Fwd: IUFRO-GFEP Press Release: Illegal Logging and Related Timber Trade
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
This IUFRO special report on illegal logging may be of interest. The full
report can be found at
http://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/illegal-timber-trade-rapid-response/repor…
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Sat, Dec 3, 2016 at 4:25 AM
Subject: IUFRO-GFEP Press Release: Illegal Logging and Related Timber Trade
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
<http://www.iufro.org/>
* International Union of Forest Research Organizations *
IUFRO-GFEP Press Release: Illegal Logging and Related Timber Trade *Loopholes
in regulations allow illegal logging to thrive worldwide*
• Strict laws in some countries re-route illegal timber to less
regulated markets
• New report shows increased involvement of organized crime in illegal
logging
• Almost one-third of tropical timber traded worldwide may come from
illegal forest land conversion
PDF of Press Release for download: English
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/25825/4474/gfep-illegal-timber-press-rel…>
- Spanish
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/25826/4474/gfep-illegal-timber-press-rel…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=17725&md5=9682eb71ee…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=17723&md5=0e7aaa13fa…>
*Top: Rainforest destruction from aerial view. Photo © Fotolia:
khlongwangchao. Bottom: In September 2016 all 300 species of rosewood were
placed under trade restriction by the Convention on the Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES). Office furniture made from rosewood. © Jianbang Gan *
*Cancún/Vienna (3 December 2016)* – Illegally harvested and traded timber
continues to strongly impact our environment, societies and economies,
including endangering biological diversity and climate change mitigation.
Existing regulations are not enough to stem the global illegal trade in
timber, which is shifting to countries with looser laws and to domestic,
rather than international markets, finds a new, authoritative report by a
global forest research organization.
The most comprehensive scientific analysis of illegal logging to date,
entitled "Illegal Logging and Related Timber Trade - Dimensions, Drivers,
Impacts and Responses" also found evidence of increased involvement of
organized criminal networks in illegal logging.
More than 40 renowned scientists from around the world, coordinated by the
International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) on behalf of
the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), contributed to the study,
which was launched at the Conference of the Convention on Biological
Diversity in Cancún, Mexico.
"Forestry crime including corporate crimes and illegal logging account for
up to $152 billion every year, more than all official development aid
combined", said Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment, one of the partner
organizations supporting the assessment.
"We urgently have to come up with new strategies to eliminate illegal
timber production and related trade. This could also significantly improve
the lives of poor and disadvantaged people and protect them from criminal
cartels. When the scientific evidence is clear, as it is in this report, it
enables policy makers to act."
*No one-size-fits-all solution*
"Policies must embrace the major dimensions of the problem, namely illegal
forest conversion, informal logging and all other illegal forest activities
including forest crime", said Daniela Kleinschmit, University of Freiburg
and the Chair of the assessment on "Illegal Logging and Related Timber
Trade".
"There is legislation in place in the USA and the EU, for example, to stop
illegally harvested timber entering their markets. Theses policy responses
might have increasingly positive impacts in the future, but they are by far
not enough as these programs do not address the different dimensions
associated with illegal logging", she said.
The scientists have identified the following major trends related to
illegal logging and related timber trade:
*• There are trade shifts to less regulated markets*:
According to the report, the effects of bilateral trade agreements are
often muted as the majority of illegal timber is traded domestically and
therefore not covered by the agreements. Due to required timber legality
verification between certain countries as well as general economic
developments, timber trade has shifted to markets such as China and India,
where less stringent regulation is in place. China and India are today the
main importing countries of both legal and illegal tropical timber – with
Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia remaining the dominant timber producers.
But illegal logging appears as well in other forest regions. Russia, for
example, is the main source of illegal timber from boreal and temperate
forests.
*• Informal logging prevails as a way to make a living*:
About 86 percent of the world's forests are publicly owned, but the land
tenure situation is often unclear and conflicting. At the same time, one
billion people worldwide depend on forests and trees for balanced diets and
sustainable incomes. There is evidence that the production of illegal
timber by informal small-scale producers is increasing. This is often
rooted in poor knowledge of law, unclear legislation (e.g. tenure rights)
or disproportionate costs of compliance (e.g. excessive charges).
*• Forest conversion to agricultural land is still a major problem*:
It is estimated that almost one-third of tropical timber traded globally is
illegal conversion timber. The study points out that most of the forest
conversion has occurred in the Amazon and Southeast Asia, however forest
conversion in the Amazon has been curtailed to some extent in recent years.
A large part of illegal forest conversion is for commercial agricultural
production, particularly export-orientated agricultural goods like palm
oil, soybeans, and beef.
*• Organized criminal networks increasingly target forests*:
According to the study, in some parts of the world organized forest crime
may be extremely violent and has also been associated with the financing of
wars and conflicts. Concurrently recent recognition of illegal logging as a
form of transnational organized crime now provides more tools to tackle the
problem, and there are new initiatives arising. The report documents
efforts currently underway. For example, local residents in the Brazilian
Amazon have started to make use of waterproof GPS cameras to collect
evidence of illegal logging, illegal timber transports, and also land
grabbing. The largest rainforest on our Earth has been home to violent
criminal timber networks for years.
*Combating illegal logging and related trade as a joint effort*
"In addition to bilateral efforts, stronger international cooperation is
needed globally to successfully fight illegal logging and related timber
trade and prevent it from shifting to less regulated markets", says
Alexander Buck, IUFRO Executive Director: "We must also recognize that
illegal logging is not merely a forest-related problem to be resolved by
the ministries dealing with the forest and environment sectors alone.
Illegal conversion of forests to agricultural land is an example that
clearly shows the need for a broader cooperation, in this case between
forestry and agriculture."
The scientists indicate that more research and especially more data on the
extent of the various illegal activities is needed to better understand the
different dimensions of illegal logging and related trade. The problem has
gained new political momentum due to the fact that illegal logging has
recently been acknowledged as a serious crime. The scientists call for
policy measures that fully address all dimensions of illegal logging in
order to provide for a sustained future of forests.
*Please find the full report and related policy brief at*:
http://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/illegal-timber-trade-
rapid-response/report/
*###*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations
<http://www.iufro.org/> (IUFRO) is the only world‐wide 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.
The IUFRO‐led Global Forest Expert Panels
<http://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/> (GFEP) initiative of the Collaborative
Partnership on Forests <http://www.cpfweb.org/en/> (CPF) carried out a
scientific rapid response assessment on illegal logging and related timber
trade with the aim to provide a high-quality synthesis report and an
accompanying policy brief on the topic by December 2016, and to inform
relevant policy decision‐makers at the CBD COP 13 meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
For more information, please contact: Gerda Wolfrum at +43-1-8770151-17
(Austria/CET),
mobile +43-664-142-6852 <+43%20664%201426852> (1-5 December in Cancún/EST),
or wolfrum(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org>
7 years, 3 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #52: Building on tradition to plan for the future of forests
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #52 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: Tue, Aug 29, 2017 at 12:34 PM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #52: Building on tradition to
plan for the future of forests
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #52: Building on tradition to plan
for the future of forests
*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/>*
*Building on tradition to plan for the future of forests*
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/download/file/27186/6530/anniversary-congress-spotlig…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18564&md5=9989a7394c…>
*A 3D machine vision technology developed to detect and measure tree
characteristics real-time during thinning operations. (Credit: Lucas Wells,
Oregon State University)*
"We're trying to avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater," said Dr.
Jens Peter Skovsgaard of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in
Alnarp, Sweden.
He was speaking about forestry operations and research and how change can
be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Dr. Skovsgaard is coordinator of
a session entitled: *Forestry "Classic" for the Future*, at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany in September.
"We want to re-examine the traditional role and practice of forestry from
the perspectives of modern engineering technology and current environmental
and social demands on forests and forest products," said Dr. Woodam Chung,
Department of Forest Engineering, Management and Resources at Oregon State
University, USA. Dr. Chung will moderate the "Classic" session at the
IUFRO Congress.
To that end, the session will discuss contemporary and future-oriented
research on the use of "classic" forest management practices aimed at
developing new, modern aspects of traditional production forestry.
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18565&md5=bc6883e148…>
*Increment "autograph" by J. Friedrich, Austria, 1905.*
"We learn from past forest practices, but also plan for the future while
focusing on the present," said Dr. Chung. "It is important to share and
learn the state-of-the-art technologies in each discipline in forestry and
apply them across all forestry activities – from silviculture and genetics
to forest harvesting and products – to fully realize the benefits of new
technologies."
In addition to focusing on tangible classic products such as wood, the
session will also look at potentially new or future-oriented products –
bioenergy and bio-based products such as biofuels, ethanol, bio-based
adhesives, etc. – and products for human health promotion, food production
and pharmaceutical drugs.
Both scientists believe classic practices must continue to change.
As an example of how a practice might change, Dr. Chung noted that
potential soil and water damages from ground-based forest equipment are big
environmental concerns. Currently, to address those concerns, riparian
management areas are set aside and-or timber harvesting is restricted.
"However," he said, "recent development of sensors and remote sensing
technologies allow soil property and conditions to be measured at a high
spatial resolution and incorporated into skid trail network planning,
allowing machine paths to be avoided or reduced in wet, unstable or erosion
prone areas."
"Most operational forestry activities are carried out to provide economic
revenue, but it is also a basic principle of sustainable forest management
to safeguard the forest for future generations," said Dr. Skovsgaard. "For
this reason, forestry often considers conversion or transformation or
adaptation of past or current silvicultural practices towards something
‘better', something we believe will be better tailored towards future
demands, future climatic conditions, etc."
But, Dr. Skovsgaard said, new methods and technologies are generally being
imported to forestry rather than developed directly for forestry. This
means they often need to be adapted and "this process is often limited by
the small scale– when compared to other industries or professions – of
forestry, because it does not pay, or because we don't have enough volume
to fully implement new methods."
"We should be researching and developing our own tools, our own solutions,"
he said. "Right now, in many cases forestry can't afford the cost of
adaptation."
As an example, he noted that eye operations are being performed using laser
technology. "If or when laser technology is modified so that we can use the
technology to prune branches on future crop trees, it could greatly lower
production costs. But at this time, it is prohibitively expensive to adapt
laser technologies for this purpose," he said.
He suggested two possible solutions to this issue: if large forest
companies took on the responsibility for developing new technologies and
making them available to smaller forests owners at reasonable cost; and-or
if small-scale innovation companies or inventors did the development,
provided their idea or product could be viably commercialized.
But the main thing, Dr. Skovsgaard reiterated, is to get people thinking
about how existing operational forest-related techniques, approaches and
philosophies might be tweaked rather than jettisoned, to better serve
future forest needs.
Dr. Chung added: "Unique and different forest practices were developed in
different regions based on their traditions, culture and needs. Although we
can learn tremendously from other regions, sharing knowledge and experience
across the globe is somewhat limited. The role of IUFRO and this IUFRO
Congress address that very challenge."
*________________________________*
*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 Forestry "Classic" 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 #52, 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>*
7 years, 3 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #51: Pooling resources to meet sub-Saharan forest challenges
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #51 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: Thu, Aug 24, 2017 at 1:46 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #51: Pooling resources to
meet sub-Saharan forest challenges
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #51: Pooling resources to meet
sub-Saharan forest challenges
*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/>*
*Pooling resources to meet sub-Saharan forest challenges*
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/download/file/27092/6527/anniversary-congress-spotlig…>
*Training workshops for early and mid-career forest scientists across
FORNESSA countries contribute to enhancing research competence and
networking. (Photo by Michael Kleine, IUFRO)*
Collaboration and cooperation are the keys to facilitating learning and
making better use of research outcomes in sub-Saharan African countries
facing severe forestry challenges.
That's the philosophy behind Dr. Joseph Cobbinah's upcoming session on
the *impact
of forestry research on policy, livelihoods and economic development in
sub-Saharan Africa*. The session will take place at the IUFRO 125th
Congress in Freiburg in September.
Dr. Cobbinah, of the CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, is also
coordinator of the session. The session will provide a platform for
sharing knowledge and experience on common challenges and for discussing
measures and approaches to accelerate cooperation. It will allow
researchers from member institutions to present research outcomes that have
impacted policy, livelihoods and economic development in the region, he
said.
"Forest research, when properly designed managed and utilized, can play a
vital role in the formulation and implementation of SFM policies, improve
livelihoods and contribute to national GDPs," Dr. Cobbinah said.
In the sub-Saharan region of Africa in recent years, climate change has
caused specific, noticeable challenges, he said. "Due largely to erratic
rainfall patterns, soil moisture deficits have had major negative impacts
on forests and people in terms of forest growth, pests and diseases, food
security and basic health."
He went on to emphasize the importance of cooperation. "Ecological zones
often cut across national boundaries. Different countries may have common
ecological challenges. The rain forests of Central Africa, as an example,
are shared by a number of countries, as is the Miombo forest of the South
Eastern Region of Africa.
"Countries within these specific enclaves tend to have similar ecological,
social and economic challenges. In a region where institutions are
generally under-resourced, networking and cooperation allow for focusing
the minds of a critical mass of experts on common problems. It can avoid
duplication of efforts, act as a catalyst for the generation of knowledge,
facilitate collective learning, and allow the sharing of technology
development costs," he added.
Dr. Cobbinah says to make the most of the situation, there is a need to
change the way research is conducted. He feels that currently there is
often a lack of connection between the researchers, forest managers and
policy makers and the local communities, which are the direct beneficiaries
of the research.
He is hopeful his session will provide a pathway to better understand how
forest research results feed into policy decisions, contribute to economic
development and affect livelihoods in the region and also help rejuvenate
the FORNESSA (Forest Research Network for Sub-Saharan Africa) network.
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18504&md5=0e47077333…>
*Meeting of Directors of FORNESSA institutions to discuss strategic issues
of research priorities, collaboration and funding. (Photo by FRIM, Malawi)*
The network, a non-profit, non-governmental scientific organization, aims
to support and strengthen forestry research in order to improve the
conservation, sustainable management and utilization of forest resources
throughout the region.
Several issues have, in Dr. Cobbinah's opinion, hampered the network's
progress. Among them, he mentions a weak to non-existent IT infrastructure
in some institutions; uneven institutional development (many forest
researchers operate within agricultural institutes where their activities
are overshadowed by agriculture research); funding support that is weak in
some areas; and also language issues involved in dealing with scientists
from different colonial (Anglophone, Francophone and Portuguese)
backgrounds.
While he does not view the IUFRO Congress as a panacea, "it should help us
identify areas for collaboration and cooperation, allow us to share
information and be a step toward reinvigorating our network," Dr. Cobbinah
said.
*________________________________*
*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 sub-Saharan Africa 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 #51, 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>*
7 years, 3 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #50: Filling in knowledge gaps about natural disturbances and their interactions in
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #50 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 18, 2017 at 2:46 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #50: Filling in knowledge
gaps about natural disturbances and their interactions in
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #50: Filling in knowledge gaps about
natural disturbances and their interactions in mountain forests
*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/>*
*Filling in knowledge gaps about natural disturbances and their
interactions in mountain forests*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/27088/6523/anniversary-congress-spotligh…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18502&md5=833003b578…>
*Forest fire in protection forest. (Photo U. Wasem/WSL)*
In mountainous terrain they are called protection forests – forests that
protect human settlements and infrastructure against natural disturbances
such as rockfall, snow avalanche and shallow landslides.
Natural disturbances are becoming more and more important drivers in many
mountain chains worldwide, mainly because of past land-use legacies. But
also, under climate change, the incidence of some natural disturbances is
increasing.
These disturbances and their interactions can threaten human life and
property and can compromise the protection function of mountain forests.
"Certainly we have learned a fair amount in terms of understanding and
quantifying protection functions and disturbance interactions, but
knowledge gaps remain," said Dr. Peter Bebi of WSL-Institute for Snow and
Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland.
Dr. Bebi, who is coordinating a session entitled: *Natural hazards and
disturbance interactions in mountain forests* at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary in Freiburg in September, said some of the more important gaps
are related to management interventions associated with natural
disturbances such as windthrow, fire or beetle outbreaks.
"These can dramatically and abruptly change forest structure and function,
individually or through their interactions," he said. "It is crucial to
better understand how disturbances interact and how these interactions
affect gravitational natural hazards in different forest types.
"At this point," he continued, "we actually have little experience related
to interactions between gravitational natural hazards and other natural
disturbances in forests and related cascading processes."
As an example of interactions, he notes that a gravitational natural hazard
like an avalanche will leave a track down a mountainside. That avalanche
track may interact with another type of natural disturbance such as a
wildfire, by acting as a firebreak and retarding the fire's spread. But
with climate change, wildfires are increasing, so a better understanding of
how these two disturbances – as well as other types of gravitational and
non-gravitational disturbances – interact is critical to good management.
He anticipates his session will deal with four main points of discussion:
- The effect of different forest structural characteristics (including
different development stages, tree species composition and terrain
roughness) on natural hazard processes and how these characteristics change
over time;
- Ways and means to better quantify and account for the effect of such
forest characteristics;
- How the forest characteristics that are responsible for providing
protection function are affected by disturbances and their interactions; and
- The management implications that can be deduced from recent findings
on natural hazard processes in forested terrain and from expected changes
in forest structures and disturbance regimes in mountain forests.
"The future management of mountain forest ecosystems has to take into
account the important, and potentially increasing, influence of natural
disturbances," Dr. Bebi said. "It is not possible and, from an ecological
perspective, also not desirable to impede these natural disturbances.
However, where the protection of forests against natural hazards is
threatened by disturbances, management may focus on reducing risks and
increasing the resilience of these forests.
"This can be achieved by disturbance management that allows forests to
adapt to future environmental conditions and by counteracting the growing
biomass and reduced fragmentation," he said.
As examples of important mitigation measures, he suggested increasing
terrain roughness and resilience after natural disturbances by the
fostering of advance regeneration in combination with remaining dead woody
debris and setting up forest fire management plans in areas that have
protection forests where fires have not occurred for a long time but will
be more likely to happen in the future.
*________________________________*
*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 #50, 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>*
7 years, 3 months
- 1
- 0
Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #49: Citizen scientists around the world take to the woods in an effort to improve
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #49 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 11, 2017 at 2:46 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #49: Citizen scientists
around the world take to the woods in an effort to improve
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #49: Citizen scientists around the
world take to the woods in an effort to improve the health of forests
*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/>*
*Citizen scientists around the world take to the woods in an effort to
improve the health of forests*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/27084/6522/anniversary-congress-spotligh…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18501&md5=2f23f3a645…>
*Involving the public in the scientific process is a primary objective.
(Photo Pixabay)*
The coordinator of a session on citizen science planned for the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress is aiming high.
He hopes the session will inspire discussion about the merit and potential
of a global initiative on invasive forest pest monitoring, with special
emphasis and resources for countries with developing economies.
The focus is on invasive species because people are major drivers of their
spread. Consumer demand drives globalization and the international trade
in ornamental plants, which is a major contributor to the invasive problem.
"There are simply not enough scientists studying invasive forest pests and
pathogens, especially in much of the world with developing economies," said
Joseph Hulbert, of the Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute in
Pretoria, South Africa and the session coordinator. "The more observers and
forest protectors we have, the better chance we have of detecting a new
problem early enough to control it.
Citizen science is a growing phenomenon because it is increasingly
recognized as a method to facilitate research at broad scales with
relatively low costs and it provides an avenue for outreach and education.
Scientists are now designing projects and studies that completely rely on
public participation. There are many citizen science projects globally,
but there are not many global initiatives, Hulbert noted. He is hopeful the
Congress session will change that.
"There is exceptional merit in engaging the public in invasive species
monitoring, but citizen science is about more than that," he said.
"Involving the public in the scientific process is a primary objective.
Participating in research teaches us rigor, thoughtfulness, thoroughness,
and care. Engaging the public in research can increase scientific literacy,
foster critical thinking, inform more decisions, and improve citizenship.
"Everyone has a little bit of scientist in them. It is why we are curious.
Citizen science initiatives are opportunities to release that inner
scientist," Hulbert added.
As an example of how citizen science works and its benefits, he points to
the Observatree project in the UK where, in 2016 many volunteers surveyed
and submitted pest and disease reports. Of 800 reports submitted, 300
turned up priority tree pests and diseases.
Models of citizen science, from the UK, Europe, the US, New Zealand and
South Africa will converge and share their experiences and methods of
public engagement using the Congress as a showcase.
Many of the presentations will speak of the different audiences they engage
and will explain how citizens – adults and children – are provided with
basic training enabling them to be effective observers, how they are
equipped with the knowledge to collect data, report issues or take action.
The title of the session is "*Early detection and monitoring of invasive
forest pests and pathogens with citizen science*".
*________________________________*
*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 #49, 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>*
7 years, 3 months
- 1
- 0
Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #48: Forest tourism can mean billions in economic benefits
by Sheila Ward
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>*
7 years, 3 months
- 1
- 0
Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #47: Remote forest-dependent communities can benefit through social innovation
by Sheila Ward
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>*
7 years, 3 months
- 1
- 0
Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #46: Getting a handle on future needs of forestland owners
by Sheila Ward
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>*
7 years, 3 months
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- 0
Fwd: IUFRO Spotlight #45 - If you're 'remotely' interested in monitoring biodiversity…
by Sheila Ward
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>*
7 years, 3 months
- 1
- 0
Fwd: IUFRO Spotlight #44 - Evidence linking community forest rights and improved forest condition inconclusive
by Sheila Ward
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>*
7 years, 3 months
- 1
- 0