PROFOR

Something has been bugging me...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:52:24 +0000

I loved the attention garnered by a UN report urging people to eat insects during the conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition. For experts of all stripes, it was a reminder of what the broad public really thirsts for: not necessarily data, but vivid stories that challenge our assumptions, with a dose of shock and humor (bugs!!!) thrown in for good measure.

Peter Dewees, PROFOR's manager, submitted this blog.

Private Sector Dialogue on Efforts to Combat Illegal Logging and Associated Trade and Promote Trade in Legal Forest Products

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:47:54 +0000

Venue:

Medan, Indonesia

Event Date:

06.25.13

This private sector dialogue, held in conjunction with the 4th meeting of the Expert Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade, will focus mainly on two themes: Market responses to legality requirements in the global marketplace; and new technologies and tools for legal trade in forest products.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade will be holding a side-event in Medan, Indonesia with PROFOR support.

Participants and speakers will include representatives of companies, trade associations, non-governmental organizations, and academia that are actively engaged in:

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Contributions to the Economics of Drylands Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:49:24 +0000

What can the landscape approach and tree-based systems contribute to enhance the resilience and reduce the vulnerability of people living in the dryland regions of sub Saharan Africa?

CHALLENGE

Political Economy Analysis for Decision-Making in Forestry

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:09:26 +0000

This activity will examine a range of political economy issues arising from forest governance reform attempts. It will offer suggestions on how resistance can be mitigated and the support from would-be gainers strengthened to reduce the risks of sabotage.

CHALLENGE

Approaches to Assessing Impacts of Forest Governance Interventions

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:41:04 +0000

This activity examines the suitability of widely available impact evaluation (IE) techniques to measuring impacts of forest governance interventions.

CHALLENGE

Support for the Establishment of the Forest and Farm Facility

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:49:42 +0000

The objective of this PROFOR-financed activity is to facilitate coordination among the main organizations that will be involved with activities associated with the Forest and Farm Facility.

CHALLENGE
In the last decade two programs helped influence the development of national forest policies by making them more inclusive.

Forests for Food Security and Nutrition

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:13:01 +0000

Venue:

FAO

Event Date:

05.13.13 - 05.15.13

PROFOR participated in several panel discussions at the International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition which will be held at FAO on May 13-15, 2013.

PROFOR supported and participated in several panel discussions during the International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition, held at FAO, May 13-15, 2013. The conference was attended by representatives of government, civil society, private sector, academia and regional and international organizations from about 100 countries

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Call for Abstracts: World Congress of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:50:19 +0000

Venue:

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Event Date:

07.15.13 - 10.15.13

The XXIV IUFRO World Congress seeks to "advance our understanding of management, sustainable use, conservation, and restoration for healthier forests and a greener planet." The IUFRO World Congress is expected to draw more than 3,000 delegates from over 100 countries.

The IUFRO World Congress in 2014 is expected to draw more than 3,000 delegates from over 100 countries to Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 5-11, 2014.

Abstracts for sessions will be accepted between 15 July and 15 October 2013.

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Economic Growth and Drivers of Deforestation in the Congo Basin

Tue, 28 May 2013 16:48:50 +0000

The countries of the Congo Basin face the dual challenge of developing local economies and reducing poverty while limiting the negative impact of growth on the region's natural capital, and forests in particular. Deforestation Trends in the Congo Basin, now available as a full report, analyses the deforestation pressures resulting from agriculture, transportation, mining, energy and logging, and proposes no-regrets actions to "leapfrog" the steep drop in forest cover that has historically accompanied development in many countries.

CHALLENGE
Though the deforestation rates in the Congo Basin countries have historically been low, the trend is likely to change dramatically due to the combination of many different factors: population increases (and associated expansion of subsistence agriculture and fuelwood collection); local and regional development; and the rise in global demand for commodities.

The countries of the Congo Basin face the dual challenge of developing local economies and reducing poverty, while limiting the negative impact of growth on the region's natural capital.

Digging In: New Opportunities for Mining and Conservation in Africa

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:13:12 +0000

Venue:

Washington DC

Event Date:

05.28.13

"Heart of Iron," a documentary about mining in the Congo Basin rainforest, will be screened at an event in Washington DC sponsored by World Wildlife Fund, the World Bank Oil, Gas and Mining unit and the Africa Region Sustainable Development Department.

"Heart of Iron," a documentary about mining in the Congo Basin rainforest, will be screened at an event sponsored by World Wildlife Fund, the World Bank Oil, Gas and Mining unit and the Africa Region Sustainable Development Department.

Trailer:

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Trouble in the forest, seen through the eyes of orphan bonobos

Flore de Preneuf — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:23:51 +0000

To the bonobos, the signals are clear: pressure on their rainforest habitat is on the rise. It's visible in the rise of orphan arrivals at the Lola-ya-Bonobo sanctuary near Kinshasa. If nothing is done, various economic and demographic pressures on the Congo Basin forest could wipe out our closest relatives and release the equivalent of 1 billion tons of carbon in the atmosphere, by 2030.

What if we heeded the warning calls of our closest relatives, the apes?

To the bonobos, also known as pygmy chimpanzees (with whom, by the way, we share 98% of our DNA), the signals are clear: pressure on their rainforest habitat is on the rise. And if nothing is done to put an end to rampant illegality and destructive activities, years of conservation gains could be dismantled in the name of greed and need.

Impact of Artisanal and Small Scale Mining in Protected Areas

Tue, 07 May 2013 22:17:43 +0000

Artisanal and small scale mining which takes place inside or along the borders of critical ecosystems and protected areas is a growing conservation and governance issue. A global study, based on in-depth cases in Liberia, Gabon and Madagascar, proposes solutions to reconcile livelihood needs and the preservation of important ecological sites.

CHALLENGE

Artisanal and small scale mining (ASM) is an important source of income for millions of poor people around the world. The past decade has seen increasing numbers of individuals and households turn to ASM, and this trend is likely to grow in the face of high mineral prices, population growth, poverty and climate change. Because ASM activities contribute to poverty reduction in remote rural areas, efforts to simply eradicate the activity tend to fail.

Brazil: Scaling up Renewable Charcoal Production

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:47:22 +0000

PROFOR and the BioCarbon Fund are co-financing a study designed to identify institutional and financial arrangements required to mainstream forest plantation business models and promote the potential development of CDM projects aimed at reducing GHG emissions in the forestry and iron supply chains in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

CHALLENGE

Do trends in woodfuel consumption spell disaster for forests?

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:00:58 +0000

Is Western Europe climbing down the "energy ladder"? Can traditional woodfuel be part of a modern energy mix? Two recent publications outline steps to help modernize woodfuel production and use, including in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A blog published today on the World Bank's website highlights two startling trends:

Think Globally, Act “Locally Controlled”

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:09:14 +0000

Diji Chandrasekharan Behr, a Natural Resource Economist at PROFOR, was one of several panelists at a side event on Investing in Locally Controlled Forestry at UNFF 10 last week. In this blog, she asks why are we not seeing more investments in small and medium forest enterprises.

Diji Chandrasekharan Behr, a Natural Resource Economist at PROFOR, sent in this blog from the UNFF-10 Conference in Istanbul.

Films for tree-huggers

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:13:54 +0000

PROFOR's manager, Peter Dewees, is attending UNFF 10 in Istanbul this week. He mentioned "brilliant and inspiring films" that were presented at a side-event on Forest Heroes, produced in some cases by very young and talented film-makers. For those who did not make it, we have embedded the winning entries.

PROFOR's manager, Peter Dewees, is attending UNFF 10 in Istanbul this week.

He mentioned "brilliant and inspiring films" that were presented at a side-event on Forest Heroes, produced in some cases by very young (Sébastien Pins is 23) and talented film-makers. For those of us who did not make it, here are the movies now, in alphabetical order:

Toolkit for Forest Control and Supervision

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:55:50 +0000

Recent developments in trade policies of key timber consumer countries have increased the need for producer countries to ensure verification of the legal origin of timber. However, for the most part, tropical timber producer countries are not adequately prepared to meet such requirements. Bundling low cost tools for forest control and supervision could help government agencies meet their timber legality verification needs.

CHALLENGE
Recent developments in trade policies of key timber consumer countries, such as the amended US Lacey Act, EU Timber Regulation, and the Australian Government’s Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill, as well as the ongoing implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), have increased the need for producer countries to ensure verification of the legal origin of timber.

PROFOR Newsletter -- Issue 10

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:56:49 +0000

Event Date:

04.09.13

Focus: Tracking Impact

Our periodic newsletter focuses this month on "Tracking Impact" It provides a preview of upcoming publications and events, lists newly approved knowledge activities and keeps you informed of new developments at PROFOR.

Read the April 2013 issue of PROFOR Update

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Evaluating the Effectiveness and Impact of Forest Certification

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:09:25 +0000

Sustainable forest management certification enjoys wide support; yet critical evaluation of forest certification has not been carried out. This activity proposes to develop a rigorous approach toward evaluating the effectiveness and impact of forest certification.

CHALLENGE
Sustainable forest management certification enjoys wide support; yet critical evaluation of forest certification has not been carried out. Most studies that have attempted to study the impact of SFM certification have methodological shortcomings, such as selection bias (non-random participation), or lack a robust understanding of market impacts of certification at firm and farm levels. With these deficiencies, its not possible to assess the impacts of forest certification on forests, firms, employees, and rural communities with any scientific precision.

Regional Conference on Drivers of Deforestation in the Congo Basin

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:24:22 +0000

Venue:

Kinshasa, DRC

Event Date:

05.15.13 - 05.16.13

The Central Africa Forests Commission and the World Bank held a two day conference in Kinshasa, DRC, to discuss findings from a study on Deforestation Trends in the Congo Basin. Presentations from the conference are available on our website.

The Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC) and the World Bank, held a two-day regional conference in Kinshasa, on May 15-16, 2013, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to discuss findings from the PROFOR-supported study on Deforestation Trends in the Congo Basin (PDF).

A number of presentations from the conference are available below.

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Impacts of Climate Change on Rural Landscapes in Brazil

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:47:18 +0000

PROFOR supported the creation of a multidisciplinary team grouping experts from Brazil's leading research agencies to improve climate change assessments and map climate impacts on agriculture and forests in Brazil over the next 20 years. Improved assessments provide crucial information to policy makers on priorities, geographical targeting, and phasing of investments for adataptation and mitigation to climate change.

CHALLENGE

Developing Guidance on Forest Governance Data Collection for Assessment and Monitoring

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:14:04 +0000

A compendium of evidence-based, forest governance data collection approaches could help countries decide between different options as they set out to respond to various requirements.

CHALLENGE
In collaboration with FAO and other partners (WRI, Chatham House, EFI, UN-REDD, etc.), PROFOR developped a common framework for assessing and monitoring forest governance. It also piloted an approach for collecting data, based on questionaires answered by multiple stakeholders in a workshop format, which has been used in a number of country contexts (Uganda, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Russian Federation, Madagascar and Congo DRC, to date). However this approach is only one of many indicator and data collection options available to practitioners.

PROFOR in Istanbul at UNFF10

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:33:24 +0000

Venue:

Istanbul

Event Date:

04.08.13 - 04.19.13

The 10th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests gathered forest policy makers and experts in Istanbul. PROFOR staff spoke at a number of side events on landscape restoration, forest financing and investing in locally controlled forestry.

The 10th Session of the the United Nations Forum on Forests was held in Istanbul, Turkey from the 8th to the 19th of April 2013. The gathering, held at the Lutfi Kirdar Convention and Exhibition Center (LKCC), presented an opportunity to share findings and lessons from ongoing forest initiatives, with forest policymakers and experts from around the world. Staff from the PROFOR Secretariat participated in the following side events.

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PROFOR 2013 Advisory Board Meeting

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:23:29 +0000

Venue:

Washington, DC

Event Date:

03.15.13

PROFOR's 2013 Advisory Board Meeting was held at World Bank headquarter offices in Washington DC on March 15, 2013.

The Progress and Completion reports for 27 activities supported in Calendar Year 2012, as well as a summary of overall PROFOR achievements and impacts, are available on this page.

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South-South Learning: From Payments for Environmental Services to REDD+ in Latin America

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:09:05 +0000

The experience of payments for environmental services (PES) systems set up in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Ecuador in the last decade provides valuable insights for shaping REDD+ strategies in participating countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Between them, these programs are currently helping to conserve over 3 million hectares of forests. Their experience shows how to make PES work, but also -- problems to avoid.

CHALLENGE

Certification as a Tool for Sustainable Forest Management and Good Governance - South East Asia

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:32:15 +0000

This activity produced an assessment of law enforcement, certification and legality verification schemes in Southeast Asia that includes recommendations for public and private stakeholders, including local banks to prevent unsustainable and illegal forest management practices in the region.

CHALLENGE
Although only 5% of the world's forests are located in Southeast Asia, the region accounted for about 17% of global forest loss in 2000 to 2010: An area about the size of Vietnam was deforested in the past decade. Illegal logging is one major force driving deforestation and degradation. This results in loss of biodiversity, tax revenue and the potential of forest resources to contribute to poverty reduction.

Toward forest-friendly growth in Brazil, the Congo Basin and Indonesia

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:04:57 +0000

The forest transition theory holds that economic growth and deforestation go hand in hand. What is happening in the Amazon, the Congo Basin and Indonesia does not necessarily follow that model.

The forest transition theory holds that economic growth and deforestation go hand in hand. What is happening in the Amazon, in the Congo Basin and in Indonesia does not necessarily follow that model. A seminar on forest-friendly growth in the three major tropical forest areas, held at the World Bank on February 28, 2013, gave the following food for thought.

International Day of Forests

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:41:04 +0000

Venue:

Global

Event Date:

03.21.13

March 21 marks the beginning of spring in the Northern hemisphere but local tree planting activities will be encouraged worldwide to celebrate a new International Day proclaimed recently by the UN General Assembly.

March 21 marks the beginning of spring in the Northern hemisphere only but local tree planting activities will be encouraged worldwide. This video created by FAO to celebrate the new International Day (proclaimed by the UN General Assembly last November) has a simple message: Forests sustain life -- but not infinitely. Help sustain them. Plant a tree.

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