Tag Archives: sustainable forest management

Can Sustainable Forest Management have many co-benefits in Tropics?

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The above question is answered in the newly published article below.

Co-Benefits of Sustainable Forest Management in Biodiversity Conservation and Carbon Sequestration
Imai N et al. (2009) PLoS ONE 4(12): e8267. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008267

Abstract
Background: Sustainable forest management (SFM), which has been recently introduced to tropical natural production forests, is beneficial in maintaining timber resources, but information about the co-benefits for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration is currently lacking.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We estimated the diversity of medium to large-bodied forest-dwelling vertebrates using a heat-sensor camera trapping system and the amount of above-ground, fine-roots, and soil organic carbon by a
combination of ground surveys and aerial-imagery interpretations. This research was undertaken both in SFM applied as well as conventionally logged production forests in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Our carbon estimation revealed that the application of SFM resulted in a net gain of 54 Mg C ha-1 on a landscape scale. Overall vertebrate diversity was greater in the SFM applied forest than in the conventionally logged forest. Specifically, several vertebrate species (6 out of recorded 36 species) showed higher frequency in the SFM applied forest than in the conventionally logged forest.
Conclusions/Significance: The application of SFM to degraded natural production forests could result in greater diversity and abundance of vertebrate species as well as increasing carbon storage in the tropical rain forest ecosystems.

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Cambodia’s National Forest Programme Online

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In 1997 the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) initiated the process of developing a National Forest Programme (NFP) by establishing a national committee on forest policy reform with support from FAO, UNDP and WB (FAO 2002). In 2002, the secretariat of the committee in collaboration with the GTZ-funded Cambodian-German forestry project formulated a national forest policy statement (RGC 2002). Subsequently, a new Forest Law was promulgated in 2002, a Forestry Administration was established in 2003, and a Sub Decree on Community Forestry
adopted in 2005.

In November 2004, the RGC established a Technical Working Group on Forestry and Environment (TWG-F & E) to provide a mechanism for government-donor coordination to support and strengthen development activities within the forestry and environment sectors (Details are available at www.twgfe.org).

Since September 2006 the Forest and Landscape, University of Copenhagen has supported the Forestry Administration in initiating the current NFP process including LFA workshops on planning (September 2006) and support in conducting two preparatory NFP workshops, one internal in FA (January 2007) and one with multiple stakeholders (March 2007). In spite of earlier initiatives outlined above, the development of a coherent National Forest Programme has yet to be completed in Cambodia. The preparation of the NFP will follow a participatory planning approach that encourages the involvement of all forest-dependent actors at village, commune, district, provincial, national and international levels. Throughout the preparatory process, a National Forest Programme Task Force was established. In October 2007, the Task Force conducted its first meeting to agree on the Annual Action Plan 2007-2008.

The purpose of the NFP is to promote the conservation and sustainable management and use of forest resources in Cambodia. The NFP will aim to meet local, national and global needs by coordinating national and international partnerships to manage, use, protect and regenerate forest resources for the benefit of present and future generations of Cambodians. The preparation of a NFP in Cambodia, whilst adopting a consultative approach, will emphasize national sovereignty with regard to the management of the country’s forest resources, and the need for country leadership and responsibility.

The NFP, as a framework for planning, will provide strategic orientation for the forestry sector in harmony with other sectors of the national economy. As a framework for action and investment, the NFP will also facilitate concerted and coordinated implementation of programmes and activities by all stakeholders based on mutually agreed objectives and strategies.

Click here to download Nationa Forest Programme in Cambodia