Dear Readers, Welcome to the last issue of the 2007 CF E-News! Much news related to forest-dependent communities has emerged from recent community forest legislation in Thailand and the UNFCCC COP 13 in Bali, Indonesia. This month, we feature a commentary from RECOFTC’s Thailand Collaborative Country Support Program (ThCCSP) on the Thailand Community Forest Bill, as well as several articles reflecting on discussions that occurred at the UN Climate Change Conference. We would also like to draw attention to RECOFTC’s release of a new brief on effective networks. Please find more information and access this document under RECOFTC Announcements. We wish you all a wonderful New Year and look forward to sharing more information with you in 2008! The Editor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COMMENTARY OF THE MONTH The Thailand Community Forestry Bill WHAT WE ARE READING Lal Salam and Hario Ban: The Effects of the Maoist Insurgency on Community Forestry in Nepal NEWS FROM THE PRESS 1. India: Brazil, India Differ Over Rewards for Forestry (Related) Indonesia: REDD Scheme Given Morale Boost 2. India: Meet Silent “Green Warriors” of Orissa 3. Indonesia: Demand for Oil Sets off Wave of Deforestation 4. Indonesia: REDD, Redemption or Real Action? (Opinion) (Related) Who Will Benefit From REDD Scheme? 5. International: Green Forest: Esteemed Habitat Needs Protection (Opinion) 6. Japan: Japan Invests in Indian Forestry 7. Nepal: Community Forestry Helps Re-Green the Himalayas 8. Pakistan: Call to Foster Public-Private Partnership in Forestry 9. Philippines: Indigenous People and Forest Tenure Security (Opinion) UPDATES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 1. ADB Provides $20M to Assist Cambodia's Tonle Sap Region 2. African and Asian Experts in India to Promote Social Justice in Forestry 3. A Poverty Program That Is Restoring China’s Forests 4. Collaborative Partnership on Forests Presents Recommendations to UNFCCC Executive Secretary 5. Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Takes Aim at Deforestation 6. Joint Forest Management in India: Failing the Poorest People 7. UN Approves Climate Change Adaptation Fund PUBLICATIONS 1. Cutting Edge: How Community Forest Enterprises Lead the Way on Poverty Reduction and Avoided Deforestation 2. Investing in Indigenous Natural Resource Management 3. Potential and Challenges of Payments for Ecosystem Services from Tropical Forests (Forestry Briefing 16) 4. Sharing Power: A Global Guide to Collaborative Management of Natural Resources 5. The 4th Global Environment Outlook: Environment for Development (GEO-4) 6. The Implications of Carbon Financing for Pro-Poor Forestry (Forestry Briefing 14) EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES 1. Call for Papers: Global Trade in Forest Products 2. Call for Papers: Landscape Ecology and Forest Management: Challenges and Solutions 3. Forest Insects as Food: Humans Bite Back – A Workshop Focused on Asia-Pacific Resources and Their Potential for Development 4. Asian Wetlands Symposium 2008: Wetlands – The Heart of Asia JOB OPPORTUNITIES 1. Program Coordinator, IUCN 2. Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) Xekong Sustainable Forest Program, WWF 3. Country Director, ADB 4. Bank Internship Program, The World Bank NETWORK OF THE MONTH ASEAN Social Forestry Network (ASFN) RECOFTC ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. New Networks Brief Release: “Networking for Impact: A Simple Guide to Engaging in and Setting up Networks” 2. ALL in CBNRM Evaluation and Planning Workshop
COMMENTARY OF THE MONTH
The Thailand Community Forest Bill Provided by Matthew Weatherby and Somying Soonthornwong, Thailand Collaborative Country Support Program (ThCCSP) at RECOFTC (e-mail: matthew@recoftc.org or somying@recoftc.org) The CF Bill Process On 21 November 2007, a Community Forest Bill (CF Bill) was passed by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) in Thailand and initially saw widespread optimism for the future of forest-dependent communities in Thailand. It had taken almost 18 years for the CF Bill to be passed by the NLA due to ongoing concerns by opponents to the CF Bill about the ability of forest-dependent communities to manage forests sustainably and reside within those protected areas. In its current format, the CF Bill provides a number of challenges to community forestry (CF) within protected areas in Thailand. In particular, the current CF Bill is likely to negatively impact more than 20,000 communities by preventing them from accessing and/or managing their current community forests, which are located in previously designated protected areas. This has led to considerable debate between forest-dependent communities and government officials in the short time since the inception of the CF Bill. Despite this, the CF Bill has not yet been entirely finalized, as a new government will be appointed in Thailand; and following any alterations to the CF Bill, it will then be proposed to His Majesty the King for royal assent. Objectives of the CF Bill, CF Organizations, and Committees A major objective of the CF Bill is to promote community participation in natural resource conservation and rehabilitation by creating collective action for sustainable management and utilization of natural resources in Thailand. The CF Bill makes clear that a legal community forest is one that is located outside of a protected area and that any CF organizations must be properly registered with the Royal Forest Department (the oversight government body). Accepted CF organizations must have a CF management plan in place and must have demarcated forest land, and the community forest members and committee members must be easily identifiable and have positions of significance. All community forestland must be zoned for conservation or, in the case of timber and non-timber forest products (NTFP), classified as a utilization zone located outside of a conservation zone. Any timber that is planted by the community must be used by the community and its households only. Use of such resources must follow the CF rules and regulations of the community, and nowhere is it to be sold or traded. The provincial level CF committees will undertake the role of CF management auditing and controlling to ensure that there are no violations of timber harvesting regulations. The role of the Provincial level CF committee is also to report to the National CF policy committee. Together they will continue to work on a national CF management policy. Items of Interest Within the CF Bill The CF Bill as it stands at present consists of two items that provide a challenge for CF to take place within protected areas. Protected areas are those where conservation values are high and tend to include sensitive areas, watersheds, bio-spheres, animal sanctuaries, national parks, and research sites. The items of interest are Item 25 and Item 34. Item 25 Item 25 distinguishes three types of communities that live within or near to protected areas in Thailand and utilize forest areas for resources within those protected areas. These communities are classified into three groups: · A-type communities: these communities have lived within a protected area and managed resources within it for more than ten continuous years to the present day. · B-type communities: these communities live within the protected area but have withdrawn from managing resources within the protected area at the present day. · C-type communities: these communities live outside the protected area but manage resources within a protected area. At present, it is the C-type communities that are unrecognized within the CF Bill as having access to the resources that they manage within a protected area in Thailand. This means that a significant number of forest-dependent communities that reside outside of protected areas in Thailand are facing a severe dilemma of no longer being able to access resources on which their livelihoods have depended for a number of years. Current estimates place this figure at roughly 5,000 communities that fit this situation. Given that Item 25 distinguishes which communities can access the protected areas for their forest resources and which cannot, Item 34 distinguishes the resources that can be utilized for those with legitimate management access. Item 34 Item 34 points out that CF can only take place within a protected area if the community collects NTFP. Therefore, despite a community having access to the resources within a protected area, this access still does not allow them to cut down trees within the protected area, given apparent political concern about the ability of those communities to conserve their resources for the future. There is, however, a remark within the CF Bill that provides an interim three-year opportunity for C-type communities to prove to the government that they should have access to CF within the protected area and that they can manage sustainability. For the Thailand Collaborative Country Support Program (ThCCSP) within RECOFTC, the CF Bill as it stands at present places a huge question mark over the future of several of its project sites. For example, the Huay Hin Dam community where ThCCSP work with them has existed in its present location well before the declaration of the nearby protected area occurred nine years ago. This community undertook sustainable management prior to the inception of the protected area and continues to do so today. The current CF Bill considers Huay Hin Dam to be a C-type community meaning they will no longer have access to the resources within the protected area that they currently manage. It is possible that this outcome may be the same for other ThCCSP communities that actually reside within the protected areas but are still awaiting responses from the government as to their classification status. ThCCSP Within RECOFTC: Building Capacity for Our Project Communities The CF Bill provides an opportunity for ThCCSP and other programs within RECOFTC to work together professionally and provide capacity-building and CF management planning to strengthen new and existing CF organizations. Appropriate CF management planning will provide a positive flow-on effect to the Provincial CF Committee. This is a vital point to be aware of as the current CF Bill indicates that there should be a National CF Committee that determines the way forward for CF in Thailand. A strong and effective CF Provincial Committee is required if we are to provide communities, such as Huay Hin Dam, the opportunity to have their voices heard. As it stands, the CF Bill supports some forest-dependent communities, but all communities dependent on CF for their livelihoods must be recognized with respect to their right to sustainable management within protected areas and their ability to assist natural resource conservation. ***Disclaimer*** These Viewpoints represent the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect opinions of RECOFTC.
WHAT WE ARE READING
Lal Salam and Hario Ban: The Effects of the Maoist Insurgency on Community Forestry in Nepal Authors: S. Binayee, W. S. Burch, A. L. Hammett, M.A. Rechlin, I. Sapkota, and B. Subedi Source: 2007. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods. Vol. 17, pp. 245-254 (Please contact AB Academic Publishers at jrnls@abapubl.demon.co.uk to obtain a copy of this publication.) Reviewed by Tina Sanio, Capacity Building Services (CABS) at RECOFTC (email: tina@recoftc.org) “Lal Salam and Hario Ban: The Effects of the Maoist Insurgency on Community Forestry in Nepal” investigates some of the effects that the lasting Maoist Revolution had on community forest user groups (CFUG) over the last ten years in Nepal. The paper is based on a six-week field research, conducted during the summer of 2005 by the Asia Network of Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB) in collaboration with the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, supported through the USAID funded Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (SANREM) Project. The research tested the feasibility of field studies in Nepal under the unsettled conditions caused by the ongoing insurgency, with a strong focus on how community forestry (CF) is faring in the Maoist controlled regions of the country. Field data were collected from districts representing three different biological and cultural regions of Nepal with heavy Maoist influence: Darchula, high mountains in the far West; Dolakha, Central Nepal and Banke, western Terain. The field research consisted of focus-group discussions with CFUG members, interviews with key stakeholders and the collection of official community forestry documents from the Department of Forests (DOF). The Federation of Community Forestry User Groups (FECOFUN) district officers assisted in identifying CFUGs for the focus group meetings. Those chosen represented the spectrum of community forestry activity in the district based on different criteria: security, forest area, CFUG size, group maturity, and forest management objectives. The objective of the focus group discussions was to determine the impacts that the insurrection was having on the functioning of user groups and the implementation of management activities. The results summarize the status of community forestry in the three study districts. Banke lags behind the two hill districts in both number of CF established and in the percent of total forest under CFM. Due to a number of reasons the implementation of the CF program has been slower in the Terain. The Maoist insurgency began and maintains its strongest base in the western hill district. In Darchula, the highest percentage of CFUGs is operating in areas of high conflict, as well as in Dolakha, which has the highest percentage of its forest lands in the program, but only a third of this land is available. The information collected by the study shows that there is plenty of room for expansion of the CF program in all of these three districts. The decline in the spread of the program corresponds with the outbreak of hostilities of the “people’s war.” Since the violence became wide spread in 1996, there has been a steady decline in the hand-over of forest lands to newly established CFUGs. The study shows clearly that DOFs’ decision to slow down the process also contributes to this decline. Through the related security risks, the government pull-back of services from the countryside has resulted in less support from the DOF and international donors. The information gathered from the focus group discussions and the key informant interviews shows how the fighting between the Maoists and the Royal Nepal Army adversely affected CF and the ability of CFUGs to function. Although the protection of the forests and supply of produce were maintained, specific problems emerged. CFUGs had difficulties conducting FM operations, such as collection of fodder and fuel wood, and in the harvest of timber and non-timber products due to Maoists’ hiding in the forests and government patrols operating to flush them out. Though the insurrection adversely affected the functioning of the program, it has not stopped it altogether. In the districts included in this study, even in areas of high conflict and frequent fighting, the user groups not only continued to function, but also, in some instances, provided services to their communities that would normally be provided by government offices. The paper clearly shows that CF had declined after the outbreak of the insurgency, but that the CFUGs could still function (though not to their full potential) during the “people’s war,” and in some cases, could extend and provide services which would be normally provided by the government. It is very useful research regarding the feasibility of field studies in Nepal under unsettled conditions caused by the ongoing insurgency in CFUGs—and the function of CFUGs and their services. But the value of this study lies as well in the nature of the study about functions and structures of local community organizations in an insurgency with the absence of state provided structures and services. In their conclusion, the authors state that “the insurgency seem to accept these groups because they formed at the grass roots level, are democratic institutions that have local support, and are not part of the government” (pp.8). This assumption could be seen as the source of success of CFUGs in Nepal mainly to maintain their services under and during the “people’s war.” It would be worthwhile to further investigate this correlation and find its place at the end of the paper. ***Disclaimer*** The contents of What We Are Reading represent the views of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect opinions of RECOFTC. Back to TOC
NEWS FROM THE PRESS
1. India: Brazil, India Differ Over Rewards for Forestry Source: The Times of India, 07 December 2007 Payment for avoiding deforestation was a central but highly divisive issue during the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia. A lack of consensus even within the G-77 group, in addition to the anticipated rich-poor country divide, contributed to slowed negotiations. Developing countries seek compensation from wealthy countries for maintaining their natural forests, which act as carbon sinks, at the cost of their own economic development. However, the varying state of the forests in different G-77 countries has led to disagreement within the group. While Brazil pushes for payments for pure avoided deforestation, India seeks rewards also for forest management in order to provide funds to communities living in or near the forests. Full text Back to TOC Related: Indonesia: REDD Scheme Given a Morale Boost Source: The Jakarta Post, 10 December 2007 Initial progress was made on addressing the need to reduce emissions from deforestation during the first week of the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali. Parties agreed on articles of positive incentives given to countries hosting the REDD projects, but delegates remained divided over financial mechanism issues—whether financial incentives will be provided through market-based or fund-based mechanisms. After adopting the REDD proposal, implementation will take place post- 2012, but the need to consider forest-dependent people is of concern. “We need to temper the desire for maximum reduction in forest-based carbon emission with regard for the legitimate rights of forest communities to realize income potential of the forestlands,” said Frances Seymour of CIFOR. “At times there will be trade-offs between reducing carbon emissions and reducing poverty.” Full text Back to TOC 2. India: Meet Silent “Green Warriors” of Orissa Source: Merinews, 20 December 2007 Development in Orissa has been at the cost of villagers’ income. While communities, such as those known as the “Green Warriors,” play an important role in conservation, the majority of these efforts go unrecognized. Years of forest protection by communities have resulted in well-stocked forest and excellent biodiversity. The forest survey of India (FSI) reports of 2001 and 2003 have recognized the achievements of these initiatives by mentioning that most of the open forest in the state have been converted into dense forest due to community efforts. However, global and market-driven forces, as well as unsustainable development efforts and external funds, are driving these efforts to fade. Full text Back to TOC 3. Indonesia: Demand for Oil Sets off Wave of Deforestation Source: The Nation, 08 December 2007 The demand for palm oil has taken a toll on the forests in Indonesia. The country seeks financial incentive for protecting the forests from such deforestation, but this compensation would have to be at least as lucrative as granting licenses to deforest, said environmental economist Fitrian Ardiansyah. The problem is that although the central government in Jakarta has passed a number of laws to protect the forest, local officials can be bribed to ignore them. The local villagers are the ones who suffer. When the palm oil companies announced they wanted to convert the fields into plantations, the residents of Kuala Cenaku were skeptical; however, promises that lands belonging to a village typically got 40 per cent of the profit made deals enticing. But, two years after the trees disappeared, the villagers still have not received any monetary benefit. Full text Back to TOC 4. Indonesia: REDD, Redemption or Real Action? (Opinion) Source: The Jakarta Post, 08 December 2007 This opinion expresses the view that Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) proposals should be put into the wider context of deforestation and not reduced to the focus of emissions from deforestation. According to A. Ruwindrijarto, in order to significantly reduce emissions, Indonesia needs to rehabilitate and restore forests in the highly deforested areas of Kalimantan and Sumatra, prevent forest fires, and abandon plans to expand palm oil and industrial timber plantations.  To do so, Indonesia should rely less on carbon markets, which only deal with the symptoms of deforestation, and more on the local communities, recognizing their rights of tenure, and facilitating them to implement community-based and sustainable forestry in a community logging scheme. Working on inequalities in land tenure, discrimination against indigenous peoples and farmers, participatory democracy, corruption and military involvement in resource economics and politics, over-consumption in high-income countries and uncontrolled industrialization, will address the underlying causes of deforestation. Full text Back to TOC 5. International: Green Forest: Esteemed Habitat Needs Protection (Opinion) Source: The Daily Star, 2 November 2007 In this feature article, the author claims that forests should be protected not only because of biodiversity, but also because forests historically have been and still are the habitat for millions of people throughout the world. Forests provide food, shelter, tools, medicines, and significant contributions to spiritual and cultural life. People living in the forest make practical and sustainable use of the forest, and live within the constraints of this harsh environment. However, these habitats are being disrupted. The forest territory of the Penan, Borneo’s last nomads, for example, has been allocated as logging concessions to wealthy and politically-connected timber companies. The land is converted into oil palm or paper pulp plantations, employing immigrants for over 90 percent of the jobs and stripping local people of their livelihoods. Full text Back to TOC 6. Japan: Japan Invests in Indian Forestry Source: IANS, 19 November 2007 The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), under Japan government’s Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), will continue investing in India to boost the country's forestry sector and create opportunities for people whose livelihoods depend on forest-based products. The launch of the Tripura forest environmental improvement and poverty alleviation project marked the first financial assistance in the forestry sector to a northeastern Indian state from the JBIC. The Tripura project is aimed at upgrading degraded forestland into an ecologically and commercially productive forest. The project also intends to better the quality of life of local people, particularly those in tribal-dominated areas. Through this eight-year program, 16 non-timber forest product centers will be established in Tripura to create livelihood options and enhance skills of the rural poor. Full text Back to TOC 7. Nepal: Community Forestry Helps Re-Green the Himalayas Source: News Post India, 04 November 2007 In Nepal, community forestry (CF) has helped conserve biodiversity in its natural forest areas. In the 1980s, local forest-dependent communities took action against two decades of natural forest degradation by applying their traditional knowledge of land and natural resource management to re-grow trees. “Community forestry has revitalized and rehabilitated almost all degraded hill slopes in Nepal in a cost-effective and sustainable manner,” says program manager of a Nepal-Swiss community forestry project. The success of CF has also challenged forestry concepts in Nepal to move away from emphasis on protected areas that deny community use rights. Though some people claim that forest-use activities reduce biodiversity, CF has reportedly prevented local extinction of species and increased vegetation and wildlife in Nepal. Still, achievements in CF have not come without challenges, as the poorest communities are still excluded from CF benefits. Overall, however, CF has been a success for Nepal. Full text Back to TOC 8. Pakistan: Call to Foster Public-Private Partnership in Forestry Source: Daily Times, 29 November 2007 Experts at a workshop, organized to discuss the potential for public-private partnerships in the forest sector in Pakistan, emphasized the need to involve resource-dependent communities in order to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of forest management in Pakistan. According to Inspector General Forest, Government of Pakistan Dr. Bashir Ahmad Wani, the government has already initiated a plan to involve resource-dependent communities in forest management; participatory management, he said, is the cornerstone of the current forest policy in the country. Wani emphasized the strong potential for eco-tourism, trophy hunting, reforestation, and other areas of forest management, but acknowledged the need to transform these into large institutionalized projects. Full text Back to TOC 9. Philippines: Indigenous People and Forest Tenure Security (Opinion) Source: The Manila Times, 17 November 2007 In the early 1990s, the Local Government Code in the Philippines devolved certain environmental functions to local governments and implemented community-based natural resource management projects that enforced forest laws. Since then, established laws have continued to show efforts to include communities in forest tenure processes. According to Anabelle Plantilla, however, this shift in policies on forest land tenure in the Philippines from a centralized to a participatory and people-oriented approach in the management of resources is considered limited because it provides opportunity for local people to manage forestland only on a limited scale without addressing questions of land tenure security. Because land is still owned by the state, which typically acts in self-interest, land tenures remain unsecured. Full text Back to TOC
UPDATES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
1. ADB Provides $20M to Assist Cambodia's Tonle Sap Region Source: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Through the Tonle Sap Lowlands Rural Development Project, ADB is allocating $20 million to develop and improve infrastructure and livelihood opportunities in the most impoverished region in Cambodia. As part of ADB’s Tonle Sap Initiative to meet he poverty and environment challenges in the Tonle Sap area, this project will benefit the lowland rural communities that depend on the area’s land, water, and biological resources. Environmental and livelihood threats in this area include overexploitation of fisheries and wildlife resources, conversion of the flooded forest to agriculture, and logging for fuel from the little remaining forestland. The project intends to address these problems through enhanced rural infrastructure to send products to market, distribute cultivation inputs, and improve agricultural outputs. Full text Back to TOC 2. African and Asian Experts in India to Promote Social Justice in Forestry Source: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) Experts of the Forest Governance Learning Group (FGLG) from 11 countries met in India at the beginning of December to discuss how to keep pro-poor priorities on the forestry agenda. "The FGLG aims to promote social justice in forestry by bringing together those marginalized from forest governance with those controlling it," says Professor Prodyut Bhattacharya of the International Centre for Community Forestry at the Indian Institute of Forest Management. The Bhopal meeting will focus on making small enterprises, such as those that produce timber or non-timber forest products, achieve social justice in forestry. "Forestry has a role to play in reducing poverty and creating sustainable livelihoods but only with good governance," said James Mayers of IIED, which steers the FGLG. Full text Back to TOC 3. A Poverty Program That Is Restoring China’s Forests Source: The World Bank Over the past two decades, China’s forest cover has grown from about 12 to 18 percent through a reforestation program and ban on logging across the country. Recent success of the program is largely contributed to the involvement of poor farmers, who took out small loans provided through a World Bank-financed project and planted drought-resistant, high-yielding chestnut trees under the guidance of county forestry advisers. Significant environmental and social changes have resulted: annual per capita income in project areas increased by 150 percent in six years; poverty declined in the project counties from 40 to 17.5 percent in seven years; and a resulting substantial increase in forest coverage across the participating provinces has helped to reduce water loss and soil erosion. China is now the only country in the East Asia and Pacific region that is increasing its forest cover. Full text Back to TOC 4. Collaborative Partnership on Forests Presents Recommendations to UNFCCC Executive Secretary Source: Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) At the first Forest Day, held during COP 13 in Bali, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests presented to the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Mr. Yvo de Boer, key recommendations on the role of forests in combating climate change. These proposals included the need for (1) addressing the drivers of deforestation, including those beyond the forestry sector, in order for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) mechanisms to succeed; (2) a combination of market mechanism and governance; (3) simple mechanisms that lack high transaction costs are needed; (4) multiple instruments for managing the value of forest ecosystem services; (5) clarified land rights and legal rights to carbon; and (6) immediate adaptation focused on the most vulnerable, including forest-dependent communities. Welcoming these contributions, Mr. de Boer said that forests were now high on the international climate change agenda. Full text Back to TOC 5. Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Takes Aim at Deforestation Source: The World Bank The World Bank launched the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) during this month’s UN Climate Change talks in Bali. Nine industrialized countries have pledged US$155 million to start the 10-year initiative to establish a forest carbon market that economically favors forest conservation and benefits developing countries. Currently, developing nations can not sell carbon credits from avoided deforestation or degradation (REDD); however, in light of growing evidence that deforestation is the second highest cause of global warming, many hope for inclusion of this global forest payment scheme in a new agreement. The facility will set the stage for these efforts by determining the permanence of emissions reductions from forest conservation and how to improve forest governance, testing various ways of reducing deforestation and degradation, and piloting different interventions. Ensuring meaningful inclusion of forest-dependent communities in REDD plans and directing carbon payments to these poor people are priorities. Full text Back to TOC 6. Joint Forest Management in India: Failing the Poorest People Source: Institute for Development Studies (IDS) When the state government of Andhra Pradesh in India introduced Participatory Forest Management (PFM) in the early 1990s, the intent was to involve local people in the management of forest resources. However, PFM has failed to significantly develop people’s livelihoods in this area. Tribal communities who have practiced forest agriculture for generations still have not been granted formal land ownership rights. Though the state forest department obtained substantial World Bank funding to promote PFM practices to protect degraded forests, unequal power between the state and local people led to the failed implementation of PFM, denying communities secure land tenure and restricting their access to land. To effectively enhance livelihoods, policymakers are advised to improve tenure security for local communities and empower local people to manage their own forests. Full text Back to TOC 7. UN Approves Climate Change Adaptation Fund Source: Science and Development Network On 11 December at the Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, the UN announced the approval for an adaptation fund to improve the defenses of poor and vulnerable countries. The fund is intended to finance climate change projects, such as improved water supplies for drought areas, training in new agricultural techniques, and conservation and restoration of mangroves. The fund will be administered by the Global Environment Facility and overseen by representatives from both wealthy and poor nations from the Conference of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. Funding will come from a two percent levy on revenues generated by the clean development mechanism, designed for developing countries to pay for carbon credits from emission-reduction projects in developing nations, and thus does not depend on aid budgets. This decision was the first significant agreement during the COP 13 in Bali and marked a major victory for the most vulnerable nations during the negotiations. Full text Back to TOC
PUBLICATIONS
1. Cutting Edge: How Community Forest Enterprises Lead the Way on Poverty Reduction and Avoided Deforestation Author: Duncan Macqueen Publisher: IIED, 2007 Avoided deforestation has re-emerged as a tool to curb climate change. But how does paying poor countries to keep their forests intact tally with poverty reduction? Doing both at the same time is a challenge, but a necessary one. This paper explains that forests are not just crucial in keeping the global environment stable; they are also a lifeline for hundreds of millions of the world’s poor. Fortunately, a solution to both aims is already in place. Community forest enterprises, if run sustainably and democratically, can both avoid deforestation and pull people out of poverty. Large industrial concessions, on the other hand, generally do neither. This paper explores challenge of overcoming vested interests and paving the way for greater political support. For more information, see the full description on the IIED website. Download a copy of “Cutting Edge: How Community Forest Enterprises Lead the Way on Poverty Reduction and Avoided Deforestation.” Back to TOC 2. Investing in Indigenous Natural Resource Management Authors: M.K. Luckert, B.M. Campbell, J.T. Gorman, and S.T. Garnett Publisher: CDU Press, 2007 This book assesses the case for investing in Indigenous natural resource management (NRM) in tropical Australia. Indigenous people provide a number of public goods in relation to environmental management for which they are not remunerated. Individual and collective engagement with ancestrally significant land and sea can improve the currently unacceptable health of these indigenous people, while also supporting individual autonomy and social cohesion through cultural practices. This book brings together a broad suite of authors with an understanding of Indigenous NRM and relevant economics.  Indigenous NRM emerges as a “keystone policy area” that could allow integration of many policy fields commonly considered in isolation. For more information, download the book flyer and the chapter listing. To purchase a copy of Investing in Indigenous Natural Resource Management, download the order form. Back to TOC 3. Potential and Challenges of Payments for Ecosystem Services from Tropical Forests (Forestry Briefing 16) Authors: Michael Richards and Michael Jenkins Publisher: ODI, 2007 This paper summarizes current potential and challenges facing the development of payments for ecosystem services (PES) as a means of promoting the sustainable management or conservation of tropical forests, including the challenge of combining equity or poverty reduction objectives with environmental objectives, and the interaction of PES with broader forest sector and “extra-sectoral” policies. For more information, see the Climate Change page of the ODI website. Download a copy of the ODI Forestry Briefing 16. Back to TOC 4. Sharing Power: A Global Guide to Collaborative Management of Natural Resources Authors: Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend, Michel Pimbert, Taghi Farvar, Ashish Kothari, and Yves Renard Publisher: Earthscan, 2007 The collaborative or co-management of natural resources is a process of collective understanding and actions by local communities and other social actors. This book is designed for professionals and people involved in collaborative management processes. It distils the wealth of experience and innovative approaches developed by people who have learned by doing. It begins by offering a variety of vistas, from broad historical and equity considerations to in-depth co-management examples. Illustrated in detail is the understanding accumulated in recent decades on starting points for co-management, prerequisites for successful negotiations as well as rules, methods and conditions for the negotiations. Methods and tools, such as practical checklists distilled from different situations and contexts, are offered throughout. Examples of specific agreements and plural organizations are discussed, highlighting the importance of participatory democracy in creating enabling contexts for co-management. For more information and to purchase a copy of Sharing Power, see the Earthscan website. Back to TOC 5. The 4th Global Environment Outlook: Environment for Development (GEO-4) Authors: UNEP Publisher: UNEP, 2007 The fourth Global Environment Outlook: Environment for Development (GEO-4) assessment is a comprehensive and authoritative UN report on environment, development and human well-being, providing incisive analysis and information for decision making. The authors call for immediate action pressing global problems, while focusing on the following areas: environment for development, atmosphere, land, water, biodiversity, sustaining a common future, vulnerability of people and the environment, governance for sustainability, future visions, and options for action. For more information, see the Global Environment Outlook page on the UNEP website. Download a copy of the GEO-4 report. Back to TOC 6. The Implications of Carbon Financing for Pro-Poor Forestry (Forestry Briefing 14) Authors: Cecilia Luttrell, Kate Schreckenberg, and Leo Peskett Publisher: ODI, 2007 The emergence of new financing mechanisms associated with the rise of carbon markets brings potential for increased investment in forestry. This paper explores the implications of these mechanisms for community forestry and suggests ways in which such finance may contribute to the pro-poor outcomes of community forestry. For more information, see the Climate Change page of the ODI website. Download a copy of the ODI Forestry Briefing 14. Back to TOC
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Call for Papers: Global Trade in Forest Products Concepcion, Chile, 10–12 November 2008, abstract deadline: 31 January 2008 The Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) invites submissions of abstracts by 31 January 2008 for the session Global Trade in Forest Products at the SWST 2008 Annual Convention to be held in Concepcion, Chile on 10–12 November 2008. A broad range of topics will be considered, but could include the following: the global and regional forest products industry of 2030 – what lies ahead; the illegal logging problem and proposed solutions; environmental labeling of wood and forest products, and potential impacts on world markets; corporate social responsibility and the forest sector; the growing role of China as a wood products manufacturer and consumer; and impacts of trade liberalization in forest products. For more information, visit the SWST website. Back to TOC 2. Call for Papers: Landscape Ecology and Forest Management: Challenges and Solutions Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China, 16–18 September 2008, abstract deadline: 15 February 2008 The science of landscape ecology is a rapidly evolving academic field with an emphasis on studying large-scale spatial heterogeneity created by natural influences and human activities. These advances have important implications for managing and conserving natural resources. The international conference on Landscape Ecology and Forest Management is intended to explore the nexus between science and application in a landscape that has been actively managed for human welfare for millennia. This conference in Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China on 16–18 September is aimed at highlighting both the challenges and solutions to managing forested landscapes for a variety of values and benefits. Contributions are encouraged in one or more of the following topics: Conservation and Landscape Restoration, Landscape Health and Ecological Process-based Management, Multi-purpose Management and Landscape Sustainability, Technologies and Techniques Supporting Landscape Management, and Urban Forestry and Planning: A Frontier. Abstracts should be submitted by 15 February 2008. For more information, visit the Landscape Ecology International Conference website. Back to TOC 3. Forest Insects as Food: Humans Bite Back – A Workshop Focused on Asia-Pacific Resources and Their Potential for Development Chiang Mai, Thailand, 19-21 February 2008 Worldwide, over 1,400 insect species are reportedly eaten as human food. Most are harvested from natural forests. Among forest managers, there is little knowledge or appreciation of the potential for managing and harvesting insects sustainably. The Forest Insects as Food workshop will focus on all aspects of edible forest insects, including management, collection, harvest, processing, marketing, and consumption. Social, environmental, and economic aspects will be explored, including opportunities and issues related to income and livelihoods. The focus of the workshop will be on knowledge and experiences from Asia and the Pacific, but the workshop will also draw on examples and resource persons from other regions of the world as well. The objectives of the workshop include raising awareness of the potential of edible forest insects as human food source; documenting the significance of food insects to people’s livelihoods and assess their linkages to sustainable forest management and conservation; and identify key challenges to promoting edible forest insects in wider markets and possible solutions to address those challenges. For more information, download the Edible Insects Workshop flyer. Back to TOC 4. Asian Wetlands Symposium 2008: Wetlands – The Heart of Asia Hanoi, Vietnam, 22–28 June 2008 The Asian Wetland Symposium is intended to reflect on the importance of wetlands to the daily life of people in Asia and to look into the progress and challenges in wetlands management and conservation. The symposium provides a single platform for discussions among various sectors including, national and local governments, NGOs, scientific experts, the private sector, and local and indigenous people engaged in wetland management to discuss issues, approaches and priorities in wetland management in the Asian Region.  For more information, visit the AWS 2008 website. Back to TOC
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
1. Programme Coordinator, IUCN India Country Office Location: New Delhi, India Closing Date: 31 December, 2007 The World Conservation Union (IUCN) seeks to recruit a self-motivated professional for the position of Programme Coordinator (PC) for its India Country Office in New Dehli. The initial contract will be for a period of two years with possibility of extension. This is a local position for Indian nationals only. The PC will report to the India Programme Focal Point, on all program and administrative matters, and to the Regional Programme Coordinator, IUCN Asia on all program coordination matters. Responsibilities include undertaking the development, resource mobilization, and delivery of the IUCN Program in India; and facilitating IUCN members’ and partners’ active involvement in exploring and building capacity in new areas of mutual interest to IUCN. Qualifications and experiences of successful candidates will include a relevant Masters degree, preferably in Natural Resource Management; at least 5 to 7 years of experience and competence in management and coordination at a senior level; and experience in project implementation and execution with a track record of securing timely outputs of high quality. Interested candidates should send their application and CV along with the names of two referees by 31 December 2007. For more information, download the job posting from the IUCN website. Back to TOC 2. Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) Xekong Sustainable Forestry Program, WWF Laos Country Programme Location: Xekong Province, Lao PDR Closing Date: 7 January, 2008 The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Greater Mekong – Laos Country Programme) is currently seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Lao/Regional/International applicant to fill the position of Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) Xekong Sustainable Forestry Programme with duty station in the National Program Office based in Xekong Province, Lao PDR. The CTA will lead implementation of the project activities and collaborate with other NGOs and organizations who are working on the sustainable forest management in Lao PDR. The CTA will also advise on all project activities and serve as a liaison between WWF Lao, WWF Indochina, and the Xekong Province Forestry Office. The CTA is also responsible for overseeing all project finances and reporting. Required experiences include a university degree or higher level qualification in a field related to Sustainable Forestry Management, Conservation or NRM; at least 5 years experience working in developing countries, some of which has involved implementing field conservation, ICDPs, or development projects; and management experience. Qualified candidtates should submit a CV and cover letter 7 Jan 2008 to boris.saraber@wwfgreatermekong.org. For more information, see the job posting on the WWF website. Back to TOC 3. Country Director, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Location: Manila, The Philippines Closing Date: 11 January, 2008 ADB seeks a Country Director in the Southeast Asia Department (SERD) to lead the full range of work in the planning, implementation and supervision of the Philippine Country Office’s (PHCO) vision, goals, strategies and work plan in support of overall ADB goals. The Country Director will oversee the quality of work and ensure the achievement of objectives of the PHCO; lead and support external and internal relations, coordination and consultation initiatives for SERD and ADB as a whole; lead and provide guidance on day-to-day operational issues and compliance with ADB policies; and work within a broad concept and framework to define own scope of objectives and activities. Prerequisites include a university degree relevant to the assigned sector/area; at least 15 years of relevant professional experience in country programming, project processing and administration; and excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Applications should be submitted electronically, quoting Ref. No. EXT-PS07-280(2)-PHCO and job title on subject line and attaching application form to email address PS-jobs@adb.org no later than 11 January 2008, 5:00 p.m., Manila time. For more information, see the job posting on the ADB website. Back to TOC 4. Bank Internship Program, The World Bank Location: Washington, D.C., United States Closing Date: 31 January, 2008 The Internship Program is open to students who are nationals of the Bank's member countries and attracts a large number of highly qualified candidates. The goal of this Internship Program is to offer successful candidates an opportunity to improve their skills as well as the experience of working in an international environment. To be eligible for the Internship Program, candidates must possess an undergraduate degree and already be enrolled in a full-time graduate study program (pursuing a Master's degree or PhD with plans to return to school in a full-time capacity. This Program typically seeks candidates in the following fields: economics, finance, human development (public health, education, nutrition, and population), social science (anthropology, sociology), agriculture, environment, private sector development, as well as other related fields. Fluency in English is required. All applications must be submitted online by 31 January 2008. For more information, see the Bank Internship Program webpage. Back to TOC
NETWORK OF THE MONTH
ASEAN Social Forestry Network (ASFN) ASFN is the first and largest government-driven social forestry network in Southeast Asia that is inclusive in its membership involving research organizations, academia, non-governmental organizations as well as experts of related fields. The network’s niche is in bringing together and transforming various experiences and knowledge products through numerous means to targeted audience. ASFN aims to improve the lives of people in and around the forest through sustainable forest management practices. For more information, download the full description of ASFN.
RECOFTC ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. New Networks Brief Release: “Networking for Impact: A Simple Guide to Engaging in and Setting up Networks” Networking plays an increasingly important role for many stakeholders and organizations working in natural resource management. This brief guide to networking shares general lessons on how to make networks function effectively. The introduction explains what constitutes a network and its distinction from partnerships and organizations. Lessons on governance, organizational structure, and relationships among network members highlight characteristics of effective networks. The brief then discusses methods for appropriate communication and shows examples of networking tools. The sections that follow provide considerations for setting up and maintaining new networks, as well as the potential for creating synergies and cooperating with already existing networks. The brief concludes with recommendations of regular monitoring and measuring of outcomes and impacts. Download a copy of “Networking for Impact.” Back to TOC _____________________________________________________________ 2. ALL in CBNRM Evaluation and Planning Workshop Bangkok, Thailand, 8–10 January, 2008 The Adaptive learning and Linkages in Community-Based Natural Resource Management (ALL in CBNRM) was launched in 2006 to equip NRM researchers and practitioners to work more effectively with communities, policy makers, and other stakeholders to alleviate rural poverty. During the final program evaluation workshop for ALL in CBNRM, representatives of all learning groups and partner organizations from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam will gather together to share their experience and lessons learned from being involved in this learning process. The evaluation and planning workshop will enable participants to discuss and level off on the evaluation results of ALL in CBNRM in terms of learning program processes, learning program management, and learning program outcomes and impacts; develop re-entry plans for their current and future CBNRM programs; and share experiences and insights on adaptive learning as a basis for enriching future similar programs. For more information, see the ALL in CBNRM Evaluation and Planning Workshop concept note or visit the ALL in CBNRM website. Back to TOC
ABOUT RECOFTC
The Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC) was established in 1987 in response to the growing awareness that community participation in resource management could assist in protecting forests as well as in enhancing rural livelihoods. In 2000, RECOFTC became a fully autonomous international organization. RECOFTC works in close collaboration with partner organizations to support community forestry development in the region. RECOFTC focuses on designing and facilitating learning processes and systems to strengthen the capacity of community forestry institutions. RECOFTC also seeks to promote dialogue between different stakeholders to enhance the sustainable management of forest resources. To learn about RECOFTC staff, view the RECOFTC Staff Directory. To learn more about community forestry, visit the RECOFTC website. P.O. Box 1111, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10903, Thailand Tel: 66-2-9405700; Fax: 66-2-5614880 E-mail: info@recoftc.org Web-site: http://www.recoftc.org/
ABOUT CF E-NEWS
The Community Forestry E-News is an email released at the end of each month to update readers on community forestry related activities and issues throughout Asia and the Pacific. To provide you with the latest news, we welcome any information from different sources on people's participation in forest management. Please send your information, comments and suggestions to info@recoftc.org by the 20th of the month. We encourage you to forward this message to others who might be interested. If you would like to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the list, please send a message to info@recoftc.org or subscribe online. To find back issues of the E-News, please go to RECOFTC's E-News webpage. The views expressed in articles published by the Community Forestry E-News do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of RECOFTC. Information from CF E-News may not be sold. Please respect copyright and acknowledge authorship and institutions when referencing or redistributing any information from this newsletter.
For more information contact: Naomi Sleeper Editor Regional Analysis and Representation Email: naomi@recoftc.org	With editing support by: Erica Lee Regional Analysis and Representation Email: erica@recoftc.org