[MPWG] Fw: NWFP-Digest-L 7/05
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Wed Jun 22 11:25:40 CDT 2005
Below is the entire table of contents along with selected articles
concerning medicinal plants, NTFPs and traditional knowledge from this
month's FAO Digest....Please note: None of the links are active.
Directions for joining the list are at the bottom of this e-mail.
-Patricia
----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 06/22/2005 11:57
AM -----
NWFP-Digest-L
No. 7/05
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.
Back issues of the Digest may be found on FAO's NWFP home page:
www.fao.org/forestry/site/12980/en
==============================================================
IN THIS ISSUE:
PRODUCTS
1. Bamboo textiles
2. Bamboo art: bamboo pictures in Vietnam
3. Brazil Nuts: Kleinhans Fellowship winner will
study Brazil nut production
4. Bushmeat 'safe'
5. Bushmeat: demand lures poachers
6. Camu Camu: Es el primer recurso de la
biodiversidad amazónica. el camu camu logra certificación orgánica
7. Ginseng substances fight brain disease in rats
8. Honey: Nectar of the gods, the world's most
coveted honey
9. Honey: Ugandan honey enters EU market
10. Honey: Bee-keepers strive to keep honey flowing in
Vietnam
11. Pine resin: Cuban forestry by-products in
international market
12. Rattan: 1,500 families earn through rattan craft in
the Philippines
13. Sandalwood: Four arrested for smuggling sandalwood
14. Sandalwood: Government to curb sandalwood smuggling
COUNTRY INFORMATION
15. Armenian ecology in danger
16. Armenia's Shikahogh Nature Reserve and Mtnadzor
Forest at great risk
17. India: Bamboo blues: Pardhi adivasis lose
traditional crop
18. India: NEC eyes bamboo for trade growth
19. India: GCC to procure herbal produce from forests
20. Mexico: Creature-eating source of income and
nutritious food
21. Namibia: UNAM now offers biodiversity studies
22. Peru: plantas medicinales del Perú atraen a
empresarios chinos
23. Tanzania: Bamboo trade and poverty alleviation in
Ileje district
24. Vietnam: Thanh Hoa to begin exporting bamboo
25. Vietnam: With bamboo scarce, producers act
NEWS
26. Angolan refugees help to rehabilitate Congolese
camps
27. Bio-diversity Research and Development Center (BIRD)
28. Biopiracy: Brazil launches popular campaign against
biopiracy
29. Biopiracy: Tackling biopiracy in Malaysia through
legislation and cooperation
30. Cultivated forests play important economic and
ecological role
31. The International Center for Underutilized Crops
(ICUC) moves to Sri Lanka
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
32. Forestry Officer (Wildland and Forest Fire
Management), FAO, Rome
33. Senior Forestry Officer, FAO, Cairo, Egypt
EVENTS
34. National Workshop on “Sustainable NTFP marketing in
Vietnam: Economic, Social and Ecological Opportunities and Risks”
35. V Ibero-American Congress of Environmental and
Forest Rights (V Congreso Iberoamericano de Derecho Forestal
Ambiental 2005).
36. International Seminar on Sarawak Herbal Medicine and
Spices.
37. The 2005 ProForest forest and certification summer
training programme
38. “Community Enterprise Development and Rural
Livelihoods
39. Regional Workshop on Sustainable Development of
Rattan Sector in Asia.
40. The 2005 International Shea Butter Convention &
Business Expo
41. Multifunctional Forest Ecosystem Management in
Europe: Integrated approaches for considering the temporal, spatial
and scientific dimensions
42. Conference on Forestry and Forest Products Research
LITERATURE REVIEW AND WEB SITES
43. Bamboo and Cane: Potential of Poor Man’s Timber for
Poverty Alleviation and Forest Conservation. A case study from Bjoka,
Zhemgang, Central Bhutan
44. Rainforest Alliance Annual Report
45. Utilization of bamboo from sustainable sources in
Thailand
46. Book on medicinal plants released
47. Community-based enterprise development program
(CBED) guidelines
48. Other publications of interest
49. Web sites and e-zines
REQUESTS
50. Request for information: medicinal plant
harvesting/extraction
MISCELLANEOUS
51. Date palm buds after 2,000 years
52. To Bee the Best in the World…….
PRODUCTS
7. Ginseng substances fight brain disease in rats
Source: Annals of Neurology, May 2005 (in Reuters, 2 June 2005)
Certain active substances in the herbal supplement ginseng appear to combat
degenerative brain disease in rats, a new study shows. The findings,
according to the researchers, lay the groundwork for studying the effects
of certain ginseng components on diseases marked by progressive
degeneration of brain cells -- including Huntington's disease and
Parkinson's disease.
Ginseng is a popular herbal supplement that has long been used
in traditional Chinese medicine. In the West, it is mainly touted as a way
to boost energy and immune system defences; the various commercial
preparations are generally made from the roots of one of several plant
species, including Panax ginseng -- also called Asian ginseng -- and Panax
quinquefolius, better known as American ginseng.
In the new study, reported in the Annals of Neurology, a
whole-root preparation of American ginseng did not fight degeneration in
the brains of rats. But a partially purified extract of some of the herb's
active chemicals, known as ginsenosides, did.
The study focused on brain damage that, in rats, mimics the
degenerative process seen in Huntington's disease, an inherited disorder of
the central nervous system that progressively impairs movement and mental
function. But the findings suggest that certain ginseng components have
potential for treating other degenerative conditions, such as Parkinson's.
"Isolated ginsenosides or partial purifications of ginseng look
promising as neuroprotective agents," study co-author Dr. Janet L.
Stringer, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told Reuters Health.
For full story, please see:
www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=8680617
Related story:
www.foodconsumer.org/777/8/Ginseng_compounds_may_fight_Huntington_s_disease_and_Parkinson_s_disease.shtml
COUNTRY INFORMATION
19. India: GCC to procure herbal produce from forests
Source: Business Standard – India, 14 June 2005
Girijan Cooperative Corporation Limited (GCC) recently received permission
from the state government to procure 34 varieties of medicinal herbs from
the forests.
GCC expects the marketing of medicinal herbs to be a new
revenue stream to the corporation. According to PDV Prasad, general manager
of GCC, the turnover is expected to touch Rs 5 crore this fiscal.
As per government orders, GCC can now procure 34 varieties of
medicinal herbs, including Abrus precatorius seeds, Achyranthues aspera
plant, Aegle marmolos fruit and root, Aloe indica plant (Kalabanda),
Argyeia speciosa fruits and flowers, Bombax melabarcium gum, Caosalpinia
bonduc nut, Centella asiatica plant, Gymnema sylvestre leaves, Mollotos
ohillippensis leaf, Syzyaium cumine seed and bark, Tinospora cordifolia
stem bark and Woodfordia fruiticosa flower.
“The tribals have been illegally collecting herbal plants from
the forests and selling the produce to local traders at throwaway prices.
GCC, however, had no rights to procure the herbal produce from the tribals.
Keeping this in mind, we approached the state government for permission,
and the government responded positively,” Prasad said.
He said that the corporation is planning to train the tribals
on how to collect the herbs while maintaining its medicinal qualities. “We
have a ready market to sell these herbal plants. So, to collect more herbs
from the forests and to avoid the intervention of private merchants, we are
encouraging the tribals by way of announcing attractive prices for herbal
plants,” he said.
For full story, please see:
www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu1&leftindx=1&lselect=1&chklogin=N&autono=191452
22. Peru: plantas medicinales del Perú atraen a empresarios chinos
Source: El Comercio, lima, del 1° de mayo de 2005 (Revista BOSQUES
AMAZONICOS virtual Primera Quincena Mayo 2005)
Los lazos comerciales entre nuestro país y China se afianzan cada vez más.
Esta semana estuvo en nuestro país uno de los seis empresarios más
importantes del gigante asiático: Li Jin Yuan, presidente del grupo
Tianshi, multinacional especializada en la producción de nutrientes con
negocios en más de 180 países.
Durante su estadía en Lima, Jin Yuan se reunió con diversas
autoridades del sector público y privado y manifestó su interés por
instalar plantas industriales para la producción de nutrientes y productos
de belleza en el Perú. "Hemos iniciado un estudio general del mercado para
ver si es factible invertir en este país", señaló.
Asimismo, manifestó que un equipo de la multinacional evalúa
plantas peruanas como el huanarpo macho y el aguaje. "Sabemos que el Perú
tiene una abundancia de hierbas naturales y medicinales, y nos interesa
mucho desarrollar productos naturales en base a estas especies", agregó el
empresario chino.
NEWS
27. Bio-diversity Research and Development Center (BIRD)
From: Rana B. Rawal, BIRD, ribdrawal at wlink.com.np
The Bio-diversity Research and Development Centre (BIRD) is a governmental
registered NGO located in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The main goal of BIRD is to integrate conservation with
development by
· safeguarding the bio-diversity of the area
· improving the socio-economic condition of the
local people,
· developing and studying development models for
social enlistments.
Among BIRD’s objectives are to facilitate and develop physical
infrastructures for bio-diversity conservation and Medicinal and Aromatic
Plants (MAPs) and Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) sustainable
collection, production and market management.
BIRD accomplishes its mission through: Community based
enterprises; Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation; Study and Research;
Training and awareness; and Extension and outreach.
BIRD’ has been working in the fulfilment of its mission in
control and management of natural resources and improvement in
bio-diversity sector.
· BIRD directly works with the grass-root level
rural people and related organizations to improve their
socio-economic condition through bio-diversity development and
commercial utilization of local resources.
· BIRD acts as a medium to develop in bio-diversity
sector implementing through various studies and research in the
country to improve the biodiversity conservation and environmentally
sound scientific approach.
· BIRD encourages the local level initiatives in
managing NTFP based enterprises to improve the rural livelihood.
· BIRD coordinates with relevant stakeholders to
devise and facilitate policy formulation on bio-diversity management
and NTFPs Conservation, Utilization and Marketing.
· BIRD acts directly in developing and disseminating
Market Price Information System (MPIS) of NTFPs/Jaributi’s from local
to national level for better information among relevant stakeholders.
For more information, please contact:
Rana B. Rawal
Chairman
Bio-diversity Research and Development Center (BIRD)
G.P.O.Box : 23162
Mitranagar, Ramhiti Phant, Boudha-6
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel # +977-1-4494514
E-mail: ribdrawal at wlink.com.np
28. Biopiracy: Brazil launches popular campaign against biopiracy
Source: Brazzil Magazine, 9 June 2005
The development of integrated policies and activities to combat biopiracy
is the purpose of a technical cooperation agreement signed yesterday in the
Ministry of Environment by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and
Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), the Federal Police Department, and the
Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin).
IBAMA will launch a consciousness-raising campaign on the
harmful consequences of biopiracy, which will include the distribution of
printed materials in universities, schools, and airports. The symbol of the
campaign is the Phyllomedusa oreades frog, which is mainly green in colour,
is only encountered in the Central Highlands, and whose skin contains an
active ingredient with the potential to fight the Trypanossoma cruzi, the
parasite that causes Chagas' disease. It was chosen as a form of symbolic
denouncement, since the ingredient has been patented abroad.
The ceremony also included the publication of a decree
regulating the penalties for illicit activities committed against the
genetic patrimony and associated traditional knowledge.
According to the Biological Diversity Convention, the use of
genetic resources presupposes substantiated prior consent and the division
of benefits. However, although it has been in force for ten years,
countries with great biodiversity, such as Brazil, continue to be victims
of non-authorized use of their genetic patrimony.
For full story, please see: www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/2736/49/
29. Biopiracy: Tackling biopiracy in Malaysia through legislation and
cooperation
Source: Bernama - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 22 May 2005
The Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and a Japanese research
organisation, Nimura Genetic Solutions, want to facilitate the introduction
of a law to tackle the problem of biopiracy in Malaysia, one of the world's
top biodiversity countries.
FRIM senior director (Biotechnology Division) Dr Daniel
Baskaran Krishnapillay said FRIM and Nimura had come up with a Memorandum
of Understanding on their collaboration which the drafters of the proposed
Access & Benefit Sharing Bill should take a look at. "Most of the
collaborators from advanced countries want to take the research out of the
country," he told Bernama. "It is unique to have the lab in the resource
country with local researchers, conducting all the research here and
transferring technology to FRIM's researchers."
Malaysia is one of the world's 12 megadiverse countries and
ranks fifth in plant diversity in the Asia-Australia region, Baskaran
pointed out. With its rich biodiversity, it is an obvious hunting ground
for bioprospectors. Some bioprospectors come in illegally, posing as
tourists, to collect material and take it out of the country, Baskaran
said. "Once they find the active ingredient, they can synthesise it in the
lab for use in the cosmetics or pharmaceutical industry."
To prevent such biopiracy, the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) has drafted a Framework on Access to Genetic Resources and
Benefit Sharing, which is being studied by the relevant agencies in
Malaysia. Malaysia has also prepared a draft Access and Benefit Sharing
(ABS) Bill which is being reviewed to take into account the new government
setup.
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment deputy
secretary-general Datuk Suboh Mohd Yassin hopes that both the ASEAN
Framework and Malaysia's own Bill could be ready within a year. And in the
interim, he said, Malaysia is using the "Bonn Guidelines on Access to
Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits Arising
out of their Utilisation" issued by the Secretariat of the Convention on
Biological Diversity.
Malaysia's ABS Bill will promote local scientific R&D,
encourage bioprospecting by the private sector and multinational companies,
and enforce sharing of benefits from the use of bio resources and
traditional knowledge. "People who want to come will have to get the
necessary approval from the authorities and it has to be on mutually agreed
terms before we allow people to go in," Suboh explained. "At the point of
trying to patent, we insist on having 'prior informed consent'. You have to
declare where the sources are." He stressed that there will be separate
access requirements for pure R&D work and inventory exercises. "When it
comes to commercialisation, other provisions will kick in to ensure the
benefit-sharing element and intellectual property rights (IPR) issues are
covered," he said.
FRIM's Baskaran said one way to ensure benefit-sharing is
joint-ventures with legitimate bioprospectors such as their project with
Nimura Genetic Solutions. FRIM has provided laboratories on its grounds and
helps collect soil, from which 30 Malaysian staff, one Japanese scientist
and one Japanese lab manager are isolating microbes. Every sample which has
been identified is duplicated and one "copy" is kept by FRIM.
Nimura Genetic Solutions chairman Satoshi Nimura hopes to
develop some "novel compounds" which would be patented with FRIM. FRIM
would also get a share of the royalties.
Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) president Datuk Dr Salleh Mohd
Nor is also part of a soil bioprospecting joint-venture between his TropBio
Research Sdn Bhd, Sirim Bhd and Fujisawa Pharmaceuticals, Japan's second
largest pharmaceutical company. All benefits from licensing and product
development will be shared 50:50 with the relevant state authorities,
Salleh said.
The future Bill should require proper documentation and
recording from such ventures, he said, as well as duplicate samples. "The
life cycle of the material must be documented and open to inspection by
interested parties or third parties."
But even before the legislation is finalised and tabled in
Parliament, Salleh stressed the importance of an inventory of Malaysia's
biological resources and traditional knowledge. "We may be burning our
books before we finish reading them," he said.
FRIM has been collaborating with some local universities on
this since 2002 and has registered 300 species and their uses, said
Baskaran. FRIM is also growing 200 of these species in its arboretum.
For full story, please see:
www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=135637
30. Cultivated forests play important economic and ecological role
Source: mongabay.com, 17 May 2005
Old growth tropical forests are valuable and irreplaceable ecosystems that
house the majority of Earth's known terrestrial biological diversity. While
these forests are rapidly disappearing, they are not necessarily being
completely cleared without replacement. In some regions, primary forests
are being replaced with "cultivated forests" or "forest gardens," where
useful trees are planted on farmlands after the removal of pre-existing
natural forests.
A new report Domesticating forests: How farmers manage forest
resources by Geneviève Michon explores the characteristics and implications
of these forests in Indonesia.
It is important to understand that "cultivated forests" are not
"secondary forests," plantations, or home gardens. The authors note:
"Unlike conventional forest plantations, which are physiognomically and
ecologically quite distinct from natural forests, these forests cultivated
by smallholder farmers in the tropics do look like natural forests. But
they are more than just managed forests. They are not the result of any
integration of economic tree species in natural forests through gradual
planting. They have evolved from the total clearing of the natural forest
vegetation, usually through slash-and-burn agriculture, and the planting of
selected tree species on the cleared plot. They are socially defined by
bundles of rights that clearly differ from those concerning natural
forests."
Michon estimates that in Indonesia, these forests comprise a
total of 6 million to 8 million hectares, generally extending between open
farmlands and natural forests in blocks covering tens of thousands of
hectares
Michon uses several examples of cultivated forests in southeast
Asia to conclude what qualities make this form of agriculture an attractive
alternative to forest extraction or specialized forest plantations: On the
island of Java, lands not under forestry regulations often bear more trees
than ‘forest lands’. These trees are managed in forests planted by farmers.
In many areas of Sumatra and Borneo the last patches of dense forest are
located on farmlands and constitute cultivated forest and agroforests,
whereas natural forests are being overlogged or converted. In the eastern
lowlands of Sumatra, rubber forests planted during the twentieth century by
swidden farmers constitute the last large reservoir of forest biodiversity.
All of Indonesia’s exported damar resin (an important ‘non-timber forest
product’ from Dipterocarps, the major constituents of South-east Asian
forests) comes from cultivated dipterocarp forests.
The report notes that in many parts of the region, the majority
of sustainable use occurs not in natural forest but in these cultivated
forests. This is important given both the depletion of natural forests and
that fact that these "cultivated forests" provide many of the ecological
benefits of natural forests while generating economic returns for their
managers/cultivators.
In Indonesia, in economic terms, "cultivated forests" provide
· 80% of the processed and exported rubber latex,
· 80% of the dipterocarp resin
· 95% of the benzoin resin
· 60% to 75% of the main tree spices (clove,
cinnamon, nutmeg)
· about 95% of the various fruits and nuts sold
in the country
· a significant proportion of bamboos, small cane
rattan, fuel wood, handicraft material and medicinal plants traded or
used domestically.
Ecologically, "cultivated forests" preserve many forest
functions including soil protection and erosion reduction; the regulation
of water flows; the maintenance of a significant proportion of original
forest biodiversity; and the ongoing production of renewable forest
products like timber, game, resins, fibers, medicines, and fruit and nuts.
Despite the economic and ecological value of these forests,
their existence is not guaranteed under some legal systems. Often,
"cultivated forests" are classified as "natural forests" and therefore they
are essentially considered public lands. As such, they can be concessioned
off to forest developers and the rights to use of small farmer holders are
frequently ignored.
The report argues that it is critical for cultivated forests to
be recognized as distinct entities apart from "natural forests" to both
protect the rights of local users and ensure the ongoing economic and
ecological functions these important lands.
The report was sponsored by the Institut de Recherche pour le
Développement, Center for International Forestry Research, and The World
Agroforestry Centre.
For full story, please see:
http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0516-rhett_butler.html
For information on the report
www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/Books/BMichon0501E1.pdf.
31. The International Center for Underutilized Crops (ICUC) moves to
Sri Lanka
Source: Joint Statement by IWMI and ICUC, 7 June 2005
The International Center for Underutilized Crops (ICUC) and the
International Water Management Institute (IWMI) are pleased to announce the
relocation of ICUC’s Headquarters from the United Kingdom to Sri Lanka,
with effect from April, 2005. The ICUC is now co-located and hosted by IWMI
at its Headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Established in 1992, the International Center for Underutilized
Crops (ICUC) is an autonomous, non-profit, scientific research and training
center. The Center addresses ways of increasing the use of underutilized
crops for food, medicinal and industrial products, and also for
environmental conservation. It provides expertise and acts as a
collaborative institute for tropical, sub-tropical and temperate crop
development. The ICUC operates through regional offices and works in close
collaboration with national partners for sustainable technology development
for products and marketing of underutilized crops.
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is a
non-profit scientific research organization focusing on the sustainable use
of water and land resources in agriculture and on the water needs of
developing countries. IWMI works with partners in the South to develop
tools and methods to help these countries eradicate poverty through more
effective management of their water and land resources.
ICUC’s move to IWMI is expected to provide greater synergy to
the programs of both institutes through its research activities. For
example, the ICUC’s strategic theme Improving Degraded Land through use of
Underutilized Crops is closely linked to IWMI’s research theme on Land,
Water and Livelihoods. Hence, both institutions will greatly benefit by
working together on research projects of mutual interest such as “The
potential of underutilized crops to contribute to the drought coping
strategies of the poor” and “The potential of underutilized crops to grow
under wastewater reuse conditions.”
Since the founder Director of the ICUC —Dr. Nazmul Haq is
retiring soon, a new Director will be appointed shortly. The ICUC and IWMI
will be working in close collaboration in developing a partnership of
mutual cooperation. The global program of ICUC will continue to be run
through its existing network in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
For more information on ICUC’s move to IWMI, please contact:
Prof. Frank Rijsberman, Director General of IWMI (iwmi at cgiar.org)
For more information on the ICUC Program, please contact:
Dr. Nazmul Haq
International Water Management Institute
127, Sunil Mawatha
Pelawatte, Battaramulla
Sri Lanka
Tel: +94-11 2787404, 2784080
Fax: +94 -11 2786854
E-mail: director_icuc at cgiar.org
www.civil.soton.ac.uk/icuc/ or www.iwmi.org
EVENTS
National Workshop on “Sustainable NTFP marketing in Vietnam: Economic,
Social and Ecological Opportunities and Risks”
28 and 29 June 2005
Hanoi, Vietnam
The workshop will explore the opportunities and risks of a growing NTFP
market. The workshop is organized around four different topics:
· NTFP marketing worldwide and in Vietnam – an
introduction to concepts, opportunities and challenges.
· NTFP market information
· NTFP marketing and biodiversity conservation
· Tools for market assessment and analysis
For more information, please contact:
Mr Maurits Servaas
NTFP project Training Advisor
8 Chuong Duong Do
Ha Noi, Vietnam
Fax: 84 4 9 320 996
E-mail: maurits.servaas at ntfp.org.vn
V Ibero-American Congress of Environmental and Forest Rights (V Congreso
Iberoamericano de Derecho Forestal Ambiental 2005).
28–30 June 2005
Aguascalientes, Mexico.
For more information, please contact:
Lic. Fernando Montes de Oca Dominguez,
Secretario General del V
Congreso, Garibaldi 1810
Col. Ladrón de Guevara,
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico;
www.imacmexico.org
International Seminar on Sarawak Herbal Medicine and Spices.
17 July 2005.
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
For more information, please contact:
Sally Sheriza
Ahmad, Sarawak Forestry
Corporate Office, Kuching,
Sarawak, Malaysia
E-mail: sally at sarawakforestry.com
The 2005 ProForest forest and certification summer training programme
11-15 July 2005
Oxford, UK
This program provides a range of courses for those involved in forest
management, forest certification and sustainable natural resource
management. The courses are based on up-to-date practical experience and
are designed to bring together key players in a range of fields to provide
a unique training opportunity.
Training courses will be available in the following subject areas:
• introduction to certification and standards (one day);
• forest certification in practice including practical auditing (four
days);
• responsible purchasing in practice, including product tracing and chain
of custody (two days);
• high-conservation-value forests and biodiversity monitoring (two days);
and
• climate change policy and forests (one day).
Delegates can select the combination of courses that suits their needs and
attend them in one integrated event. The courses range from one-day
introductions to five-day intensive courses, and fees range from £200 for
one day to £850 for four or five days. Fees include coffee, lunch and
training materials.
For more information, please contact:
Andry Rakotovololona, ProForest, ProForest Ltd, South Suite, Frewin
Chambers, Frewin Court, Oxford OX1 3HZ, United Kingdom
E-mail: info at proforest.net
Community Enterprise Development and Rural Livelihoods
18 July - 2 August 2005
Bangkok, Thailand
This training course provides middle management professionals and
experienced field practitioners with the skills necessary to facilitate
participatory planning and development of micro and small scale enterprises
within a context of sustainable livelihoods.
Course tuition fee: US$ 2,850 per participant.
Further information on course content or for an application form please
visit www.recoftc.org or contact:
Somjai Srimongkontip
E-e-mail: osor at ku.ac.th
or
Capacity Building Services Unit
Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific
(RECOFTC)
P.O. Box 1111, Kasetsart University, Jatuchak, Bangkok 10903, Thailand
Tel: (66 2) 940-5700 Ext. 1212
Fax: (66 2) 561-4880
Email: contact at recoftc.org
http://www.recoftc.org or
www.recoftc.org/documents/Courses/training%20brochures/TR3-community%20enterprise%20development.pdf
Conference on Forestry and Forest Products Research
22-24 November 2005
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The biennial national conference is designed to bring out the latest
findings in forestry and forest products to the private sector,
researchers, academicians, forest managers, industrialists and policy
makers. Discussions will embrace issues pertaining to natural and planted
forests, and improved processing and utilization of wood and non-wood
products. Issues on conservation of biodiversity, non-wood products, forest
ecology, socio-economics, the potential for new developments in forest
industry, and others will also be highlighted.
Sessions will cover Forestry and conservation; Biotechnolgy and
natural products; and Forest products and services.
For more information, please contact:
The Secretariat, Conference on Forestry and Forest Products Research 2005
(CFFPR 2005), Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong 52109 Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia, (Attn.: Dr. Lim Hin Fui),
Tel: 603-6279 7541/603-6279 7539;
Fax: 603-6280 4629;
Email: ccffpr2005 at frim.gov.my;
www.frim.gov.my.
LITERATURE REVIEW AND WEB SITES
44. Rainforest Alliance Annual Report
From: Rainforest Matters [rainforestalliance at ra.org]
The Rainforest Alliance's 2004 Annual Report is a comprehensive overview of
our on-the-ground work, detailing our initiatives and illustrated with
spectacular, full-colour photos.
The mission of the Rainforest Alliance is to protect ecosystems
and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use
practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Companies,
cooperatives and landowners that participate in our programs meet rigorous
standards that conserve biodiversity and provide sustainable livelihoods.
Download the Report now
www.rainforest-alliance.org/about/report/index.html?tr=y&auid=917860
46. Book on medicinal plants released
Source: Ahmedabad Newsline - Ahmedabad, India, 6 June 2005
A book detailing the species and occurrence of medicinal plants has just
been released. The book titled ‘Medicinal Plants’ will be available in
three parts and is the result of three years of intensive survey carried
out by the Gujarat Ecological and Educational Research (GEER) foundation
under the sponsorship of the Gujarat Forest Department.
The study lists 1,315 species of plants with medicinal value,
which includes 76 rare ones. The listed species include 754 herb species,
248 tree species, 165 shrubs and 148 climbers. While 1,016 medicinal plant
species were found in the wild, 299 of them were found in plantations or
cultivations.
GEER’s Director C.N.Pandey said that the sample study revealed
that about 186 species are being commercially utilized in the state, and
that 45 medicinal plant sites which are rich in medicinal plant diversity
had been identified.
The book also reveals the ethnic knowledge and faith of the
local people regarding the medicinal uses of plants. .
For full story, please see:
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=132881
47. Community-based enterprise development program (CBED) guidelines
From: Sophie Grouwels, Forestry Officer (CBED), FAO,
Sophie.Grouwels at fao.org
Are these guidelines for you?
Do you want to help small entrepreneurs in the field to identify and
develop natural resource products-based small-scale enterprises? Then these
guidelines are just what you are looking for. Whether you work for
governmental or non-government development agencies, the guidelines provide
you with easy-to-follow descriptions of practical methods and well-tested
field tools which you can use to turn villagers into successful small-scale
entrepreneurs. Don’t worry. You don’t need to be an expert in business
management in order to facilitate this process!
· Market Analysis and Development. Field
Facilitator Guidelines TC/D/Y5937E/1/3.05/400
· Analyse et Dévelopement des Marchés. Fiches
conseil au faclitateur de terrain TC/D/Y5937F/1/3.05/400
· Análisis y Desarrollo de Mercado. Directrices
para facilitadores de campo TC/D/Y5937S/1/3.05/400
More info can be found on the website for Community-based forest
enterprises under publications: www.fao.org/forestry/site/25491/en
or contact
Sophie Grouwels
Forestry Officer, Community-based Enterprise Development (CBED)
Forestry Policy and Institutions Service, FONP
Forestry Department
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Room C-463
Tel (39)06 570 55299 - Fax (39) 06 570 55514
Email: Sophie.Grouwels at fao.org
48. Other publications of interest
From: FAO’s NWFP Programme
Christensen, M. and Larsen, H.O. 2005. How can collection of wild edible
fungi contribute to livelihoods in rural areas of Nepal? Journal of Forest
and Livelihood 4(2) February, 2005.
Collection of wild edible fungi is important for livelihoods in rural areas
of Nepal and neighbouring countries. Only very few species of fungi are
being exported from Nepal, and compared to neighbouring countries there is
still a potential to be exploited. However, a system of quality control and
training of local people must be considered to use this potential. Also, a
better understanding of the ecology and management of the wild edible fungi
is necessary for the development of a sustainable use of the resource.
Cruse-Sanders, J.M., Hamrick, J.L., and Ahumada, J.A. 2005. Consequences of
harvesting for genetic diversity in American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius
L.): a simulation study. Biodivers. Conserv. 14(2):493-504.
Donovan, D.G., and Puri, R.K. 2004. Learning from traditional knowledge of
non-timber forest products: Penan Benalui and the autecology of Aquilaria
in Indonesian Borneo. Ecol. Soc. [Online] 9(3):3.
Ghimire, S.K., McKey, D., and Aumeeruddy-Thomas, Y. 2004. Heterogeneity in
ethnoecological knowledge and management of medicinal plants in the
Himalayas of Nepal: implications for conservation. Ecol. Soc. [Online]
9(3):6.
IUFRO. 2005. Forests for the new millennium – making forests work for
people and nature.
This Policy Brief, which is based on the work of over 100 authors, was
prepared by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations
(IUFRO) Special Project, “World Forests, Society and Environment.” The
report can be obtained by e-mailing the IUFRO WFSE-Coordinator at
Gerardo.Mery at metla.fi
Kala, C.P. 2005. Indigenous uses, population density, and conservation of
threatened medicinal plants in protected areas of the Indian Himalayas.
Conserv. Biol. 19(2):368-378.
REQUESTS
50. Request for information: medicinal plant harvesting/extraction
From: M.H. Lebaschy, Iran, lebaschy at rifr-ac.ir
I have a Ph.D. in crop ecology and am working in the medicinal plants
division of the Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands. Iran has
various habitats with rich sources of medicinal plants in its forests and
rangelands. Every year some valuable by-products are extracted from
Pistacia atlantica or Ferula gummosa and other forest and range plants.
These non-wood forest products should be harvested regularly and
sustainably.
We are searching for suitable methods of extraction,
harvesting, time harvesting (via Growing Degree Days), harvesting in slopes
regions, etc. We would be interested in learning from experience in other
countries. Please contact me should you have any information that could
assist us.
MISCELLANEOUS
51. Date palm buds after 2,000 years
Source: BBC News Online, 13 June 2005
Israeli researchers say they have succeeded in growing a date palm from a
2,000-year-old seed. The seed was one of several found during an excavation
of the ancient mountain fortress of Masada. Scientists working on the
project believe it is the oldest seed ever germinated. Researchers in
Jerusalem have nicknamed the sapling Methuselah, after the biblical figure
said to have lived for nearly 1,000 years.
The palm is from a variety that became extinct in the Middle
Ages and was reputed to have powerful medicinal properties. The plant is
now nearly 30cm (12in) tall.
Researcher Sarah Sallon of the Louis Borick Natural Medicine
Research Centre in Jerusalem said that one of the plant's leaves had been
sent for analysis. Dates had "an enormous amount of use in ancient times
for infections, for tumours" she told the Associated Press news agency.
"We're researching medicinal plants for all we're worth, we think that
ancient medicines of the past can be the medicines of the future," she
added.
If it continues to thrive, scientists hope the palm will
eventually reveal the secrets of its past.
For full story, please see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4086348.stm
Related story: www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/587343.html
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