Inclusive Community Forest Management

Summary

Proponents of community-based natural resource management often use definitions of community that implicitly, if not explicitly, favor resident forest users over migrant forest users. This paper explores the shortcomings of the “fixed-in-place” model of community, using examples from ongoing community-based management projects in Mali. The author then summarizes strategies that these projects are using to expand migrant forest user participation in decisonmaking. The paper ends with a brief discussion of how these experiences in West Africa can enrich community-based natural resource management efforts in the United States.     

Strategies on natural forest protection of collective forest area in minority nationality community in China

In the recent 20 years, it is a trend that forest will be distributed to villagers to manage in the world. Also in China, “forestry three determinations” has been carried out since 1980, and many new forestry devolutions have been put forward to and come into being. To face the fact of overusing up natural forest to result in the deterioration of ecology environment, the strategy of natural forest protection project (NFPP) is raised after the heavy flood in 1998. Now, it is paid close attention to systematically study to carry out the strategies of NFPP in collective forest area, especially in the community of minority nationalities. Based on the case of forest resource management in Datu Miao Village, the experience of its forest management in the past is analyzed and the strategies of NFPP in collective forest area are put forward. Foundation item: This project is a part of research project “forest devolution management of IFAD/CIFOR” Biography: L{upuo} Ming-can (1961-), maie, associate professor, vice director of post-graduate school of Southwest Forestry College, Kunming 650224, P.R. China. Responsible editor: Song Funan     

The Role of Formal Marketing Channels in NTFP Business

The marketing of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) through formal channels is a complicated task in the Global South because of the lack of suitable infrastructure and the influence of intermediaries. Strengthening the formal marketing process, on the one hand, can reduce the exploitation of forest products while improving the socioeconomic status of forest fringe villagers. This article examines how identifying the present problems of formal marketing system, can be enhanced in the future in the dry-deciduous forest area of West Bengal, India, where a considerable amount of dispersed Sal (Shorea robusta) forest exists.     

Underpricing and Overexploitation of Tropical Forests

Abstract

Forest pricing policies for tropical timber and forest concessions can play an important role in the management, conservation, and preservation of tropical forests. The paper draws on regional studies of forest revenue systems and forest concession arrangements, country case studies, and studies in individual countries of West and Central Africa and South East Asia (Grut, Gray, and Egli, 1991; Gray and Hadi, 1989; Gray and Hadi, 1990; and Gray, 1983). Forest pricing and concession management policies, problems, and experiences in individual countries are examined, common problems and experiences highlighted, and alternatives identified. From these, the elements of a forest pricing and concession management system which supports sustainable management, efficient utilization, and forest renewal are developed.     

Community Dependency on Forest Resources in West Java,Indonesia

Abstract

Policies aimed at the exclusion of local communities from forest management are inappropriate, especially in a densely populated area with a low level of land ownership. Here we demonstrate that termination of the Tumpang Sari program, which allowed local communities access to areas for controlled cultivation in several parts of the state forest area in West Java, Indonesia, did not cease illegal cultivation of the forestland. Moreover, illegal cultivation continues to be conducted by many people. This has created not only a land degradation problem but also has affected other forest resource users, the fuelwood collectors and the dairy cattle farmers. Therefore, the re-involvement of local communities in better forest management is required to avoid further environmental degradation as well as enhance poverty alleviation programs.     

FORESTAR：A decision—support system for multi—objective forest management in Northeast China

Past monoculture forestry in China has contributed to countrywide ecological disasters and economic difficulties in forestry regions. China‘s new forestry programs, Natural Forest Conservation Program and Returning Farmlands to Forests Program, provide opportunities for ecosystem management of mountain forests in China. A decision support system, FORE-STAR, has been developed for better managing and protecting natural forests in Changbai Mountain area. It uses GIS-based forest inventory data at a scale of forestry bureau. The first version contains two sub-modules: forest operation and forest res-toration. Under each sub-module, users can compare several decision options and make optimal choices. It can help field for-esters, forest managers, and policy makers make multi-objective and consistent decisions in planning forest management at hierarchical administrative scales.     

Environmental Change and the Sustainability of European Forests

Summary

It is some years now since forest decline was a major public concern in Europe and was one of the principal environmental issues around which international research programs were focused. A number of internationally coordinated activities were initiated in the 1980s and 1990s and have continued until now; these contributed significantly to our current understanding of forestry and to the way in which forestry policies have developed. In short, the concept of sustainable development has had an increasing influence and is now of immeasurable value in forest policy, with sustainable forest management well established as its guiding principle. This sequence of events is examined here. The extent to which understanding has advanced is remarkable; much has changed. Arguably this period gave the first indication of the extent to which forests and ecosystems globally are threatened by environmental change. On the basis of the last 20 years, it is tempting to conclude that we now have an effective institutional framework and have made excellent progress. However, some of the recorded ecosystem responses seem anomalous; there are surprises in system responses, e.g., the linkage between sulphur and nitrogen depositions and forest growth. Even more importantly some specific pollutant problems remain and will intensify, and climate change has become an environmental issue of overwhelming importance.     

How Can Participatory Forest Management Cooperatives be Successful in Forest Resources Conservation? An Evidence From Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

In many parts of the world, community-based approaches to forest management have been evolving after recognizing that the top-down approach impedes conserving forests effectively. In Ethiopia also, local communities have been involved in participatory forest management (PFM) arrangements for better conservation of forest resources. However, the achievements in improving forest conservation outcomes have been mixed, while some PFMs are successful, others are not. Using data collected from 42 PFM cooperatives from Metema and Quara districts in Amhara dry forest region of Ethiopia, this study seeks to examine the variables that explain the variations in the performances of PFM cooperatives in forest conservation. The study has found that the performance of the PFM cooperatives depends on the key attributes of users, physical resources, and institutions and these attributes explain best for the success of PFMs. Therefore, the study suggests that these attributes along with the external factors like government policy must be given due importance while designing PFM arrangement. Moreover, just to highlight the impact of the external factors, the government policy like the resettlement program must be reconsidered; while the expansion of trade and infrastructure must be encouraged in order to strengthen the performance of PFMs and achieve forest conservation.     

Sustainable Forests: It's About Time (Montana)

Abstract

Forest health should be determined by ecological criteria as opposed to the more limited tree production approach. We must recognize the vital relationships between conserving biological diversity and sustaining forest ecosystems. World-wide forest management practices have too often ignored ecological principles, thereby jeopardizing forest health in the long-term. Much warranted attention has been given to rain forest problems. Temperate, mountain forests are also threatened, presenting unique sustainability problems. The forests of western Montana are a case in point. Sustainability is, of course, about time, and it is about time that forest management is changed to assure healthy forests for the future.     

Quality and change analysis of forest resource in typical Changbai Mountain forest region

The utilization and changes of forest resources were studied in the Lishuihe Forest Bureau. Based on remote sensing images in 1985 and 1999, changes of major forest resources were analyzed by statistical and overlap method and classified quantitatively. The results showed that in recent 15 years, logging spots and man-made young forest changed violently, which was due to human activities. Different forest management manners and harvesting intensity played an important role in forest resources change. Dongsheng and Xilinhe tree farms were typical cases of different forest status and management for the Bureau, where forest succession was intervened by either human or natural disturbance. Dongsheng Tree Farm underwent a lighth arvest intensity and maintained a unit stock volume of 536.27 m^3. hm^-2, as much as that of broadleaf/Korean pine forest of Changbai Mountain Natural Reserve; Xilinhe Tree Farm underwent an intense harvest and was composed of secondary forests,where mature forests just had a small percentage and the unit stock volume was low. The study was useful to guide future forest management. What‘s more, problems found in the research were also analyzed and reasonable advice was given to the local forest management.     

美国西弗吉尼亚和中国陕西的森林:森林开发利用和恢复的研究

本文回顾了美国西弗吉尼亚州和中国陕曲省无序开发时期的森林利用情况。由于在森林性质、在开发利用的压力大小和持续时间上的不同，导致两地区经济和生态恢复过程的差异。在无序开发约一个世纪之后，西弗吉尼亚森林已经走向可持续经营和保护阶段。由于过度利用和无序开发陕西的森林还不确定，目前森林仍处在生态恢复的初级阶段。完全恢复到可持续阶段需要一个世纪或者更长的时间。提出了促进森林恢复的一些措施。图6参18。     

Effects of administrative land-use and technical land-form constraints on timber production at the landscape level

Abstract

This study quantified, across a landscape in Eastern Finland, the influence of administrative land-use and technical land-form constraints on timber production. Spatially explicit data about the nature conservation areas, land use plans and steep slopes were integrated with Multi-source National Forest Inventory (MS-NFI) data. The Finnish forestry model MELA was used in the calculations related to updating forest data and estimating different scenarios of timber production with and without constraints. In the study area, the annual volume of maximum sustainable cutting removal defined for the next 30 years was decreased by one-third due to restrictions. The presented approach could be used, for example, to assess timber availability at the landscape level. Future challenges include ensuring the compatibility of spatially explicit data obtained from different sources, identifying the feasibility of forest management operations in the restricted area, and incorporating near-nature forest management operations in the forest planning system in order to estimate the timber production.     

森林经营试验样地的数据调查与分析方法研究——以京西山地人工侧柏林为例

[目的]在林分空间结构描述方法的基础上,大样地调查方法应用最广泛,点抽样的调查技术也日趋完善。以京西山地人工侧柏林为试验样地,应用完全随机优化设计方法布设小区。为尽量去除小区间的边缘变异效应,需要对调查数据进行处理,以提高森林经营试验的精度。[方法]逐渐缩小各小区的调查面积,以探索最适宜该样地的小区间隔离带距离,之后逐渐减少调查小区的个数,在24个小区中随机抽取n个小区,分别重复1 000次,找到不同隔离带大小时需要的小区重复个数;以各小区中心点为抽样点,调查距离各小区中心点最近林木,当调查株数不同时分别重复1 000次,最终找到不同调查林木株数需要的小区重复个数。通过验证京西山地人工侧柏林样地内小区重复次数与大样地林分状态的关系,找到适合该样地的数据处理方法,并改变小区隔离带大小或小区中心点最近林木株数,分析其与大样地林分状态的关系。[结果]表明:当小区间隔离带为2 m时,只需要6个重复即可达到90%以上概率与林分状态相似。当调查小区中心点的最近林木时,调查12个小区内距中心点最近的4株木即可满足调查的要求,或6个小区内各调查距中心点最近的11株林木。[结论]确定了京西山地人工侧柏林样地试验处理的小区间隔离带距离与重复的关系,也确定了在进行经营试验时只重复6次即可满足调查需求。     

Wood Production Potentials of Fenno-Scandinavian Forests Under Nature-Orientated Management

In Finland, Norway and Sweden forest management is presently changing towards a more nature-orientated management. In this study the European Forest Information SCENario (EFISCEN) model was applied to determine how this change might affect the potential for wood production in the three countries. Three different management regimes, traditional, traditional with nature conservation (''conservation''), and longer rotations with nature conservation (''conservation +''), were combined with two alternative felling levels. The results show that conserving 6.1-8.8% of the older forests in the southern regions had no limiting effects on production levels, as foreseen by the European Timber Trend Studies V by the UN-ECE for Finland and Sweden. Under the conservation + scenario, maximum sustainable felling levels decreased to 84, 79 and 72% of the present levels in Finland, Norway and Sweden, respectively. Increasing the rotation length put more pressure on the older age classes and thus did not increase the average age of the forest. If the consumption of wood increases as quickly as indicated by other studies, it will be hard to fulfil that demand and at the same time conserve considerable areas of forest in the southern regions of the countries.     

Monitoring Sustainable Forest Management in the Pacific Rim Region

Summary

The Pacific Rim is rich in forest resources. It contains the world's largest contiguous forest areas, high levels of biodiversity, millions of forest-dependent people, and the world's leading wood-product exporting and importing nations. However, because of a range of issues, the Pacific Rim region is also experiencing high rates of deforestation and forest degradation. An important step in addressing these issues and moving toward sustainable forest management is improved monitoring and information reporting at the local, national, and international levels. A number of criteria and indicators initiatives have been developed throughout the countries of the Pacific Rim. These have ranged from international processes to local initiatives such as forest certification. Although there is considerable variability in the issues facing forest policy makers in the countries of the Pacific Rim, it is often expected that criteria and indicators will reflect a level of comparability. This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis designed to identify similarities and differences in sustainable forest management criteria and indicators initiatives in the Pacific Rim region. When considered in the context of globalization, the research findings support international efforts to encourage comparability in sustainable forest management-related monitoring and information reporting.     

我国西北主要天然林经营模式设计

[目的]研制森林经营模式属于森林经营研究的核心内容.如何将现有的、已被实践检验而富有成效的经营方法与技术进行组装配套,形成森林经营模式是目前天然林经营研究中亟待解决的科学问题.[方法]将天然林经营的目标设定为保育健康、稳定、优质、高效的森林,根据现有林中大径木的多少确定经营类型,基于众多的试验结果或研究成果进行经营措施安排,期望在百年左右的时段内,通过有序调整小树拥挤度、大树均匀性、林分成层性和幼树开敞度,并进行地力维护以及结构化森林经营等技术措施,使现有天然林演变为恒续林.[结果]设计出了3大类20种经营模式,即9种针叶林(松林、云杉林)复层异龄林模式、4种栎类阔叶林模式以及7种松栎(阔)混交林模式.所设计出的天然林经营模式都包含了林分整体经营和单木经营,而在单木经营中均采用了结构化森林经营技术.[结论]研究设计出的20个经营模式为我国西北地区天然林保育提供了既先进又实用的技术指南,也对我国其它地区天然林经营有非常重要的借鉴作用.     

近自然森林经营在德国的应用成效分析

[目的]分析德国推行近自然森林经营20年来的经营效果,总结德国推行近自然森林经营的经验。[方法]在明晰近自然森林经营原则的基础上,基于两期(间隔期10年)资源清查数据对比,对德国大面积推行近自然森林经营20年的经营效果进行分析。[结果]两期资源清查数据表明,德国采用近自然经营20年后,针叶林如挪威云杉和欧洲赤松的面积显著减少,阔叶林和针阔混交林面积持续增加;阔叶树种蓄积平均增长量约为15 m~3·hm~(-2),针叶树种蓄积平均增长4 m~3·hm~(-2),挪威云杉是唯一蓄积下降的树种,下降了5 m~3·hm~(-2);近自然度等级变化表明,人工林面积在减少,而近自然森林的面积在增加,甚至符合原始林等级的森林面积也在增加。[结论]实现近自然森林经营的目标是一个长期的过程,联邦政府促进和保护森林的政策以及林场主所采用的先进的森林经营技术也是德国森林每公顷蓄积达到336 m~3的重要原因;在近自然森林经营的原则下,德国森林中针阔混交林比例显著增加;将近自然程度不高的人工林经营转化为近自然的森林生态系统是德国森林经营所面临的主要问题。     

Introducing Gender in Studies on Management Behaviour Among Non-industrial Private Forest Owners

The genderization of non-industrial private forest (NIPF) ownership creates different conditions for male and female forest owners. To compare male and female forest management behaviour and to examine whether observed differences should be understood in terms of gender, data from the Swedish National Board of Forestry's interview inquiry were used. Differences in frequency of harvesting and silvicultural operations were examined by binary logistic regression and differences in harvesting volume were tested by a multiple regression analysis. In all analyses sex of the owner was introduced as one of the explanatory variables. The sex of the owner was found to have a significant effect on the frequency of harvesting, cleaning and supplementary planting, but not on planting and mechanized scarification. In the cases when the sex of the owner was a significant factor, the degree of activity among the female owners was found to be lower. Results regarding harvested volumes did not expose any significant differences in harvesting management strategies between male and female owners.     

Fengshui forest management by the Buyi ethnic minority in China

Fengshui forests, very popular among the ethnic minorities in the rural areas in Guizhou Province of China, have spiritual symbolic meanings and are strictly managed. This paper examines the nature, history, local perceptions and management of fengshui forests in two Buyi villages in the Guizhou Province. With their long history, the fengshui forests are perceived to provide good wishes, security, unity, fortune, wealth and health to the local communities. Fengshui forests act as a form of “community based nature reserve” which maintains the health of natural forests, especially hydrological features and prevention of soil erosion. Cunguimingyue (Folk Regulation and Customs) is the primary local normative mechanism that maintains the fengshui forests in a good condition. The lessons learnt from local fengshui forest management needs to be incorporated in for contemporary China's forest policy formulation as these forests play an important role in rural livelihoods.