| European
Tropical Forest Research Network |
FAO's Forest Products Division, in close cooperation with the International Network on Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), has invited a panel of internationally renowned experts to Rome to seek their advice and guidance to develop a "Plan of action towards the sustainable development of the rattan sector". This "International Expert Consultation on Rattan Development" took place from 5 to 7 December 2000 at FAO HQ and attendance has been restricted to 20 experts from governmental and non-governmental organizations, and private sector agencies.
The FAO Expert Consultation will provide a unique forum where representatives of key stakeholders in the rattan sector and experts in the field can meet to discuss and propose a plan of action to steer a more sustainable development of the rattan sector. The first Agenda item will be an overview of the rattan resource, its uses and present action programmes. Papers will be presented on how rattan is a versatile raw material for the 21st century and INBAR and CIFOR will make presentations on their rattan programmes.
This overview will be followed by three sessions:
The Expert Consultation will conclude with an Agreement on the Recommendations for a Rattan Action Plan.
Workshop on NTFP Guidance to Certifiers. Oaxaca, Mexico, Nov. 2000
As part of its international Certification and Marketing program, Falls Brook Centre took the opportunity of the second FSC Annual Meeting to bring together members of the FSC Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) Working Group, and other interested individuals, to discuss common issues. The focus of the one day workshop was to review recent progress and concerns in the development of certification for NTFPs and to provide guidance to FSC-accredited certifiers on how to interpret the Principles and Criteria more consistently when assessing NTFPs.
Twenty-five participants took part in the event, including many who have been active in the NTFP Working Group and others who are active in the field to implement certification for NTFPs. The motivation for the workshop was that the FSC Secretariat had asked the NTFP Working Group to use its collective experience in NTFP certification to develop additional guidance for certifiers that would enable objective and consistent evaluation of NTFPs. New developments and key issues are highlighted in the summary report of the workshop. Recommendations and follow-up actions are included at the end of the report, as is participant contact information.
For further information and copies of the summary report please contact Patrick Mallet at: pmallet@web.ca
SECONDARY FORESTS IN ASIA - AN UPDATE
A satellite meeting to initiate the formation of a network on tropical secondary forests in Asia was held at the IUFRO Congress in Kuala Lumpur,August 2000. The meeting was attended by scientists, forestry department officials, the private sector, and bilateral and international agencies. It was decided that Dr. Appanah, FORSPA, Bangkok, would head a task force to initiate the formation of the network. To this end, FORSPA will facilitate a meeting in which the practicalities for the Network will be decided.
We plan to publish the papers arising from the secondary forest workshop as a special issue of a journal and are working towards this goal. Thanks to all who worked on the manuscripts. There will be 18 chapters including an introduction, a conceptual framework paper, 11 country papers, 4 regional syntheses papers for the common secondary forest types, and conclusions. We will keep you informed on the progress.
Unna Chokkalingam
Research Fellow
CIFOR
P.O. Box 6596 JKPWB
Jakarta, Indonesia
Tel: +62 251 622622, Fax: +62 251 622100
Email: u.chokkalingam@cgiar.org
FORESTS AND LIVELIHOODS NEWSLETTER
Forests and Livelihoods is a journal for the forestry sector in Nepal to be published from April 2001 in English and distributed nationally and internationally. It is published by Forest Resources Studies and Action Team, Nepal (ForestAction) in collaboration with the Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Department of (AERDD) of the University of Reading, UK. The Newsletter is being launched to improve forests and rural livelihoods through the promotion of pluralistic approaches in the management of forest resources and the conservation of biodiversity. It provides an interactive forum to policy makers, foresters, social scientists, forestry projects, NGOs, university teachers, researchers, forestry entrepreneurs, and other actors in the forestry sector. The Newsletter focuses on themes related to forestry sector policy, community forest management, biodiversity conservation, agro-forestry, private forestry, watershed management, Terai forestry, NTFP management and marketing, and National Parks and indigenous people. Priority will be given to original articles written specifically for it using systematic processes of inquiry in the subject. Articles may be submitted in English or Nepali, and should be around 1500 words in length. The authors may submit short abstract before sending the full paper. First three issues in the first year will be distributed for free, and some prices will be levied beginning the second year for sustainability.
For further information please contact:
Hemant R Ojha
ANSAB
P O Box 11035, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: +977 1 497547, Fax: +977 1 487916
Email: hemant@infoclub.com.np