Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #48 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 2:46 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #48: Forest tourism can mean
billions in economic benefits
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #48: Forest tourism can mean
billions in economic benefits
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Forest tourism can mean billions in economic benefits*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/27078/6521/anniversary-congress-spotligh…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18500&md5=630dceec3d…>
*Tourism and recreation should receive just as much thought, science, and
funding as other forest uses. (Photo Pixabay)*
Dr. Taylor Stein of the University of Florida in Gainesville believes "that
any meeting that addresses the management of the world's forests is
incomplete without a focused discussion on tourism."
While there is limited research on the impact of nature-based tourism, Dr.
Stein pointed to a 2007 report from the Center for Responsible Travel that
said nature-based tourism accounted for 7% of the international tourism
market and had a $77 billion impact on the world's economy.
And, he added, surveys of travelers around the world consistently show that
natural attractions (e.g. wildlife) are important reasons for their visits
and they value conservation and protection of environmental quality.
For those reasons, natural resource managers require systematic research
and up-to-date science to better understand how to best integrate tourism
and recreation management into forest management practices, he said.
(The United Nations would seem to be thinking along the same lines as Dr.
Stein. The UN has declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable
Tourism for Development.)
Dr. Stein is coordinator of a session on forest tourism to be held at the
IUFRO 125th anniversary congress in Freiburg, Germany in September
entitled: *Nature-based tourism and recreation's role in sustaining forests
and improving people's quality of life*. He expects it to show that good
science is needed to plan and manage for tourism in natural areas.
The socio-ecological system is extremely complex and sustainably planned
tourism requires a good understanding of that system, he said.
"Forest managers and policy makers must recognize that quality nature-based
tourism planning and management can result in a multitude of benefits. If
managers are not even aware of the benefits of recreation and tourism and
only see recreation and tourism as a cost – as many managers currently do –
then we should not be surprised that managing for tourism and recreation is
consistently considered a "new" idea and/or a distraction from "more
important" forest management goals such as timber or restoration," Dr.
Stein said.
He sees platforms such as the IUFRO Congress acting as a catalyst to bring
about a change in thinking. "Meetings like the upcoming IUFRO one can help
make this change occur.
"As more forest professionals see tourism and recreation presented at
scientific meetings, they will learn that this use of the forest should not
be considered a low priority of forest management, but tourism and
recreation should receive just as much thought, science, and funding as
other forest uses," he said.
"Most natural resource professionals entered their fields to focus on
ecology and were not sufficiently trained in the social sciences," he said.
"I think social science classes should be better integrated into natural
resource managers' educations. Specifically, classes on conflict
management, collaboration, communications, and recreation management should
be required of all natural resource professionals."
He believes the presentations on forest tourism to be made at the IUFRO
Congress, will help those professionals realize that "tourism to natural
areas provides billions of dollars to the world's economies. It also helps
to expand support for forests and the conservation of forest ecosystems and
wildlife. And, not unimportantly, it also can empower communities to
conserve and use natural areas in ways they decide," he said.
"Another benefit of tourism as a theme for the IUFRO meeting is that we can
highlight the diversity of tourism thought throughout the world. Different
cultures manage, plan, and think about tourism differently, and IUFRO gives
us an opportunity to highlight this diversity.
"For example, several presentations will discuss community-based tourism in
Mexico, which often manages its land communally, with the community
deciding how tourism will integrate into land management," Dr. Stein said.
"This will contrast with community-based tourism research from the U.S. and
Europe, which takes a more top-down approach to managing public resources."
The session will highlight research that examines how land management
agencies use innovative techniques to incorporate local community residents
into tourism decision-making and also, presentations related to sustainable
and ethical aspects associated with nature-based tourism and recreation.
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The Forest Landowner Research session in Freiburg will be one
of 172 scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics dealing
with various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #48, published in August 2017by
IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #47 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 28, 2017 at 2:46 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #47: Remote forest-dependent
communities can benefit through social innovation
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #47: Remote forest-dependent
communities can benefit through social innovation
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Remote forest-dependent communities can benefit through social innovation*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/26902/5157/anniversary-congress-spotligh…>
*The village of Iza in Transcarpathian Ukraine is famous far beyond the
region's borders for its wicker products. Most villagers are involved in
the business.
ukurier.gov.ua/uk/articles/selo-iza-na-zakarpatti-postachaye-virobi-z-verbi-d/
<http://ukurier.gov.ua/uk/articles/selo-iza-na-zakarpatti-postachaye-virobi-…>*
Many rural forest-dependent communities face similar challenges – lack of
infrastructure, housing, and transport as well as aging populations.
When global issues such as climate change, sustainability, and energy and
food security are added to the mix, the need for solutions to the
challenges becomes much more pressing.
Prof. Maria Nijnik, coordinator of a session to be held at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg in September, sees social innovation that
enhances the sustainable use of forest ecosystem services as one way to
address those challenges.
Social innovation entails new practices targeting new products, services,
models and social relationships and collaborations, as well as new fields
of activity. It is usually described as focusing attention on ideas and
solutions that create social value, as well as the processes through which
they are generated.
Ms Mariana Melnykovych is co-chair of the session, and a PhD student at the
Ukrainian National Forestry University and at the James Hutton Institute in
Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. She gave an example from the Ukrainian Carpathians,
where local farmers have created an association for local sheep cheese
production, along with ecotourism and the promotion of local culture.
Other examples of social innovation identified by the session organizers
include community-owned renewable energy initiatives, social care farming,
local food production, agroforestry, arts and crafts cooperatives, as well
as emissions trading, fair trade, broadband and microfinance.
*Photo source: www.simra-h2020.eu/index.php/2017/05/
<http://www.simra-h2020.eu/index.php/2017/05/>*
"The ecosystem services of forests are especially important to
forest-dependent communities in marginalized rural areas where local
wellbeing can be lower than elsewhere," said Prof. Nijnik, principal
scientist of the James Hutton Institute. Prof. Nijnik is also an IUFRO
officeholder (Working Party on Managerial Economics
<http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-4/40000/40500/40502/>) and
coordinator of the Social Innovation in Marginalized Rural Areas (
http://www.simra-h2020.eu) project, funded by the European Union Horizon
2020 Research and Innovation Program.
"Forests provide a long list of benefits to people and are vital to
communities. Sustainable use of forest ecosystem services can provide a
substantial contribution to the wellbeing of those communities," she said.
The IUFRO Congress session being organized by Prof. Nijnik and Ms
Melnykovych is entitled "*Ecosystem services and the wellbeing of forest
dependent communities: enhancing social innovation and building resilience
to global changes in remote rural areas*".
"Attention to social innovation and its role in attaining a more
sustainable use of ecosystem services has been rising," said Prof. Nijnik.
"Social innovation is expected to respond to social demands that are
traditionally not addressed by markets or existing institutions."
She noted that social innovations can include the creation of new
institutions, networks and governance arrangements and, while these
practices may be closely associated with rural policy reforms, they
necessarily rely on the voluntary engagement of civil society.
Expansion of novel local businesses (e.g. bioenergy) and activities (e.g.
mountain biking) in some localities can be seen as a means of economic
advance. However, these can also entail environmental and social
challenges.
To effectively address these challenges at a local level, participatory
governance and implementation of ecosystem based management practices are
becoming increasingly important. A cohesive policy combining top-down and
bottom-up approaches that include local initiatives and social innovations
can be a solution, she added.
The IUFRO session in September will address questions of how to integrate
local and indigenous knowledge in forestry-related decision-making
processes; what are green energy options for forest-dependent communities;
how to assess forest policy options through an improved understanding of
the attitudes prevailing in forest-dependent communities, building
resilience and capacities for sustainability, and how to integrate forest
ecosystem services into climate change adaptation plans.
Underlining the importance of the topic, Prof. Nijnik noted that she had
been pleasantly surprised to receive 21 abstracts on the subject from all
around the world.
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The Forest Landowner Research session in Freiburg will be one
of 172 scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics dealing
with various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #47, published in July 2017by
IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #46 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 21, 2017 at 6:16 PM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #46: Getting a handle on
future needs of forestland owners
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #46: Getting a handle on future
needs of forestland owners
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Getting a handle on future needs of forestland owners*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/26904/6513/anniversary-congress-spotligh…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18399&md5=5001920047…>
*What does the future hold for owners of forestland? (Photo Pixabay)*
Private owners control nearly 70 million hectares of forestland around the
globe and account for well over 50% of the forestland in many countries in
Europe and North and South America.
These owners – many of them families, individuals and other small holders –
operating within social, financial and political constraints, will largely
dictate the future of the forests.
That is the underlying reason for a session at the upcoming IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany in September entitled: *History,
Findings and Future Directions of Forest Landowner Research*.
Dr. Brett Butler, of the U.S. Forest Service, is coordinating the session
and says: "There are numerous individual researchers and institutions that
study these private owners, but the opportunities to directly compare
findings and methods across countries are limited.
"The IUFRO Congress provides a venue in which we can facilitate a dialogue
among those who research private forest owners. It will give us a chance to
ask what common trends we are seeing and what are the differences.
"We can use this session to discuss the history of the research, synthesize
the current state and chart a path forward for forestland owner research,"
he said.
Looking to the future – though pointing out that it is difficult to
generalize on how forestland owners around the globe will manage their land
– he foresees developed countries increasing emphasis on service-oriented
management and also better incorporating the value of ecosystem services
into future management efforts.
In the developing world, he sees a need for continuing efforts to improve
livelihoods through practices such as agroforestry and emphasis on gender
issues.
He also expects that new technologies will be providing new ways for owners
to interact with their land and new ways for researchers to interact with
owners.
Going forward he expects to see greater changes for foresters rather than
forestland owners. "We need a paradigm shift, so that we look at trees
through the eyes of the owners. Foresters, and more broadly forestry, must
do a better job of meeting the needs of owners," said Dr. Butler.
"To do that, we have to overcome the inertia of forestry – we tend to do
what we've always done – and we have to do a better job of working across
disciplines; getting out of our silos," he added.
In his opinion there is also a need for more holistic studies – studying
more than just the treed part of an owner's property.
One way to move forward is to look at, and learn from, health-care
research, he said.
"The gold standard for research is the medical field. Two of their stronger
methods are longitudinal studies – tracking a group of people over an
extended period of time – and evidence-based practices, which means basing
treatments and other recommendations on science that measures actual
outcomes," Dr. Butler said.
"We have much we can learn from health care research. I think that
long-term, longitudinal studies and more reliance on evidenced-based
practices will help move us forward.
"These are the types of tools we need to use to answer some of the 'wicked'
problems we are trying to address – such as what influences landowner
decisions and what are the impacts of policies and programs," he added.
Dr. Butler believes the Congress, in addition to facilitating a dialogue
among the various researchers, will also provide an opportunity to
encourage new partnerships for facilitating future comparisons and can
potentially lead to harmonization across research efforts.
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The Forest Landowner Research session in Freiburg will be one
of 172 scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics dealing
with various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #46, published in July 2017by
IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #45 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Wed, Apr 5, 2017 at 1:16 AM
Subject: IUFRO Spotlight #45 - If you're 'remotely' interested in
monitoring biodiversity…
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Spotlight #45 - If you're 'remotely' interested in monitoring
biodiversity…
*IUFRO Spotlight* is an initiative of the International Union of Forest
Research Organizations. Its aim is to introduce, in a timely fashion,
significant findings in forest research from IUFRO officeholders and member
organizations to a worldwide network of decision makers, policy makers and
researchers.
IUFRO will encapsulate, and distribute in plain language, brief, topical
and policy-relevant highlights of those findings, along with information on
where/how to access the full documents. The *IUFRO Spotlight* findings will
be distributed in a periodic series of emails as well as blog postings.
*________________________________*
*If you're 'remotely' interested in monitoring biodiversity…*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/26522/6462/spotlight45-sourcebook_pdf/>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18065&md5=6cd0c51a11…>
*Eds: GOFC-GOLD & GEO BON. Report version UNCBD COP-13, GOFC-GOLD Land
Cover Project Office, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. ISSN:
2542-6729*
There is a growing need for better information on how remote sensing data
can support biodiversity monitoring in tropical forests. In response to
this need a new sourcebook has been published with the aim of informing
national and sub-national policy and decisions.
More than 70 authors, several of them from the IUFRO community, contributed
to the sourcebook that is targeted at project managers, academic
institutions, NGOs, students and researchers, among others, with a
background in remote sensing.
The emphasis is on tropical forests because, in the words of Dr. Brice Mora
of Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands who was the primary
force in developing the sourcebook, "tropical forests constitute a major
hub of evolution, life and diversity on our planet, but are also among the
most threatened ecosystems by human activities."
Deforestation remains high in the world's tropical forests, largely because
of dependence on land-based economic activities such as palm oil production
or small scale slash and burn farming and also from continuing pressure
from industrial crops.
"Project managers and policy makers who are not experts in remote sensing
will find background information on the policy context to which the remote
sensing datasets and techniques aim to provide support," said Dr. Mora.
"However, the implementation and-or adaptation of the methods presented
will require specialized knowledge.
"That being said, the sourcebook provides non-specialists with an
opportunity to understand how such technology can support biodiversity
conservation policies and help target planning," he added.
This publication will allow forest managers and other interested
stakeholders to find information on how remote sensing techniques can
support the development of relevant essential biodiversity variables (EBVs)
for tropical forest management.
EBVs are proposed by the GEO BON (Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity
Observation Network) for the study, reporting and management of
biodiversity change.
The EBVs are important because they will provide global-scale, consistent
core information to monitor biodiversity trends and thus allow more
targeted actions to halt biodiversity loss and achieve the 2020 targets on
the UN Convention on Biodiversity (UNCBD).
Among subjects discussed in the book are general steps for relevant EBV
production, including the type of datasets and main processing steps; how
synergies between biodiversity monitoring and carbon emission mitigation
can be made both at institutional and technical levels; and how local
communities can be integrated in monitoring activities. For countries newly
engaged in biodiversity loss mitigation there is a chapter on existing
regional biodiversity networks in the pan-tropical region and guidelines on
how to develop new networks.
The major challenge in developing the sourcebook was "identifying
contributors with both the expertise and time to undertake the initiative
on a voluntary basis, and then coordinating their efforts in a way that
allowed the development and review of the chapters in a timely manner" said
Dr. Sandra Luque, Research Director at IRSTEA (National Research Institute
of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture), France, and
Deputy Coordinator of IUFRO Division 8 Forest Environment. She worked with
Dr. Mora pulling the project together.
Dr. Luque went on to say "the emerging technologies presented as well as
the list of available Earth observation datasets constitute a unique
updated source of reference for forest remote sensing applications and for
the forest research community and associated stakeholders."
The publication – *A Sourcebook of Methods and Procedures for Monitoring
Essential Biodiversity Variables in Tropical Forests with Remote Sensing* –
is available at no cost at the websites of:
GOFC-GOLD Land Cover (http://www.gofcgold.wur.nl/sites/gofcgold-geobon_
biodiversitysourcebook.php)
and GEO BON (http://geobon.org/
<http://geobon.org/a-sourcebook-of-methods-and-procedures-for-monitoring-ess…>)
*________________________________*
The findings reported in *IUFRO Spotlight* are submitted by IUFRO
officeholders and member organizations. IUFRO is pleased to highlight and
circulate these findings to a broad audience but, in doing so, acts only as
a conduit. The quality and accuracy of the reports are the responsibility
of the member organization and the authors.
Suggestions for reports and findings that could be promoted through *IUFRO
Spotlight* are encouraged. To be considered, reports should be fresh, have
policy implications and be applicable to more than one country. If you
would like to have a publication highlighted by Spotlight, *contact: Gerda
Wolfrum, IUFRO Communications Coordinator, wolfrum(at)iufro.org
<http://iufro.org>*.
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO Spotlight #45, published in April 2017by IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna,
Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #44 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Wed, Feb 22, 2017 at 7:28 AM
Subject: IUFRO Spotlight #44 - Evidence linking community forest rights and
improved forest condition inconclusive
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Spotlight #44 - Evidence linking community forest rights and
improved forest condition inconclusive
*IUFRO Spotlight* is an initiative of the International Union of Forest
Research Organizations. Its aim is to introduce, in a timely fashion,
significant findings in forest research from IUFRO officeholders and member
organizations to a worldwide network of decision makers, policy makers and
researchers.
IUFRO will encapsulate, and distribute in plain language, brief, topical
and policy-relevant highlights of those findings, along with information on
where/how to access the full documents. The *IUFRO Spotlight* findings will
be distributed in a periodic series of emails as well as blog postings.
*________________________________*
*Evidence linking community forest rights and improved forest condition
inconclusive*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/26332/6453/spotlight44-devolution-forest…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=17971&md5=69aa7d2f79…>
*Photo by A. Jhaveri: Shifting Cultivation Plot in Heingyu*
There is an assumption that there is a correlation, possibly even a direct
cause and effect relationship, between the devolution of forest governance
and improved forest condition.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was
interested in testing that hypothesis to assess its impact on global
climate change mitigation and adaptation.
To that end, a group of researchers at Michigan State University was tasked
with reviewing, summarizing and commenting on the empirical evidence
supporting that conclusion.
In their review of the literature, they found the assumption deserves, at
best, a "maybe."
"Even though some prominent examples provide illustrations of the links
between tenure content and/or security and forest outcomes, major
weaknesses remain in the evidence generated," said review team leader Dr.
Runsheng Yin of MSU. "There is not enough conclusive evidence to prove a
direct link between community forest rights and improved forest condition.
Therefore, we urge caution in universally accepting the assumption that
community control of forest resources improves forest condition."
The basic challenge is to broaden the research on linkages between forest
tenure and forest condition. Most research to date has been too narrowly
focused. A lack of funding, a lack of coordination and weak research
capacity have contributed to that, he said.
The literature review can help address that challenge, Dr. Yin said.
Right now, he said, "there is much international interest in reducing CO2
emissions from forest degradation and deforestation and in increasing
carbon stocks by enhancing forest regeneration and management.
"At the same time, the effective implementation of Reducing Emissions from
Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) requires a broad set of
policies, including institutional reforms in the areas of governance,
tenure, decentralization, and community forest management.
"And reforming forest tenure/governance systems is increasingly viewed as a
key factor in fulfilling a whole host of development and environmental
goals predicated on managing forest ecosystems sustainably," he added.
With those things in mind, the literature review can benefit policy makers,
businesses, researchers, international donors and many other organizations
by improving their understanding of the complex linkages between devolved
tenure systems and forest conditions. This, in turn, will assist them to
better design their (REDD+) and Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES)
policies and programs, Dr. Yin said.
In addition, he said, the literature review and possible subsequent
research can contribute to practical knowledge on how mitigation and
adaptation interventions can be delivered to strengthen resource tenure and
property rights to help reduce vulnerability and increase the resilience of
people, places and livelihoods in the face of global climate change impacts
and promote resource use practices that achieve mitigation and development
objectives.
The literature review has been published as a four-article special feature
in Forest Policy and Economics. The articles review and synthesize the
literature on the empirical linkages between devolved tenure systems and
forest conditions, identifying knowledge gaps and study needs as well as
deliberating on how best to move research in this area forward.
The special feature can be found at: Forest Policy and Economics 73: 271-299
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13899341/73
*Dr. Runsheng Yin of Michigan State University (MSU) is the Coordinator of
IUFRO Working Party 9.04.02 – Valuation of ecosystem services and carbon
markets. The Department of Forestry of MSU is a Member Organization of
IUFRO.*
*________________________________*
The findings reported in *IUFRO Spotlight* are submitted by IUFRO
officeholders and member organizations. IUFRO is pleased to highlight and
circulate these findings to a broad audience but, in doing so, acts only as
a conduit. The quality and accuracy of the reports are the responsibility
of the member organization and the authors.
Suggestions for reports and findings that could be promoted through *IUFRO
Spotlight* are encouraged. To be considered, reports should be fresh, have
policy implications and be applicable to more than one country. If you
would like to have a publication highlighted by Spotlight, *contact: Gerda
Wolfrum, IUFRO Communications Coordinator, wolfrum(at)iufro.org
<http://iufro.org>*.
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO Spotlight #44, published in February 2017by IUFRO Headquarters,
Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
This edition of the IUFRO Newsletter may be of interest. Other past issues
can be found at: http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Wed, Aug 2, 2017 at 9:46 PM
Subject: IUFRO NEWS 7, 2017
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO News]
Issue 7/2017
IUFRO NEWS 7, 2017
Dear IUFRO Officeholder:
We are happy to present to you issue 7 of IUFRO News 2017, volume 46. The
newsletter is also available for download as a PDF or Word file at:
http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/.
You are welcome to pass on this newsletter to your colleagues!
To find out more about IUFRO, just visit <http://www.iufro.org/>
www.iufro.org and follow our blog http://blog.iufro.org/, Twitter: @iufro
<http://twitter.com/IUFRO> and IUFRO Facebook entries
<https://www.facebook.com/iufro>.
Enjoy the read!
Alexander Buck
*IUFRO Executive Director IUFRO News is widely distributed among IUFRO
Members, officeholders and other interested groups. If you would like to
publish in IUFRO News, contribute to the IUFRO website content or promote a
publication via IUFRO Spotlight, do not hesitate to contact us at IUFRO
Headquarters: office(a)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> *
*International Conference on Forest Landscape Restoration under Global
Change*
The "International Conference on Forest Landscape Restoration under Global
Change: Synthesizing and Sharing Globally Available Forest-Related
Scientific Knowledge" was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in June 2017 to
review and discuss how to implement large-scale forest landscape
restoration (FLR) on the ground. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26541>…
*7th Forest Science Symposium: "Research Underpinning the Sustainability of
a Diverse Forestry Sector"*
The 7th Forest Science Symposium "Research Underpinning the Sustainability
of a Diverse Forestry Sector" was held in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa,
on 18-20 July. It was organized by the Institute of Commercial Forestry
Research (ICFR) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries of the Government of South Africa and IUFRO. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26540>…
*Molecular Biology of Forest Trees*
The 2017 IUFRO Tree Biotechnology Conference was held in Concepción Chile
from June 4-9, 2017. The meeting showcased current and emerging
applications in forest biotechnology. It illustrated, among other things,
applications of CRISPR/CAS9 in forest trees. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26539>…
*Global Scientific Assessment on Forests and Water off to a Good Start*
Following the successful scoping meeting in March 2017 in Rome, Italy, the
GFEP coordination team invited internationally recognized scientific
experts to join the Global Forest Expert Panel on Forests and Water. Thus,
the first panel meeting was held in Cambridge, United Kingdom, from 26-29
June 2017. *More* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26538>…
*AForGeN 2017 - Genetic Resources of High Mountain Forests*
This year's AForGeN meeting was organized in the Italian Dolomites, in Val
Canali, Trentino, on 15-17 June. Fifteen scientific reports were presented
in the sessions on the topics of transcriptome sequencing, exome capture,
epigenetics and genomics of local adaptation in alpine forest trees. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26544>…
*Invasive Forest Pathogens and Implications for Biology and Policy*
International trade of plant material is increasing the risks to forest
health worldwide. The current situation of both well-understood and
emerging pathogens causing disease on foliage, shoot and stems, which
threaten forest stands and nurseries, was therefore a prominent issue at
the meeting in Niagara Falls, Canada, on 7-11 May 2017. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26545>…
*Forest Management Models, Methods and Decision Support Systems - the
SuFoRun Perspective*
This international seminar took place in Pennsylvania, USA, on 19-20
January 2017 and focused on the presentation of models, methods and
decision support systems available at SuFoRun institutions that may be used
by public administrators, forest owners and industry for forest management
planning in a context of global change. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26546>…
*Promoting Green Jobs in the Forest Sector*
On 27-28 June 2017, FOREST EUROPE, UNECE and FAO jointly organized a
workshop on "Promoting Green Jobs in the Forest Sector" in Bratislava,
Slovakia. There were nearly 70 participants from 18 European countries.
IUFRO Executive Director Alexander Buck was invited as a moderator. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26547>…
*Announcements*
*Mondi and IUFRO Collaborate on Sustainable Business Strategies*
Mondi, the international packaging and paper group, and IUFRO will co-host
an open "Science meets Business" dialogue at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary
Congress this September in Freiburg, Germany. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26549>…
*Two New Working Parties in IUFRO Division 7 Forest Health*
New Working Parties on Ground-level Ozone and Nitrogen and Sulfur
Deposition, respectively, have been newly established in IUFRO Division 7.
*More* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26550>…
*More Announcements* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26551>…
*Publications*
*Implementing Forest Landscape Restoration: A Practitioner's Guide*
IUFRO launched a Practitioner's Guide to assist facilitators and
coordinators of FLR initiatives at national, subnational (landscape) and
local levels in implementing FLR on the ground during a major international
FLR knowledge-sharing conference in Puerto Rico in early June 2017. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26536>…
*Understanding the Roles of Forests and Trees for Food Security and
Nutrition*
On 27 June 2017 the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and
Nutrition (HLPE) - the science-policy interface of the Committee on World
Food Security (CFS) - launched a report on "Sustainable Forestry for Food
Security and Nutrition". The report includes findings of the IUFRO Global
Forest Expert Panel on Forest and Food Security. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26535>…
*More Publications* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26534>…
*Other Information*
Fellowships <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26531>
Positions <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26530>
IUFRO Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26527>
Other Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26526>
*IUFRO Website Features*
IUFRO Blog <http://blog.iufro.org/>
Noticeboard <http://www.iufro.org/?id=95>
Proceedings Archive <http://www.iufro.org/?id=75>
Scientific Summaries <http://www.iufro.org/?id=79>
RSS Feeds <http://www.iufro.org/?id=3745>
Newsletter Archive <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=147>
*IUFRO News 7*
*, 2017, published in early August 2017by IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna,
Austria.Available for download
at: http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
<http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/>Contact the editor
at office(at)iufro.org <http://iufro.org> or visit
<http://www.iufro.org/>www.iufro.org <http://www.iufro.org/> If you do not
wish to receive IUFRO News, please send us a short note by e-mail
(office(at)iufro.org <http://iufro.org>).Imprint:
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402>www.iufro.org/legal/
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402>*
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
This edition of the IUFRO Newsletter may be of interest. Other past issues
can be found at: http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Wed, Jun 28, 2017 at 9:16 PM
Subject: IUFRO NEWS 5&6, 2017
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO News]
Issue 5&6/2017
IUFRO NEWS 5&6, 2017
Dear IUFRO Officeholder:
We are happy to present to you double issue 5&6 of IUFRO News 2017, volume
46. The newsletter is also available for download as a PDF or Word file at:
http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/.
You are welcome to pass on this newsletter to your colleagues!
To find out more about IUFRO, just visit <http://www.iufro.org/>
www.iufro.org and follow our blog http://blog.iufro.org/, Twitter: @iufro
<http://twitter.com/IUFRO> and IUFRO Facebook entries
<https://www.facebook.com/iufro>.
Enjoy the read!
Alexander Buck
*IUFRO Executive Director IUFRO News is widely distributed among IUFRO
Members, officeholders and other interested groups. If you would like to
publish in IUFRO News, contribute to the IUFRO website content or promote a
publication via IUFRO Spotlight, do not hesitate to contact us at IUFRO
Headquarters: office(a)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> *
*IUFRO at the 12th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests*
The 12th session of the UNFF was held from 1-5 May 2017 in New York at the
UN Headquarters. IUFRO was very well represented at UNFF12 both in terms of
numbers and visibility – the IUFRO delegation comprised 15 persons
including many scientists from various IUFRO units. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26345>…
*Update on IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany!*
The interest in the upcoming IUFRO Anniversary Congress has been so
overwhelming that registration has already been closed! If you have already
registered, don't miss the post-Congress excursions and visit forests,
landscapes and cultural sights in Germany, Switzerland and France! *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26344>…
*Sustainable Restoration of Mediterranean Forests*
Forests around the Mediterranean Basin represent an interesting example of
what the anthropological influence of civilization can produce in terms of
deforestation, adaptation, assisted migration and fragmentation. The
Congress on "Sustainable Restoration of Mediterranean Forests" in Palermo,
Italy, gave an excellent overview of this situation. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26343>…
*Positive Influence of Green Spaces on Human Health*
Green spaces, especially forests, are good for human health. Spending time
in natural and cultural landscapes increases not only our personal welfare,
but can also reduce the costs for health care by prescribed stays in green
areas. These are the main outcomes of the third international conference on
"Landscapes and Human Health: Forests, Parks and Green Care" on 17-19 May
2017 in Vienna, Austria. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26342>…
*The Global Teak Study: Analysis, Evaluation and Future Potential of Teak
Resources*
Teak is one of the most valuable tropical hardwoods of the world. A team of
IUFRO scientists and other teak experts have synthesized globally available
state-of-the-art scientific information and empirical knowledge on teak and
compiled a comprehensive global teak study published as IUFRO World Series
36. *More* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26348>…
*New IUFRO-WFSE Policy Brief*
IUFRO-WFSE organized a side event in the UNFF 12 on Tuesday 2 May, 2017, on
"Harnessing the potential of community and smallholder forestry for
sustainable development goals" and presented a new policy brief on:
"Building on synergies: Harnessing community and smallholder forestry for
sustainable development goals". *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26349>…
*IUFRO-Japan News No. 120: Highlighting IUFRO-IFSA Relationship*
IUFRO-Japan News No. 120 (in Japanese) provides readers with information on
the International Forestry Students' Association (IFSA), among other
things. It highlights IUFRO’s support of young scientists is highlighted
through its strong partnership with the IFSA and its commitment to
recognizing outstanding achievement in forest science through academic
awards. *More* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26350>…
*IUFRO Annual Report 2016*
The online version of the full IUFRO Annual Report 2016 is now available in
addition to the short version on the IUFRO website. It includes reports
from IUFRO Divisions, Task Forces, Programmes, Projects and IUFRO-led
Initiatives as well as organizational information. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26351>…
*Other Information*
More Publications <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26352>
Courses <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26340>
Positions <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26339>
Awards <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26338>
Art Contest <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26337>
IUFRO Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26336>
Other Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6482#c26335>
*IUFRO Website Features*
IUFRO Blog <http://blog.iufro.org/>
Noticeboard <http://www.iufro.org/?id=95>
Proceedings Archive <http://www.iufro.org/?id=75>
Scientific Summaries <http://www.iufro.org/?id=79>
RSS Feeds <http://www.iufro.org/?id=3745>
Newsletter Archive <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=147>
*IUFRO News 5&6*
*, 2017, published in June 2017by IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna,
Austria.Available for download
at: http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
<http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/>Contact the editor
at office(at)iufro.org <http://iufro.org> or visit
<http://www.iufro.org/>www.iufro.org <http://www.iufro.org/> If you do not
wish to receive IUFRO News, please send us a short note by e-mail
(office(at)iufro.org <http://iufro.org>).Imprint:
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402>www.iufro.org/legal/
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402>*