Researchers gives you the information you need to find your scientific partner in France.
Each of the 278 researchers who correspond with the French ETFRN National Node is given a full page in the Directory. There you will find information on their specialities, current research, cooperations in large programmes and networks they are involved in, research institutions they work for, and their addresses in France and/or the tropics.
At the end of the book, the indices cover 100 pages and give researchers'names according to their specialities, key words, institutions, etc.