[MPWG] NWFP-Digest-L No. 6/04 - FAO
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Tue Jun 29 08:44:41 CDT 2004
An international perspective on NTFP's that you may find useful!
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"Etherington,
Tina (FOPP)" To: nwfp-digest-L at mailserv.fao.org
<Tina.Etheringto cc:
n at fao.org> Subject: NWFP-Digest-L No. 6/04
06/29/2004 08:03
AM
NWFP-Digest-L
No. 6/04
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, COUNTRY INFORMATION AND NEWS
1. Acai used to create orthodontic solutions
2. Bamboo: money that grows as you watch
3. Armenia Tree Project
4. Botswana communities rehabilitate arid rangeland,
save livelihoods
5. Brazil: Amazonia hype
6. Brazil: Amazonia's cosmetics conquer the world
7. Cameroon: Poverty alleviation ? Non-Timber Forest
Products work
8. Colombia debt swap yields $10 million for
tropical forest conservation
9. Ghana's forest resources under threat
10. Kenya: Kwale residents living on wild food
11. Kenya: Nation staff plant trees to mark World
Environment Day
12. Malaysia: Nomadic Malaysian tribe tells of life in
the forest
13. Melanesia: Community-based ecoforestry protecting
forests
14. Namibia: US $7.1m World Bank grant for
community-based ecosystem project
15. Namibia seeks to commercialize hoodia
16. South Africa: Law now protects South Africa's
biodiversity
17. South Africa: Taking the sting out of beekeeping
18. Uganda: Fruits to help fight poverty in the north
19. Uganda: Ecotourism gets a boost
20. Vietnam: Natural resources protection and
biodiversity conservation
21. Zambia: North western bee products gets German fair
certificate
22. Zambia: State launches K3bn forestry credit facility
23. Zimbabwe: Animal, plant life dwindling
24. Can 'plant passports' put bioprospecting back on
track?
25. CBD forest web portal
REQUESTS
26. Request for information: boreal plants
27. Request for information: medicinal plants
28. Request for assistance: bamboo publication
EVENTS AND TRAINING COURSES
29. Sustainable tourism
30. Workshop on Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)
Networking in Lao PDR
31. International Scientific Conference
32. Environmental assessment and sustainable forest
management
33. Evaluating forestry incentive and assistance
programmes in Europe ? challenges to improve policy effectiveness
34. International symposium on the role of forests for
coming generations: philosophy and technology for forest resource
management (FORCOM2004
35. I International Fair and Forum: "Non-Timber Forest
Products ? Culture of Use"
36. International conference on ecotourism planning and
management in protected areas
37. 17th Commonwealth Forestry Conference
38. Global conference on indigenous knowledge and
traditional medicine
LITERATURE REVIEW AND WEB SITES
39. Fact sheets on medicinal herbs
40. Other publications of interest
41. Web sites and e-zines
MISCELLANEOUS
42. Volunteer staff sought
43. Environmental Sciences Fulbright Scholar Program
44. Worms combat toxic wasps that threaten SA pines
45. Mini-livestock ? BEDIM
==============================================================
PRODUCTS, COUNTRY INFORMATION AND NEWS
1. Acai used to create orthodontic solutions
Source: O Estado de S.Paulo, 21 May 2004 (in Amazon News, 27.5.04)
>From the natural dye of the açaí, a typical Brazilian fruit, researchers
form the Brazilian Company of Agri-business Research (EMBRAPA) have
developed a substance that will be useful for revealing the existence of
bacterial plaque on teeth. In addition to its being natural, the
orthodontic substance is easy to remove, tasteless and not harmful to one's
health.
The researchers stated that the next step is to construct a
factory to process açaí, which will contribute to new job sources in
Amazonia.
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2. Bamboo: money that grows as you watch
Source: The Nation (Nairobi), 10 June 2004
A giant bamboo introduced into the country last year which achieves the
phenomenal growth rate of one metre per day, could be a possible money
spinner for local farmers.
The World Agroforestry Centre has already distributed more than
800 seedlings of the giant bamboo, Dendrocalamus giganteus, to farmers in
Kericho, Kisii, Nandi South, Nyamira, Nyando, Siaya, and Vihiga Districts.
The giant bamboo is nature's fastest growing woody plant. Its culms (poles)
are the strongest, lightest natural material known to man. A square metre
of flooring derived from this plant will sell for as much as Sh8 000, while
in Southern Asia it is used for reinforcing concrete and for scaffolding on
skyscrapers.
It absorbs water faster than most plants and is used in some
parts of the world for cleaning sewage. Even more important, it soaks up
heavy metals. It is a potential answer to polluted waters in Kenya,
including Lake Victoria whose shores are dotted with large urban centres
that discharge domestic and industrial waste into its waters. Working with
municipal authorities, ICRAF has plans to introduce the bamboo for waste
water treatment in Kisumu and Kakamega. Further afield, ICRAF is also
looking at local authorities in Nairobi, Mwanza and other towns dotting
Lake Victoria's shores.
No other woody plant matches the bamboo's versatility in
environmental conservation and commerce. It is a viable replacement for
both hardwoods and softwoods. Its growth rate is three times that of
eucalyptus, and it matures in just three years. Thereafter, harvests are
possible every second year for up to 120 years.
India has some 20 million acres of commercial bamboo that
account for 60 percent of the country's massive paper requirements and much
of its commercial timber needs. Over two million tons of edible bamboo
shoots ? rich in vitamins and low in carbohydrates, fats and proteins - are
consumed around the world every year, mostly in Asia.
However, bamboo remains an untapped resource in Africa, a state
of affairs ICRAF is addressing through a pilot project in Kenya. The
project aims to create awareness on the environmental and economic benefits
of bamboo in the Lake Victoria Basin, and hopefully popularize it
throughout the region.
Interestingly, bamboo, a member of the grass family, is not new
in Kenya. According to Prof Chin Ong, a hydrologist with ICRAF, Kenya's
water catchments were once covered in bamboo, but most of these forests
have since been cleared.
This commercially attractive species can grow in areas
traditionally used for sugar cane and coffee cultivation, thus providing an
alternative or additional cash crop. Arundinaria alpina, a species of
bamboo native to Kenya, will yield as many as 20 000 culms per hectare per
year ? with each culm growing to a height of 12m. Most species in fact grow
to over 30m at full maturity.
Kenya has few privately owned commercial timber plantations.
Most of the country's timber comes from government forests managed by the
Forest Department. However, these forests have been severely over-exploited
with only limited replanting. Timber firms are now reportedly forced to
import timber from the Congo and Tanzania to manufacture hard and soft
board. The country's leading paper manufacturer, PanPaper of Webuye, is
also reportedly using plantation softwoods to fuel its boilers and make
paper pulp. With its rapid growth and high woody fibre production, bamboo
would supply both industrial needs.
At the household level, bamboo would be a valuable source of
firewood and charcoal. It yields more than 7 000 kilocalories per kilogram,
equivalent to half the yield from an equivalent amount of petroleum. Some
species of the plant have large thorns, making them ideal for security
hedges. Others grow tall straight culms that form ideal windbreaks that can
be sustainably harvested annually. And of course edible bamboo shoots would
be a nutritious addition to the family table. These shoots, mild and very
crunchy, can be eaten raw or cooked. The Kenya Forestry Research Institute
already grows several high quality edible varieties.
Bamboo rhizomes anchor topsoil along steep slopes and
riverbanks, very effectively controlling erosion. Bamboo leaves, sheaves
and old culms that die and fall to the ground decompose and create a thick
humus layer that enriches the soil. Studies in South East Asia and Kenya
have also shown that natural bamboo forests have excellent hydrological
functions that promote soil health. Some species of bamboo absorb as much
12 tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide per hectare, a valuable asset to
deploy against global warming.
Bamboo can be propagated from seeds, though most species flower
just once every 15 to 120 years. More viable mass propagation techniques
include tissue culture.
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3. Armenia Tree Project
Source: Press Release, 17June 2004 (in CENN ? 22 June 2004 Daily Digest)
The Armenia Tree Project (ATP) is a non-profit organization that was
founded in 1994 with the vision of safeguarding Armenia's future by
protecting its environment. Funded by contributions from Diasporan
Armenians, the ATP has planted and rejuvenated 531 000 trees at more than
400 sites ranging from Gyumri to Goris.
ATP has just celebrated its ten years of greening Armenia.
During the celebration, ATP Executive Director Mr. Jeff Masarjian said that
ATP has planted and restored over half a million trees in Armenia, while
providing jobs for hundreds of people. Plans for the next decade include
expanding community reforestation programs in partnership with villagers
and other organizations, which will also provide social and economic
development opportunities. ATP's new tree nursery in Vanadzor will produce
over one million saplings each year to begin reforesting the devastated
landscape of Armenia.
Dr. Nora Gabrielyan, who is the author of over 16 books on
Armenia's diverse plant life, spoke about Armenia's unique and varied
ecosystems and identified examples of rare and endangered flowering plants
that rely on rapidly disappearing forest habitats. "The forests, which
recently covered only 10 percent of the territory of our country, now cover
even less," Dr. Gabrielyan explained. "If trees are chopped down without
any plan or thoughtful system, the consequences will affect everything ?
underbrush with rare plants immediately disappears, the rain washes away
soil, springs dry up, the biodiversity becomes impoverished, and the
climate changes."
For more information, please contact:
Armenia Tree Project
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472, USA
Phone: 617-926-8733
Email: info at armeniatree.org
www.armeniatree.org
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4. Botswana communities rehabilitate arid rangeland, save
livelihoods
Source: UNDP Newsfront, 2 June 2004
Standing atop a sand dune, Klaas Matthuis can see more dunes almost
surrounding Struizendam, his village in Botswana on the border with South
Africa. They are bare of vegetation except the one he stands on, which has
large clumps of grass, trees and shrubs.
Mr. Matthuis, vice-chairperson of a new community resource
management committee, is showing visitors from Kenya, Mali, and the
University of Oslo in Norway the dune that has been stabilized by fencing
out goats and cattle and planting various indigenous species.
People in most remote villages in Botswana, as elsewhere in the
arid zones of Africa, depend heavily on natural resources for their
livelihoods, as there are few alternatives other than government welfare.
But poverty often pushes them to over-exploit resources to meet immediate
needs.
Mr. Matthius dreams of seeing the sand dunes stabilized so they
no longer threaten to engulf houses. Through a regional project to restore
indigenous vegetation implemented by UNDP and the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) with support from other partners, he and his
neighbours are beginning to turn that dream into reality.
One of the committee's first priorities was to help the
community to draw up an action plan to reverse environmental losses and
improve livelihoods. The project covers steps to conserve the whole
spectrum of local resources, including wildlife and products such as
firewood; grass for grazing and thatching; medicinal plants like devil's
claw (sengaparile [Harpagophytum procumbens]), sold to European markets,
particularly Germany, to make medication to control high blood pressure; a
caterpillar known as phane, a local delicacy sold widely in the region; and
the morula tree (Sclerocarya birrea), whose nuts are used for oil and
sweets, fruit for jam and beverages.
Thirteen other villages hard-hit by environmental degradation
have recently completed similar plans. In addition, villages in two areas
in Kenya and two sites in northern Mali are following a similar strategy.
All the local plans benefit from indigenous knowledge and
traditional land management systems. A key element is for community members
to take the lead role in conserving biological diversity and bettering
income-earning opportunities.
The Global Environment Facility is providing US$8.7 million for
the five-year pilot initiative through UNDP and UNEP, and another US$3.5
million comes from German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), the University of
Oslo, and the governments of Botswana, Kenya and Mali.
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5. Brazil: Amazonia hype
Source: Jornal do Brasil, 6 June 2004 (in Amazon News, 11.6.04)
It is tapicoquinha here, boi-bumba there and priprioca over there. The
Amazonian influence and the crafts of its indigenous people are everywhere
and have begun to win over trendsetters.
To obtain attention internationally, Brazilian fashion promotes
the national identity line: necklaces created with guarana, coco and acai
seeds can cost up to R$490 in New York City.
In addition, Epoca Cosmetics has the Amazonic Boat line that
includes soap made from copaiba and andiroba. A tendency explored by the
very Brazilian Natura, which not only was the first to present products
with the face of Amazonia, it is also involved in sustainable development
in the region.
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6. Brazil: Amazonia's cosmetics conquer the world
Source: O Estado de S.Paulo, 22 April 2004 (in Amazon News, 29.4.04)
Shampoos, conditioners, hair dyes and cosmetics made from Amazonian fruits
and plants have begun to occupy the competitive international market,
offering great business opportunities for national manufacturers. Mixing
cupuaçu, guaraná, copaíba and buriti, cosmetic companies have conquered
clients in Europe, Asia and the US by? offering genuine Brazilian products
and opening doors for export growth in this sector.
Farmaervas decided to explore the export potential with
cosmetics made from Brazilian herbs and fruits and today sells its products
in Europe, Japan and South Africa. At the moment, 5% of their production is
exported, with this percentage scheduled to increase to 15% during the next
two years. The company manufacturers 550 000 bottles of shampoos each
month; their Green and Amazonia Lines use Para nut, pequi, copaíba,
andiroba, jaborandi and other typical Brazilian plants. During the last
Cosmoprof, a worldwide cosmetic trade fair, Farmaervas' products drew a lot
of international attention.
Surya Henna, a Brazilian cosmetics manufacturer, presented its
line of hair dyes produced from Brazilian fruits and herbs from India
during the Cosmoprof. International sales represent 20% of Surya Henna's
total sales and it plans to double its exports this year.
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7. Cameroon: Poverty alleviation ? Non-Timber Forest Products work
Source: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé), 17 June 2004
The panacea for rural communities in forest zones in Cameroon is spelt out
in three recent publications.
Research has intensified to enable local forest communities and
small farmers to gain their rightful share from forest resources. Recent
research concerns Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP), with an emphasis on
increasing the production, transformation and the value of the products.
The Centre for International Forestry Research, CIFOR, which is committed
to conserving forest resources and improving the livelihoods of people in
the tropics, has been undertaking research in this field for over ten
years.
One of CIFOR's recent publications is titled "Forest Products,
Livelihoods and Conservation; Case Study of Non-Timber Forest Products
Systems, Volume 2 Africa". The 333-page book highlights the importance of
NTFP in poverty alleviation and livelihood improvement. In presenting the
book, the regional representative of CIFOR to Cameroon, Dr Ndoye, said that
the study had been carried out in ten African countries, Cameroon included.
Focus was on medicinal plants, fruits and oils, wood carving and wood,
fibre and weaving products, and animal products. The researchers compared
and contrasted individual and collective cases of NTFP basing on
production, processing and trade. The case studies offer an invaluable
resource for researchers, development practitioners and conservation
workers interested in understanding the links between commercialization,
livelihoods and forest conservation.
The second publication "Riches of the forest: For health, life
and spirit in Africa". Edited by Citlalli Lopez and Patricia Shanley, this
115-page document brings to light the crucial role of NTFP in providing
resources for local livelihoods. The research was conducted in Cameroon,
Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Studies on animals and insects focused on
bushmeat; studies on fruits centred on bitter cola, dried kernels, bush
plum and shea butter; as for medicinal plants, focus was on prunus
medicinal bark. The researchers were equally interested in wood products
such as woodcarving, chewing stick and fuelwood. A special study was
carried out on rattan and palm in Cameroon. The study helped to bring to
life the people and products behind the research and the importance of
drawing up policies for the sustainable management of the resources to
improve the livelihood of the local communities. It presents the diverse
opportunities and problems gatherers and traders in NTFP face and their
manner of responding to change.
The third publication, "Nature wealth and power: emerging best
practices for revitalising rural Africa NWP", presents principles and
practices to guide investment in rural areas of Africa.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406170304.html
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8. Colombia debt swap yields $10 million for tropical forest
conservation
Source: CEPF E-News, June 2004
Colombia unveiled a debt-for-nature swap with the United States that will
allow it to invest at least US$10 million over the next 12 years to protect
nearly 11 million acres of its tropical forests. Under the agreement, the
U.S. Department of the Treasury will contribute US$7 million to the deal,
while Conservation International's (CI) Global Conservation Fund, The
Nature Conservancy and (World Wildlife Fund) WWF will contribute an
additional US$1.4 million.
The funds will go toward canceling part of Colombia's debt to
the United States. In exchange, Colombia will invest at least US$10 million
to protect tropical forests in key areas of the Andes, the Caribbean coast
and the Llanos, or plains, along the Orinoco River. Colombia is one of the
five most biologically diverse countries on the planet, harbouring one of
every ten species of plants and animals in the world.
Under the agreement, Colombia will destine half the funds
toward financing local environmental organizations that are working in
selected areas. The other half will go toward the Fondo Patrimonial, or
Heritage Trust, which the government expects to use to leverage additional
loans of up to US$40 million that will guarantee the long-term financial
sustainability of Colombia's existing protected areas.
Funds from the debt swap will be focused in three areas key for
tropical forest conservation. In the tropical Andes, funds will go toward
1.7 million hectares that are home to some of the nation's last remaining
stands of oak. In the Llanos of the Orinoco River basin, the funds will go
toward the 1.4 million hectare Tuparro National Park and its buffer zone. A
UNESCO Natural Biosphere Reserve since 1979, the park is also home to
dozens of unique species. Along the Caribbean coast, conservation efforts
will focus on 1.3 million hectares, including the world's highest coastal
mountain, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Funds from the debt swap will go toward establishing private
and public protected areas and reserves, and restoring and maintaining
existing protected areas. Funds will also be used for capacity building
among researchers, individuals and organizations involved in local
conservation. The agreement will be managed by an oversight committee
composed of representatives from the governments of Colombia and the United
States, as well as the Conservancy, WWF and CI.
"Increasingly, there are indications that we are going to lose
our natural heritage if we don't dedicate ourselves to protecting it," said
Fabio Arjona, the director of Conservation International in Colombia. "This
debt swap is a perfect example of how the conservation community needs to
work ? hand-in-hand with government to protect our biological riches. We
hope this swap sets an example for other organizations and other nations."
Debt-for-nature swaps were established under the Tropical
Forest Conservation Act (TFCA) of 1998 to allow nations to reduce their
foreign debt burden in exchange for making local-currency investments in
conservation work. In the past, Bangladesh, Belize, El Salvador, Panama,
Peru and Thailand have benefited from the TFCA.
For full story, please see:
www.conservation.org/xp/news/press_releases/2004/042304.xml
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9. Ghana's forest resources under threat
Source: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra), 17 June 2004
The country's loss of over 75% of its original high forest cover and other
valuable structures and resources through wildfires has been blamed on
human activities and climatic hazards. The remaining 25% of the forest
resources still faces enormous threat due to rapid population growth,
general disregard of environmental conservation, improper disposal of
industrial and domestic waste, illegal and uncontrolled logging and the
annual ritual of wild and bush fires.
At the recent regional Consultative workshop on the National
Wildfire Management Policy, the Executive Director of the Forest Service
Division, Mr. John Ekow Otoo, expressed the need for all Ghanaians to
defend and respect the Policy to prevent the country from further
devastating annual wildfires, which have had a significant negative impact
on the socio-economic and environmental well being of the country. He said
that the annual incidence of wildfire ranges from 30% in the high forest
and transitional zones to over 90% in the dry Northern Savanna zones.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Nana Kwadwo Seinti, said
that the right enforcement of the Policy would significantly benefit the
region since it has a large number of ecotourism sites, which have a great
potential for the tourism industry in the country.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406170016.html
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10. Kenya: Kwale residents living on wild food
Source: The Nation (Nairobi), 14 June 2004
Residents of Kwale have resorted to eating wild tubers and fruits as famine
ravages the district. A spot check by The Nation in the worst-hit areas of
Samburu, Kinango and Lungalunga divisions, found most of the homes
deserted, as some villagers were said to have fled to others parts of the
district due to famine caused by prolonged drought.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406140940.html
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11. Kenya: Nation staff plant trees to mark World Environment Day
Source: The Nation (Nairobi), 6 June 2004
The Nation Media Group staff yesterday planted 1 000 trees at the Karura
Forest, Nairobi, to mark the World Environment Day. So far it has planted 2
000 trees on more than five acres of land here. The planting at Karura also
affirms Nation Media Group's commitment to corporate social responsibility
programmes. Last month, its Chief Executive Officer Mr Wilfred Kiboro led
another group in planting 1 000 indigenous trees in the same forest.
The Nation Media Group is working in partnership with Dr Pravin
Shah of the Millennium Trees who plans to plant 10 million trees all over
the country in his lifetime. This part of the forest will be known as the
Nation Millennium Tree Forest.
Dr Mark Nicholson, who joined the Nation staff in the
tree-planting exercise, said that while people can make money from planting
trees, indigenous trees were also important for hard wood and medicine
properties. He called upon people to plant ten trees for every tree cut.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406070380.html
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12. Malaysia: Nomadic Malaysian tribe tells of life in the forest
Source: Miki Fujii, Daily Yomiuri, Saturday, 1 May 2004 (in Community
Forestry E-News 2004.05 May 2004)
Aina Ikeda (not her real name) launched her oral history collection project
in Sarawak near the border of Kalimantan, which is known as the place of
origin of the Penans, said to be the last nomadic people on Earth. Only
about 400 of the 10 000 Penans still follow their traditional nomadic
lifestyle. Penan guardianship of the forest and its natural resources is
reflected in the custom of "molong" that requires an individual or
community to control the use of resources for the sake of future
generations, and is visualized by a special symbol created by natural
materials such as rattan.
The forest provides the Penans all their needs for survival:
food, shelter and medicine, but it is threatened by logging activities. The
village studied by Ikeda has already lost nearly half of its communal
forest area and a road now crosses their land. The Penans have demanded
that the government protect the forest, which they claim belongs to them as
communal property and not to the concessionaires. Timber products are a
major source of Sarawak's income, and according to the International
Tropical Timber Organization, Japan imported 40 percent of its timber
products from the state in 2002.
For full text, see http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040501wo62.htm
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13. Melanesia: Community-based ecoforestry protecting forests
Source: Community Forestry E-News 2004.05 May 2004
Melanesia, which includes Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu,
Kanaky (New Caledonia), Fiji, East Timor and West Papua (Indonesia), is
unique in the world in that 95% of its land is still under community
ownership by indigenous people. The forests they control are part of the
largest remaining rainforest in the Asia Pacific region and the third
largest tropical forest on Earth after the Amazon and Congo. Illegal and
destructive industrial logging is rampant, mainly by Malaysian companies
who have moved from Sarawak and elsewhere in Asia as the forests were
exhausted. Associated with logging comes poor governance, corruption, lack
of control and monitoring, and a situation where landowners receive very
little financial benefit and suffer disastrous social and environmental
impacts.
In response, for the last 15 years NGOs have targeted community
forest management as a solution to the crisis in the forests and to support
the customary forest owners. There is a wealth of successful examples of
community forestry programmes as well as some that didn't last but were
instructive in discovering the formula for success.
Most programmes have focused on training and marketing support.
The Solomon Islands' Ecoforestry Programme has trained 56 landowning groups
and is currently supporting 'ecotimber' production and exports providing a
net value to communities of US$520,000 in the last 5 years, as well as
protecting their 40 000 ha of forest from logging.
By: Grant Rosoman, Greenpeace Forests Campaigner, in: WRM Bulletin 82, May
2004
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14. Namibia: US $7.1m World Bank grant for community-based ecosystem
project
Source: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, 3 June 2004
The World Bank this week approved a US $7.1 million Global Environment
Facility (GEF) grant to Namibia for scaling up community-based ecosystem
management to the benefit of rural people. The grant is a part of a total
amount of US $32.43 million intended for the projec, with contributions
from the Namibian government, the French GEF, USAID, and the German
development bank, KfW, making up the balance.
The five-year initiative to improve rural livelihoods, promote
sustainable environmental management, biodiversity conservation and
sustainable land use will run as part of Namibia's "Community Conservancy"
programme.
The project encompasses the development of community-based
tourism facilities, including joint ventures with the private sector,
trophy hunting, game meat production, the commercialization of indigenous
plants and craft production.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406030865.html
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15. Namibia seeks to commercialize hoodia
Source: The Namibian (Windhoek), 3 June 2004
NAMIBIA has requested CITES to list the Carrion Flower (Hoodia) in Appendix
II, to enable it to sell the natural resource. Plants and animal species
classified in the Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II can be sold in controlled
commercial trade. Appendix I contains highly endangered species and no
trade on them is allowed.
Dr Pauline Lindeque, who deals with CITES-related matters at
the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, said Namibia made the proposal as
Hoodia was not at present listed at all. Botswana and South Africa have
also made the same proposal.
Hoodia has appetite-suppressing properties and is found only in
the arid regions of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. It has dominated
discussions in the pharmaceutical industry in Europe and the United States
over the past five years.
In February, Environment Minister Philemon Malima told a CITES'
Plants Committee in Windhoek that Namibia was conducting cultivation trials
to get small-scale farmers involved in the growing of Hoodia for commercial
purposes. He said that the cultivation of Hoodia for commercial purposes
would reduce the pressure on wild harvesting and prevent over-utilization.
Namibia's proposal will be tabled at the 13th CITES Conference
of Parties, to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in October.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406030121.html
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16. South Africa: Law now protects South Africa's biodiversity
Source: Cape Argus (Cape Town), 3 June 2004
President Thabo Mbeki has signed into law South Africa's new Biodiversity
Act, which is hailed by some as the most significant environmental
legislation adopted in ten years of democratic government. Because of its
incredibly rich biological diversity, South Africa is ranked the third most
biologically important nation in the world, after Brazil and Indonesia.
The new act now gives the highest possible political protection
to this biodiversity. Among other things, it requires full environmental
impact assessments before the introduction of any genetically modified
organisms (GMOs).
The act also makes provision for communities to share the
profits of any exploitation of natural materials involving their indigenous
knowledge. An example is the case of the San/Bushmen communities who will
benefit from a commercial slimming product derived from the Hoodia cactus
plant, which they have known for centuries, chewing its leaves as an
appetite suppressant.
"The act regulates for the first time what we call
'bio-prospecting'," explained Environmental Affairs and Tourism
director-general Chippy Olver. "For companies to be able to bio-prospect,
they will now have to go through a regulatory system which gives protection
to indigenous communities."
Also for the first time, the act gives a legal framework for
agreements such as the contract between the National Botanical Institute
(NBI) and US horticultural company Ball to develop commercially valuable
hybrids from some indigenous South African plant species.
And it will make it significantly more difficult for developers
to damage or destroy any biologically sensitive natural areas.
The act creates a basic legal framework in terms of which the
Environment Minister can promulgate a national biodiversity strategy and
action plan. It also provides for the identification of biodiversity
"hotspots" and "bio-regions", which will then be given legal recognition.
The act would not require developers to get additional permits,
Oliver suggested. "But it will add a very important dimension, because over
the next few years all these bio-regions will be given legal recognition,
and then any environmental impact assessment will have as its point of
departure the bio-regional plan."
The act also covers alien invasive species, which are a major
threat to biodiversity, and puts obligations on private landowners and the
government to clear alien invasive vegetation from their properties.
It also establishes the SA National Biodiversity Institute
(Sanbi), which is the legal successor of the current NBI.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406030117.html
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17. South Africa: Taking the sting out of beekeeping
Source: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg), 4 June 2004
While much of this year's World Environment Day (Jun. 5) will be spent
discussing the fate of the oceans, something altogether smaller is also
receiving attention in South Africa: the bee.
"Our people used to smoke (out) bees, (and) that resulted in
the burning of the forests. That's one of the reasons why the African
indigenous bee is threatened with extinction. Our task now is to conserve
this bee," Rejoice Mabudafhasi, Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism, told IPS. The African bee is regarded as the most aggressive
of bee species. But, "It's also the most hardworking in the world. And its
(honey) has got a sweet natural taste," says Mabudafhasi.
This flavour ? and the role bees play in pollinating the crops
that supply fruit for South Africa's large fruit industry ? has ensured
that the insects have economic as well as environmental worth. The bee
industry is currently thought to be worth almost US$466 million, according
to various sources.
As a result, efforts are underway to give people who fear bees
a sense of their importance. "We tell the communities, 'Don't burn the
bees. Don't torch them. Stop forest fire in the plantations. Look after the
bees'," says Jean-Marie Jullienne, Chief Executive Officer of the Bee
Foundation, a private company based in Pretoria that will be working with
government to train new beekeepers. "A bee lives only between 32 to 35 days
- it has a very short lifespan. This is why we need to educate the
community to look after them".
As part of its efforts to alert South Africans to the value of
bees, the Foundation plans to help 100 000 people in rural areas set up
their own beekeeping businesses over a three-year period. It will sell
specially designed beehives (which come equipped with bee populations) to
these people at a reduced rate of about US$62 each; the market price for
the hives is between US$93 and US$124. No specialized skills are needed to
manage the hives.
When the honey is ready for harvesting, staff from the Bee
Foundation will collect it - paying farmers just over US$120 for every
kilogramme of honey. As each hive is expected to yield at least 20kg of
honey every year, the farmers can look forward to a gross annual income of
about US$2 500. After repaying the loans taken out to buy the hives, the
farmers will have a net monthly income of US$155 ? no small amount in a
country where most of the population was impoverished by apartheid.
South Africa currently has up to 10 000 beekeepers, but there
is room for an additional 10 000, according to industry analysts. According
to Julliene, "We produce only 2 000 tons per year. And we consume 3 000
tons per year. To fill the gap we import 1 000 tons every year from China
and Australia. Yet South Africa has the capacity to produce 100 000 tons of
honey per year."
Mabudafhasi believes that alerting people to the value of bees
will put an end to the destructive practice of smoking them out.
Bee farming has the advantage of being less capital-intensive
than other agricultural activities, as it does not require large tracts of
land, seed, fertilizer - or expensive machinery to till the soil and
harvest crops. In addition honey production is not dependent on weather
conditions. Nonetheless, this potentially lucrative activity has, until
now, been largely ignored in Africa.
"We have millions of hives in the trees. We need to bring the
bees from the wild into the boxes ? and we have asked for the support of
the forestry officials (to do this)," Jullienne says. "People in Africa
have always been bee hunters not beekeepers. Our role is to educate them
and make them become beekeepers".
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406040756.html
Related stories: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406070508.html and
http://allafrica.com/stories/200406070668.html
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18. Uganda: Fruits to help fight poverty in the north
Source: New Vision (Kampala), 22 June 2004
Northern Uganda is endowed with various herbs and nutritious fruit trees
which can help in fighting poverty and improve nutrition. But because of
insecurity, ignorance and inadequate funds, the biodiversity is not being
tapped.
One of the vitamin-rich fruit trees is Borassus palm (tugo),
which grows in the wild. Its trunk is split and used as poles for roofing
houses and its leaves are used for making mats. "Tugo fruits are also used
for making salt. The fruits are rich in food values and money can be earned
from it," said George Obong, the coordinator of The Northern Foods Project
(NFP). The community-based NGO is piloting processing tugo wine from the
fruit.
Started last year with only ten members, the project now has
over 60 members, most of whom are rural-based women from the pilot
sub-counties of Adekokwok (Lira) and Aboke in Apac district. Each member
must have at least one tugo tree in their garden. Alice Okello, a
75-year-old disabled widow in Boroboro parish has over 500 palm trees, and
is one of the women getting hands-on skills to process tugo wine. "Apart
from wine, tugo can be used for making salt, honey and nutritious porridge,
especially for children," she said. Other uses include making baskets,
bags, other handicrafts from its foliage, and as woodfuel.
The NGO has over 200 types and uses of local plants. Some of
the traditional plants are effective medicine for different diseases. It
has also started 'manufacturing' vaseline, in 50gm and 100gm packs sold at
sh600 and sh1 000, which is effective in curing skin rashes, pimples and
scabies.
Last year, a team from the Natural Chemotherapeutic Research
Laboratory (NCRC) under the Ministry of Health at Wandegeya, Kampala,
visited the Northern Foods Project to ascertain its viability. The centre's
director, Dr. Grace Nambatya, hailed the project for being in line with the
government's objective of using a community-based approach to boost
nutrition and fight poverty through community awareness of indigenous
plants and their values. "Our role is to identify such community
initiatives so that we can assist them with the Poverty Action Fund (PAF),
through the Ministry of Finance," Nambatya said. She added that the
insecurity in Apac and Lira districts have not halted their plans. The
project has three components: Food processing to fight malnutrition,
medicinal plants for community health, and art and crafts to raise
household incomes.
It is aimed at sustainable utilization and management of
natural resources, including fruit crops and medicinal plants, as well as
rational exploitation of the fruit crops to ensure proper ecological
balance and soil conservation. She said that after identifying their needs,
her department would help the NFP with processors and train them on how to
preserve and package their products.
"What we now need is funding, security and the market. We have
enough raw materials and many members are willing to join hands in the
project," said Obong.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406220124.html
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19. Uganda: Ecotourism gets a boost
Source: New Vision (Kampala), 21 June 2004
The tourism industry will have a chance to showcase its products when the
African Travel Association (ATA) holds its eighth cultural and ecotourism
symposium and launch ATA Uganda Chapter in October. "We believe Africa's
turn has come. It has everything to offer. There is no reason why it can't
benefit from the booming global tourism," ATA's Jane Thompson said.
Thompson is part of the ATA delegation's on site inspection of some of the
tourism products as part of the preparations for the highly rated October
function.
ATA is an international organization which promotes tourist
attractions in Africa. It educates and trains interested travel agents,
meeting and conference planning, group tour organizers and incentive
companies about the products and services offered by the tourism industry
in Africa. It also publishes the popular Africa Travel Magazine.
Thompson said the ecotourism symposium would help Uganda learn
from other ATA partners and get recognition as one of the accessible
tourism destinations. Delegates are expected from Africa, Europe, US and
Asia. She said that ecotourism was a critical component because "if you
don't conserve, you will lose your products". She said that the learning
experience would be important to travel agents. Delegates will take home
experience of what they have learnt about Uganda's products. She warned,
however, that "success will depend on the tourism ministry.
"It is a great time for Africa," Marlene Melton president of
African Ventures Inc, USA said. She said Uganda had much to offer in
tourism "but proactive promotion is required."
Susan Muhwezi, the special presidential assistant said tourism
was in line with President Yoweri Museveni's initiative to eradicate
poverty.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406211263.html
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20. Vietnam: Natural resources protection and biodiversity
conservation
Source: VNA, Friday, 14 May 2004 (in Community Forestry E-News 2004.05 May
2004)
The government recently presented two documents for natural resource
management and biodiversity conservation.
The first, Management Strategy for a Protected Area System in
Viet Nam to 2010 aims to establish, organize and manage effectively a
protected area system to protect the rich and unique biodiversity resources
and landscapes of Viet Nam.
The Central Truong Son Biodiversity Conservation Initiative,
period 2004-2020 focuses on maintaining the natural ecosystem's functions
to secure the global biodiversity value of the landscape for future
generations, ensure environmental services such as watershed protection and
soil conservation, and through sustainable management improve livelihoods
for rural communities.
The result of a long term cooperation between the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, the WWF Indochina with financial
assistance from the Danish Government, and technical assistance from the
WWF Denmark and WWF Indochina, the documents reflect the efforts of the
Vietnamese government and people, international experts and communities to
manage and protect Viet Nam's natural resources and unique landscapes.
The implementation of the two strategies will also contribute
to global biodiversity conservation and implementation of the international
conventions that Viet Nam has pledged.
For the full text, see
www.vnagency.com.vn/NewsA.asp?LANGUAGE_ID=2&CATEGORY_ID=32&NEWS_ID=99477
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21. Zambia: North western bee products gets German fair certificate
Source: The Post (Lusaka), 7 June 2004
THE North Western Bee Products has earned a German fair trade certification
for its honey.
General manager Bob Malichi said that the company has been
growing at a fast rate, especially in the past three years, which he
attributed to the commitment of workers and out-grower beekeepers. He said
that last year alone the company had a bumper harvest and exported 144
metric tonnes of honey to Germany and the United Kingdom.
Malichi said there was tremendous demand for organic honey in
the United Kingdom and Germany and added that the company's honey was
organic and was fairly traded, hence the German certification. He explained
the certification was one of the highest ratings on the world market for
bee products. "Our only threat is China which produces massive quantities
of honey."
Malichi said that the North Western Bee Products was the second
largest employer in the province after the government. The company had 6
472 registered beekeepers and had contributed enormously to poverty
reduction within its catchment area covering Mwinilunga, Kabompo, Mufumbwe,
Solwezi and Kasempa districts.
Honey costs 1 200 British Pounds per tonne while bee wax costs
2 300 British Pounds per tonne. Malichi said that their target was to
produce 54 metric tonnes of honey this season.
He added that the company was now refocusing and looking at the
plight of women by encouraging their involvement in bee keeping.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406070945.html
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22. Zambia: State launches K3bn forestry credit facility
Source: The Times of Zambia (Ndola), 3June 2004
Government has launched a K3 billion forestry development credit facility
aimed at providing affordable financing to the micro, small and medium
enterprises in the forestry sector.
During the official launch of the credit facility, Tourism,
Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Patrick Kalifungwa, said the
money has already been released to his ministry and would be disbursed
according to the criteria to be worked out by the various stakeholders, and
guidelines would also be used to invite applications from eligible
Zambians.
"This facility will ensure rational use of the forest as credit
to develop the forest land," he said. He explained that the money would be
available as credit to develop the forest resource through activities such
as planting of trees, training in optimal utilization of forest resources
and re-capitalization of forest resources. Mr Kalifungwa said the money
would also be used for processing of wood and non-wood products to produce
quality finished products for local consumption and export.
Mr Kalifungwa has said about 200 000-300 000 hectares of land
were being deforested annually.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406030208.html
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23. Zimbabwe: Animal, plant life dwindling
Source: The Herald (Harare), 21 June 2004
Many unique animal, bird and plant species could silently be disappearing
from the face of the earth mainly due to human invasion. Effective
protection and sound management of areas with protected species has been
and still remains the major challenge facing countries that are home to
rare plants and animals.
Information compiled between 1990 and 2002 and posted on the
World Resource Institute's EarthTrends website indicates that of the 270
known mammal species in Zimbabwe, 11 are threatened with extinction; of the
4 440 higher plant species known in the country, 141 were on the verge of
extinction, while ten of the 229 known breeding bird species are in danger
of disappearing from the face of the earth.
Zimbabwe's conservation success story in the 1990s resulted in
many farmers cashing in on the abundance of wildlife by turning some of
their vast holdings into conservancies. But these gains risk being reversed
if Zimbabwe fails to maintain the standards it has set for itself and other
Southern African countries. The Presidential Land Review Committee Report
compiled by the former Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr
Charles Utete, and released in September 2003 expressed concern at the
welfare of the country's natural resources, such as wildlife.
The needs and grievances of communities who have settled in
protected areas such as the Gonarezhou National Park must be addressed
without delay because the environmental impact of their continued stay
there could have far reaching consequences. There is an urgent need to act
in light of well documented evidence that impoverished communal areas can
no longer fulfil the basic needs of communities. The large scale dependence
by Zimbabweans on forest resources for fuel, construction timber, etc, has
become unsustainable with rampant deforestation and woodland degradation.
It has been said that poverty is the greatest enemy of the environment.
Evidence of this abounds in the communal areas where poor families are
trying to make ends by exploiting the country's natural plant resources.
The baobab tree, whose bark is used extensively in mat-making,
is now on the brink of extinction. The over-exploitation of the giant tree
for commercial purposes has rendered the baobab incapable of effectively
regenerating its bark.
For hundreds of years Southern African communities have
stripped the tree bark to extract pulp which is used to treat fever,
diarrhoea, malaria and as a vitamin C supplement.
But such extraction posed very little threat to the tree since damage was
minimal and infrequent such that the tree had a good chance of
regenerating.
Compiled data from many organizations indicate that the baobab,
an unmistakable feature of the landscape in most drought prone parts of
Southern Africa, has been and still is a source of livelihood for many
communities.
The baobab is a multi-purpose tree. Its leaves and fruit are
good as relish substitutes. The fruit is used as a fermenting agent in
traditional brews and makes a refreshing traditional drink when dissolved
in milk. The seeds, which yield an edible substitute for vegetable oil, can
also be eaten raw or roasted or ground to produce a coffee like beverage.
Pulped seeds are also known to cure gastric, kidney and joint ailments.
But all this treasure is at risk as economic survival continues
to dictate the future of these vulnerable and sometimes unique species.
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406210677.html
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24. Can 'plant passports' put bioprospecting back on track?
Source: "Nature", 10 June 2004 (in SciDev.Net Weekly Update: 7-13 June
2004)
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed at the Earth Summit in
Rio de Janeiro in 1992 sought to promote the sustainable use of biological
resources in a way that would bring benefits to countries where they are
found ? many being the poorer developing nations. But instead, the search
for potentially valuable natural products, such as medicinal compounds in
plants, has often elicited suspicion and fear of exploitation.
In a recent article, Rex Dalton describes how, although some
success stories exist, the predicted bonanza of new drugs has failed to
materialize. This is partly because major pharmaceutical firms have
withdrawn funding ? apparently put off both by doubts about commercial
benefits, and by a lack of firm rules about benefit-sharing between host
nations, scientists and commercial sponsors.
A new framework under discussion may dispel fears on all sides
? and lure the commercial giants back into the field. A central component
would be a user-friendly certificate that would travel with compounds
stating their origin and who hold rights to them, a bit like a passport.
But the United States is raising barriers to a new access and
benefit-sharing agreement. And there are fears that biological resources
may disappear before agreement is reached.
Link to full article in Nature Reference: Nature 429, 598 (2004)
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25. CBD forest web portal
Source: H. Gyde Lund [gyde at comcast.net], Forest Information Update, FIU 31
MAY 04
Facilitating the implementation of the Expanded Programme of Work on Forest
Biological Diversity, the CBD Secretariat has developed a forest web portal
to allow Parties, other governments, NGOs, research practitioners, project
managers and other actors in civil society to reflect on and analyse their
common experiences in implementing the objectives of the expanded programme
of work.
Each month throughout 2004-2006, the portal will feature
focused information and discussions on a topic drawn from the 27 objectives
of the expanded programme of work. This will permit all stakeholders to
report monthly on those activities related to each objective. The portal
will feature tools such as: online discussions with other practitioners, a
continually updated database of best practices, and background information
on the monthly topics. You are invited to register and become a full
participant in the process (see:
www.biodiv.org/programmes/areas/forest/portal/home.shtml).
On a monthly basis, an electronic discussion forum will be
structured around each of the 27 objectives of the expanded work programme
on forest biodiversity (available at
www.biodiv.org/decisions/default.aspx?dec=VI/22).
Each month, the portal will contain the following sections
relevant to each objective: (i) background on the topic; (ii) guidance on
indicators of progress related to the implementation of the objective;
(iii) any background information on relevant CBD principles and guidelines
that apply to the objective; and (iv) supplementary information, including
links to other websites and relevant publications.
The monthly discussion topic corresponding will be moderated
and archived for further analysis and synthesis.
A database of best practices related to each topic is available
on the site. Users are able to submit their case studies to the database
for presentation on the portal.
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REQUESTS
26. Request for information: boreal plants
From: Taiga Rescue Network [info at taigarescue.org]
We are collaborating with. John Kennedy (below) to develop a boreal forest
exhibit at the 2005 Chelsea Flower show in London, England. A tentative
design concept is "vanishing boreal medicine", with which we are hoping to
establish an educational exhibit highlighting disappearing boreal forest
flora that indigenous peoples make use of for food, medicine and tools.
We need your help to compile a list of plants that are endemic
to the boreal and that are significant to indigenous peoples. More
particularly, we would like help on a "Preliminary Planting List." This is
just a long list of plants with the following essential criteria that all
of the plants on the list must meet:
1. They grow in the taiga
2. They are in leaf / flower, or simply look good in spring (when the show
is on)
3. Are of some use or benefit to humans
4. Can survive the transportation to, and installation at Chelsea for about
a month.
5. We can get as plants without taking from the wild, unless we are
rescuing them from logging or construction sites.
The following are the preferred criteria that a few special
plants must meet.
1. They are endemic to (unique to) the taiga
2. They look spectacular in spring
3. They are very useful plants for indigenous people and have a tradition
of use for numerous things, like medicine, tools, food etc.
4. Not commonly found in cultivation and horticulture (although we will be
able to source the plants without taking them from the wild.)
The plant list can include evergreen and deciduous forest
trees, understorey shrubs, heathers and heaths, epiphytes, lichens, mosses,
grasses, wild flowers, annuals, perennials, bulbs and corms, ferns,
clubmosses, rushes: anything as long as it's a plant: it could also be
dead: like drift wood, pine cones or unusual fruiting bodies, dieback from
last years growth (like tall grasses), etc. And also mushrooms and fungi
too.
The plants don't have to be "pretty." People could maybe just
tell me about their favourite Taiga plants and we'll make the list out of
that.
I need to send the application away on the 30 June 2004.
Any suggestions, photo or descriptions about the plants (Latin
names preferred) can be sent to me directly or to Mr. Kennedy (
john at landlab.co.uk)
For more information, please contact:
Damien Lee
Information Coordinator
Taiga Rescue Network
Box 116, Ajtte, Jokkmokk
Sweden, S-962 23
Tel: +46-971-17039
Fax: +46-971-12057
Email: info at taigarescue.org
www.taigarescue.org
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27. Request for information: medicinal plants
From: Manish Mishra [manishm at iifm.org]
Please provide information on the success and failures of cultivation of
medicinal plants. The information can be in the form of reports, papers,
articles, review etc. This will be helpful to me in my project in the
tropical forests of India. Hoping for a positive response from your side.
If you can help, please contact:
Manish Mishra
Faculty, Ecosystem Management and Technical Forestry Branch
Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM)
Nehru Nagar P.O Box 357
Bhopal (M P). Pin: 462003 India
Ph.No.off. 91+0755+2775716/2773799
E-mail: manishm at iifm.org
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28. Request for assistance: bamboo publication
From: Fu Jinhe, INBAR China [jfu at inbar.int]
Below is the outline of "Bamboos of the world". I am looking for some
possible sponsors to fund publishing this book. If are interested or know
of possible sponsors, please contact me.
Bamboos of the world
This book will includes about 300 of the most important/common bamboo
species in the world. We will invite famous bamboo experts from Asia,
America, Europe and Africa to compile the loose-leaf compendium.
Each species: 1-4 pages, total 400-600 pages, like a loose-leaf book
1. Latin name plus colour photos. It should include 1-5 color
photos for individual culm, branching, shoot/flower/seed and
grove/plantation etc.
2. Alias
3. Brief description (size, taxonomy). It should be helpful to
identify the bamboo species with the assistance of above photos
4. Origin and distribution
5. Requirement on climate and soil. It will be helpful to bamboo
growers.
6. Growth, cultivation, yield and stand management
7. Uses (landscape, plantation, timber, construction, pulp and
paper, handicraft etc)
8. Main references
This work will take about 2 years.
Thank you.
Fu Jinhe, Ph. D.
Program Officer
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
or www.inbar.int or www.geocities.com/zhuzi.geo
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EVENTS AND TRAINING COURSES
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
Sustainable tourism
7-9 July 2004
Segovia, Spain
For more information, please contact:
Gaye McKeogh, Conference Manager, Wessex Institute of Technology;
Tel: +44-238-029-3223;
Fax: +44-238-029-2853;
E-mail: gmckeogh at wessex.ac.uk
www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2004/sustainabletourism04/index.html
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Workshop on Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) Networking in Lao PDR
9 July 2004
Vientiane, Lao PDR
NTFPs play an important role in poverty alleviation, sustainable management
of natural resources and private sector development in Lao PDR. There are
more than 50 organizations working in Lao PDR in the NTFP sector. FRC/NAFRI
and SNV recently carried out a survey among these organizations, which
identified a strong need for:
? development of entry-level tools for enterprise development and
marketing;
? need for better coordination between field implementing organizations;
and
? exchange of information and documentation of successful field experiences
in the form of case studies.
The objective of the workshop is to identify opportunities for
information exchange and co-operation through networking among
organisations working in the NTFP sub-sector in Lao PDR.
The expected outcomes are:
? shared understanding on what each organisation wants to achieve and what
it can offer in cooperation/exchange of information on NTFP development;
? a shared vision on what networking is and how it could be done in Lao
PDR; and
? a "to-do" list of networking/exchange activities that could be followed
up in informal meetings/partnerships between groups of
organisations/individuals.
Representatives from organisations working in the NTFP sector
in Lao PDR will be invited to join the workshop.
There will be an opportunity during the workshop to enhance
sharing and information exchange. Participants are invited to prepare/bring
any pictures, posters, reports and/or other materials illustrating their
NTFP work. Participants will also be asked to prepare a summary of what
they expect to gain from networking and what they expect to contribute, in
advance of the workshop.
The workshop will be hosted by the following organizations:
? Forest Research Centre, Dong Dok
? National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute, Dong Dok
? Regional Community Forestry Training Centre (RECOFTC), Thailand
? SNV, The Netherlands Development Organisation, Lao Country Office
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Kamphone Sengdala, tel. 021-770892 or 020-5526753,
khamphone01 at yahoo.com;
Mr. Joost Foppes, SNV-FRC NTFP adviser, tel.. 020-5508760
jfoppes at csloxinfo.com
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International Scientific Conference
20-23 September 2004
Zvolen, Slovakia
The objectives of the conference, which is being organized by the Slovak
Forest Research Institute, are to bring together the latest international
research throughout:
· forest ecosystems
· natural ecosystems
· landscape ecology
· soil protection
· sustainable forest and landscape management.
For more information, please contact:
Prof. Julius Novotny
Forest Research Institute
Telephone: +421-45-5314 171
Fax: +421-45-5321 883
E-mail: novotny at fris.sk
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Environmental assessment and sustainable forest management
22 September 2004
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
FAO, in cooperation with the Secrétariat sous régional pour l'évaluation
environnementale en Afrique centrale (SEEAC), and CIRAD-Foret, is
supporting this one-day seminar on Environmental Assessment and sustainable
forest management.
Environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental
assessments as tools for sustainable development are gaining importance all
over the world, and also in the Central Africa region. The aim of the
seminar will be to take stock of the practical experiences in applying
environmental assessments in the forestry sector in Africa, and to better
understand its potential and applicability vis-à vis other existing
instruments of SFM. Papers and contributions are solicited before 16 July
2004
For more information, please contact
Laura Russo
Forestry Officer (Utilization and Environment)
Forest Products Division, FAO Forestry Department
viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome, Italy
+39-06-57052044 (tel) +39-06-57055618 (fax)
E-mail: laura.russo at fao.org
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Evaluating forestry incentive and assistance programmes in Europe ?
challenges to improve policy effectiveness
10-12 October 2004
Warsaw, Poland
This conference is being organized by the Forest Research Institute in
Warsaw (FRIW), European Forest Research Institute (EFI) with financial
support from the Commission of the European Communities, DG - Research.
For more information, please contact:
Forest Research Institute
Section of Planning and Foreign Relations
Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920r. Street, No3
00-973 Warsaw, Poland
Phone:+ 48 22 8234565
Mobile:+ 48 608846483
E-mail: M.Topczewska at ibles.waw.pl
http://www.efi.fi/events/2004/effe_conference or www.ibles.waw.pl
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International symposium on the role of forests for coming generations:
philosophy and technology for forest resource management (FORCOM2004)
17-22 October 2004
Utsunomiya, Japan.
This symposium will seek to present and exchange state-of-the-art
scientific as well as practical results and techniques relating to forest
resource management among researchers, federal officials, practitioners and
local stakeholders.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Naoto Matsumura
Forest Planning for the Environment
Fac. of Bioresources, Mie University
Tsu, 514-8507, Japan
Phone: (+81) 59-231-9507
Fax: (+81) 59-231-9517
E-mail: forcom2004 at fecsun.kankyo.tohoku.ac.jp;
http://fecsun.kankyo.tohoku.ac.jp/FORCOM/first/greetings
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I International Fair and Forum: "Non-Timber Forest Products ? Culture of
Use"
30 October ? 3 November 2004
Moscow, Russia
IUCN-The World Conservation Union Office for Russia and CIS in
collaboration with The Federal Agency on Forestry of Russia, NGO "Stayer"
and the All-Russia Exhibition Center announce an international fair and
forum on non-timber forest products: "NTFPs ?Culture of Use". The Fair is
supported by the IUCN-CIDA project "Building Partnerships for Forest
Conservation and Management in Russia".
Forests are a rich treasury of goods and services created by
Nature. Local communities have the potential to use forests in a
sustainable way without the destruction of the forest environment. One of
the most important resources of the forest are non-timber forest products
(NTFPs) consisting of any plant or fungi resources of the forest other than
timber, pulpwood, or firewood. Examples of NTFPs include berries,
mushrooms, and herbal medicines. Although actual 'products' vary from place
to place, NTFPs are used around the World by all cultures.
NTFPs include not only food products, such as herbal teas,
preserved and fresh wild berries, mushrooms and fruits, but also a wide
range of health products, natural cosmetics, medicine and crafts. The
importance of NTFPs can not be overemphasized for Indigenous cultures, in
which these products often are the focus of not only subsistence use, but
also of high cultural and spiritual importance.
The interest in using NTFPs as a tool in economic development
has grown enormously in recent years. Many experts and community
development projects view NTFPs as a key part of a local sustainable
livelihood strategy (including tourism, cultural activities, hunting,
herding). However, the NTFP sector still faces many challenges, including,
on the local level, a lack of information on marketing opportunities,
existing processing and packaging equipment and technologies, and
sustainable harvesting practices. On the other hand, land and forest
managers and decision makers often overlook the benefits, which could be
provided by sustainable small business NTFP development to local
communities, specifically in poor and distant areas, where economic
development opportunities are severely limited.
The Fair will bring together NTFP producers, producers of
processing and packaging equipment, forest and protected areas managers,
experts and NGOs from different regions of Russia and many countries of the
world in a forum of knowledge exchange and networking to advance the NTFP
sector. The major focus of the Fair is to showcase the sustainable
harvesting practices and sustainable NTFP-based small businesses, to share
the lessons learned in NTFP business development in Russia and elsewhere,
and to demonstrate the potential of NTFP small business development to
increase the incomes of forest communities.
For NTFPs and equipment producers the Fair will be an excellent
opportunity to present their products, find new buyers and explore new
markets. It is also a good opportunity for business people involved in the
sector to discuss and voice their concerns about challenges for NTFP
development in Russia and elsewhere. We believe that the presence of the
general public at the event will foster interest in the sustainable
development of natural resources.
The results of the planned round table discussions will be
shared with the general public and decision-makers through a press
conference; a bilingual catalogue of the Fair's participants and sponsors
will also be published.
Please apply for participation in Fair and\or forum before 1 August 2004
For more information please contact:
Mr. Nikolay Shmatkov
IUCN ? The World Conservation Union Office for Russia and CIS
17 Marshal Vasilevski St.
123182 Moscow
tel + 7 (095) 190 70 77
fax + 7 (095) 490 58 18
E-mail: shmatkov at iucn.ru
www.iucn.ru
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International conference on ecotourism planning and management in protected
areas
28 February-3 March 2005
HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal India
Call for Papers:
Following the success of past conferences, the High Altitude Research
Institute, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttaranchal, northern
India, invites participants to submit abstracts for papers to be considered
for inclusion in the 2004 conference.
The theme of the conference is on ecotourism in protected areas
and all subjects relevant to this topic are invited. Particular interest
will be given to papers that examine Ecotourism in High Mountain areas but
notwithstanding this the invitation is made for papers to be presented on
any aspect of ecotourism research. Topics will include the planning,
development, management and monitoring of ecotourism as well as issues of
marketing, impacts and advancement. Contributions related to community
ecotourism development will be ascribed a particularly high priority.
Both Academic and Professional abstracts are invited but it is
important that at least one author of each submitted paper must register
and be present at the conference. Prospective contributors should email the
organizing committee immediately with their abstracts to ensure inclusion
in the final program.
Academic papers should include an abstract of no more than 300
words, which should be emailed immediately to the conference organizing
committee. Once accepted a full paper of no more than 3000 words (including
the 300 word abstract) should be submitted to the conference organizing
committee by 31 August 2004.
Professional abstracts of no more than 300 words should be
submitted by 31 October 2004.
Send abstracts or inquiries to the Conference Paper Review
Coordinator:
Professor Ross K. Dowling,
School of Marketing, Tourism and Leisure
Edith Cowan University
Joondalup WA 6027, Australia
Tel: IDD+ (618) 6304 5891
Fax: IDD+ (618) 6304 5840
Email: r.dowling at ecu.edu.au
or
Prof. S.C. Bagri,
Director
Centre for Mountain Tourism and Hospitality Studies
HNB Garhwal University
Srinagar Garhwal - 246174,
Uttranchal, India
Tel: 01346 - 251051 (O) - 252650"¦
Fax: 01346- 252174 & 252424
Email- bagri_sc at hotmail.com
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17th Commonwealth Forestry Conference
28 February -5 March 2005
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Preparations for this conference, which will convene under the theme of
'Forestry's Contribution to Poverty Reduction,' are currently underway.
For more information contact:
Libby Jones, Secretary, Standing Committee on Commonwealth Forestry,
Forestry Commission, UK
Tel: +44-131-314-6137;
Fax: +44-131-316-4344;
E-mail: libby.jones at forestry.gsi.gov.uk;
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Global conference on indigenous knowledge and traditional medicine
16-18 March 2005
Johannesburg, South Africa
The main objective of this conference is to review current indigenous
knowledge laws and to recommend changes and amendments wherever necessary.
It will also give participants a chance to educate indigenous healers on
how to develop and protect their medical products, process and procedures;
and also to promote collaboration between indigenous healers, conventional
medical practitioners and corporate institutions for joint development and
sharing of intellectual property rights of medicinal products, processes
and procedures.
For more information, please contact:
J. William Danquah,
President & Chief Executive Officer,
Africa First LLC,
517 Asbury Street, Suite 11,
Saint Paul, MN 55104, USA,
Telephone 651 646 4721,
Telefax 651 644 3235,
Email: info at africa-first.com
Website: www.africa-first.com.
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LITERATURE REVIEW AND WEB SITES
39. Fact sheets on medicinal herbs
From: Pankaj Oudhia [pankajoudhia at yahoo.com]
Here is the list of twelve new fact sheets on medicinal herbs recently
published and available on the Internet.
1.Chhui-Mui or Lajwanti (Mimosa pudica Linn.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/mimosa.html
2.Sarphonk [Tephrosia purpurea (Linn.) Pers.]
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/sarphonk.html
3.Kaua-kaini (Commelina benghalensis Linn.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/commelina.html
4.Shivlingi (Bryonia laciniosa Linn.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/shivlingi.html
5.Dikamali (Gardenia resinifera Roth.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/dikamali.html
6.Chirchita or Onga (Achyranthes aspera var. perphyristachya Hook. F.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/onga.html
7.Mithi Patti (Scoparia dulcis Linn.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/scoparia.html
8.Bramhi (Bacopa monnieri)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/bramhi.html
9.Kamala or kamopillaka (Mallotus philippinensis Muell.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/kamala.html
10.Akarkara (Spilanthes acmella Murr.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/akarkara.html
11.Kans (Saccharum spontaneum L.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/kans.html
12.Nirmali (Strychnos potatorum Linn.)
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/nirmali.html
For more information, please visit:
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/Indices/index_ab.html
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40. Other publications of interest
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
Beukering, P.J.H. van; Cesar, H.S.J.; &Janssen, M.A.. 2003. Economic
valuation of the Leuser National Park on Sumatra, Indonesia. Ecological
Economics. 44: 1, 43-62.
de Merode, Emmanuel; Homewood, Katherine; & Cowlishaw, Guy. 2004. The value
of bushmeat and other wild foods to rural households living in extreme
poverty in Democratic Republic of Congo. Biological Conservation 118?5; 573
- 581
Ducousso M; Ba A.M.; Thoen, D.; Hall, I. (ed.); Yun Wang (ed.); Danell, E.
(ed.); Zambonelli, A. 2002. Ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with native
and planted tree species in West Africa: a potential source of edible
mushrooms. Edible mycorrhizal mushrooms and their cultivation. Proceedings
of the Second International Conference on Edible Mycorrhizal Mushrooms,
Christchurch, New Zealand, 3-6 July, 2001.
Fahrig, L. 2003. Effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. Annu.
Rev. Ecol. Evol. S. 34:487-515
Gordon, I.; Ayiemba, W. 2003. Harnessing butterfly biodiversity for
improving livelihoods and forest conservation: the Kipepeo Project. Journal
of Environment and Development. 12: 1, 82-98;
The Kipepeo Project is a community-based butterfly farming project on the
margins of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest on the north coast of Kenya. This forest
is a globally important forest for biodiversity conservation. In the
early1990s, 54% to 59% of the local community wanted the entire forest
cleared for settlement and the forest was invaded by farmers on several
occasions. The Kipepeo Project was set up to change community attitudes to
the forest by giving them a stake in its conservation. Kipepeo trained
farmers living next to the forest to rear forest butterflies. Butterfly
pupae were purchased from the farmers for export to the live butterfly
exhibit industry in Europe and the United States. Cumulative community
earnings from 1994 to 2001 exceeded US$130 000 with significant positive
effects on both livelihoods and attitudes. The project has been financially
self-sustaining since 1999. Butterfly monitoring indicates that there have
been no adverse effects on wild butterfly populations.
Honnay, O et al. eds. 2004. Forest Biodiversity: Lessons from History for
Conservation. CABI Publishing, ISBN 085199802X,
Ladio, A.H., and Lozada, M. 2004. Patterns of use and knowledge of wild
edible plants in distinct ecological environments: a case study of a
Mapuche community from northwestern Patagonia. Biodivers. Conserv.
13(6):1153-1173.
Lund, H. Gyde; Dallmeier, Francisco; Alonso, Alfonso. 2004. Biodiversity:
Biodiversity in forests. MS 146. p.33-40. In: Encyclopedia of Forest
Sciences. J. Burley, J. Evans and J. A. Youngquist (eds.).
Elsevier/Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-145160-7.
Manandhar NP; Singh VK (ed.); Govil JN (ed.); Singh G. 2002. Ethnomedicinal
plants diversity and their conservation in Nepal. Recent progress in
medicinal plants. Vol 1: Ethnomedicine and pharmacognosy. 41-46. Sci Tech
Publishing LLC; Houston; USA
Messerli, S. 2002. Agroforestry ? a way forward to the sustainable
management of the walnut fruit forests in Kyrgyzstan. Schweizerische
Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen, 153: 10, 392-396
The unique walnut fruit forests in Kyrgyzstan are a good example of the
multifunctional use of forests in temperate zones. Not only are non-timber
forest products (NTFPs) collected but the land in and around the forests is
used for grazing and haymaking, as well as arable cropping and the
establishment of fruit orchards. Apart from sustaining the lives of the
local mountain people, these forests are extremely rich in biodiversity and
have an important function as a watershed for the Ferghana valley. The
simultaneous dependence of the population on both agriculture and forest
offers ideal conditions for the extension and improvement of existing
agroforestry systems. However, solutions must be found concerning the
practice of uncontrolled grazing, the insecure land and tree tenure
situation, the low productivity of existing land use systems, the lack of
agricultural advice and training, and the serious impact of firewood
collection.
Sawathvong, S. 2003. Participatory land management planning in biodiversity
conservation areas of Lao PDR. Acta Universitati Agriculturae Sueciae
Silvestria. No.267, 44 pp. + Papers I-V.
The importance of integrating forest conservation and rural development
objectives is much better understood today than in the past. Despite an
increased understanding, such integration in many countries remains poorly
supported in terms of coordination between government agencies and
stakeholders. Environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity
conservation areas to competing alternative uses are widespread throughout
the world and Lao PDR is no exception. The forest policy in Lao PDR has
developed under the framework of international conventions. The protected
area system has been established with the aim of conserving healthy and
diverse forests. Rehabilitation and reforestation policies are important
complements. The former rules by decree approach has been replaced by a set
of laws and regulations. This thesis presents and discusses a management
approach for biodiversity conservation areas in Lao PDR. As part of that,
it highlights the significance of appropriate policies and legislation as a
base for sustainable management, discusses various interdisciplinary and
interactive planning methods tested in case studies, and analyses the
utilization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as part of a strategy for
sustainable management of biodiversity conservation areas. The integration
of techniques from social sciences and natural sciences is emphasized to
encourage local participation in managing the conservation areas. The
recognition of NTFPs plays an important role in the conservation and
development of protected area management. A literature review was made to
gain insight into the research trend in Southeast Asia in terms of tenure
rights of NTFPs and the way people utilize them. Quantitative resource
assessment is an important part in sustainable management. In a case study,
a participatory two-phase sampling approach for cardamom assessment was
developed and tested with promising result.
Stone, M., and Wall, G. 2004. Ecotourism and community development: case
studies from Hainan, China. Environ. Manage. 33(1):12-24.
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41. Web sites and e-zines
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
Biodiversity Information Sharing Service (BISS)
The most comprehensive on-line database for species and protected areas in
South East Asia. It provides descriptions, pictures, distributional data
with maps, information on uses and conservation status of many thousands of
flora and fauna species across the ASEAN region, including the protected
areas and country profiles of the ten ASEAN countries.
www.arcbc.org/arcbcweb/biss.asp
CBD forest web portal
www.biodiv.org/programmes/areas/forest/portal/home.shtml
FAO Terminology Web Site
The FAO Terminology Web Site has been updated and enhanced. Designed to
provide a multilingual support to any user working on FAO communications,
information and documentation, the major tools on the site are:
*FAOTERM TERMINOLOGY DATABASE (further enhanced to help standardize and
harmonize the vast quantity of titles and technical terms in FAO documents
and publications) and
*NAMES OF COUNTRIES DATABASE (to facilitate the consultation and
harmonization of country names
*The site also offers other language resources to users which include links
to international terminology databases, references and language-specific
sites.
For any queries or suggestions, kindly send an email to GI-FAOTERM at fao.org
www.fao.org/faoterm/
Goods from the woods
www.specialforestproducts.com/
Hotspots E-News
Conservation International has launched a newsletter focused on the Earth's
biodiversity hotspots. The newsletter aims to raise awareness about the
importance of the hotspots and to expand the reach of
www.biodiversityhotspots.org, the award-winning Web site with a
comprehensive collection of information available about the hotspots.
To subscribe to Hotspots E-News, visit
www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/home/enewsletter.xml.
WWF- Perú lanzó renovada página web
Conmemorando el Día Mundial del Medio Ambiente, el 5 de junio, WWF Perú
lanzó su renovada página Web: www.wwfperu.org.pe , contribuyendo así con
difundir información precisa sobre los esfuerzos y objetivos logrados en la
conservación de la biodiversidad en el Perú, a través de los proyectos que
implementamos en el campo.
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MISCELLANEOUS
42. Volunteer staff sought
Source: H. Gyde Lund [gyde at comcast.net], Forest Information Update, FIU 31
May 04
Coral Cay Conservation is currently recruiting for number of voluntary
staff positions on our tropical forest conservation projects in Malaysia
and the Philippines. See: www.coralcay.org
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43. Environmental Sciences Fulbright Scholar Program
Source: CFRC Weekly Summary 5/20/04
The Fulbright Scholar Program is offering 37 lecturing, research, and
lecturing/research awards worldwide in environmental sciences for the
2005-2006 academic year. While many awards specify project and host
institution, there are a number of open "All Disciplines" awards that allow
candidates to propose their own project and determine their host
institution affiliation.
Application deadline 1 August 2004
www.cies.org/us_scholars/
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44. Worms combat toxic wasps that threaten SA pines
Source: Sunday Times (Johannesburg), 20 June 2004
Microscopic worms are being used to invade the bodies and eggs of wasps in
a war to save South Africa's pine plantations and 160 000 jobs.
In KwaZulu-Natal the first 1 200 pine trees have been
inoculated in a multimillion-rand programme to raise and spread nematode
worms throughout the country's plantations.
"If left unchecked, there will probably be no pine forestry left and it
will spread further into Africa," said Mike Wingfield, Mondi Professor of
Forest Protection at the University of Pretoria.
The killer is a European insect called the sirex wood wasp that
lays its eggs in pine trees, said Brett Hurley, an entomologist managing
the programme. The female inserts a toxic mucous and fungus - on which her
larvae feed - into the pine, which kills it. It is not possible to spray
for the wood wasp as the damage is done inside the tree.
The European worms get into the wasp larvae, Hurley said, and
remain in their bodies until they mature. Then the worms move into the
reproductive organs, sterilising the females, who end up laying eggs full
of worms. "This pest is going to be with us forever. It's very unlikely
that we will wipe it out," Wingfield said. "What we're trying to do instead
is contain it."
For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406210130.html
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45. Mini-livestock ? BEDIM
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
BEDIM (Bureau for Exchange and Distribution of Information on
Mini-Livestock) has been active worldwide for many years in the controlled
development of mini-livestock, i.e. African and South American
grasscutters, guinea pigs, frogs, giant snails, termites, butterflies,
capybaras and other rodents.
BEDIM produces and publishes a Semestral Information Bulletin
on Mini-Livestock with the financial support of the FAO Animal Production
and Health Division. The association wishes to enrol all those who are
interested, either professionally or through scientific curiosity, in
mini-livestock. A range of fee categories are envisaged and reductions may
be accorded to members from developing countries.
For more information, please contact:
BEDIM Secrétariat
Unité de zoologie fondamentale et appliquée
Faculté universitaire des sciences agronomiques
Passage des déportés 2
B-5030 Gembloux, Belgique
Fax: +32 81 622312
e-mail: ZOOLOGIE at fsagx.ac.be
www.fao.org/ag/AGa/AGAP/FRG/FEEDback/War/W6437t/w6437t10.htm
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