[MPWG] NWFP-Digest-L No. 11/04
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Mon Dec 6 08:14:11 CST 2004
You may find several articles of interest...
Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA 22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>
----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 12/06/2004 09:10
AM -----
"Etherington,
Tina (FOPP)" To: nwfp-digest-L at mailserv.fao.org
<Tina.Etheringto cc:
n at fao.org> Subject: NWFP-Digest-L No. 11/04
11/30/2004 10:17
AM
NWFP-Digest-L
No. 11/04
Welcome to FAO's NWFP-Digest-L a free e-mail journal that covers all
aspects of non-wood forest products. A special thank you to all those who
have shared information with us.
Back issues of the Digest may be found on FAO's NWFP home page:
www.fao.org/forestry/foris/webview/fop/index.jsp?siteId=2301&langId=1
==============================================================
IN THIS ISSUE:
PRODUCTS
1. Bamboo: Mexican farmers eyeing international
bamboo market
2. Bushmeat in Ghana: Fewer fish means more bushmeat
eaten in Ghana
3. Bushmeat in the Upper Guinea Forest: Hunting to
extinction ? addressing the threat of the bushmeat trade to wildlife
4. Bushmeat in Kenya: Beware, that juicy meat could
be from the bush!
5. Ecotourism: Damming Belize
6. Medicinal plants: Treating malaria with herbal
medicines
7. Medicinal Plants: Cancer bush has medicinal
properties
8. Sandalwood: India bugs trees in high-tech
crackdown on illegal logging
COUNTRY INFORMATION
9. Australia: Aboriginals warn against locking
forests away
10. Azerbaijan: Memorandum of Understanding between
Azerbaijan Government and WWF
11. Brazil: over 2 million hectares declared protected
in Brazilian Amazon
12. Georgia: Forest reforms seek to curtail catastrophe
13. India: Greener pastures for forest tribals
14. Philippines: Common tropical plants yield new
natural dyes
15. Singapore's wildlife trade seizures highlight
regional enforcement challenges
16. Tanzania: Mkapa slams multinationals over biopiracy
17. Uganda: Kabale gets ready to export honey
NEWS
18. Eucalyptus: Insect attacks popular eucalyptus
19. Evaluation of FAO Forestry Sector Outlook Studies
20. Forests and conflict
21. Taiga Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)
EVENTS
22. The Third International Medicinal Mushroom
Conference
LITERATURE REVIEW AND WEB SITES
23. Proceedings of International Workshop on Bamboo
Industrial Utilization
24. Sudan Silva
25. Other publications of interest
26. Web sites and e-zines
MISCELLANEOUS
27. Can biodiversity loss and poverty be tackled
together?
28. AviBase ? The World Bird Database
==============================================================
PRODUCTS
1. Bamboo: Mexican farmers eyeing international bamboo market
Source: Linkages Update, 13 November 2004
Mexican farmers are taking an interest in bamboo production, according to a
recent Associated Press report. Bambuver, a private group in Mexico that
was formed to promote the bamboo industry, receives government funds and
coordinates its activities with private organizations and universities. It
is also talking with private Mexican industries about using bamboo in
construction and paper production and as a fuel. A type of grass that
thrives in diverse climates, bamboo can grow into 100-foot timber stalks.
It also grows quickly, taking only three years for a farmer to develop a
bamboo plantation.
China currently claims about half the global bamboo market,
which is valued at approximately US$10 billion. Analysts predict the market
could be worth $20 billion by 2015, led by US demand for paper. Bamboo from
Mexico could reach Europe in 11 days versus the 44 days required to
transport imports from China and Thailand. Mexican bamboo producers also
see their efforts as one way to reclaim US market share that has been lost
to China over textiles, televisions, automobiles and computer parts.
BACK TO TOP
2. Bushmeat: Fewer fish means more bushmeat eaten in Ghana
Source: Science, in SciDev.Net Weekly Update: 8 - 14 November 2004
Declines in fish catches lead directly to increased hunting and consumption
of wildlife, according to a study published on 12 November in Science. The
research shows that unsustainable fishing practices can have far-reaching
consequences for poverty alleviation, food security and biodiversity
conservation.
By comparing fish catches in Ghana between 1970 and 1998 with
mammal populations in six of the country's nature reserves, researchers
from Ghana, Canada, the United Kingdom and United States found that when
fish was plentiful, mammal populations increased. When fish was scarce,
numbers of mammals fell.
Fish supplies were highly variable during the study period ?
varying by up to 24 per cent between consecutive years. Changes in the
abundance of mammals could not be linked to other factors, such as
rainfall, temperature, oil prices, and gross national product.
The researchers did, however, find other evidence of a link between
fisheries and wildlife consumption. Sightings of hunters in nature reserves
increased in years when fish supplies were low. Bushmeat sales in markets
increased in months following a drop in fish supply and increase in fish
price. And the link between declines in wildlife and reduced fish supplies
was greatest in reserves nearer to the coast.
Increased consumption of bushmeat in apparent compensation for
declines in other foods has long been suspected, but this is the first time
this 'protein limitation hypothesis' has been tested. It suggests that
wildlife is not consumed as a luxury good but as an essential source of
protein in Ghana.
"Local, regional and foreign governments must look closely at their
fisheries policies and work together to find sustainable levels of harvest
to ensure a steady food supply in West Africa to maintain the millions of
people in the region whose livelihoods are tied to fishing" says Justin
Brashares, lead author of the Science paper. Brashares said that the
researchers think their findings will apply in other countries.
"Bushmeat is an important contributor to household income and
food supply not only in much of Africa but also South and Central America,
and parts of Asia," says Brashares. "Ongoing work in other parts of West
and Central Africa, and the Americas and Asia suggests a strong link
between fish supply and people's reliance on wildlife on land for food and
income."
Link to full paper by Brashares et al in Science
Reference: Science 306, 1180 (2004)
BACK TO TOP
3. Bushmeat: Hunting to extinction: addressing the threat of the
bushmeat trade to wildlife in the Upper Guinea Forest
Source: CEPF E-News, November 2004
Conservation International carried out the project "Hunting to extinction:
addressing the threat of the bushmeat trade to wildlife in the Upper Guinea
Forest" from January 2001 to April 2004.
This project, which was conducted over several years in Ghana,
has been extremely successful in increasing the public's awareness of the
crisis created by the bushmeat trade for biodiversity conservation in the
country. The project established a National Stakeholders task force which
mobilized stakeholders (chiefs, elders, NGOs, government officials,
bushmeat traders, and representatives of development organizations) to
adopt a concerted effort and a multifaceted approach to deal with the
crisis. During the National Conference on the bushmeat crisis, stakeholders
adopted a National Bushmeat Extinction Declaration as a guiding principle
for the conservation of wildlife in Ghana, which is known now as the Accra
Declaration. The project has been instrumental in the drafting of new
legislation to control bushmeat trade and indiscriminate hunting which is
currently under Parliamentary Review. It has also encouraged the government
to take an active role in the protection of endangered species by
empowering the Wildlife Division to enforce existing regulations. Due to
research conducted by the project, and publicized results through the
National media campaign, the general public is now alert as to public
health implications of consuming bushmeat caught with pesticides which has
reduced public demand. The project has produced a number of reports and
resource documents, which are available upon request.
Extracted from the final project completion report of 25 August 2004. The
full report is available at:
www.cepf.net/ImageCache/cepf/content/pdfs/final_2eci_2ebushmeat_2epdf/v1/final.ci.bushmeat.pdf
For more information about this project, please contact:
Jessica Donovan
Conservation International
1919 M Street, NW Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: 202-912-1706
Fax: 202-912-1026
Email: jdonovan at conservation.org
BACK TO TOP
4. Bushmeat: Beware, that juicy meat could be from the bush!
Source: The East African Standard (Nairobi), 10 November 2004
The chances of the sizzling, mouth-watering meat served Nairobi's residents
being from wild game are as high as 30 per cent, a report revealed
yesterday. And the experts who carried out the survey say they do not know
from what animals the meats used in their sample were extracted.
The survey conducted by a youth lobby, Youth For Conservation
(YFC,) and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) showed that Nairobians
unknowingly buy bushmeat from butcheries across the city.
According to the report, 25 percent of the meat being sold in the
butcheries is bushmeat, while 19 percent is domestic meat mixed with
bushmeat. It further says that only 42 percent of the meat is domestic
meat, while 13 percent could not be identified.
The shocking report was developed and funded by the globally
renowned Born Free Foundation of the United Kingdom.
The survey was conducted over a period of one month in three
zones of the city - the shopping centres, informal settlements, and the
Central Business District (CBD). It sought to establish whether bushmeat is
sold in Nairobi and randomly selected 202 butcheries from the three zones.
Of the areas sampled, the shopping centres had the highest
occurrence of bushmeat with 30 percent followed closely by the informal
settlements at 23 percent then NCBD at 13 percent.
The report recommends that similar studies be carried out in
other major urban centers to enable the government to articulate an
effective national campaign against trade in wild game. It also says that
the Attorney General should offer advice to the courts as to the severity
of the penalties that would stop commercial poaching.
The report says it is vital to educate Kenyans on the impacts
of bushmeat trade and its effects on people's health and the wildlife.
Addressing a news conference, YFC Director Josphat Ngonyo
appealed to the Government to crack down on the trade to save the tourism
industry from collapse and to ensure Kenyans lived a healthy life. He said
chances of disease transmission from the animals to humans were very high
because no doctors conducted tests to verify if the meat was safe. "We
don't want our people to get anthrax. An outbreak of the disease will also
be a big blow to the tourism industry," he said.
He said his lobby would next move to identify the specific
animals from which the meats are extracted in order to determine the areas
from which the animals were poached.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200411110195.html
BACK TO TOP
5. Ecotourism: Damming Belize
Source: Our Planet, E/The Environmental Magazine [newsletter1 at emagazine.com
]
Belize's western mountains are an ecotourist's dream: a largely uninhabited
region of dense tropical forests, wild rivers, cave complexes, Maya ruins
and bountiful wildlife. While many of its Central American neighbours were
clearing forests to make way for slash-and-burn agriculture, Belize has
been making far more money keeping the trees in place. Today tourism?almost
all of it nature-based?accounts for a fifth of the nation's economic
activity and employs a quarter of its workforce. The mountainous Cayo
region is one of the main draws.
But Belize's government is dead-set on building a dam on the
upper Macal River, smack in the heart of Cayo. The $30 million Chalillo dam
will flood 2,800 acres of tropical forest that is home to jaguars, ocelots,
tapirs and the country's only known flock of the rare and colorful scarlet
macaw. "This is the prettiest river in the country," says Mick Fleming, who
owns the Chaa Creek Lodge, an ecotourism resort set in the jungle 20 miles
downstream from the dam site. "We're going to lose something incredibly
valuable in return for an extremely small amount of power." Plenty of
people in Cayo agree with Fleming's assessment. The city council in the
district capital, San Ignacio, opposes the dam.
Belize is extremely short on electricity, but it's unclear
whether Chalillo is the best way to meet the shortfall. Fortis Inc., the
big Canadian company that will build, own and operate the $30 million dam,
says it will double generating capacity on the Macal River. "We believe
hydroelectricity is the most environmentally friendly type of energy out
there and the most cost-effective for Belize," says spokesperson Donna
Hynes.
But while the dam will substantially boost domestic electricity
production, most of the power will be generated at times of day when it is
more expensive than importing it from Mexico. A 2000 study by the
California-based Conservation Strategy Fund estimated the project would be
a net drag on the Belizean economy. The dam is also being built near an
active fault line, and Fortis admitted that it mischaracterized the
geological properties of the site.
For full story, please see: www.emagazine.com/view/?2103
BACK TO TOP
6. Medicinal plants: Treating malaria with herbal medicines
Source: British Medical Journal in SciDev.Net Weekly Update: 8 - 14
November 2004
More than 1 200 plants are used to treat malaria and fevers, and the two
main sources of anti-malarial drugs used today are derived from plants that
have been used traditionally for hundreds or thousands of years.
In an article in the British Medical Journal, Merlin L Willcox
and Gerard Bodeker provide an overview of research on herbal medicines used
to treat malaria. Few trials of anti-malarial plants have been conducted,
and studies often do not have enough detail on how medicines are prepared
or sufficient data on the efficacy of such plants. Although most studies
provide little information on side effects, some patients in one trial
stopped the treatment because of minor side effects.
Prioritizing species for future research can be facilitated
using the researchers' 'IVmal' index of how widely used different plants
are. This allowed the identification of 11 species of plants used to treat
malaria in all three tropical regions ? Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Although such plants may be the best targets for future research, the
authors suggest that variations between formulations of individual remedies
? rather than the species they are derived from ? should also be
considered.
Link to full article in the British Medical Journal
BACK TO TOP
7. Medicinal Plants: Cancer bush has medicinal properties
Source: Sapa, 15 November 2004
An indigenous plant used for centuries as a tonic and cancer treatment has
been scientifically shown to have medicinal properties, researchers said on
Monday. Two independent studies at South African universities have
demonstrated the stress-relieving and anti-oxidant properties of
Sutherlandia frutescens, otherwise known as Cancer Bush", said Phyto Nova,
a company that produces medicines from the plant. It is known in Zulu and
Xhosa as Unwele (hair) because it is believed to stop you "pulling out you
hair" from distress. San cultures call it Insisa: "the one that dispels
darkness".
"The plant is very variable. It grows wild all over the
country," said botany professor and medicinal plant expert Ben-Erik van
Wyk. He said the particular strain used in the research had been developed
by his company from plants that had been cultivated for medicine for many
generations. This strain (Sutherlandia SU1) is already available at
pharmacies and health stores, costing about R35 to R50 for a month's
treatment. It had been tested and shown to be safe by the Medical Research
Council, Van Wyk said.
Medicines made from the small red-flowered legume are used by
people from many different cultures, and there are several companies that
produce, and even export Sutherlandia products.
However, until these two studies, and another study by Canadian
researchers were accepted for publication earlier this year, there was no
scientific evidence of the plant's curative effect.
For full story, please see:
http://www.africanconservation.org/dcforum/DCForumID27/57.html
BACK TO TOP
8. Sandalwood: India bugs trees in high-tech crackdown on illegal
logging
Source: The Independent (Delhi), 12 November 2004
The state of Kerala (India) is resorting to drastic measures to defend its
dwindling forests of rare sandalwood trees from illegal logging. Its Forest
Department is planning to use satellite tracking to protect the trees.
Under the plan, microchips will be embedded inside the trees. Forestry
officials will then be able to use a satellite to monitor the trees. Not
only will any attempt to cut them down be detected ? the Forest Department
will be able to trace the movements of any smugglers who try to take timber
out of the area.
The trade in contraband sandalwood is one of the most lucrative
in India.
Amid the money and greed, India's precious reserves are in
increasing danger. Just three years ago, there were 62 000 sandalwood trees
in Kerala's Marayur Forest. This year, there are 55 000. The last sizeable
sandalwood forests in the world are in southern India, spread across
Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Deforestation is a serious problem for India's people. The
stripping away of the forests has contributed to several successive years
of drought and farmers are known to have committed suicide due to ruined
crops.
A properly managed and sustainable trade in sandalwood is vital
to the region's economy. The sandalwood tree has been prized for its
natural scent for centuries and its oil is used in the manufacture of
perfumes all over the world. Sandalwood is also used in incense ? an
esoteric buy in the West, but a staple in much of Asia. And the soft,
scented wood is prized for carving and it is used in some Indian medicines.
All this puts sandalwood in big demand - but there are
relatively few sources.
Sources elsewhere have been overexploited. In Australia, most
of the little that is left is protected and Indonesia's stocks are almost
exhausted.
With its huge reserves, India has done more than anywhere else
to set up a sustainable trade in sandalwood, with strict laws on when trees
can be felled and planting to replenish the forests. But the implementation
of the laws is poor. Local politicians are often paid by smugglers and the
huge forests are too big to patrol.
Satellite tracking will enable officials to monitor the forests
and hopefully, with publicity, shame the politicians into action.
BACK TO TOP
COUNTRY INFORMATION
9. Australia: Aboriginals warn against locking forests away
Source: ABC Tasmania, 2 October 2004 (in Community Forestry E-News 2004.10)
Logging in old-growth forests is on the election policy agenda. The
Tasmanian Aboriginal Land Council (TALC) has warned the federal government
and opposition against locking away any more of the State's old-growth
forests. The council has placed full-page advertisements in the State's
three newspapers asking the major parties not to interfere in the forests.
The advertisement says that locking away forests in national parks and
conservation reserves does not necessarily meet the interests of the
Aboriginal community. The manager of the TALC, Glenn Shaw, says the
aboriginal community resents conservationists claiming they know what is
best for the land.
For the full text, see
http://www.abc.net.au/tasmania/news/200410/s1211738.htm_
BACK TO TOP
10. Azerbaijan: Memorandum of Understanding between Azerbaijan
Government and WWF
Source: Info CENN [info at cenn.org], CENN 73, 28.10.04,
A memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Minister of
Ecology and Natural Resources Protection of Azerbaijan Mr. Gusain Bagirov
and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) Europe and Middle East Program
Director Mr. Magnus Sylven.
The key objectives of the Memorandum is to elaborate mutual
initiatives in environment protection and natural resources sustainable use
in Azerbaijan and development of cooperation between the Ministry and
international environmental organizations.
The Memorandum of Understanding addresses the following
directions: biodiversity conservation, establishing and expansion of
protected territories, natural resources sustainable use, legislative,
social and economic sides of environmental activity, protection of flora
and fauna, combating against deforestation and desertification, climate
change, forest policy, restoration of forest areas, programs for
international environmental education and experience exchange.
BACK TO TOP
11. Brazil: over 2 million hectares declared protected in Brazilian
Amazon
Source: Linkages Update - 13 November 2004
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva created two new environmental
reserves in the Amazon on 9 November 2004. The reserves are to be
classified as "extractavist" reserves, meaning that the local population
will be allowed to remain in the area to tap rubber, pick fruits and nuts
and extract regenerating goods from the forest. The new reserves will
protect over 2 million hectares in the Amazon state of Para.
Greenpeace's Amazon campaign coordinator Paulo Adario expressed
pleasure with "the government's decision to honour its commitment to
protect the planet's biggest tropical forest and the communities that live
in them."
The announcement came on the heels of the release, at the
October meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission, of
FAO projections that the region will see less natural forest cover but more
protected areas and forest plantations by 2020.
For full article, please see: www.iisd.ca/media/forests_deserts_land.htm
BACK TO TOP
12. Georgia: Forest reforms seek to curtail catastrophe
Source: The Messenger, 4 November 2004 (in CENN v 5 November 2004 Daily
Digest)
The Georgian Forestry Department together with the Ministry of
Environmental Protection and Natural Resources has drafted a new
legislative reform for managing Georgia's forests. According to
specialists, the main points of the reform should be urgently passed or
else an ecological catastrophe will become unavoidable.
Although rich with forests, Georgia has seen its trees
viciously harvested over the last 15 years with little attention towards
reforestation or management of natural resources. And despite frequent
discussions of the issue, little has been done to improve the sector.
Local residents cut trees for firewood and to sell to
neighbours; larger regional clans have taken root that illegally log and
sell timber abroad for tremendous profits, especially since they pay
virtually nothing for the wood.
According to the law, foresters and law enforcement are
responsible for stopping the illegal logging, but limited resources make
their mission unachievable. As a result, corruption has flourished and
illegal logging has become a mainstay for numerous individuals at the
expense of the state budget and Georgia's timber resources.
The forest industry as a business has lost most of its
aboveboard presence, largely as a result of the lack of an effective
national forestry policy. Ideally, the forest management should be financed
by the proper use of its resources, and state income should be reinvested
in the forests via replanting.
One proposed solution foreseen in the new draft law is
privatization. However the head of the Forestry Department has stated that
before laws are passed, it would be inappropriate to comment on the issue
but that it would be beneficial if the forests are leased out and the
government introduces the principle of long-term use of forests.
According to the paper 24 Saati, the aim of forestry reform is
to develop such a plan, to solve the problems of environment protection, to
increase budget revenues, to support private industry and to establish new
technologies in the sector. The paper adds that the draft borrows from the
experience of developed countries like Australia, which implemented reforms
in 1996, as well as Finland, Estonia, Switzerland and Slovenia. How Georgia
will manage the reforms, and its forests, remains to be seen.
BACK TO TOP
13. India: Greener pastures for forest tribals
Source: News Today, 12 October 2004 (in Community Forestry E-News 2004.10)
Amidst the thick growth of vegetation in the forest ranges of Krishnagiri
district, stirrings of a silent socio-economic change are felt. A change in
attitude and approach of the forest department personnel has changed the
lives of tribals and landless poor for the better. People from about 120
villages, who have been adopted by the forest department in Krishnagiri
district under two schemes, no longer listen to the Naxals, or Maoist
rebels, but alert the forest staff on the movements of Naxals and poachers
alike.
A group of journalists from Chennai who visited some obscure
villages in the forest ranges of Denkanikotta, Krishnagiri and Royakotta
and interacted with the tribals saw the multi-faceted programmes, primarily
aimed at afforestation and covering all aspects of development like food
security, water, education, health, housing and employment.
The recent announcement of the State government allotting all
minor forest produce ? like herbs, lichens, honey, tubers tamarind, fruits
etc ? free of cost for the tribals has given a boost to the development
works by providing livelihoods for the people and preventing them from
degrading the forests in the manner they had been doing for generations.
By coopting villagers in the task of forest and environmental
protection, the forest department has helped to expand their horizons.
When the first moves were made to reach out to the villagers
over two years ago, forest and government officials of the districts were
shocked at the living conditions of the tribals. In the interim, their
living standards (while still behind those of people in the plains) have
improved.
For the full text, see http://newstodaynet.com/12OCT/SS3.HTM
BACK TO TOP
14. Philippines: Common tropical plants yield new natural dyes
Source: SciDev.Net Weekly Update: 25 to 31 October 2004
Common plants could help cut the Philippines's reliance on imported
synthetic dyes and reduce the pollution they cause, according to
researchers there.
The scientists, from the Philippine Textile Research Institute
(PTRI), have identified 26 species of plants ? including mangrove trees, a
type of onion, and guava and cashew nut trees ? that could be used to
produce high-quality natural dyes. The PTRI ? an institute of the
Philippine Department of Science and Technology ? has also developed
techniques for efficiently extracting the dyes.
The species are widely distributed in the Philippines and in
other tropical countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Zenaida de
Guzman, who led the research, told SciDev.Net the plants can be easily
cultivated in humid regions.
The textile industry discharges toxic waste into water systems
and, according to the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural
Resources, is one of the main sources of environmental pollution. This is
due in part to the use of synthetic dyes, which are more abundant, cheaper
and easier to apply than natural dyes. The Philippines has been importing
most of its dyeing, tanning and other colouring materials because of the
absence of local manufacturers of either synthetic or natural dyestuffs,
PTRI reported.
To address this problem, PTRI has been collaborating with other
agencies to develop technologies for extracting and applying natural dyes.
"The government should continue its efforts to revive the natural dyeing
technology ? not only in order to cut down the country's reliance on
synthetic dye imports but also to explore benefits that can be derived from
indigenous sources," PTRI director Carlos Tomboc told SciDev.net.
The Philippine Textile Research Institute is compiling a book
containing information about the plants and their applications. They expect
the book will be available in January 2005.
For full article, please see:
www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=1697&language=1
BACK TO TOP
15. Singapore's wildlife trade seizures highlight regional
enforcement challenges
From: Maija Sirola [Maija.Sirola at trafficint.org], Press Briefing, 15.11.04
Seizures of smuggled CITES-listed species by Singaporean authorities in
recent weeks illustrate exactly why there is a need for greater regional
and international co-operation to combat the persistent illegal wildlife
trade, according to TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network.
Singapore's interception of marine turtle eggs, reptile skins
and sandalwood illustrate the variety of challenges facing law enforcement
officers in South-east Asia as wild animal and plant products move through
the trade chain of export, import, domestic sale and re-export. Not only
do authorities have to monitor compliance with the various national and
international trade regulations, including the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), but detecting
smuggled cargoes concealed with other commodities makes the job even more
difficult.
"The illegal trade in wild animals and plants has been shown to
be a critically important force contributing to localised species
extinctions," says Chris R. Shepherd of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.
"Singapore's commendable enforcement actions are the sort of efforts that
are needed to increase the deterrents to organized smuggling in South-east
Asia."
TRAFFIC Southeast Asia works with Singapore and other
governments in the region to ensure trade in wildlife is carried out in a
legal and sustainable manner.
Three seizures of the CITES Appendix II-listed Red Sandalwood,
an aromatic wood found only in India, have been made by Singaporean
authorities in 2004. The shipments, totalling 56 tonnes, were all
intercepted by Customs officers after arriving from India ? and two out of
the three shipments were concealed with other commodities including cereals
and coconut husks.
"Singapore's role as a regional import-export emporium makes it
a logical place to concentrate increased law enforcement efforts to
intercept illegal wildlife trade," Shepherd said. "But it won't be long
before smugglers start using other routes to avoid Singapore due to the
increased chance of detection. It is therefore vital that all countries in
South-east Asia work together to counter illegal wildlife trade," he added.
However, progress has been made towards greater co-operation
with CITES in South-east Asia with a framework agreement, the ASEAN
Statement on CITES, announced last month by the 10 countries which make up
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Successful
implementation of this set of commitments will include an increase in
co-ordinated law enforcement responses to wildlife trade in the region.
TRAF
For further information, please contact:
Chris Shepherd, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia Regional Programme Officer in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
E-mail: cstsea at po.jaring.my tel +603 7880 3940,
or
Maija Sirola, TRAFFIC Communications Co-ordinator in Cambridge, UK
E-mail: maija.sirola at trafficint.org, tel +44 1223 277427.
www.traffic.org/publications/pubs_tsea.html
www.traffic.org/25/network9/ASEAN/index.html).
BACK TO TOP
16. Tanzania: Mkapa slams multinationals over biopiracy
Source: The Guardian, Dar es Salaam, 21 October 2004 (in BIO-IPR, 11.11.04)
President Benjamin Mkapa criticized multinational corporations for their
tendency to engage in biopiracy of indigenous African knowledge in order to
reap huge profits. President Mkapa made the remarks when speaking at the
launch of the World Bank publication Indigenous Knowledge (IK): Local
Pathways to Global Development in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
The President said: "The global intellectual property rights
regime must prevent bio-piracy that seeks to patent biological materials,
especially plants, known throughout our generations for their value and
altered in laboratories to claim an invention and win a patent." He added:
"? multinationals make huge profits from exploiting African biodiversity.
It is imperative, therefore, that the IK within the intellectual property
rights regime be reappraised to allow communities and countries to also lay
claims to the intrinsic knowledge extracted from IK without recompense."
President Mkapa also said Africans had in many cases been
losing their own property based on IK as a result of ongoing biopiracy. "In
many cases, we have lost what has been ours but which has been exploited by
others and ultimately even rendered inaccessible to us as original
contributors to the value chain of what turned out to be commercially
available products," he said.
Explaining on the crucial role of IK, he said over 4 000
HIV/Aids patients in Tanga who had missed out on antiretroviral drugs were
still alive because of treatment they had been receiving from traditional
healers equipped with IK.
"The IK notes have proven that Africa has rich reservoir of
trans-generational knowledge and practical experiences that can be
exploited to complement our development efforts," he said and added that IK
was an important tool for fighting poverty through locally based
innovations.
President Mkapa said Tanzania's goal for developing IK was to
embark on a programme aimed at fostering community propagation of IK
achievements, supporting IK innovations and mainstreaming IK into
professional training in health, agriculture and livestock-keeping.
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17. Uganda: Kabale gets ready to export honey
Source: The Monitor (Kampala), 15 November 2004
The government is to invest in a honey processing plant in Kabale. The
Kabale Woman MP and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Ms. Hope
Mwesigye, said the decision is based on the large supply of honey from the
district. She said the plant would process honey for export, provide market
for honey farmers and create employment.
Mwesigye called on farmers to produce more honey to sustain the
processing plant through the years. She said market for the processed honey
has been identified in the Great Lakes Region and within Uganda. "Use local
and modern methods of keeping bees to have increased production of honey so
that you can sustain the processing plant. Plant trees and flowers to act
as food centers for the bees if they are to make for you enough honey," she
said.
She advised farmers to get loans from the banking institutions
to boost their business enterprises.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200411150753.html
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NEWS
18. Eucalyptus: Insect attacks popular eucalyptus
Source: The Nation (Nairobi), 18 November 2004
The now popular hybrid Eucalyptus tree faces destruction (in Kenya) by an
insect that invaded the country from Uganda. Scientists estimate that about
40 percent of Kenya's forests could be destroyed. Eucalyptus trees form the
single biggest family of plantation species in Kenya's forestry.
Scientists liken the threat to the 1990 massive destruction of
cypress trees by an alien pest in Kenya. The blue gum chalcid is an insect
in the bee-wasp family and like the eucalyptus, it is a native of
Australia. It has extensively damaged the Eucalyptus in Iran, Israel,
Morocco, Italy and Uganda. In Kenya, it entered from the western direction
where it is doing great damage.
According to Eston Mutitu, a senior researcher at the Kenya
Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), the country is yet to come up with a
solution to counter the destructive insect. However trials are underway to
introduce a biological control. Addressing a scientific conference at KEFRI
earlier this month, Mutitu said the most affected are the now popular
tissue culture species compared to traditional ones that have been in the
country since the early colonial days.
The chalcid kills the tree by feeding on the leaves, especially
in its larval and adult stages.
There are over 800 species of Eucalyptus worldwide, with Kenya
hosting some 600 of these. Where scientific evaluations are done in an
exercise called species-site matching, the tree can be used to support
local biodiversity. The sunbirds and many insects for example, find
Eucalyptus forests a very conducive home due to plenty of food in form of
flower nectar.
The tea and tobacco industries find it ten times cheaper to
cure their leaves using Eucalyptus firewood in their furnaces compared to
fuel oil. Not surprisingly, the different tea farms in the country and the
Tea Research Foundation have the biggest acreages of Eucalyptus forests,
even surpassing those of the Forest Department (FD).
Eucalyptus is also widely used in the pharmaceutical industry
especially in making nose-unblocking sticks and skin rubbing ointments.
Sweets, toothpastes and confectionaries are also blended with Eucalyptus
oil for flavour. Honey made by bees feeding on Eucalyptus flowers is also
recognised as one of the best in the world. As a result, Australia is a
leading honey producer.
Thirty percent of paper made in Kenya comes from Eucalyptus
pulpwood. The other 70 per cent is from pine which was introduced by the
colonial government from New Zealand.
If properly pruned, Eucalyptus grows in a straight posture
(stand) making very good poles. The local telephone and electricity
companies find the tree very useful in the extension of their landlines.
Where the tree is needed for firewood, it is not pruned but is
instead allowed to grow in multiple-bushy branches. The tree can yield big
wood volumes in a relatively short time of about five years.
Scientists at KEFRI say that it may take time to contain the
blue gum chalcid since they are yet able to identify its natural enemy.
They say that although the local spider feeds on the chalcid, it is not
effective enough. Any biological agent imported to fight the chalcid will
first need to undergo strict quarantine conditions to ensure that it does
not have negative secondary effects on other local plants and animals.
The problem of tree pests in the country is bound to affect the
forestry sector more in future as new organisms imported through germplasm
(plant material) attack local plants. This will need a lot of surveillance
both in terms of manpower and many geographic monitoring sites.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200411170900.html
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19. Evaluation of FAO Forestry Sector Outlook Studies
From: Adrian Whiteman, adrian.whiteman at fao.org
During the last six years, FAO has produced forestry sector outlook studies
or projection studies at the global level and for Africa and the
Asia-Pacific region.
In the more distant past, we have also produced studies for
Europe and North America (with the UNECE) and we are currently finalizing a
new study for Europe and one for Latin America. Copies of these studies can
be obtained from me or from the FAO website at:
www.fao.org/forestry/outlook.
As part of our efforts to improve our work on forestry sector
outlook studies, we are evaluating our past work in this area. It would
help us greatly if you would take the time to participate in our survey. We
are using an on-line (internet) questionnaire for this survey and you can
access this by clicking on:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=51607580814 (in ENGLISH),
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=38027673302 (in FRENCH),
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=63473673428 (in SPANISH).
Alternatively, if you would like to get the survey by e-mail
please contact Adrian Whiteman at Adrian.Whiteman at FAO.ORG.
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20. Forests and conflict
Source: Forest Policy Info Mailing List, 4 November 2004
ARD, Inc. has been working with USAID's Asia and Near East Bureau on
examining the links between forests and conflict. Following is a brief
description of the issue and our project's background.
Forest Conflict: A Critical Development Issue: Conflict that is financed or
sustained through the harvest and sale of timber, or conflict that emerges
as a result of competition over timber or other forest resources hinders
equitable development, impoverishes local communities and contributes to
instability in many countries in Asia. Strong links exist between conflict
over timber and poor, inequitable systems of governance. The situation is
further exacerbated by ambiguous resource tenure and loose financial
oversight, which can generate incentives for powerful individual actors
(military, police, politicians) to engage in conflict timber activities.
Project Background: The Technical Support Office of the Asia Near East
Bureau of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
developed two projects, "Conflict Timber: Dimensions of the Problem in Asia
and Africa," and "Managing Conflict in Asian Forest Communities" that
examines causes and effects of forest-related conflict. ARD, Inc. was
contracted to develop both country case studies and analytical overviews
from which there is a strong body of data on the severity of
forestry-related conflict.
We would like to invite interested individuals to view work
that we and others are developing for this topic. These periodic products
can also be found online at www.ard-biofor.com/asiaconflict.htm.
If you would like to receive more information on this topic,
please contact tsimmons at ardinc.com
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21. Taiga Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)
Source: Damien Lee TRN [info at taigarescue.org]
An NTFP workshop, held during the Taiga Rescue Network (TRN) 7th Biennial
Meeting, took place on 21 September 2004 in Vladivostok, Russian Far East.
The top outcomes of the Session were:
1. Nature tourism will reduce logging and save NTFPs
2. Growing medicinal plants for sale - protect wild plants.
3. Need to protect NTFPs from over-harvesting for profit.
4. Wild plants are needed for medicinal and spiritual practices.
5. Map critical areas of NTFPs for government land use planning and
protection from logging.
Other notes taken during the Session
· Tomsk Oblast assessment of profits from NTFPs found
that all the needs of the communities around larger towns could be
covered by the sale of NTFPs, but not communities in more remote areas
300-400 km away. The study was completed when the harvest was high.
When the harvest was lower, it did not work. So, the government
decided to log the area.
· In Western Siberia, Bracken Fern is widespread.
Japanese people asked locals to harvest it in the spring and sell it
to them. The Siberian people did so and it was profitable, so the
government taxed it heavily, to such a point that it was no longer
profitable. However, it continued to be an improved source of food for
local Siberians.
· In Russia there is a growing interest in medicinal
plants. People used to use traditional harvesting methods. Now people
come from afar to harvest, sometimes in teams, and do not respect
traditional ways, leading to over-gathering, unsustainable use and
endangered status of plants. A solution is to grow medicinal plants
for sale. In the past, there were successful enterprises but the
marketing fell apart during perestroika. So, it can work. There is a
need to educate people about the rarity of medicinal plants and how to
harvest them sustainably.
· Need initiatives to support local NTFP business.
· The right of local people to gather plants in their
local area needs to be legislated to protect them from greedy
profiteers.
· Honey and other highly valuable products from bees
must be protected. Logging Linden threatens honey production. Linden
needs to be protected from logging.
· Russian nuts are sold to Japan and China where they
are deeply processed. Need technology in Russia for deep processing
prior to sale.
· Potential market for fir and pine oils is being
explored in Khabarovsk.
· The frog population in Russia is dangerously reduced
because Chinese food market is over consuming them.
· The real alternative to logging is tourism. This will
stop logging and save NTFPs. People in the recreation country will eat
and gather berries and mushrooms and desire to buy them. There is a
growing demand in Russia for spiritual retreat and a hunger for the
forest itself. Every year it grows.
· Canada: the Ojibwa say logging is reducing NTFPs.
They are disappearing or being contaminated. Plants are used for
spiritual practices and medicines. They are mapping plants for
governmental protection. Abitibi Consolidated asked the Grassy Narrows
First Nation to map locations of NTFPs so logging operations can avoid
them, but NTFPs are everywhere so they log anyway.
· In the 1990's there were NTFP projects in the Russian
Far East (RFE) looking to reduce logging pressure, some looking at the
US as a market. Few remain. There are many sales to China, but no US
buyers.
For more information, please contact:
Damien Lee
Information Coordinator
Taiga Rescue Network
Box 116
96223 Jokkmokk
Sweden
Tel: +46 971 17039
Fax: +46 971 12057
E-mail: info at taigarescue.org
www.taigarescue.org
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EVENTS
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
The Third International Medicinal Mushroom Conference
12-17 October 2005
Port Townsend, Washington, USA
In the past few years, the body of evidence confirming the medicinal
properties of mushrooms has expanded significantly. Researchers are
discovering the mushroom genome is surprisingly complex in its molecular
constituents and the manner with which they interact with human and
environmental health. As sources for new antibiotics (both antibacterial
and antiviral), immunomodulators, enzymes, enzyme-inhibitors and other
medicines, mushrooms play a unique role in complementary therapies.
For more information, please contact:
Fungi Perfecti, LLC
PO Box 7634
Olympia, WA 98507, USA
Tel: +1-(800) 780 9126 or +1-(360) 426 9292,
Fax: +1-(360) 426 9377
e-mail : mycomedia at aol.com
www.fungi.com/immc/
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LITERATURE REVIEW AND WEB SITES
23. Proceedings of International Workshop on Bamboo Industrial
Utilization
From: Fu Jinhe, INBAR, jfu at inbar.int
The Proceedings of International Workshop on Bamboo Industrial Utilization
in Xianning, Hubei, China, October 2003 are now available.
Part 1 Bamboo Industrial Utilization
Structures of a Bamboo Culm Affecting its Utilization. Walter Liese
Recent development on bamboo utilization. Zhang Qisheng
Development of sustainable building and new bamboo construction material.
Chen Xuhe
Technical Innovation to Increase the Competitive Capability of Bamboo
Products. Jiang Zhengchan and Yu Gang
Technology of pigmentation of bamboo strips by carbonizing and dyeing
treatment. Xie Manhua and Guangjie Zhao
Bamboo in Construction. Lionel Jayanetti
Bamboo, a sustainable building material in Western Europe. Pablo van der
Lugt, Andy van den Dobbelsteen & Jules Janssen
Technology of Sawing Bamboo Veneer. Li Li,Yang Yongfu & Guo Jianfang
Technological Innovative Course and Prospect of Bamboo-based Panel of
China. Zhao Renjie, Chen Zhe & Zhang Jianhui
Study on Properties of Bamboo and Manufacture. Wang Zheng, Guo Wenjing &
Gao Li
Part 2 Bamboo Resources, Environment and Trade
Bamboo Resources, Uses and Trade: The future? Ian Hunter
Studies on technical systems and comprehensive benefits of converting
agricultural land into Bamboo in Sichuan. Chen Qibing & Sun Jun feng
Implement the Ecosystem Management in Bamboo Plantation to Improve the
Synthetical Benefits. Xiao Jianghua
Present Situations and Development Countermeasures of Paper-pulp Bamboo
Resources in Hubei Province. Xiong Deli
Promote Xianning Bamboo Industry and Develop Regional Economy. Zou Jizhou
Evaluation on Shoot Quality of Excellent Sympodial Bamboo Species and
Hybrids. Wang Yuxia & Zhang Guangchu
Bamboo product processing industry and income of bamboo farmers. Chen
Suijun
Silviculteral Technique of Dendrocalamus farinosus on Returning Steep Slope
Cropland to Forestland. Dong Wenyuan, Gao Yanping & Liu jun
Study on In-vitro Rapid Propagation of the Clumping Bamboo. Zhang Guangchu,
Wang Yuxia, Tan Yuanjie, & Li Xingwei
Why giant panda became extinct in Central China: An appraisal of mountain
bamboos in Shennongjia. Zhaohua Li, Manfred Denich & Thomas Borsch
A Study on the Conservation and Development of Dendrocalamus sinicus, A
Giant Bamboo from Yunnan. Hui Chaomao, Chen Fang, Zhang Guoxue, & Yang
Yuming
The Retrospective and Prospective of China's Bamboo Industry. Wang Shudong
For more information, please contact:
Fu Jinhe Ph. D.
Program Officer and Coordinator of IUFRO 5.11.05 Bamboo and Rattan
International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) Mailing Address:
Beijing 100102-86, Beijing 100102, P. R. China
Tel: +86-10-6470 6161 ext.208
Fax: +86-10-6470 2166
Email: jfu at inbar.int
www.inbar.int or www.geocities.com/zhuzi.geo
(See below for full citation.)
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24. Sudan Silva
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
Sudan Silva is a specialized journal published bi-annually by the Sudanese
Forestry Society and the Forests National Corporation. It publishes
original research and critical reviews in all areas of forestry and related
fields. Articles submitted must contain original work and will be
peer-assessed by at least two competent assessors.
For more information, please contact:
Editor-in-chief
Sudan Silva
Forests National Corporation
PO Box 658
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: +249-11-472659
E-mail: sudansilva at yahoo.com
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25. Other publications of interest
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
Ashish, Ghosh; Ghosh, A . 2004. Plant and clay dyes used by weavers and
potters in West Bengal. Natural Product Radiance, 3: 2, 91.
Abstract: The plants used by weavers and potters in West Bengal, India, for
extracting natural dye includes Acacia catechu (heartwood), Albizia lebbeck
(fruit), Butea monosperma (flowers), Camellia sinensis (leaves), Ceriops
decandra (bark), Ceriops tagal (bark), Citrus aurantifolia [Citrus
aurantiifolia] (juice mixed with Palash), Daucus carota (roots), Mimusops
elengi (bark), Punica granatum (fruit rind), Rhizophora apiculata (bark),
Rhizophora mucronata (bark), Rhizophora stylosa (bark), Swietenia mahagoni
(fruit), Tagetes erecta (flower), Ziziphus jujuba (ash of twig) and
Ziziphus oenoplia (ash of twig). Diospyros peregrina fruit extract is
smeared on the thread to increase its longevity and the bark extract of
Mimusops elengi is used in textiles to increase the lustre.
Catling, P.M; & Small, E. 2003. Blossoming treasures of biodiversity. 10.
Neem ? an economic and environmental wonder plant. Biodiversity, 4: 4,
25-28.
This paper briefly describes the morphology, geography, ecology, economic
value (as sources of plant-based insecticides, fuel, inexpensive medicine
and health aids, inexpensive birth control substances, food, lubricant and
building materials) of neem (Azadirachta indica). The role of neem in
erosion control is also mentioned.
Costa, A; Pereira, H; Oliveira, A. 2004. The effect of cork-stripping
damage on diameter growth of Quercus suber L. Forestry Oxford, 77: 1, 1-8.
For more information, please contact the author: Instituto Superior de
Agronomia, Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017
Lisboa, Portugal.
The Mediterranean cork oak (Quercus suber L.) agro-forestry system is
oriented towards cork production, with cork being extracted from tree stem
and branches as planks by cutting with an axe and stripping off. The effect
of damage to the tree during cork stripping was studied in cork oaks,
weakened by wounding, by following the diameter growth and its seasonality
during a 9-year production cycle, and comparing them with healthy cork
oaks. The study area is located in the south-west of Portugal in the region
of Benavente with a Mediterranean-type climate with some Atlantic
influence.
Endress, B.A., Gorchov, D.L., and Noble, R.B. 2004. Non-timber forest
product extraction: effects of harvest and browsing on an understory palm.
Ecol. Appl. 14(4):1139-1153.
Foote, A.L.; Krogman, N.T.; Grundy, I.M.; Nemarundwe, N.; Campbell, B.M.;
Gambiza, J.; & Gibbs, L. 2003. Ilala palm (Hyphaene petersiana) use in
Southern Zimbabwe: social and ecological factors influencing
sustainability. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 13: 4, 275-296.
ABSTRACT: A dynamic ecological model, calibrated with field data from the
communal lands of southern Zimbabwe where Shangaan and Ndebele people live,
shows the ilala palm (Hyphaene petersiana) to be resilient to a wide range
of harvesting regimes. The degree of use determines the plant population
structure but not the palm's continued existence. Ilala palm sap for wine
and leaves for crafts provide an important source of income at the village
level. Shangaan households generally regulated palm use, with the manual
workers usually being Ndebele. Despite the designation of the region as a
communal area there are clearly social conventions limiting access to
resources. The use of the plant for sap is more closely regulated than its
use for leaves. Leaf harvests appear less ecologically destructive than
tapping for sap. Although social rules reduce harvesting, the ecology of
the palm is such that intensive harvesting may actually increase the
available products by changing the ilala palms into more accessible and
useful growth forms.
Gordon, J.E., et al. 2004. Assessing landscapes: a case study of tree and
shrub diversity in the seasonally dry tropical forests of Oaxaca, Mexico
and southern Honduras. Biol. Conserv. 117(4):429-442.
Kelly, B.A.; Bouvet, J.M.; Picard, N.; & Teklehaimanot, Z. 2004. Size class
distribution and spatial pattern of Vitellaria paradoxa in relation to
farmers' practices in Mali. Agroforestry parkland systems in sub-Saharan
Africa. Selected papers from an international workshop held in Ouagadougou,
Burkina Faso, 13-16 January 2003. Agroforestry Systems. 60: 1, 3-11.
For more information, please contact: Institut d'Economie Rurale, Programme
Ressources Forestieres Centre Regional de la Recherche Agronomique de
Sikasso, BP 178 Sikasso, Mali.
Leakey, R.R.B.; Tchoundjeu, Z.; Smith, R.I.; Munro, R.C.; Fondoun, J.M.;
Kengue, J.; Anegbeh, P.O.; Atangana, A.R.; Waruhiu, A.N.; Asaah, E.; Usoro,
C.; & Ukafor, V. 2004. Evidence that subsistence farmers have domesticated
indigenous fruits (Dacryodes edulis and Irvingia gabonensis) in Cameroon
and Nigeria. Agroforestry Systems, 60: 2, 101-111;
Abstract: Ten fruit and kernel traits were measured in 152 Irvingia
gabonensis and 293 Dacryodes edulis trees from 6 villages in Cameroon and
Nigeria. Frequency distribution curves were used to examine the range of
variation of each trait of each species in each village and aggregated into
national and regional populations. There were differences between the
village sub-populations, with regard to the normality (e.g., mean kernel
mass of D. edulis) or skewness (e.g., mean flesh depth of D. edulis) of the
distribution curves and in the degree of separation between the individual
village populations along the x axis, resulting in the development of a
bimodal distribution in the regional population. For all traits,
populations of both species differed significantly between countries, but
only in D. edulis were there significant differences between the Cameroon
populations. On the basis of the results of this study, D. edulis can be
said to be virtually wild in Nigeria but semi-domesticated in Cameroon,
while I. gabonensis is wild in Cameroon and semi-domesticated in Nigeria.
These results are discussed with regard to a hypothesis that the range and
frequency of variation in the different populations can be used to identify
five stages of domestication. From a comparison of the frequency
distribution curves of desirable versus undesirable traits, and
statistically identifiable changes in skewness and kurtosis, it is
concluded that as a result of the farmers' own efforts by truncated
selection, D. edulis is between Stages 2 and 3 of domestication (with a 67%
relative gain in flesh depth) in Cameroon, while I. gabonensis in Nigeria
is at Stage 2 (with a 44% relative gain in flesh depth). In this study,
genetic diversity seems to have been increased, and not reduced, by
domestication.
Lokendra, Singh; Khan, M.H.; Singh, L . 2004. Status and potential of
Chiuri (Aesandra butyracea) in Nepal. Plant Archives, 4: 1, 203-204;
Abstract: Chiuri (Aesandra butyracea [Diploknema butyracea]) trees produce
good fuel wood, hard and durable timber, and the leaves are used as tree
fodder in many areas in Nepal. The seeds produce fatty acid oils that are
mainly used as vegetable butter. The oilcakes are used as manure with
pesticidal properties, as fish poison and as feed for animals after
detoxification. The vegetable butter is also used in lighting lamps. In
addition, Chiuri has a very important cultural value in Nepal where the
people of the Chepang community give Chiuri seedlings as dowries to
daughters indicating its significance in the livelihood of the Chepang
community. The biology and establishment of Chiuri are also discussed.
Lombard, C. 2004. PhytoTrade Africa and Fair Trade -- constraints to
conventional agricultural production in Southern Africa. London and
South-East Region Seminar on Fair Trade Organisations, held at the Linnean
Society, London, UK, 28th October 2003.
Tropical-Agriculture-Association-Newsletter, 24: 1, 26-29.
Abstract: Steps that individuals from rural areas can take in
commercializing indigenous non-timber forest products (including wild
woodland resources, food resources and medicinal plants) in order to supply
the natural products industry are enumerated. Economic and environmental
issues in medicinal plant cultivation are briefly addressed, and the
organization and goals of PhytoTrade Africa (a representative body for
small-scale producers in the natural products sector operational in
Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe) are discussed. Concerns
with regard to Fair Trade and Fair Trade certification are raised.
Macia, MJ. 2004. Multiplicity in palm uses by the Huaorani of Amazonian
Ecuador. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 144: 2, 149-159.
ABSTRACT: An ethnobotanical study of the palms used by the Huaorani in the
Yasuni National Park and Huaorani Ethnic Reserve in Amazonian Ecuador was
carried out. In this inventory, 37 palm species were found; all were used
by the Huaoranis. One hundred and ninety-one different uses were recorded
in eight ethnobotanical categories. Most species (64.9%) were used for
house construction and human food. More than half of the species were used
for domestic utensils (59.4%) and hunting and fishing implements (54%). A
comparison is made between these data and past studies for the other six
indigenous communities from Amazonian Ecuador. This paper shows the highest
diversity of useful palm species and the highest number of different uses
ever recorded for an indigenous group in Amazonian Ecuador. The data
combine quantitative and qualitative approaches.
Maximous, S.L. 2004. Effect of harvest date and steam distillation time on
essential oils of three Eucalyptus species growing in El-Kassasin region.
Bulletin of Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 55: 1, 71-84;
For more information, please contact the author: Forestry Department,
Horticulture Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt.
In Egypt Eucalyptus species are presently used as poles, windbreak and
firewood but not for oil extraction. Egyptian imports of eucalyptus oils
are increasing from year to another. This study was conducted to increase
the value of Eucalyptus species as non-wood products by determining the
suitable harvest date and the time of steam distillation on yield and
contents of the essential oils of Eucalyptus species. This work was carried
out in 2001 on 13 year-old trees irrigated by drip irrigation in soil under
reclamation. The yields of essential oils extracted from dried leaves of E.
citriodora, E. gomphocephala and E. camaldulensis growing at the
Experimental Farm of El-Kassasin, East of Cairo were studied. The highest
oil yields were obtained in summer, followed by spring and winter with the
lowest yield in autumn for both E. citriodora and E. gomphocephala, while,
the highest yield of E. camaldulensis was obtained in spring followed by
autumn and summer, with the lowest yield in winter. The results indicated
that it is possible to use Eucalyptus species grown in reclaimed land in
El-Kassasin region to produce essential oils of high economic value with E.
citriodora as an interesting source of citronellal. The oil of E.
gomphocephala is a potential source of 1.8-cineole and P-cymene, while, E.
camaldulensis is rich in 1.8-cineole and alpha-pinene.
Miah, D; Mohammad Shaheed Hossain Chowdhury. 2004. Traditional forest
utilization practice by the Mro tribe in the Bandarban region, Bangladesh.
Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen, 155: 3-4, 65-70;
Abstract: A study was conducted during June-October 2002, focusing on the
tribe's dependence on the forest. The Mro are totally dependent on the
forest and the extent of their dependency is reflected in their
ethno-botanical knowledge. Human nutrition, fuel, timber and cultural
festivals depend heavily on the use of forest products. A total of 27
fruits, 13 energy-producing products and 12 timber species were recorded.
The overall quality of life of the Mro could be considerably upgraded if
ethno-botanical issues and their own indigenous knowledge were complemented
with scientific knowledge. The extreme dependence of the Mro on forests has
compelled them to save forests from degradation. The conservation of
indigenous knowledge of the Mro tribe should be used in forest conservation
and is an important tool in this tribal area of Bangladesh.
Mpeck, M.L.N.; Asaah, E.; Tchoundjeu, Z.; Atangana, A.R. 2003. Strategies
for the domestication of Ricinodendron heudelotii: evaluation of
variability in natural populations from Cameroon. Journal of Food
?Agriculture and Environment, 1: 3-4, 257-262; 27
Ricinodendron heudelotii, a fruit tree species indigenous to humid lowlands
of West and Central Africa, has been identified through user surveys to
have high potential for improving the nutrition and income of rural poor.
Kernels from the fruit of the species, commonly known as "ndjanssang",
constitute one of the most traded non-timber forest products in Cameroon.
As a result, the species is currently subject of considerable domestication
research in Cameroon. In an attempt to assess the variability available in
natural populations, R. heudelotii fruits were collected from 64 trees in 3
villages (Elig-Nkouma, Boumnyebel and Ngoulemakong) in the humid lowlands
forest zone of Cameroon. The measurement of fruit, nut and kernel
characteristics revealed that the species exhibited considerable
morphological (fruit, nut and kernel) variability throughout the studied
areas. The results of this study open opportunities for selecting cultivars
of this local fruit species and have important implications for the
domestication of the species.
Nadeau, I.; Olivier, A. 2004. Review of the biology and production of
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) in Canadian forests. (Original
non-English title: Revue de la biologie et de la production du ginseng a
cinq folioles (Panax quinquefolius L.) en milieu forestier au Canada. 2003.
Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 83: 4, 877-891
The root of the American ginseng, a plant that is native in the deciduous
forests of the Eastern part of North America, is in demand on the Asian
market because of its numerous medicinal properties. Since the natural
populations of this species are now endangered, the satisfaction of the
demand of the consumers depends on cultivation. Almost all American ginseng
is produced in the field, at very high densities, under shade cloths. In
the past few years, however, more and more growers have started to produce
this species in forests, where trees provide the necessary shade for the
plants. This kind of approach, which is less expensive, allows growers to
obtain roots of higher quality and of higher retail value. Appropriate
forest management allows adequate light intensity. Leaf litter limits the
risk of root damage due to frost. A light, well-drained, lightly acidic or
neutral and calcium-rich soil allows for better yields and survival rates
of the plants. The protection of natural populations is of prime importance
to preserve the genetic diversity which is essential to the success of the
production in the future.
Nakazono, E.M.; Bruna, E.M.; & Mesquita, R.C.G. 2004. Experimental
harvesting of the non-timber forest product Ischnosiphon polyphyllus in
central Amazonia. Forest Ecology and Management,190: 2-3, 219-225;
Abstract: The harvesting of non-timber forest products has been proposed as
an alternative to timber harvesting that can increase rural income while
having a reduced impact on forest structure. However, surprisingly little
is known about the biological consequences of harvesting these products. We
conducted a 3-year experiment in which we simulated the stem harvesting of
the Amazonian plant Ischnosiphon polyphyllus, which is used by traditional
and indigenous populations in the Amazon for the construction of baskets,
mats, and other handicrafts used in manioc cultivation. We found that plant
mortality is limited in all except the most extreme harvesting treatments.
However, we also found that plants recuperate extremely slowly from
experimental harvesting. These results suggest that current harvesting
strategies may not be conservative enough to ensure long-term population
survival.
New, T.R., and Sands, D.P.A. 2004. Management of threatened insect species
in Australia, with particular reference to butterflies. Aust. J. Entomol.
43:258-270.
Okullo, J.B.L.; Hall, J.B.; Obua, J.; Teklehaimanot, Z. 2004. Leafing,
flowering and fruiting of Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. nilotica in savanna
parklands in Uganda. Agroforestry parkland systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
Selected papers from an international workshop held in Ouagadougou, Burkina
Faso, 13-16 January 2003. Agroforestry Systems. 60: 1, 77-91.
For more information, please contact: Department of Forest Biology and
Ecosystems Management, Faculty of Forestry and Nature Conservation,
Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
Paini, D.R. 2004. Impact of the introduced honey bee (Apis mellifera)
(Hymenoptera: Apidae) on native bees: a review. Austral Ecol.
29(4):399-407.
Rymer, R. 2004. Saving the Music Tree. Smithsonian 35 (1): 52-63.
Silvertown, J. 2004. Sustainability in a nutshell. TREE 19(6):276-278
Sustainable exploitation is widely advocated as a strategy for reconciling
economic pressures upon natural habitats with nature conservation. Two
recent papers examine different aspects of the sustainability of the nut
harvest on wild populations of Brazil nut trees Bertholletia excelsa in
Amazonia. Peres et al. find that many populations of the Brazil nut tree
lack juvenile trees and are not regenerating. In a socioeconomic study,
Escobal and Aldana find that nut-gathering provides insufficient income on
its own to support nut-gatherers and that their other income-raising
activities damage the forest. The existence of a market for rainforest
products is, therefore, not sufficient on its own to prevent habitat
destruction or the overexploitation of the resource and a more
sophisticated approach to sustainability is required. Development of a
market in ethically traded Brazil nuts might be one solution.
Article available on line at:
www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VJ1-4C1FCMR-1&_user=10&_handle=B-WA-A-W-BV-MsSAYVA-UUA-AUEEBDEZDZ-AUEZEZUVDZ-ZCCYUCYAA-BV-U&_fmt=summary&_coverDate=06%2F30%2F2004&_rdoc=3&_orig=browse&_srch=%23toc%236081%232004%23999809993%23503444%21&_cdi=6081&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=c1e3541293845e5dc27bd27cea8b5fd0
Singh, H.B., Puni, L., Jain, A., Singh, R.S., and Rao, P.G. 2004. Status,
utility, threats and conservation options for rattan resources in Manipur.
Curr. Sci. 87(1):90-94.
Stewart, K.M. 2003. The African cherry (Prunus africana): from hoe-handles
to the international herb market. Economic Botany, 57: 4, 559-569.
Abstract: I studied the uses of the African cherry (P. africana) by 4
ethnic groups (Fulani, Kom, Nso and Oku) who live near the Kilum-Ijim
Forest Preserve on Mount Oku, Cameroon. P. africana is valued for its
timber, which is used for tool handles and for fuel, and it is an important
wildlife food. However, its greatest value is for traditional medicines.
Healers use the bark and leaves to treat more than 30 human ailments and
several animal diseases, and it is the most important plant used in their
practices. This study is the first to document this importance,
particularly for animal medicines. I also examined the growing worldwide
herbal use of P. africana to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. Market
demand has caused resource depletion and an erosion of traditional resource
protection practices. The preservation of the species will depend on
sustainable harvesting methods and on cultivation.
Taylor, D. 2004. Abuse, scarcity and insecurity. Environmental Health
Perspectives. Vol.112, No.3, 172-175.
Tudor, O., Dennis, R.L.H., Greatorex-Davies, J.N., and Sparks, T.H. 2004.
Flower preferences of woodland butterflies in the UK: nectaring specialists
are species of conservation concern. Biol. Conserv. 119(3):397-403.
Vantomme, P. 2003. Compiling statistics on Non-Wood Forest Products as
policy and decision-making tools at the national level. International
Forestry Review, Vol. 5:2, 156-160.
Wang, J.X., Liu, H.M., Hu, H.B., and Gao, L. 2004. Participatory approach
for rapid assessment of plant diversity through a folk classification
system in a tropical rainforest: case study in Xishuangbanna, China.
Conserv. Biol. 18(4):1139-1142.
Wang, JiYong; Wang, WenQuan; & Liu, Yong. 2003. Effects of tree and
medicinal plant intercropping system on medicinal plants' yield. Journal of
Beijing Forestry University, 25: 6, 55-59.
A study was conducted to investigate the effects of tree (Populus tomentosa
) and medicinal plants (Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Platycodon grandiflorum and
Pinellia pedatisecta) intercropping system on the yield of the medicinal
plants.
Wetterwald, O.; Zingerli, C.; & Sorg, J.P. 2004. Non-timber forest products
in Nam Dong district, Central Vietnam: ecological and economic prospects.
Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen, 155: 2, 45-52;
Abstract: This article analyses the ecological and economic prospects of
non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and examines the importance of NTFPs for
the livelihoods of local forest dwellers. It gives a brief review of NTFPs
and the expectations and limitations associated with their use and
extraction from natural forests. It argues that when looking at wild NTFPs
only, they offer only limited opportunities for the development of local
rural livelihoods. The empirical part of the article draws on a case study
of NTFP extraction in Nam Dong district, central Vietnam. It provides
insights into local NTFP use patterns and the importance of NTFPs for local
households. Finally, it assesses the ecological and economic prospects of
NTFPs in Nam Dong district. The article concludes that the supply of
primary NTFPs in the natural forest is usually insufficient to meet market
demands and ecological and economic requirements. If the primary aim is to
develop rural households, it is necessary to enrich NTFPs in the natural
forest or to cultivate them in man-made systems.
Wolf, Achim R. 2004. Guide to the identification of some acacia species
indigenous to Namibia. NFT-News, 7: 1, 1-2.
For more information, please contact the author: Spreestrasse 60, 42697
Solingen, Germany.
Xuhe, Chen et al. (eds.) 2004. Proceedings of International Workshop on
Bamboo Industrial Utilization. Xianning, Hubei, China, October 2003.
International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). 179 p.
http://www.inbar.int/publication/pubdetail.asp?publicid=129
BACK TO TOP
26. Web sites and e-zines
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
Cambodia Food Security and Nutrition Web site
http://www.foodsecurity.gov.kh/
Google Scholar
Google launched a search engine restrict to academic text. Google Scholar
enables to search specifically for scholarly literature, including
peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical
reports from all broad areas of research. Use Google Scholar to find
articles from a wide variety of academic publishers, professional
societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly
articles available across the web.
Just as with Google Web Search, Google Scholar orders your
search results by how relevant they are to your query, so the most useful
references should appear at the top of the page. This relevance ranking
takes into account the full text of each article as well as the article's
author, the publication in which the article appeared and how often it has
been cited in scholarly literature. Google Scholar also automatically
analyzes and extracts citations and presents them as separate results, even
if the documents they refer to are not online. This means your search
results may include citations of older works and seminal articles that
appear only in books or other offline publications.
A test version of the search engine is available at
http://scholar.google.com
RedLightGreen.com: A library search tool
RedLightGreen.com was created to help everyone who ever has to find books
in libraries, either close by or anywhere in the world. It searches 120
million books to find the best matches to what you're looking for.
http://www.redlightgreen.com
BACK TO TOP
MISCELLANEOUS
27. Can biodiversity loss and poverty be tackled together?
Source: Science in SciDev.Net Weekly Update: 8 - 14 November 2004
Biodiversity loss and poverty are often closely linked problems in
developing countries. There is increasing concern that efforts to address
these issues may not be compatible. Creation of protected areas can, for
instance, have negative social and economic impacts for communities living
nearby.
In this article in Science, William M. Adams and colleagues review attempts
to integrate conservation and poverty alleviation programmes. Evidence of
lasting positive outcomes from projects that link conservation and
development is rare. Such 'win-win' solutions may only be possible under
specific conditions and, in most cases, it will be necessary to choose
between one goal and the other, say the authors.
Making such choices will require a full appreciation of the relationships
between poverty reduction and conservation. To help clarify these links,
Adams and co-authors compare four diverse ways of viewing them, from
considering them as separate policy issues to considering biodiversity
conservation as being central to poverty reduction. All four approaches are
consistent with calls for conservation to take account of social impacts
and for poverty alleviation efforts to consider impacts on biodiversity.
Link to full article by William M. Adams et al in Science
Reference: Science 306, 1146 (2004)
BACK TO TOP
28. AviBase ? The World Bird Database
Source: CFRC Weekly Summary 11/04/04
Searchable database provides extensive information about the birds of the
world. Includes distribution information, taxonomy and more. Site available
in ten different languages and is hosted by Bird Studies Canada, the
Canadian copartner of Birdlife International.
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/avibase.jsp
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