A web-based application to simulate alternatives for sustainable forest management: SIMANFOR

Sustainable forest management aims to maintain and enhance the economic, social and environmental value of all types of forests, for the benefit of present and future generations. In Swaziland, despite the existence of numerous local, national, regional and international policies and legislation, sustainable forest management is far fetched. The objective of this paper was to review previous studies on policy reviews, the current status of the non-timber forest products (NTFP) sector, community consultations on resource use and management, user surveys to determine the actual quantities of harvested and utilized edible and medicinal NTFPs, and economic analyses for their direct use value, and inventory and economic valuation of standing stock of various NTFPs. Ulimatelty, this paper has made policy recommendations for the development of a theoretical framework for the sustainable management of NTFPs at the local, national, regional and international levels. This theoretical framework is divided into a set of eleven strategies. These are: Information and social communication; secure rights and access to products from natural forests and woodlands; adoption of innovative policies, revising and updating legislation and elaborating national forestry programmes; development and implementation of national level criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management; project planning and control techniques; local level guidelines for sustainable NTFP management; conservation and financing mechanisms; collaboration and networking between all institutions involved in research and development of NTFPs; institutional strengthening and capacity building; education and training at all levels of community structures; and research and development. Key words: Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), policy, strategy, policies, legislation, economic valuation, sustainable management, assessment, sustainable resource use.

Despite the socio-economic and environmental benefits of forests globally, these ecosystems have been degraded due to poor governance. Effective governance in the forest sector calls for the identification of concrete elements within the administrative sector by systematically analysing the current situation and direct efforts towards improving the systems. A functional governing system would promote positive changes and progress by identifying challenges and gaps and come up with guidelines geared towards strengthening global co-operation. Our study explored the various factors influencing effective governance in forest management and protection in Kenya, using the case of Mt. Elgon Forest Reserve. Purposive sampling design was used to collect data through structured questionnaires and interactive interviews among forest managers, forest adjacent communities and other relevant stakeholders. The study shows that majority of the local communities living adjacent to the forest have been sensitized about forest conservation, however, the capacity building did not entail technical forestry operations. This has hampered effective involvement of the communities in forest management. Majority of the forest management staff are well trained in forest management and therefore could implement sustainable management strategies, however, due to insufficient fund, these strategies could not be fully implemented. Most of the members of the local communities are not economically empowered and mainly derive their livelihood from the forest leading to overexploitation. This strains sustainable utilization of the forest resources. Cultural practices such as livestock grazing and living within the forest are hampering sustainable management of the forest. The study suggests that successful management of the forest is limited by inadequate involvement of local communities. This has led to apathy and degradation of the forest by members who feel that their views are not sort in the management of the forest. The study recommends multi-sectoral planning and representation of sectors involved in forest management and conservation Keywords: participatory forest management, forest adjacent communities, forest products, sustainable forest management DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-12-06 Publication date: June 30th 2020

Proper harvesting of forest products is necessary for sustainable forest management, playing a pivotal role in minimizing damage and waste while ensuring the sustainability of forest resources. Sustainable community forest management greatly depends on the harvesting and fair distribution of various forest products (FP). The study's goals were to ascertain the methods, instruments, and strategies utilized in the harvesting process, forest products distribution pattern, and the common issues surrounding the distribution and harvesting of FP in Imo and Ashoje Community Forest (CF) located in Khotang District, Nepal. Operational Plan (OP), focus groups, key informant interviews, household surveys, and minute books were used for data collection. 25% of all households were chosen at random from each of the two CF. The study revealed that traditional methods and tools such as sickles, bill hooks, axes, and saws, were commonly used in the past; however, there has been a shift towards modern tools in recent years. Deviations were observed in forest products harvesting and distribution from that of OP in practice. Fuel wood were equally distributed, timbers were allocated based on priority and circular basis ensuring user satisfaction. The slope was the major constraint for harvesting, as most of the marked trees were not cut because of difficulty in extraction. To improve sustainable forest management, it is recommended that advanced tools and training be provided to users, with regular monitoring by forest officials to ensure adherence to best practices. These measures will help enhance user responsibility and ensure sustainable harvesting operations.

SYNOPSIS This paper is intended as a basis for discussion of relevant issues regarding management for sustainability in the industrial plantation forests of South Africa. A brief outline of questions relating to sustainability of this sector is followed by a discussion of the concept of environmental sustainability and sustainable forest management. The policies current in South Africa are outlined. A brief review of optional policy instruments for attaining sustainable forest management follows. These include: — prescriptive vs effects-based planning for guiding the choice of development options; — several aspects of environmental management, i.e. of managing for sustainability; — defining sustainability: principles, criteria and indicators; — benchmarking sustainability: performance standards; — achieving sustainability: the process of improving performance through environmental management systems; — recognising sustainability: certification; — rewarding sustainability: labelling; — codes of practice; — the issue of the level at which to manage for sustainability. The paper concludes with suggested requirements for policy implementation. A basis should be laid for a choice of approach to achieving sustainable forest management in the forest industry in South Africa, This approach should — promote a competitive sustainable and equitable sector; — be based upon substantial consensus among stakeholders, and hence robust in the face of public scrutiny; — satisfy local, national, SADC and international norms and expectations; — take account of issues of scale of application; — ideally, lead to an accord among stakeholders that will assist in gaining a concerted approach to assuring sustainable forest management in South Africa. The following as outputs of a review process and a workshop of experts are identified: — identification of optional instruments for achieving sustainable forest management, with the focus on criteria and indicators of sustainability at the core of sustainable forest management systems and performance standards, or the alternatives; — appraisal of these options in terms of relevance, feasibility, and affordability; — recommendations for the way forward.

Chief Forestry Inspector, Forest Service, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland. As Ireland's forest authority, the Forest Service has a clear strategy for conserving and enhancing biodiversity in forests. The role of the Forest Service is to ensure that forestry practice in Ireland conforms to the principles of sustainable forest management (SFM), whereby forestry develops in a way that maximises its contribution to national economic and social well-being on a sustainable basis and is compatible with the protection of the environment. The implementation of SFM in Ireland is set out in Growingfor thefuture: a strategic planfor the development of theforestry sector in Ireland (Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry 1996) and is guided by various instruments, including the Irish national forest standard (Forest Service 2000a), the Code of best forest practice-Ireland (Forest Service 2000b), a suite of five environmental guidelines (Forest Service 2000c), forest legislation and the work of the Forestry Inspectorate. The conservation and enhancement of biodiversity represents a core component of SFM, as reflected in its inclusion as one of the six pan-European criteria for SFM arising from the Ministerial Conferences on the Protection of Forests in Europe and adopted by Ireland in 1998. As such, biodiversity permeates every aspect of the Forest Service's implementation of SFM in Ireland. In addition, the Forest Service biodiversity strategy is included in the National Biodiversity Plan, prepared by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands as part of Ireland's commitment under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Biodiversity forms a core consideration in any decision by the Forest Service to grant-aid forest development. Areas protected or listed for protection under EU Council Directives 79/409/EEC (Birds Directive: Council of the European Communities 1979) and 92/43/EEC (Habitats Directive: Council of the European Communities 1992) (i.e. special protection areas and special areas of conservation) are not considered for afforestation grants. Natural heritage areas (NHAs) may also be excluded if the proposed development is incompatible with their protection (Forest Service 2000d). The Forest Service consults with a wide range of authorities regarding the merits or otherwise of particular developments, and their views are taken into full consideration when deciding on grant approval. These authorities include Duchas The Heritage Service and regipnal fisheries boards, all of which are directly concerned with protecting and enhancing habitats arid natural ecosystems. All grant-aided forest development in Ireland must also conform to the Forest Service Forest biodiversity guidelines (see Forest Service 2000c), which set out measures to protect existing habitats and wildlife and to maximise the biodiversity value of forests. These measures include the protection of small-scale habitats, the encouragement of a more varied age class and canopy structure, the careful timing of operations to minimise wildlife disturbance and the retention of ancient trees and deadwood. In line with measures to increase species diversity in Irish forests set out in Growing for the future and to increase broadleaves to 30% of the national forest estate, all new planting must contain a minimum of 10% broadleaves, site permitting (Forest Service 2000e). Similarly, if they constitute all or part of a plantation, conifers must contain a minimum of 20% diverse conifers (i.e. species other than Sitka spruce and lodgepole pine). The Forestry Inspectorate is responsible for ensuring that all conditions relating to biodiversity are complied with in grant-aided forests, and it plays a pivotal role in the policing, monitoring and promotion of these important requirements. This work has been facilitated by the recent initiation by the Inspectorate of an environment audit strategy. The Forest Service is also concerned with Ireland's forest genetic biodiversity, and it implements relevant EU Council Directives on forest reproductive material (Forest Service 2000b). A clear example of this work is the removal of young plantations of inappropriately planted Fraxinus oxyphylla to prevent possible hybridisation with native F. excelsior. The protection of the forest estate against the introduction of dangerous forest pests and diseases is also the responsibility of the Forest Service and is implemented and enforced by the Forestry Inspectorate under the provisions of EU Council Directive 2000/29/EC (Plant Health Directive) (Forest Service 2000b).

Conservation, protection, and proper utilization of forests play an important role in environmental sustainability of the globe. The ultimate goal of sustainable forest management is to create a balanced and appropriate solution for human well-being and preservation of forest ecosystems. However, one of the prominent obstacles to achieve this goal is the gap existing between governmental development aims and the perspectives of local people and communities. Forest conservation requires an integrated management that works in partnership with local communities. Local and community-based forest management is a multi-dimensional approach to sustainable forest management in which different stakeholders with different interests play a part in achieving a common goal. However, little research has been done in this area. In this regard, the main purpose of this chapter was to examine the role of participation of local community in sustainable land and forest management. This purpose fulfilled through six steps. In the first step, the role of community participation in sustainable forest management and its typology were explained. I the second and third steps, the barriers and drivers of local communities’ participation were introduced, respectively. In the fourth step, techniques for participation of local communities in forest management were analyzed. In the fifth step, some practical experiences related to the participation of local communities in forest management were highlighted. In the sixtieth or final step, some social principles were introduced for agricultural system and interventions aiming at sustainable management of forests and lands.

This chapter defines and classifies various types of partnerships such as public-private, company-community, non-governmental organisation (NGO)-community, multi-sector or intersectoral, research and political partnerships. It analyzes how partnerships for sustainable forest and tree resource management fit in with mainstream forest management thinking, general development paradigms, Latin American forest policies and the broader academic debate on social movements and multi-spatial interactions. The goals of the partnerships are related to forest conservation, responsible forest use and/or the sustainable production of forest and tree resource products. The chapter also summarizes the lessons learned from the cases in Latin America with regard to the conditions under which partnerships for sustainable forest and resource management can reconcile multiple interests and contribute to pro-poor, socially just and environmentally-friendly forest governance.Keywords: company-community partnerships; environmentally-friendly forest governance; intersectoral partnerships; Latin American forest policies; non-governmental organization (NGO)-community partnerships; political partnerships; public-private partnerships; research partnerships; sustainable forest management; tree resource management

This paper uncovers the importance of people’s place-values on sustainable forest management, and how such values can be incorporated into forest management actions and decision-making. Specifically, it focuses on mapping economic and cultural values on forest ecosystem services; assesses how non-materials and materials benefit from forest ecosystem cause landscape fragmentation; and how this information could assist in better forest planning and management. The data were collected from ten villages surrounding the Ngezi forest reserve in Pemba, Tanzania. Data were collected through participatory mapping, field observation, and focus group discussions. A map of place-values for each respondent was transferred from paper to digital format, digitized and coded using the GIS, and analysed using kernel density. Non-spatial data were processed and integrated into GIS-based spatial analysis. The results indicate that only 12 areas were identified as very high-valued and these require careful consideration for sustainable forest planning and management. About 4 out of 6 very high-valued areas for material services are found inside the reserve. The areas outside the reserve are undervalued and not utilized effectively for material services. Contrary to cultural services, only 1 out of 6 very high-valued places is located inside the reserve. Furthermore, economic situations, together with social driving forces, have been important determinants of forest values in the areas. Therefore, placevalues issues, particularly economic development outcomes, preservation of the aesthetics and improvement of recreational amenities should be considered when examining sustainable forest resource management.

Around one third of the earth's surface is under forest cover which is distributed more or less equally between industrialised and developing countries. Whereas forest areas in the temperate and boreal climate zones are more or less stable or on the increase, the scale of deforestation and forest degradation in the tropics remains dramatic. This situation is likely to continue in the decades to come because the world's ever-growing population needs new agricultural land and the pressure on resources (forest products, land, water, minerals) continues to increase as a result of globalisation and global change. Moreover, sustainable forest management has not yet become standard practice in many southern countries because forest management can rarely compete with other forms of land use in terms of economic returns. The protection and sustainable management of forest resources is basically the responsibility of each individual country and cannot be regulated and financed globally. However, enormous financial resources, i.e. on a scale of tens of billions of Swiss francs per year, are required for the introduction of comprehensive land-use planning in developing countries incorporating suitable protection of natural forests and sustainable forest management. New approaches for the valorisation of services provided by forests such as carbon sinks (e.g. REDD+) offer significant potential for improving forest protection and sustainable forest management. It augurs well that the economic internalisation of the forest and its services is in full swing at global level and that, based on the REDD+ resolutions passed at the last climate conference in Cancún, many countries have opted for the path of forest conservation and sustainable forest management.

THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES HOW, in Europe, the development of partnerships between environmental NGOs and business has led to 'green' corporate demand for the procurement of certified wood and paper products that has made a significant contribution to the 'greening' of forestry practices in British Columbia. 'Green' in this article refers to policies and practices that improve care and sensitivity to the environment and promotes sustainability. The article examines the environmental NGO confrontation with wood product retailers in the UK that led to environmental NGO/business partnerships in Europe to secure environmental procurement of wood and paper products. Documented is the forest certification debate that led to the establishment of the environmental NGO/business partnership in the global Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard and the 'buyers' groups' such as the WWF 95+ Group in the UK. This examination looks at the forest 'sustainability' measures taking place in BC; the reaction of the BC forest industry to proposed forest certification (the global FSC system in particular); the influence in BC of green buyers' groups in Europe; and the reaction in BC to a boycott of BC forest products in Europe as the result of an international campaign against existing and proposed forestry practices in part of the BC temperate rain forest (the Great Bear Rainforest). The article concludes with highlights of the globalisation of environmental procurement within the networks of one industrial sector and its implications for BC. These include the influence of an environmentally sophisticated regional market, with its unique drivers for green corporate customer demand, on global forest product procurement and forest practice. Also included is the role of environmental NGOs in successful confrontation with business which led to a positive partnership with business to help achieve forest sustainability. The proven use of a market mechanism to contribute to sustainable forest management in BC is also highlighted. Forest product certification and procurement Forest product certification and green forest product procurement came about in the late 1980s because certain sectors of the public, government, business and environmental NGOs were concerned about the perceived destruction of global tropical rainforests, temperate forests and temperate rainforests. There was also concern about industrial forestry practice such as clear felling and use of monoculture forest plantations. These concerns occurred at a time when environmental NGOs (such as WWF, Greenpeace, foe, Rainforest Alliance) were initiating campaigns to protect the quantity and the quality of world's forests. The environmental NGOs were particularly dissatisfied with international and national government commitments and legislation and industry's Good Practice Codes, most of which failed to protect forests or ensure quality through sustainable management. There was also some consumer demand for sustainable wood products at a time when there was consumer dissatisfaction with wood product green labelling. Labels were not trusted, since they were regarded as being inconsistent, lacking both credibility and independence. In particular the 'chains of custody' of wood products were not clear. Furthermore there was some corporate interest in forest certification and certified wood products. The result of this interest was the founding of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in 1993 as an international non-profit organisation of diverse members from environmental and social groups, the timber trade and the forestry profession from around the world. As a response to this interest competing forest certification schemes were developed - in Europe, Pan European Forest Certification; in Canada, the National Sustainable Forest Management System (SFM); and in the United States, the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). The process of forest certification is concerned with the definition and validation of a sustainable forest. …

Opportunities for REDD+ to minimise forest carbon emissions and mitigate climate change in Southeast Asia

A growing world population and rapid expansion of cities increase the pressure on basic resources such as water, food and energy. To safeguard the provision of these resources, restoration and sustainable management of landscapes is pivotal, including sustainable forest and water management. Sustainable forest management includes forest conservation, restoration, forestry and agroforestry practices. Interlinkages between forests and water are fundamental to moderate water budgets, stabilize runoff, reduce erosion and improve biodiversity and water quality. Sweden has gained substantial experience in sustainable forest management in the past century. Through significant restoration efforts, a largely depleted Swedish forest has transformed into a well-managed production forest within a century, leading to sustainable economic growth through the provision of forest products. More recently, ecosystem services are also included in management decisions. Such a transformation depends on broad stakeholder dialog, combined with an enabling institutional and policy environment. Based on seminars and workshops with a wide range of key stakeholders managing Sweden’s forests and waters, this article draws lessons from the history of forest management in Sweden. These lessons are particularly relevant for countries in the Global South that currently experience similar challenges in forest and landscape management. The authors argue that an integrated landscape approach involving a broad array of sectors and stakeholders is needed to achieve sustainable forest and water management. Sustainable landscape management—integrating water, agriculture and forests—is imperative to achieving resilient socio-economic systems and landscapes.

Understanding the role of forest simulation models in sustainable forest management

Changing forestry discourses in Vietnam in the past 20 years

The book contains the peer-reviewed, revised and edited invited keynote, overview and review papers presented at a IUFRO/CIFOR/FAO conference for each of the seven generic sustainability criteria for forest management. The sustainability criteria covered are: (i) social and economic functions and conditions; (ii) legal and institutional frameworks; (iii) productive capacity; (iv) ecosystem health and vitality; (v) soil and water protection; (vi) global carbon cycles; and (vii) biological diversity. Criteria and indicators (C&I) are a relatively new tool that have been developed to help better define sustainable forest management and assist with measuring change in forest condition and output of goods and services from forests. Application of C&I in forests has the following potential benefits: (i) raising awareness of, and political commitment for, Sustainable Forest Management; (ii) providing a tool for reporting, at a range of levels, on the state and trend in condition of forests; (iii) when forming part of an environmental management system, providing a way of assessing progress against management objectives, and thus supporting adaptive forest management; and (iv) providing an important plank for the certification of forests as sustainability management, and the associated green labelling of forest products.