Dear Readers, This month Indonesia became the first country to draft a set of regulations governing in-country REDD schemes. As REDD frameworks begin to take definitive shape globally, forest experts are beginning to call attention to a variety of challenges and issues that may arise. In two separate reports attracting global media attention, RRI and IIED call for stronger reforms for tenure over land and trees to halt deforestation and other forms of land degradation, slow climate change, and alleviate poverty. Please see the Updates From the International Community and the Publications sections for links to these reports. Tenure reforms could also mitigate the potential for conflict to arise in the context of current trends towards devolution, oil palm expansion, and as the value of trees and land increase in forest areas under REDD schemes. On conflict, RECOFTC has begun a multi-country study in the region to generate lessons on its causes, escalation processes, and management. Please see RECOFTC Announcements for more information. Continuing on from last month’s commentary on forest degradation, Ben Vickers looks at the same topic in the context of REDD by drawing upon the findings of a recent REDD ‘distillation’ workshop. We appreciate the opportunity to share community forestry-related news and welcome feedback and exchange. Please send your updates and the areas of interest you would like featured via e-mail to julian@recoftc.org. The Editor
	TABLE OF CONTENTS
	COMMENTARY OF THE MONTH Decoding Degradation in REDD NEWS FROM THE PRESS 1. Cambodia: Cambodia Quadruples Formal CF Area With Oddar Meanchey Signings 2. Cambodia: Plantation Highlights Struggle of Development and Preservation 3. Cambodia: Trees and Monkeys Lost in Preah Vihear Forest Zone 4. Congo: New Rainforest Reserve in Congo Benefits Bonobos and Locals 5. India: Tripura Law Fans Ethnic Conflict 6. Indonesia: Indonesia Develops First REDD Regulations 7. Indonesia: Poor Communities Protect Forests, Improve Livelihoods 8. Indonesia/Malaysia: Palm Oil Plantations Causing Local Land Conflict 9. International: A Profitable Rainforest 10. International: Could We End Up Trampling Biodiversity in the Name of Biofuels? 11. International: No Natives Allowed 12. International: Tracking Trees on the Road to Copenhagen 13. Malaysia: Sarawak Government Defeated in Landmark NCR Ruling 14. Malaysia: Selangor Launches Orang Asli Land Taskforce 15. Thailand: Bid to Raise Forest Cover 40% in 8 Years 16. Viet Nam: Reforestation CDM Project Plants Trees on 320 Hectares UPDATES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 1. Africa’s High Deforestation Due to Lack of Community Rights: Report 2. Carbon Benefits Project Launched 3. GEF STAP Rome Meeting Focuses on GEF Role in REDD 4. ‘Sponsor A Forest’ Initiative Launched in India 5. UNFF8 Adopts Key Resolution 6. United States Reauthorizes Funding for Rainforest Conservation PUBLICATIONS 1. Knowledge Sharing Toolkit 2. Land Grab or Development Opportunity? Agricultural Investment and International Land Deals in Africa 3. Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in Asia and the Pacific 4. Recognising and Supporting Indigenous & Community Conservation—Ideas & Experiences From the Grassroots 5. The Rubber Juggernaut 6. Tenure in REDD: Start-point or Afterthought? EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES 1. Training Event: Managing Natural Resource Conflict 2. Training Event: Landscape Functions and People 3. Call for Abstracts: Community Forestry International Workshop 4. Call for Project Proposals: Frontlines of Climate Change Forum 5. International Workshop: Pacific Climate Workshop on REDD 6. 2nd Call for Papers: Decentralization, Power and Tenure Rights of Forest-Dependent People 7. International Event: 2nd World Agroforestry Congress 8. Global Survey: Climate Change and the Tropical Forestry Sector JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES 1. Forum Coordinator, Frontlines of Climate Change Forum 2. Principal Natural Resources Management Specialist, Asian Development Bank 3. Managing Director of Accreditation Services International, FSC 4. Environment/Climate Change National Program Officer, SENSA 5. Various Positions, World Resources Institute NETWORK OF THE MONTH Global Footprint Network RECOFTC ANNOUNCEMENTS RECOFTC Begins Multi-Country Study on Forest Conflict
	COMMENTARY OF THE MONTH
	Decoding Degradation in REDD Provided by Ben Vickers, RECOFTC’s Climate Change Focal Point (ben@recoftc.org) With an eye on the UNFCCC climate change talks that begun this week in Bonn, Germany, RECOFTC recently held a workshop identifying some key messages on forest degradation for international negotiators and Asia-Pacific policymakers to consider. Top of the list was that “including forest degradation in REDD is both feasible and essential for effectively combating climate change.” Furthermore, community forestry and other decentralized forest management systems would be central to national efforts to address forest degradation, and would mobilize many local stakeholders to assess degradation and monitor carbon stocks. The issue of assessing forest degradation has been a source of puzzlement and frustration for many following the REDD debate. As COP-15 in Copenhagen draws ever closer, some resolution is required. Addressing and Assessing Forest Degradation was the topic of a REDD ‘distillation workshop’ organized by RECOFTC in partnership with The Nature Conservancy-led Responsible Asia Forest and Trade program, and funded by USAID. The workshop participants, a select group of REDD experts and policymakers from the Asia-Pacific region, agreed that the contribution of forest degradation to climate change is of particular concern in this region. Forests are, of course, prominent features of rural landscapes and with the satellite technology currently at our fingertips, recognizing their presence or absence is a relatively simple matter. But how do we recognize subtle or gradual changes in forest condition without getting up close? Exactly what kind of changes must we look for? Workshop participants, including national REDD focal points from Indonesia and Vietnam along with several key experts from government bodies, research institutions and NGOs, spent two days of intensive discussions on these and related questions. The full workshop report is available on the RECOFTC website here. As Thomas Enters noted in last month’s commentary, defining degradation depends on the context. For REDD, the salient issue is the loss of carbon in the form of biomass. Or, as workshop participants concluded, “a measurable, human-induced decline in the carbon stock in areas that remain as forest, over a specified time period.” The direct causes of degradation, participants agreed, vary with national circumstances and range from largely commercial activities including selective logging to subsistence-based activities such as fuelwood collection and shifting cultivation. The underlying drivers, however, were common to all. These can be summarized as the failure to effectively address rural poverty and forest governance, linked to the failure of international markets to recognize the value of environmental services. Without including forest degradation, national REDD baselines cannot accurately reflect the level of emissions from the forest sector. This will require more resources, particularly human resources, than a mechanism for deforestation alone. The mobilization of local communities, for basic carbon accounting work as well as the application of improved forest management practices, can and should play a major part in filling this human resource deficit. By providing these services, local people will not only play a key role in helping REDD succeed in its primary aim; they will also generate much needed income. The workshop revealed the readiness of policy-makers to share and seek new ideas and areas of consensus with civil society, an encouraging sign for the region. In the inclusion of degradation within an international REDD mechanism, the interests of Asia-Pacific negotiators and local communities are clearly aligned. The more opportunities regional parties have to unify their key messages, the greater the chance that their mutual interests will be realized in Copenhagen and beyond. ***Disclaimer*** This commentary represents the views of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of RECOFTC. Back to TOC
	NEWS FROM THE PRESS
	1. Cambodia Quadruples Formal CF Area With Oddar Meanchey Signings Source: The Cambodia Daily, 9 April 2009 The signing of nine Community Forestry Agreements on 2 April 2009 in Cambodia's northwestern province of Oddar Meanchey saw some 60,000 hectares of forest land formally handed over to community management. The signings, which follow 32 recent agreements in Kampong Thom, involved 52 villages and mean there are now 59 Community Forestry Agreements in Cambodia. They include the two largest single community forest sites to date in Cambodia, Sorng Roka Vorn Community Forest (18,000 hectares) and Ratanak Ruka Community Forest (13,000 hectares), and in effect quadruple the country's forest area under formalized community management. PACT Cambodia is working with the nine sites to help them collectively sell carbon credits. Cambodia Daily Article Back to TOC 2. Cambodia: Plantation Highlights Struggle of Development and Preservation Source: The Phnom Penh Post, 25 May 2009 Ethnic minority residents in Mondulkiri say their culture and livelihoods remain in danger from new plantations that have displaced them from their ancestral farmlands. More than 800 families in seven villages, the majority of them from the Phnong ethnic minority, have had plots of land taken by the rubber plantation. Residents claim that there was no consultation prior to the granting of the concessions. After clearing began last year, village representatives travelled to Phnom Penh in June to deliver a personal plea to Prime Minister Hun Sen. The dispute came to a head in December, when a frustrated group of villagers destroyed machinery belonging to the Khaou Chuly Group. Plantation owners claim they seek to balance their interests with those of the local communities. Full text Back to TOC 3. Cambodia: Trees and Monkeys Lost in Preah Vihear Forest Zone Source: The Phnom Penh Post, 5 May 2009 Illegal logging and poaching in Preah Vihear province's Chey Sen district has left a once-heavily forested, animal-filled area almost completely depleted of wildlife, according to local officials. The head of the Peuk village community in Putrea commune, Chea Nan, said the forest and its formerly large monkey population had been nearly exhausted due to large- and small-scale illegal trafficking gangs. It is believed the monkeys are being sold in Vietnam as they fetch a high price there—100,000 to 400,000 riels (US$24 to $97) each. According to the local Forestry Administration unit chief, officials were unable to enforce the forestry laws in the area. "It would not be safe to crack down there. I only have two personnel and we would need many to crack down," Hak Sothy said. "Also, there is dense forest along the road, and we would have to sleep and eat there." Full text Back to TOC 4. Congo: New Rainforest in Congo Reserve Benefits Bonobos and Locals Source: Mongabay.com, 25 May 2009 A partnership between local villages and conservation groups, headed up by the Bonobo Conservation Initiative, has led to the creation of a new 1,847 square mile (4,875 square kilometer) reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The reserve will save some of the region’s last pristine forests; ensuring the survival of the embattled bonobo—the least-known of the world’s four great ape species—and protecting a variety of biodiversity from the Congo peacock to the dwarf crocodile. However, the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve is worth attention for another reason; every step of its creation—from biological surveys to reserve management—has been run by the local Congolese NGO and villages of Kokolopori. Full text Back to TOC 5. India: Tripura Law Fans Ethnic Conflict Source: The Telegraph (India), 25 May 2009 The 2006 Forest Rights Act is likely to trigger ethnic conflict in Tripura over the allotment of land within Autonomous District Council (ADC) areas. The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura has petitioned Tripura Governor Dinesh Nandan Sahay to stop allotments to non-tribals living within the ADC area on the grounds that it will violate provisions of the Sixth Schedule under which the ADC was formed. The allotment to non-tribals has triggered serious resentment among regional tribal-based political parties, which point out that non-tribal families have only lived in ADC areas for no more than 50 years. The qualifying mark under the Act for land allotment among non-tribals is three generations or 75 years. Full text Back to TOC 6. Indonesia: Indonesia Develops First REDD Regulations Source: Various agencies, May 2009 Indonesia has become the world's first country to formally enact regulations governing in-country REDD schemes. However, the government has not yet announced how carbon credit revenue-sharing would be handled, particularly the percentage of proceeds the government would tax or levy. Other technical issues, such as funding arrangements, forest monitoring, and verification standards, also need to be resolved. NGOs are urging the Indonesian Government to use the impetus of forest-carbon trading to settle longstanding problems over land and tree tenure. Reuters - Indonesia Says Forest-CO2 Revenue Rules Months Away The Jakarta Post – Indonesia Ready for REDD Application to Cut Carbon The Jakarta Post – Government Needs to Settle Tenure Problems Over Forested Land The Jakarta Globe – Government’s Green Concern Is Money, not Saving Forests: Greenpeace Letter to the Jakarta Post from Marcus Colchester, Forest Peoples Programme Back to TOC 7. Indonesia: Poor Communities to Protect Forests, Improve Livelihoods Source: The Jakarta Post, 20 May 2009 Nearly 2,000 impoverished farmers in Central Lombok are expected to add an additional Rp 2.5 million (US$225) to their yearly incomes through a community-based forest management program. Two farming cooperatives were recently issued with a community-based forest management business license to manage a 750 hectare tract of the protected Batukliang forest. The license grants the farmers the right to manage the area for 35 years with the help of local NGOs, and to access non-timber products. Full text Back to TOC 8. Indonesia/Malaysia: Palm Oil Plantations Causing Local Land Conflicts Source: Various agencies, May 2009 Land disputes are emerging as one of the biggest problems associated with palm oil, environmentalists are claiming. Many communities in Malaysia and Indonesia are being uprooted and losing their livelihood sources as vast tracts of tropical forest and peatlands are rapidly converted into palm oil plantations by companies trying to meet global demand for biofuel. At a recent seminar in Singapore, ETH Zurich scientist Koh Lian Pin said that over half of all new oil palm plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia between 1990 and 2005 were converted from former forest land. Communities have filed complaints with courts in both countries about either being forced off their land or pressured to sell it at cheap prices. Taiwan News – Activists: Palm Oil Firms Grabbing Land in Asia The Straits Times – Impact of Oil Palm Cultivation Agence France-Presse – Indonesia to Double Palm Oil Production by 2020 The Jakarta Post – Palm Oil Firms ‘Taking Away’ Locals’ Income The Jakarta Post – Plantation Companies in Conflict With Villagers Back to TOC 9. International: A Profitable Rainforest Source: The Economist, 18 May 2009 Iwokrama, a 370,000-hectare rainforest in central Guyana, may provide a model for forest conservation to make a profit. The Iwokrama International Centre has been working to use the forest sustainably through ecotourism, timber extraction, forest products including honey and oils, bio-prospecting, and forestry research. It made a surplus for the first time in 2008, with revenues of $2.4m and a profit of $800,000, and looks to continue to make a profit through a PES deal with Canopy Capital, an investment company based in London. Full text Back to TOC 10. International: Could We End Up Trampling Biodiversity in the Name of Biofuels? Source: The Guardian (UK), 7 May 2009 ‘Cellulosic’ biofuels—created by breaking down cellulose, the molecule that gives trees and grasses their toughness—is currently being touted as a new breed of biofuel that could deliver more help with less harm. However, ecologists fear that growing demand for cheap, ample supplies of cellulose will create powerful incentives to convert diverse, native grasslands into sterile ‘energy lawns’ and to chop down vast swaths of wild forests. A recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggests that, despite the hype, the new fuels may not reduce overall greenhouse-gas emissions and that land conversion to produce cellulosic ethanol would wreak havoc on the world's landscapes. Forests in the tropics could be hit particularly hard, as natural forests would provide a relatively cheap, easy-to-exploit supply of cellulose. Full text Back to TOC 11. International: No Natives Allowed Source: The Boston Globe, 3 May 2009 Mark Dowie’s column is an encapsulation of the argument he makes in his new book, Conservation Refugees: The Hundred Year Conflict Between Global Conservation and Native Peoples. He looks into why conservation organizations and indigenous peoples have often been in conflict, even though they share a greater common goal of protecting biodiversity, and tells the story of how the modern conservation movement’s efforts to set aside protected areas has displaced millions of local inhabitants. The article and the book have elicited a number of responses from conservation organizations and indigenous rights groups, some of which are linked to below. Full text Letter to the Boston Globe by Stephen Corry, Survival International Blogpost by Peter Kareiva, The Nature Conservancy Back to TOC 12. International: Tracking Trees on the Road to Copenhagen Source: Ecosystem Marketplace, 13 May 2009 The UN bodies charged with mapping out the role of forestry offsets in a post-Kyoto climate-change regime are set to meet at least four more times in 2009 before a final accord is hammered out in Copenhagen at the end of this year. The Katoomba Group’s Ecosystem Marketplace provides a round-up of the debate’s coverage. Full text Back to TOC 13. Malaysia: Sarawak Government Defeated in Landmark NCR Ruling Source: Malaysiakina via linasoo.com, 5 May 2009 The Malaysian Federal Court has upheld the concept of native customary rights (NCR) to land as including not only one class of such land called (cultivated land), but also pulau (communal forest) and pemakai menua (territorial domain). Lawyers dealing in NCR cases were quick to point out the implications of the decision for some 200 land cases filed to date against the state government and companies that have obtained leases mainly for plantation and logging activities. If NCR claimants can provide sufficient evidence to support their claims, logging and plantation companies may find themselves in a quandary unless they are prepared to negotiate. Full text Back to TOC 14. Malaysia: Selangor Launches Orang Asli Land Task Force Source: The Malaysian Bar, 4 May 2009 Selangor has launched the Orang Asli Land Task Force to help the community resolve various issues pertaining to the community’s ancestral land. The task force will concentrate on the gazetting of land belonging to the community and fair compensation payments to be made for land taken for development purposes. Its long-term strategy is to look at ways to bring development and progress to the Orang Asli in Selangor, including the setting up of an institute to explore the development of the Orang Asli. A member of the Temuan tribe, who has been appointed as special assistant to the taskforce, stated that in addition to land disputes, education is a primary issue for the Orang Asli. “With education, the people will know their rights and will not be easily influenced. In my experience our village heads are often very passive and very trusting of people especially of those in authority, and thus they would just agree and go along with anything even if it means losing their rights,” she said. Full text Back to TOC 15. Thailand: Bid to Raise Forest Cover 40% in Eight Years Source: The Bangkok Post, 9 May 2009 Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has set an ambitious plan to increase forest coverage to 40% of the country's area within eight years. According to a ministry spokesman, several forest plantation projects will be launched soon to help the achieve the goal. One of these is a tree-for-debt-relief project that would offer financial aid to farmers who want to invest in planting economic trees such as teak, neem, and eucalyptus. A similar project has already been carried out in 16 provinces, where farmers are encouraged to plant fast-growing trees to feed power plants. Forty million saplings of various plant species will be made freely available to the public for a tree-planting campaign to be launched later in the year. Full text Back to TOC 16. Viet Nam: Reforestation CDM Project Plants Trees on 320 Hectares Source: Viet Nam News, 18 May 2009 Three hundred and twenty hectares of forest have been planted in Hoa Binh Province, in a small-scale reforestation project registered under the UN’s Afforestation/Reforestation Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project aims to restore unproductive bare and bush lands where forests were cut down for agriculture prior to 1980. It is estimated that the reforestation effort will contribute towards absorbing 43,000 tons of carbon dioxide over its 16-year duration. Approximately 320 farming households in Cao Phong District will engage in reforestation activities and expect to enjoy future benefits from the sale of wood and other forest products. Local communities are expected to continue implementing the project after JICA’s technical assistance ends. Full text JICA Press Release Back to TOC
	UPDATES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
	1. Africa’s High Deforestation Due to Lack of Community Rights: Report Sources: RRI, ITTO, the BBC, May 2009 Africa's forests are disappearing faster than those in other parts of the world because of a lack of land ownership, according to a new report issued by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). Comparing the distribution of land ownership in 39 tropical countries, which represent 96% of global tropical forests, the report’s authors found that less than 2% of Africa's forests are under community control, while the continent’s deforestation rate is four times the world average. While the report highlights recent initiatives to reform community land rights in a number of African countries, it calls for greater tenure reforms to halt deforestation, mitigate climate change, and alleviate poverty. The study was presented at a recent meeting of forest community representatives from Africa, Latin America, and Asia, and was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Full Report Yaoundé Conference Webpage BBC Coverage Back to TOC 2. Carbon Benefits Project Launched Sources: UNEP, University of East Anglia, CORDIS, Reuters, May 2009 A two-year Carbon Benefits project, funded by the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is setting up the world's first carbon measuring and modeling system that will be used to help mitigate the effects of climate change, boost carbon trading, and verify whether carbon-offsetting initiatives really work. The project will work with partners in Western Kenya, Western China, Niger, and Nigeria, and will develop a system for measuring, monitoring, and managing carbon in a diverse range of landscapes. These assessments would enable farmers and forest managers to understand the carbon content of their land, the impact their activities have on this, and help them to select more effective agricultural and forestry options. The assessments will also be key if a REDD scheme is agreed as part of a post-2012 climate regime, as they could open the door to carbon storage payments for other kinds of nature-based management covering ecosystems such as grasslands, pasturelands, peatlands, and mangroves. Partners include the World Agroforestry Centre, the UK's University of East Anglia , two US universities, and WWF - the World Wide Fund for Nature are among the many partners involved in the project. UNEP Press Release University of East Anglia Announcement CORDIS Coverage Reuters Coverage Back to TOC 3. GEF STAP Rome Meeting Focuses on GEF Role in REDD Source: GEF STAP, May 2009 The Global Environment Facility’s (GEF) Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) met in Rome, Italy, between 28 and 30 April 2009 to review GEF methodologies and emerging strategies for sustainable forest management, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) and REDD for the fifth GEF Replenishment (GEF-5). An overview of the meeting, along with presentations, is now available. Workshop Website Back to TOC 4. Sponsor A Forest Initiative Launched in India Sources: AERF, May 2009 The Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF) has launched its Sponsor A Forest initiative to engage local farmers in forest conservation in India’s Northwestern Ghats. Through the program, AERF is seeking to establish legally binding agreements and management plans with forest landowners to ensure forest protection and regrowth. In return, landowners will receive a steady stream of incentive payments. AERF Website Back to TOC 5. UNFF8 Adopts Key Resolution Sources: UNFF, IISD, Xinhua, May 2009 Delegates at the UN Forum on Forests Eighth Session (UNFF8), which convened from 20 April until 1 May 2009, adopted a resolution on forests in a changing environment that encourages member states to strengthen implementation of sustainable forest management (SFM) to address challenges such as climate change, forest degradation, and biodiversity and forest cover loss. The resolution invites member organizations of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests to continue to integrate SFM into their strategies by considering the Non-legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests, and by building on well-established forest-related tools, processes, and programs to implement SFM. UNFF8 Resolution (draft) UNFF8 Decision (draft) UNFF8 Website IISD Coverage Xinhua Coverage Back to TOC 6. United States Reauthorizes Funding for Rainforest Conservation Sources: Mongabay.com, May 2009 The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has unanimously passed the Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2009 (S.345). The Bill, if it passes through Congress, would provide up to $115 million in debt relief to tropical countries in exchange for commitments to conserve forests and coral reefs. Under the current Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA) the State Department has reached agreements generating $188 million in long-term commitments for tropical forest conservation in Bangladesh, El Salvador, Belize, Peru, the Philippines, Panama, Guatemala, Colombia, Paraguay, Botswana, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. TFCA languished under the Bush Administration, which reduced funding while adding a coral reef conservation mandate, further diluting funds available for tropical forests. The 2009 Act authorizes appropriations for debt reduction for eligible countries at $25 million for 2009 and $30 million in each of 2010, 2011, and 2012. Bill Summary and Full Text Mongabay Coverage Back to TOC
	PUBLICATIONS
	1. Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Publisher: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), 2009 This toolkit has been designed as a web-based living knowledge repository about knowledge sharing. It has three main pieces: two ‘libraries’—one for methods and one for tools—that can be used for knowledge sharing, and a set of perspectives and guidance to help users choose tools and methods to fit local needs and contexts. Users are invited to improve upon any of the entries, leave their names and contact information if they can be a resource on a tool or method, and share stories of these methods and tools in use. Use the toolkit. Back to TOC 2. Land Grab or Development Opportunity? Agricultural Investment and International Land Deals in Africa Author: Lorenzo Cotula, Sonja Vermeulen, Rebeca Leonard, James Keeley Publisher: IIED, FAO, IFAD, June 2009 This report discusses key trends and drivers in land acquisitions, the contractual arrangements underpinning them and the way these are negotiated, and the early impacts on land access for rural people in recipient countries, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. It draws on a literature review, on qualitative interviews with key informants internationally, on national inventories of ongoing and proposed land acquisitions since 2004 in five African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali and Sudan) and qualitative studies in Mozambique and Tanzania, and on legal analysis of national law and of a small sample of investor-state contracts. The Financial Times has published a commentary on the report. Download the publication. Back to TOC 3. Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in Asia and the Pacific Publisher: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), 2009 This study examines the roots of the 2008 food price crisis, threats to sustainable agriculture such as climate change and biofuels production, and the resilience of communities to climate variability. It also puts forward an agenda for food security that includes adaptation to climate change as a long-term measure. Download the publication. Back to TOC 4. Recognising and Supporting Indigenous & Community Conservation—Ideas & Experiences From the Grassroots Publisher: IUCN and partners, April 2009 International policies and programs, notably those under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), require countries to provide indigenous and community conserved areas (ICCAs) with recognition and support. However, there is little guidance on how to do this in ways that strengthen the governance of indigenous people and communities, rather than undermining their initiatives. This briefing note attempts to provide some tips towards sensitive recognition and support of ICCAs. Download the publication. Back to TOC 5. The Rubber Juggernaut Author: Alan D. Ziegler, Jefferson M. Fox, Jianchu Xu Publisher: Science, 22 May 2009 issue (vol. 324, no. 5930) Rubber plantations are expanding rapidly throughout upland mainland Southeast Asia, with maybe more than 500,000 hectares converted already in the China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar. By 2050, the area of land dedicated to rubber and other diversified farming systems could more than double, largely by replacing lands occupied by evergreen broadleaf trees and swidden-related secondary vegetation. This short article examines the trends and points to potential environmental consequences of such land transformation. Read the article. Back to TOC 6. Tenure in REDD: Start-point or Afterthought? Publisher: IIED, May 2009 This report aims to promote debate on local land and tree tenure issues in the context of REDD. Drawing on experience from seven rainforest countries (Brazil, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guyana, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea), the report develops a typology of tenure regimes across countries, explores tenure issues in each country, and identifies key challenges to be addressed if REDD is to have an equitable and sustainable impact. The New York Times and Nature Magazine have published commentaries on the report. Download the publication. Back to TOC
	EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Training Event: Managing Natural Resource Conflict: Concepts and Practice RECOFTC, Bangkok, Thailand, 15–25 September 2009 Registration deadline: 15 August 2009 RECOFTC has delivered quality training courses on conflict management for over 15 years and is now delighted to present its 2009 international open-subscription course on Managing Natural Resource Conflict: Concepts and Practice. The course will enable participants to understand the basic principles, skills, techniques, and processes used to effectively analyze and manage natural resource conflicts. For more information and to register, click here. Back to TOC 2. Training Event: Landscape Functions and People—Applying Strategic Planning Approaches for Good Natural Resource Governance RECOFTC, Bangkok, Thailand, 26 October to 6 November 2009 Registration deadline: 26 September 2009 Scholarship deadline: 1 July 2009 This course offers participants an opportunity to learn current practices for landscape-level planning approaches and to develop practical skills and experience in the use of tools applicable for landscape-level planning, monitoring, and implementation. The course is a joint collaboration between Wageningen International and RECOFTC. A limited number of fellowships are available from the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) for applicants from South and Southeast Asia. Applications for NFP fellowships should be submitted to Wageningen International before 1 July 2009. To find out more: www.courses.wur.nl (under ‘Fellowships’). For more information on the training course and to register, click here. Back to TOC 3. Call for Abstracts: Community Forestry International Workshop Pokhara, Nepal, 15–18 September 2009 Abstract submission deadline: 15 July 2009 Hosted by Nepal’s Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, the workshop theme is Thinking Globally – Acting Locally: Community Forestry in the International Arena. The theme emphasizes the need for urgency in the worldwide response to community rights, poverty alleviation, and climate change, and for action on the part of all stakeholders at the global, national, regional, and local levels. Some 150 participants are expected to attend the workshop, which will be held in Pokhara 15–18 September. Visit the workshop website to find out information on abstract submission and participant registration. Back to TOC 4. Call for Project Proposals: Frontlines of Climate Change Forum Proposal deadline: 15 July 2009 With assistance from the Government of Denmark, the Frontlines Forum is now calling for community-level projects focusing on local experiences with climate change impacts and adaptation. These could involve field research, interviews with community members, workshops, photo projects, and film projects. Between US$3000 and USD$5000 will be provided per project, with the potential for further funding. For more information, please click here. Back to TOC 5. International Workshop: Pacific Climate Workshop on REDD Tonga, 29–31 July 2009 The Pacific Indigenous Peoples Environment Coalition (PIPEC) and Global Forest Coalition, with funds from the Government of the Netherlands, will hold a workshop on REDD and its implications/obligations in relation to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, among others. This particular workshop is restricted to people from the Pacific region and to those from developing nations (unless they can provide self-funding). Applicants should send a letter of application (with nominating organization and applicant’s background), a quote of return travel costs from a travel agency, and a summary of why the applicant would like to attend to Sandy Gauntlett (sandyoceania@yahoo.com) and Malia Talakai (mtalakai@unitec.ac.nz). Back to TOC 6. 2nd Call for Papers: Decentralization, Power and Tenure Rights of Forest-Dependent People Sadguru Foundation, Gujarat, India 27–28 October 2009 Submission deadline: 10 August 2009 The aim of the symposium is to share recent research experiences of participants and to review state-of-the-art approaches related to three distinct themes: (i) decentralization policies and local forest institutions, (ii) power and political position of forest-dependent indigenous peoples, pastoralists and tribals, and (iii) legislative recognition of forest tenure rights. Click here for more symposium details. For scientific information and abstract submissions, contact Purabi Bose (purabi.bose@wur.nl). Back to TOC 7. International Event: 2nd World Agroforestry Congress Nairobi, Kenya, 23–28 August 2009 The 2^nd World Congress on Agroforestry will assess opportunities to leverage scientific agroforestry in promoting sustainable land use worldwide. The overall Congress theme is Agroforestry—The Future of Global Land Use. Sessions will be organized around the following topics: (i) markets as opportunities and drivers of agroforestry land use, (ii) tree-based rehabilitation of degraded lands and watersheds, (iii) climate change adaptation and mitigation, (iv) agroforestry's contribution to multifunctional agriculture that combines productivity with environmental sustainability, and (v) policy options and institutional innovations for agroforestry land use. For more information and to register, click here. Back to TOC 8. Global Survey: Climate Change and the Tropical Forestry Sector The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) is conducting a global survey to gauge perceptions of risk to climate change in the context of tropical forestry production and to learn about the response options available to forest managers, forestry practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.  A publication is being planned based on the survey results by the end of 2009. Take the survey in English, French, or Spanish. Back to TOC
JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
1. Forum Coordinator, Frontlines of Climate Change Forum Location: UNESCO headquarters, Paris Closing Date: 20 June 2009 The Frontlines of Climate Change Forum is seeking a Forum Coordinator to ensure the execution, coordination, and management of the On the Frontlines of Climate Change Forum. S/he will supervise and actively contribute to the development and maintenance of the Forum’s core functions; moderate the discussion forum, clearing house and database; take responsibility for the day-to-day sourcing, assessment and provision of content for the Forum; and ensure the further development and innovation of the Forum. Essential qualifications include a post-graduate degree in a relevant natural and/or social science domain, demonstrated fieldwork or community-level experience, and fluency in English. View the full job announcement. Back to TOC 2. Principal Natural Resources Management Specialist, Asian Development Bank Location: Manila, The Philippines Closing Date: Until filled The Asian Development Bank is seeking a Principal Natural Resources Management Specialist for its Central and West Asia Department—Pakistan Resident Mission. S/he will lead the design, development, and administration of national, sub-regional, and regional natural resources conservation; lead development and management of programs and projects; and engage developing member country governments, bilateral and multilateral development partners, private sector, and civil society including research and development institutions. Essential qualifications include a university degree in natural resource management or related biological/environmental management, at least 12 years of relevant professional experience, and fluency in English. View the full job announcement. Back to TOC 3. Managing Director of Accreditation Services International, FSC Location: Bonn, Germany Closing Date: Until filled The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is seeking a Managing Director of Accreditation Services International (ASI). ASI is a for-profit company fully owned by FSC and is one of the leading international accreditation bodies in the world for social and environmental standards. The Manager will lead a multicultural team on accreditation programs to FSC and the Marine Stewardship Council. S/he must possess senior management experience and demonstrated professional experience with similar level positions. Responsibilities include managing conformity assessment programs, business development, and the building of international networks of collaborators and consultants. View the full job announcement. Back to TOC 4. Environment/Climate Change National Program Officer, SENSA Location: Bangkok, Thailand Closing Date: Until filled The Swedish Environment Secretariat for Asia (SENSA) is a seeking an Environment/Climate Change National Program Officer. S/he would work primarily with SENSA’s Climate Change Adaptation program, in particular with the implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge Platform initiative. Essential qualifications include in Environmental Science or related fields; at least 10 years of experience in environmental sustainable development, natural resource management, or related field; and fluency in English. View the full job announcement. Back to TOC 5. Various Positions, World Resources Institute Location: Washington, DC Closing Date: Until filled The World Resources Institute is seeking candidates for a variety of positions in its Institutions & Governance and People & Ecosystems units. Open posts include Senior Associate/Program Manager for the Governance of Forests Initiative, a Forest Initiative Leader, a Senior Associate in Sustainable Forest Procurement, and a Forest Product Legality Senior Associate. Click here for the full job descriptions. Back to TOC
NETWORK OF THE MONTH
Global Footprint Network Global Footprint Network was established to enable a sustainable future where all people have the opportunity to live satisfying lives within the means of one planet. An essential step in creating a one-planet future is measuring human impact on the Earth so we can make more informed choices. Global Footprint Network aims to accelerate the use of the Ecological Footprint—a resource accounting tool that measures how much nature we have, how much we use, and who uses what. Together with hundreds of individuals, 200 cities, 23 nations, leading business, scientists, NGOs, academics, and our 90-plus global partners, Global Footprint Network is advancing the impact of the Footprint in the world, applying it to practical projects, and sparking a global dialogue about a one-planet future and how we can facilitate change. For more information including how to join, click here. Back to TOC
RECOFTC ANNOUNCEMENTS
RECOFTC Begins Multi-Country Study on Forest Conflict RECOFTC has begun a study in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam on forestry conflict in the context of devolution. For each country, case studies will be conducted to understand why conflict arises (i.e. underlying causes) between local communities and outsiders (such as government or private companies), conflict escalation processes, and approaches taken to manage the conflict. Besides documenting conflict cases from the region and generating lessons for policymakers and practitioners, the initiative aims to develop the skills and capacity of researchers from the region to carry out forest-conflict research. For more information on the study, please contact Yurdi Yasmi, RECOFTC Program Officer (yurdi@recoftc.org). Back to TOC
ABOUT RECOFTC
RECOFTC holds a unique and important place in the world of forestry. It is the only international not-for-profit organization that specializes in capacity building for community forestry and devolved forest management. RECOFTC engages in strategic networks and effective partnerships with governments, nongovernment organizations, civil society, the private sector, local people, and research and educational institutes throughout the Asia–Pacific region and beyond. With over 20 years of international experience and a dynamic approach to capacity building—involving research and analysis, demonstration sites, and training products—RECOFTC delivers innovative solutions for forests and people. 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 e-mail 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 julian@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: Julian Atkinson Editor Program Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation E-mail: julian@recoftc.org			With editing support by: Duncan McLeod Communications Officer E-mail: duncan@recoftc.org