Tropenbos Document 13: Dutch research on tropical rainforests: an overview and analysis
H.W. Simons (1997)
This publication was prepared for The Tropenbos Foundation as background document for the seminar "Research in Tropical Rainforests; its challenges for the future" (see page 13). It provides an overview of current Dutch research on tropical rainforests, and includes a diskette with the Dutch tropical rainforest research projects database which was developed in the course of the study. The results are analysed in terms of structure and organisation of research, geographical orientation, thematic orientation, research volume, main institutions involved, and ways and approximate level of funding. The report includes chapters on methodology used and Dutch policy on tropical rainforests and research. The current research is reviewed in view of the Netherlands' policy, and set off against current issues in conservation and management of tropical rainforests.
>Orders: The Tropenbos Foundation, PO Box 232, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands. Fax: + 31 317 423024. E-mail: tropenbos@iac.agro.nl. Price: 15 Dutch guilders, including diskette.

NEW PUBLICATIOSN BY THE FRENCH INSTITUTE OF PONDICHERRY

Forest Map of South India, Bangalore-Salem Sheet (1:250,000)
J-P Pascal & B R Ramesh
This sheet is the fourth in a series of 6 sheets of the Forest Map of South India prepared by the above institute, in collaboration with the Forest Departments of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Like the 3 sheets published earlier (Belgaum-Dharwar-Panaji, Shimoga and Mercara-Mysore), this one also integrates 3 approaches: an analysis and a map of the climatic conditions which help determine the potential vegetation; a map of the extent of the different vegetation formations as deduced from interpretation of satellite imagery; and extensive ground surveys which enabled the description of the floristic composition and physiognomy of the vegetation types. This map is accompanied by a note with details on the method, description of formations and an analysis of their dynamic relationships under natural and/or disturbed regimes. The map and note thus provide essential information for the assessment of biological diversity at community and landscape levels.
Price (inc. postage): map: 160FF, US$34; note: 160FF, US$34; map & note: 240FF, US$49. Special prices for Indian residents.

Spatial Heterogeneity and Dynamics of a Dense Moist Forest in The Western Ghats (India)
Raphaël Pélissier
This book is aimed at analysing the local relationships between the heterogeneity of ecological conditions, the structure and dynamics of moist evergreen forests. The main ecological factor studied is the topography, which plays an important role in the Western Ghats. The structure, in its different connotations, includes: tree morphology, tree size distribution, species richness and diversity, spatial distribution (vertical and horizontal) of trees. Renewal of the stand and the way understorey trees reach the canopy are the dynamic aspects that have been considered. By combining different methods and approaches (graphic displays of stands, allometric relationships, multivariate analysis and marked point processes), Pélissier has shown that topography strongly influences the local diversity and structure of the forest and modifies silvogenetic processes.
>Price (inc. postage): 205FF, US$43. Special prices for Indian residents.

A Field Key to the Trees and Lianas of the Evergreen Forests of the Western Ghats (India)
J-P Pascal and B R Ramesh
This is the second edition (with addenda and errata) of the identification key first published in 1987. It contains 502 species, including 39 lianas, of the Western Ghats (excluding high altitude forests) which can attain a girth at breast height of 10cm. This key is based only on vegetative characteristics. It is mainly meant for foresters and researchers for 'rapid' identification of trees during fieldwork.
Price (inc. postage): 170FF, US$37. Special prices for Indian residents.

Atlas of Endemics of the Western Ghats (India): Distribution of Tree Species in the Evergreen and Semi-Evergreen Forests
This atlas concerns 352 endemic tree species of the evergreen and semi-evergreen forests of the Western Ghats. Their distribution areas and ecological preferences were deduced from 3 complementary sources: herbaria, literature and field trips by research teams from the French Institute of Pondicherry (FIP). The result of a long-term project, it complements earlier studies conducted by the FIP on the diversity, structure and functioning of forests of this region. It contributes specially to the inventory of the biodiversity of the Western Ghats which is one of the world hot spots in this domain. This atlas is also available in the form of a CD-ROM which is distributed independently.

Endemic Tree Species of the Western Ghats (India)
R Datta, C Nougiuer, J-P Pascal and B R Ramesh
This CD-ROM presents the geographic database of the endemic evergreen and semi-evergreen tree species of the Western Ghats as HTML pages. It complements the endemics atlas prepared by B R Ramesh, J-P Pascal and C Nouguier. However, it differs from the book in many ways: by its conviviality (rapid access to references, maps, and species synonyms), addition of functions (superimposition of forest types and species distribution areas, searching by state or forest type), and illustrations (photos of landscapes, herbarium plates, architectural drawings). It can be used on all kinds of computers (PC, Macintosh, Station) equipped with a browser supporting the HTML 3.0 norm and Java Script (eg Netscape 3.0).
>Price (inc. postage): book - 240FF, US$49; CD-ROM - 240FF, US$49; book & CD - 345FF; US$67. Special prices for Indian residents.

Orders for the above publications: The Librarian, Ecology Department, French Institute of Pondicherry, PB 33, Pondicherry 605 001, India. Tel: +91 413 34170/34168, Fax:+91413 39534, Email: instfran@giasmd01.vsnl.net.in

PUBLICATIONS IN THE TROPENBOS COLOMBIA AND GUYANA SERIES

Pollen atlas of useful and cultivated plants in the Colombian Amazon region
This Spanish language book reports on a morphological study carried out by Luisa Fernanda Herrera and Ligia Estela Urrego of the Erigaie Foundation, of pollen grains and spores of plants used and/or cultivated principally in Amazonia. Species were selected from a list of plants used by indigenous groups, compiled on the basis of existing literature.
The first of a total of four sections presents the methodology used to gather, prepare and describe samples of pollen grains and spores. This introduction is very welcome as almost no basic pollen morphological literature exists in Spanish. The second part contains a general section and specific indices for each structural type and groups of plants. The third section presents descriptions and microphotographs of pollen grains and spores from 292 species of 211 genera belonging to 85 families. The last part contains information about the growth patterns of plant species, the region, landscape type, and altitude above sea level where they occur, and on how indigenous communities use and process these species. A glossary of technical terms, an alphabetical index of families with gender and species, an index of common names and a bibliography are included.
Reference:

Herrera, F. and Urrego, L.E. (1996). Atlas de polen de plantas útiles y cultivadas de la Amazonia colombiana (Pollen atlas of useful and cultivated plants in the Colombian Amazon region). Estudios en la Amazonia Colombiana XI. Tropenbos Colombia and Fundación Erigaie, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Pp. 462. ISBN 958 9365 03 05.

Preliminary commented catalogue of the Flora of the Middle Caquetá

Many scientists contend that the Caquetá region in Colombian Amazonia belongs to the most species-rich rain forest areas in the world. A new volume in the Tropenbos-Colombia series, "Commented catalogue on the middle Caquetá flora" goes a long way to support this claim. The author, Mauricio Sánchez Sáenz, brings together all existing information on botanical collections made in this region. The number of specimens is over 20,000, and were collected since 1982 in the course of a large number of floristic, ethno-botanical, landscape-ecological and other studies. Although it is stated that of the entire 1.3 million hectare study area no more than 35 ha was floristically well studied, this yielded the appreciable number of 2,419 species, divided over 777 genera and 178 families. On the basis of these data, the author predicts that the total species number in the middle Caquetá region will amount to 12,000 species.
An introductory chapter on climate, soils and vegetation of the region and a section on its population precedes the main part of the book: a complete, annotated checklist of all plants. Vernacular names (in Spanish and in various native languages), a short indication of growth form, size, ecology and native uses of the plants complete the checklist.
Reference:
Sánchez Saenz, M. (1996). Catálogo preliminar comentado de la flora del Medio Caquetá. (Commented catalogue on the middle Caquetá flora). Estudios en la Amazonia Colombiana XII.Tropenbos Colombia, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Pp. 557. ISBN 958-9365-04-3.

Geographical information systems for the Amazon: the case of Guaviare
Guaviare, a rain forest area that is at the agricultural frontier in the Colombian Amazon, is the scene of developmental and environmental dilemmas that may serve as an example for the manifold problems connected with sustainable development. The planning and development of the area - originally rain forest, its majority now in agricultural use - must take place in a context of active agricultural colonization, illicit cultivation of coca in the forest and armed conflicts. This situation was the subject of a 5 year study carried out by Luis Joel Martínez, Deyanira Vanegas and co-workers in San José de Guaviare. The objective of the study was to develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool for land-use planning, sustainable management and conservation of the area. In this book, the conceptual framework and set-up of the GIS are explained, and a land evaluation model is developed. The land-use assessment not only incorporates biophysical criteria, but also a large amount of socio-economic parameters.
The present land-use typically involves the cutting of forest by colonists, who subsequently grow crops such as maize and rice for a few years. Afterward, the land is converted into grassland for cattle ranching, even where that is not the optimum land-use option. Because there is little adequate agricultural management, the soil gradually degrades and the pasture loses its productivity. The land-use model is used to develop a plan that increases the sustainability of the present forms of land use, and which decreases the need of clearing more forest in order to keep the system intact. Several alternative land-use schemes are proposed, including new forms of land-use, and their feasibility is discussed in relation to the suitability of the land in the various zones that were discerned. The present approach of integrating GIS, remote sensing and modelling techniques could become an important tool for land-use planning in the entire Colombian Amazon.
The book concludes with several chapters on the use of radar imagery for monitoring changes in land-use. It is shown that radar imagery is suitable to distinguish forests that differ in the level of disturbance, and an example of monitoring from the area of San José de Guaviare is given.
Reference:
Martínez, L.J., Deyanira, E., Vanegas, R. et al. (1996). Sistemas de información geográfica para la Amazonia: el caso Guaviare. (Geographical Information Systems for the Colombian Amazon: the Guaviare case). Estudios en la Amazonia Colombiana XIII. Pp. 460. ISBN 958-9365-05-1.

Flooded forests of the Middle Caquetá: characterization and succession
Inundation forests or várzeas cover large parts of the Amazon area. In spite of their importance as fish breeding grounds, a detailed description of inundation forests in the Colombian Amazon has so far been lacking. The study 'Floodable forests in the Middle Caquetá region' by Ligia Estela Urrego, published in the Studies on the Colombian Amazon Series, fills this gap. This is a comprehensive study, covering a structural and phyto-sociological classification and ordination of inundation forests, their environmental setting, palynological studies and a study of the potential economic significance of products from these forests. The results show that the environmental setting is very diverse. This is caused by a mixture of soil and water types, variation in drainage and the seasonality of flooding. All this leads to clearly defined forest types (7 structural and 16 phyto-sociological types). The potential economic significance of these forests varies greatly between the various forest types. In well-drained forests less than 50% of the individuals have a known use, while in poorly drained forest this is over 80%. The example of oil production from palms is elaborated. Based on her palynological analysis of the temporal variation in the vegetation, the author stresses that management and conservation plans should acknowledge the dynamic nature of inundation forests and not treat them as fixed, unchangeable features of the landscape.
Reference:
Urrego, L.E. (1996). Los bosques inundables del Medio Caquetá: characterización y sucesión. (Flooded forests of the Middle Caquetá: characterization and succession) Estudios en la Amazonia Colombiana XIV, Tropenbos Colombia, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Pp. 335. ISBN 958-9365-04-3.

The trees and the forest. The role of tree architecture in canopy development; a case study in secondary forests (Araracuara, Colombia)
Secondary forests are the subject of growing attention, and this study on the development of secondary forests in the Araracuara region in Colombian Amazonia appears as a timely contribution. It was written by Hans Vester, who obtained his PhD-degree (with honours) on the basis of this thesis.
The study addresses the relation between tree architecture and forest architecture. This was done by the description and analysis of transects laid out in abandoned 'chagras', the fields created by shifting cultivation. The transects covered various stages in the development of secondary forest, ranging from 2 to at least 35 years of age. First, an architectural analysis is given of the major species that play a role in the succession from abandoned field to closed forest. An important tool was the drawing of architectural diagrams, synthesising the development of branching of representative individuals of 17 species. The structure of the vegetation was then analysed in a comparable way, again illustrated with numerous drawings of forest profiles in which distinction is made between trees of the present, past and future. One chapter is devoted to the relation between forest architecture and light distribution in and below the canopy. Light was measured or estimated using a number of techniques (measured, estimated from hemispherical photos and modelled with a forest model). The main conclusion was that light availability is variable in space and time, and that current light availability reveals little about the light environment under which trees develop. No strong relation could be detected between forest architecture or species-composition, and light environment. From the analysis of the forest transects, groups of species sharing the same pattern of responses towards the environment (called 'temperaments') were described, and discussed in relation to the literature. The hypothesis that there was a close relationship between architectural model and temperament could neither be accepted nor rejected. Finally, the results of the study were translated into a practical layout for forest design. The base of a management plan should be to mimic natural processes as much as possible. By choosing the right tree temperaments, mixed forest plantations will be a sustainable alternative to monocultures, which depend heavily on silvicultural interventions.
Reference:
Vester, H. (1997). The trees and the forest. The role of tree architecture in canopy development; a case study in secondary forests (Araracuara, Colombia). Pp. 180. ISBN 90-5651-032-0.

Soils of the rain forest in Central Guyana
This book reports the results of the land resources inventory carried out during 1992-1993 in the Mabura-Kurupukari area in Central Guyana, the site of the Tropenbos-Guyana Programme. The entire area is within a logging concession, and this survey was designed to provide baseline data for the research programme carried out at the site, and as an important basis of sound land-use planning. The study consists of a detailed analysis of geology, geomorphology and, most importantly, soils of this 220,000 ha area. The physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of the soils are described, and one chapter addresses soil genesis and soil-landform relationships. The results of the soil inventory are visualised on a map (scale 1:100,000), with 26 mapping units. The map appears as an annex.
The soils of the area have been divided into two main groups:

• shallow to deep, well drained, stony and gravelly, loamy to clayey soils on hills and dissected erosional plains, and
• deep, excessively drained white sand soils and deep, well drained brown loamy to clayey soils dominating the dissected sedimentary plains (White Sands Plateau).

Tree demography in the tropical rain forest of Guyana
This book presents the results of a 4-year study on the growth and survival of three tropical rain forest trees in Guyana, and the impact of timber exploitation on the demography of these species. It discusses the role of seedlings in forest composition and evaluates the major factors that affect the course of succession. All demographic stages receive attention from flowers, via germination and vegetative reproduction to seedlings and finally adolescent and adult trees. The distribution, growth and survival of seedlings of Chlorocardium rodiei, Dicymbe altsonii and Duguetia neglecta are compared, dealing with factors that may affect them, such as light and seedling size. It is tested whether there is a relation between demographic behaviour in deep shade and in well-lit environments, and whether this might explain the co-occurrence of these species. Also seedling demography of Chlorocardium in exploited forest is studied, showing that for Chlorocardium seedlings exploited forests are not light at all, and how they cope with the gloom. The last chapter integrates growth, survival and reproduction of these species in matrix models. These models can be set up in a relatively easy way, bridging the gap between ecological research and the practice of forest management. With the help of matrix models, exploited and non-exploited populations can be compared, and the age of tropical trees can be estimated. The book presents the application of such a model for Chlorocardium rodiei in logged-over forest. Promising ways are identified to increase the growth of Chlorocardium, for the benefit of future harvests.
The study shows that the sustainable management of Chlorocardium requires intensive attention and post-logging investment. To get a return on these investments, silvicultural management is to be accompanied by other measures. These measures range from improving timber recovery in the forest and at the sawmill, extending the range of utilized species, and optimizing the legal framework in which forestry is operating in Guyana, to a more realistic valuation by customers of this unique timber resource.
Reference:
Zagt, R.J. (1997). Tree demography in the tropical rain forest in Guyana. Tropenbos-Guyana Series 3. Tropenbos-Guyana programme, Georgetown, Guyana. Pp. 251. ISBN 90 393 1741 0.

Orders: To order publications in the Tropenbos Series, please contact:
Latin American customers can obtain the books in the Tropenbos-Colombia Series from the Tropenbos office in Colombia, Apartado Aéreo 036062, Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia. Phone: +571 3400983. Fax: +571 2880128. E-mail: ftropenb@colomsat.net.co. Orders from other regions can be placed at the Office of the Hugo de Vries Laboratory, Dept. of Palynology, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 318, 1098 SM Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Phone +31 20 5257844. E-mail santos@bio.uva.nl.
Books in the Tropenbos-Guyana Series can be obtained from the Office of the Tropenbos-Guyana programme, Lot 12 E Garnett street, Campbelville, Georgetown, Guyana. Phone/Fax +592 2 62846 . E-mail: tropbos@guyana.net.gy

Unlocking trade opportunities : case studies of export success from developing countries
International Institute for Environment and Development
This publication, launched at the United Nations on 18 June 1997 in the run up to Earth Summit II, presents 10 case studies where developing country producers have gained export success from worldwide moves towards more sustainable consumption and production patterns. The report finds that there are real economic, social and environmental benefits for developing country producers who target the increasing demand for more sustainably produced goods and services.
Commissioned by the UN Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, as part of the implementation of the CSD work programme on Changing Consumption and Production Patterns (Chapter 4, Agenda 21), the report has been prepared by the International Institute for Environment and Development, and draws on inputs from a team of experts from developed and developing countries.
Case study highlights include:

• SWIFT and ETT in the Solomon Islands have shown how exports of sustainably-sourced timber can provide benefits for both the local community and environment: the price per tree is about 40 times that offered by logging companies.
• The Tagua Initiative in Ecuador shows how an alliance of international and local environment organisations, working with producers, traders and the fashion industry, has given a new lease of life to the tagua nut, harvested from the forest for use as buttons. Nearly 3,000 jobs have been generated, pressures on the rainforest have been reduced and revenues for the local community have grown.

Facilitating innovation for development: a RAAKS resource box/the social organization of innovation - a focus on stakeholder interaction
Paul G.H. Engel and Monique L. Salomon
RAAKS stands for rapid or relaxed appraisal of agricultural knowledge systems; the methodology was developed to improve the generation and use of agricultural knowledge and innovation, and is beginning to be used in other areas as well. The RAAKS resource box is published by the Royal Tropical Institute in collaboration with the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and STOAS.
RAAKS is a participatory method that facilitates networking and communication processes, that is, knowledge management. It is field-tested, and can be used to build a team and start to work. The resource box includes a guide to the RAAKS method, with 'windows' - specific ways to gain varied perspectives on the situation - and 'tools' for use in practice, plus a book. Each window and each tool is on a separate card: a RAAKS team can choose a combination to fit their situation. The book included in the box, The Social Organization of Innovation, is also available separately. It combines theory and case studies, providing detailed background material for the methodology. The publication is intended for management consultants, decision makers, project managers, facilitators and others in the field.
Orders: KIT Press, PO Box 95001, 1090 HA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 20 5688 272, Fax: +31 20 5688 286, E-mail: kitpress@kit.nl. Price: RAAKS Resource Box (book, manual and cards in a box), book: 240 pages; manual: 80 pages (both paperback); 41 laminated cards - Dfl 59 (circa US$32, postage & packing not included. "The Social Organization of Innovation: A Focus on Stakeholder Interaction" (book, included in the box, also available separately) - Dfl 39 (circa US$21, postage &packing not included .

The Congo basin - recent developments and alternatives for sustainable development
Peter Sips (Editor)
Until now, the Congo Basin has been a more or less closed forest area. However, in the last decennium the biological and cultural diversity are becoming more and more threatened. Because of a growing population, deforestation, timber exploitation, plantations, fires, hunting and mining, the forest is diminishing and the environment of forest people eg the pygmies, plants and animals affected. The situation is worsened by political circumstances, self-enrichment by authorities, and the entrance of foreign 'well known' (timber) companies.
In 13 articles, this publication gives insight into the biological and cultural diversity of the region, the recent developments threatening this diversity, and above all the local, national and international initiatives for the conservation of the biological and cultural diversity and alternatives for the sustainable use and management of the tropical forests and natural resources in the Congo Basin.
Orders: BOS Foundation, PO Box 23, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 317 477883, Fax: +31 317 424988, E-mail: stichting.bos@ibn.dlo.nl. Price:US$25, pre-payment is required.

Capacity for forestry research in the Southern African development community - CIFOR Occasional Paper No. 11
G.S. Kowero and M.J. Spilsbury
In 1995 a survey of research capacity was conducted at institutions undertaking forestry-related research in the SADC countries. This document presents a review of the methods available for the assessment of research capacity and summarises previous efforts to assess research capacity in the region.
The methodology adopted makes use of common indicators thereby allowing comparisons across institutions. The results of the survey are discussed and re-emphasise the need to prioritise manpower recruitment, training and development; only about half of the scientists researching forestry and related issues have sufficient training and scientific exposure. The management of research is another area requiring urgent attention in order to minimise the negative impacts of many of the economic and other externalities afflicting research in the retion. About 17% and 28% of the institutions surveyed allocate more than 20% of their budgets and staff time respectively, to user groups. This raises questions on how research priorities are formulated and the relevance of the research in progress. There is considerable interaction between institutions in the region, but how this can translate into coordinated collaborative activities remains unclear.
The methodology for evaluating research capacity is also presented. Although the indicators for the various research capacity parameters do not capture the totality of capacity implications, they provide useful insights on the existing local capacity to undertake forestry research in eastern and southern Africa.
Orders: CIFOR, Jalan CIFOR, Situ Gede, Sindangbarang, Bogor 16680, Indonesia. Tel: +62 251 622622, Fax: +62 251 622100, E-mail: cifor@cgnet.com, URL: http://www.cgiar.org/cifor.

Technical Notes on Tree Seeds
PROSEFOR, Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Enseñanza (CATIE), financed by the Danish government through DANIDA, have published the first 14 technical notes about forest seeds. These notes (in Spanish) are a summary of the information available on seed production and management for some of the most important species of the region (Central America) and are titled:

1. Guazuma ulmifoloa Lam
2. Virola koschnyi
3. Gliricidia sepium (Jacquin) Kunth ex Walpers
4. Vochysia ferruginea Mart.
5. Albizia guachapele (Kundh) Little
6. Vochysia guatemalensis Donn.Smith
7. Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pavón) Oken.
8. Tabebuia rosea (Bertol) DC.
9. Pithecellobium saman (Jacq.) Benth.
10. Terminalia amazonia (Gmel.) Excell.
11. Pinus caribaea (Morelet.) Var hondurensis
12. Pinus tecunumanii (Schw.) Equiluz et Perry
13. Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl.
14. Pinus maximinoi H.E. Moore

Indigenous peoples participation in forest management : a directory of policies for development cooperation with indigenous forest peoples aimed at the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests
This is the third publication of the European Alliance with Indigenous Peoples that highlights indigenous peoples' special role in sustainable development.
The first report, 'Indigenous Peoples Participation in European Union Development Policies' was published in December 1995 and dealt with the European Commission's policies and practical experiences with participation of indigenous peoples in development cooperation.
A second report, 'Indigenous Peoples Participation in Global Environmental Negotiations' was published in September 1997, and contains an analysis of indigenous peoples' participation in the UN Conference on Environment and Development and its follow-up mechanisms.
This report is written and compiled by Wendel Trio, with the help of Christian Dutry (second chapter) and EAIP member organisations. Funding for the publication for this report was provided by the European Commission's Environment and Tropical Forest Sector (DG1B/D.4).
Orders: Copies of all the above reports can be obtained from: European Alliance with Indigenous Peoples, Keltenlaan 20, 1040 Brussels, Belgium. Tel: +32 2 733 36 53, Fax: +32 2 736 80 54.

Animal functions in tropical rain forests
Marianne J. Meijboom (1997)
Animals have important functions in rain forest ecosystems. Although much is known about this important role in ecosystem functioning, this knowledge is difficult to access and a good overview is lacking. As a result the forest fauna has been largely ignored to date in discussions about sustainable forest use and forest management.
As a first step towards rectifying this, the National Reference Centre for Nature Management (IKC Natuurbeheer) in the Netherlands took the initiative to carry out a desk study on this topic. The aim of this study is to give an overview of the present knowledge of animal-plant interactions that are directly relevant for plant reproduction and forest regeneration. The report only deals with the role of animals in pollination, seed dispersal, germination and seedling survival. Other important ecological functions of animals, like herbivory and their role in decomposition, are not dealt with in this study.
One of the main conclusions of the report is that a large percentage of the rain forest tree species depend on animals for their reproduction. Therefore the rain forest fauna with its specific composition is a major asset for the sustained existence of these ecosystems. The report ends with several recommendations. In the first place about research needed to increase our knowledge in this field, and secondly about incorporating the knowledge about ecological functions of animals into forest management considerations
Orders: Severin ten Houte de Lange, National Reference Centre for Nature Management, P.O. Box 30, 3700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Fax +31 317 474930, E-mail: s.m.ten.houte@ikcn.agro.nl

Farmer experimentation and innovation: FAO Community Forestry Case Study Series 12: A case study of knowledge generation processes in agroforestry systems in Rwanda
Christoffel den Biggelaar
If farmers were resisting efforts to convince them to use 'improved' technologies, but were still able to develop an agricultural system that was performing better than what science could develop and offer them what were they doing right? In this case study of agroforestry systems in Rwanda, the author attempts to clarify both that question and its answer. This document is based on a long-term, in depth study, in which the author aimed to gain an understanding of what farmers knew and how they obtained and further developed knowledge. It reflects a spirit of learning from farmers about their tree growing practices.
Orders: FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. Fax: +39 6 5705 5137.

Learning package 'biotechnology self-study'
In the framework of its activities for the dissemination of scientific knowledge, NAGREF wishes to inform you about the learning package 'Biotechnology Self-Study'. This learning package deals with the basic principles of biotechnology and its applications in agriculture, the food industry and in the environment. Moreover, it analyses financial, legal, social and ethical aspects related to the use of biotechnology in the above areas. The development of this package was supported by the European programmes COMETT and Leonardo da Vinci.
The package is useful to scientists wishing to develop their skills and potential for managing a biotechnology function or enterprise wishin to upgrade their knowledge, for secondary school teachers and administrative executives of companies wishing to improve their understanding of underlying principles and techniques of biotechnology. It is also appropriate as well as for the graduate students from the fields of agriculture, veterinary science, forestry, biology and chemistry and other related areas, wishing to acquire a comprehensive knowledge about biotechnology. The components of the learning package are:

• Text based modules (9 manuals)
• Video tapes (one tape comprising 5 films)
• Interactive computer-based training modules

• What is Biotechnology?
• Basic Principles of Biotechnology
• Management Strategies in Biotechnology
• Characteristics of the Biotechnology Industry
• Regulation and Ethics in Biotechnology
• Biotechnology and the Market
• Animal Biotechnology
• Plant Biotechnology
• Food Biotechnology

• Biotechnology and the Environment. It includes: basics (general introduction, environmental overview); biotechnology and environment; ethical aspects; legal aspects.
• Enzymes. It includes: basics; biochemistry; techniques; applications.

Reseau international du Dattier
Informations reçues de Michel Ferry
Réseau international du Dattier
Apartado 996
03201 Elche
Espagne
Un séminaire sur le palmier dattier au Sahel a été organisé au Niger du 30 juin au 4 juillet 1997. Ce séminaire a permis d'identifier les grandes lignes d'un projet de recherche/développement/formation pour établir les bases technico-économiques d'un développement de systèmes diversifés de production à base de palmier dattier dans les zones semi-arides du Sahel.
Un compte-rendu de 9 pages sur ce séminaire est disponible au point focal France du RERFT.
François Grison
CIRAD-Forêt BP 5035
34032 Montpellier Cedex 1
France
Tel: +33 4 67 59 37 54
Fax: +33 4 67 59 37 55
E-mail: grison@cirad.fr