News - tropenbos.org

TBI Ghana supports the revision of the Adwenase Forest Management Plan

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:29:00 +0200

The Adwenase Forest Management Plan has received a massive facelift following its revision by the kind courtesy of the EU Chainsaw Milling project implemented by Tropenbos International Ghana and partners. The plan, first drafted in 1995 by the Resource Management Support Centre (RMSC) of the Forestry Commission and the Assin-Akropong community, was revised to keep step with current forest management practices.

Chainsaw operators gear up for tree plantation establishment

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:17:00 +0200

Converted chainsaw operators are warming up to establish forest plantations as an alternative livelihood to illegal chainsaw milling. This is because in April 2013, the EU Chainsaw Milling project implemented by Tropenbos International Ghana and partners provided the requisite starter kits to four chainsaw-dependent communities. The kits comprise seeds of commercial tree species for nursery establishment, protective clothing and requisite implements and materials for plantation development.

Mills offer hope for legal lumber supply

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:04:00 +0200

The communities of Sankore and Brewaniase in Ghana, have received artisanal mills donated by the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) of the Forestry Commission under the EU Chainsaw project implemented by Tropenbos International Ghana and partners. The mills will be used by the communities to process raw materials acquired from legal sources through a partnership arrangement between chainsaw-dependent communities and forest concession holders.

Balancing concerns on timber legality and improving forest-based livelihoods

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:49:00 +0200

Concerns about deforestation and degradation and about prevailing poverty in tropical forest regions have resulted in a series of global policy initiatives. These range from policies to stimulate poverty alleviation in forest regions to programmes to prevent illegal timber logging. Such policies have often been developed independently; recent research assesses how these different policies relate to each other and how they interact.

Call for papers ETFRN News 55: Linkages between FLEGT, REDD+ and beyond: Challenges and opportunities for improved forest management

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:03:00 +0200

In order to contribute to a better understanding of the linkages and potential interactions between forest-related initiatives, in particular REDD+ and FLEGT and other supply and demand side approaches at country level, the European Tropical Forest Research Network (ETFRN), together with Tropenbos International, the German International Cooperation, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the European Union and the European Forest Institute, will publish a special issue of ETFRN News.

A boost for sustainable charcoal production

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 15:44:00 +0200

Illegal chainsaw operators in forest communities could soon depend on improved charcoal production as a viable alternative livelihood. This is because Tropenbos International Ghana has concluded arrangements with the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) to work together to enhance the contribution of charcoal production to local livelihoods and poverty alleviation while preserving environmental quality.

Artisanal logging and legality verification in DRC: what are the options?

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:19:00 +0200

FSC certification is not the right instrument to improve forest governance in DR Congo at the moment. This was the conclusion of a network event organised by WWF and the Dutch Tropical Forest Association VTB the 23th of April at the WWF office in Zeist, the Netherlands.

Frontrunners show the way how to make sustainable forestry business work

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:21:00 +0200

Sustainable forestry business is possible and examples of this abound, but to achieve sufficient credibility these business cases need to be scaled up . This was a major message emanating from the side event Good Business: Making Private Investment Work for Forests at the UNFF-10 on April 15 in Istanbul. The side event was jointly organized by World Bank/PROFOR, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für international Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Tropenbos International.

Recovering the ancestral interpretation of the Amazon territory

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:48:00 +0200

Indigenous communities and territory come together as one, but the relationship implies a variety of visions and interpretations. From a traditional point of view, the territory is multidimensional: it considers not only the physical-geographical area or the political-administrative dimensions, but it also includes the shamanic, mythological and inter-ethnic aspects. These are some of the elements that TBI Colombia recovers in the publication Traditional cartography of the Yucuna-Matapí: The knowledge and management of the traditional territory.

Side event UNFF10: Good Business: Making Private Investment Work for Forests

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:09:00 +0200

Financing for the forest sector comes from several different sources; public domestic and international funding as well as for-profit and not-for-profit private sources. But forest financing cannot be resolved by relying on one source only. Often public (inter)national funding is seen as frontier funding for high-risk investments or a funding source for global public goods. At the same time it is recognized that in order to scale up sustainable forest management, private financing will have to play a vital role. But this needs an enabling environment created by public sector action domestically and internationally.

HCV Training: Social Impact Assessment & Management

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:19:00 +0200

Tropenbos International (TBI) Indonesia Programme will conduct a capacity building training on High Conservation Values (HCV) and Social Impact Assessment & Management (SIA) on 8-11 April in Yogyakarta, Central Java. The HCV training is the 8th of a training series on HCV aimed to increase human resources capacity in implementing best principals towards sustainable forest management. TBI Indonesia conducts this event in partnership with Instiper Yogyakarta, HCV-Network Indonesia, and Re.Mark Asia.

Compiling knowledge for the strengthening of the Awá people

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:52:00 +0200

After a successful consultation process with the organisations that comprise the Great Awá family, Tropenbos International (TBI) Colombia provided the basis for a historical survey strategy and the strengthening of their traditional knowledge.

Supplying legal lumber to the domestic market in Ghana

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:31:00 +0100

Ghana is close to finding a solution to the dilemma of supplying legal lumber to the domestic market as indicated by a just completed pilot project by Tropenbos International Ghana. TBI Ghana has devised and successfully tested new models that link artisanal millers directly to forest concession holders to access logs to produce lumber for the Ghanaian market.

A boost for new EU Chainsaw project districts

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:58:00 +0100

The EU Chainsaw milling project being implemented by TBI Ghana and partners has successfully held a capacity building session for the leadership of stakeholder groups and members of steering committees of district-level multi-stakeholder dialogue (DLMSD) platforms in two new project districts: Tarkwa and Nkwanta in the Western and Volta Region respectively.

Gold mining activities big threat for local communities in the Colombian Amazon

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:21:00 +0100

Gold mining activities are a real threat for the local communities in the Colombian Amazon according to the report “Mining from a local perspective” compiled by Tropenbos International Colombia. This document gathers more than 40 testimonies of local communities regarding the impact of mining activities in their territories.

Increasing land purchases around Kisangani cause conflicts with local population

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:22:00 +0100

Urban dwellers are buying more and more land around Kisangani, Oriental Province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These land purchases cause conflicts with the local population. A study conducted by Tropenbos International DR Congo (TBI DR Congo) in the region of Kisangani during December 2012 and January 2013 shows that if customary rights are considered and respected in formal land acquisition processes, conflicts over land could be reduced considerably.

Sustainable management practice drives bigger demand for HCV training in Indonesia

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:35:00 +0100

In the last three years, more than 200 professionals have completed High Conservation Value (HCV) Assessment Trainings conducted by Tropenbos International (TBI) Indonesia and its partners. The number of participants has surged significantly and the latest training in Yogyakarta in November 2012 attracted over 60 participants from all over the country.

TBI Ghana pilots Wood Tracking System for the domestic market

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:39:00 +0100

TBI Ghana has developed and started piloting a Wood Tracking System (WTS) for the domestic timber production and trade. This domestic WTS is part of the implementation of a project that aims to link local communities with forest concession holders to produce legal lumber for the domestic market. The project is supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (“FAO”) under the “ACP-FLEGT Support Programme”.

Artisanal Milling Defined

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:35:00 +0100

The process for defining Artisanal Milling as part of operationalising a policy option to supply legal lumber to the domestic market has been concluded during the 9th National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue (MSD) meeting on 7th November, 2012 at the Forestry Commission (FC) Auditorium in Accra.

REDD+: Moving forward with private finance and business engagement

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:04:00 +0100

On 24 January 2013, Tropenbos International, together with WWF-NL, the Dutch Ministry of Economics Affairs, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wageningen UR and IUCN NL is organising the 8th REDD+ platform meeting.

Responsible Enterprise, International Cooperation and Tropical Forest Management. Are we on the right track?

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:37:00 +0100

The development policy of the Netherlands considers the active engagement of the private sector a key priority in achieving sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Companies are also increasingly aware of the need and opportunities to develop and implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies and strategies in their daily business. In the Netherlands, many companies and business sectors directly or indirectly have an impact on tropical forests, their management and conservation, including through forest concessions, agricultural and timber production and trade chains, financing and investment.

Good Business: Making Private Investments Work for Tropical Forests

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:39:00 +0100

Private finance is currently the most significant source of investment for forestry. Estimated to total around US $ 15 billion per year in developing countries and countries in transition, private-sector investment in the forestry sector far outstrips the combined investments of governments and development agencies. Although broad sectoral investment parameters are generally well understood, the exact shape and weight of domestic and international flows remain to a large extent unclear. The United Nations Forum on Forests, among others, has called for better mapping of the forest finance landscape to create a clearer understanding of the types and potential impacts of complementary public and private investment on future forests.

Biological and cultural diversity: keys to climate change adaptation

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:52:00 +0100

Climate change adaptation seen from various perspectives such as the one of ethnic and peasants groups, the academy, communities and the institutions can contribute to the development of local productive projects that address the threats of climate change, or to the recognition of traditional knowledge as a means to adapt. This was the main issue during the multi-stakeholder dialogue: “Biological and cultural diversity: keys to climate change adaptation”, which was held on 8 and 9 November 2012 and organized by Tropenbos International Colombia under the framework of the project “The climate is changing and you can too” developed in cooperation with IUCN and SPDA.

Local Knowledge and Territories of Life

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 14:11:00 +0100

The role of institutions in the strengthening and the recognition of local knowledge, as well as the need to develop social projects that promote the autonomy of communities and participative research methodologies were the main issues discussed during the event “Local Knowledge and Territories of Life”.

Cross-border flows of timber in the Great Lakes Countries

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:06:00 +0100

TBI DR Congo organised together with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN-DR Congo), a workshop on cross-border flows of timber between DR Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi and national and local strategies to control the timber trade between these four countries.

Tropenbos International contributes to the discussion about artisanal logging and FLEGT - VPA process in DR Congo

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:01:00 +0100

At the Forest Governance Forum in Kinshasa (11-12 September), organized by TBI and TheIDLGroup, TBI presented its work on artisanal logging in DR Congo and Ghana. Artisanal logging, or chainsaw milling in Ghana, is the on-site conversion of logs into lumber using chainsaws. Significant and increasing amounts of timber in the tropics for local markets are produced using this simple technology. For many local and indigenous forest dependent communities, artisanal logging is an important source of income.

Establish a conflict management unit within Ghana’s Forestry Commission

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:17:00 +0200

Conflicts over the use and management of forest and tree resources abound in Ghana. These have often led to loss of incomes, livelihoods and forests, and sometimes resulting in injuries and even deaths. But establishing a specialised unit within the Forestry Commission for forest conflict management could offer the necessary leverage for better managing them. This is according to Dr. Mercy Derkyi, a TBI Ghana supported PhD graduate of the University of Amsterdam.

Making knowledge work for forests and people. Tropenbos International Strategic Plan 2011-2016

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:27:00 +0200

Twenty-five years ago, Tropenbos International was created to harness the contributions of the science community towards the sustainable management of tropical rain forests. Much progress has been made since then, and I am proud of the contributions that we, with our partners, have been able to make.

Unlocking National Opportunities: New Insights on Financing Sustainable Forest and Land Management

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 14:05:00 +0200

For sustainable forest management (SFM) and sustainable land management (SLM) there is more in-country money than is typically accessed, especially when considering private investments and informal financing. The main challenge is to build the capacity to access and make efficient use of the existing resources. This capacity can be built through enabling investments in governance, institutional and local capacity. There is a need to strengthen links between financial institutions and the forest and land sectors, in order to build trust and facilitate the mobilization of domestic financial resources. This are some of the findings presented in the publication “"Unlocking National Opportunities: New Insights on Financing Sustainable Forest and Land Management".

Closing Event: Intercultural Education in the SENA: Advancements and Challenges in the Attention of Ethnic Communities

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:46:00 +0200

Since 2008, Tropenbos International and SENA jointly implemented the project “Training in environmental management and sustainable production chains” (2008-2012). The project provided SENA with knowledge, tools and trained staff on intercultural capacity building related to environmental management and sustainable production chains. The closing event “Intercultural Education in the SENA: Advancements and Challenges in the Attention of Ethnic Communities” of this NUFFIC funded project took place in Bogota on July 7 and 8, 2012.

TBI is sharing its experiences in addressing domestic timber market issues with stakeholders in DR Congo (11 and 12 September 2012 in Kinshasa, DR Congo)

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:37:00 +0200

Domestic timber trade is large in volume: in a lot of tropical countries it represents a high percentage of the total timber production. Governments have struggled to deal with this often informal sector. The inclusion of the domestic market in FLEGT/VPAs is a way to put pressure on governments to recognize, legalize and organize the informal timber sector.

Seminar: Responsible Enterprise, International Cooperation and Tropical Forest Management. Are we on the right track? (Thursday, September 13, 2012)

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:27:00 +0200

In development policy of the Netherlands the active engagement of the private sector is increasingly seen as a core condition to achieve sustainable development and poverty alleviation. This seminar analyses the experiences, dilemma’s and perspectives of the Dutch private sector in shaping their international Corporate Social Responsibility policies, with a particular focus on their impact on tropical forests and their role in the international cooperation of the Netherlands.

Embedding the MSD in Ghana’s forest sector

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:01:00 +0200

The EU chainsaw project implemented by TBI Ghana and partners has organised a three-day training workshop on ‘Institutionalising multi-stakeholder engagement in the forestry sector of Ghana’ for project staff and partners. Since its inception, a key strategy for implementing the EU Chainsaw project has been the establishment of a multi-stakeholder dialogue (MSD) to share information, reduce conflict between stakeholders and generate jointly agreed solutions for addressing illegal chainsaw milling in Ghana.

TBI Ghana ends PhD proposal writing workshop

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:59:00 +0200

As part of its programme development process, Tropenbos International Ghana (TBI Ghana) in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam (UvA) in the Netherlands has organised a four-day training workshop for prospective PhD candidates, ending July 26, 2012 in Kumasi. The workshop aimed at supporting participants to develop bankable projects with topics within the TBI Ghana research framework. TBI Ghana and the UvA have a long standing relationship of building the capacity of mid-career professionals in forest governance, livelihoods and development.

A boost for honey production in Atebubu-Amantin District of Ghana

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:50:00 +0200

Honey producers in the Atebubu-Amantin District of Ghana could soon be licensed and certified by national regulatory bodies to produce honey for the market. This is because Tropenbos International Ghana on Friday June 29, 2012 donated an honey press and a refractometer to the Atebubu-Amantin Honeybee Keepers’ Association to aid the production of high quality honey for the market.

Embedding INRM Principles in University Education in Ghana

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:21:00 +0200

Under the coordination of Tropenbos International and partners, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is incorporating Integrated Natural Resources Management (INRM) approaches and principles into its strategy and curricula for education in agriculture and natural resources in Ghana. The aim is to build CANR as an institution capable of addressing complex problems related to natural resources and environment. The initiative has been executed under the NPT-GHA 278 project supported by the Dutch government through the NUFFIC.

Registration of Farmers towards Benefit Sharing Ends

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:17:00 +0200

Tropenbos International Ghana has completed registration of beneficiary farmers of the Modified Taungya System (MTS) in the Offinso and Mampong Forest Districts of the Ashanti Region. The exercise which forms part of the Forestry Commission’s (FC) partnership arrangement with civil society groups in acquiring credible data towards the signing of benefit sharing agreements with farmers is supported by the National Forest Programme Facility of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Maiden District Forest Forum Established in Kumawu

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:01:00 +0200

On Friday May 11, 2012, Tropenbos International Ghana inaugurated the maiden District Forest Forum in the Kumawu Forest District of the Ashanti Region. The forum was established as part of the implementation of the Governance Initiative for Rights and Accountability in Forest Management (GIRAF) under the auspices of Forest Watch Ghana. GIRAF aims to improve public awareness and the enforcement of forest laws and good forest governance through capacity building of grassroots and the promotion of multi-stakeholder dialogue and decision making process.

DOLTA Gets Funding for Advocacy and Capacity Building

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:23:00 +0200

With Support of the EU chainsaw milling project, the Domestic Lumber Traders Association (DOLTA) in Ghana has been able to source funding from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund. With this support, DOLTA, a key stakeholder in the ongoing Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue (MSD) process, will be able to undertake capacity building and advocacy activities in support of the agreed policy option: Sawmills and artisanal mills supply the domestic market with legal lumber obtained from sustainable source.

Celebration of world environment day in Kisangani, DR Congo

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:09:00 +0200

TBI DR Congo participated actively in the World Environment Day on June 5th. Two events were organized in Kisangani: a ‘reflection day’ (2nd of June) and a conference (9th of June) by SECSB (Synergy of ecologists for awareness raising on biodiversity conservation), ANJ (Friends of Nature and Gardens), OCEAN (Organization of Ecologists and Friends of Nature) and TBI DR Congo.

Logged tropical forests retain important environmental values

Tue, 29 May 2012 10:30:00 +0200

Selectively logged tropical forests retain valuable biodiversity, carbon stocks, and – if well-managed – timber resources. This is the main message of a review just published in Conservation Letters. The authors reviewed over 100 studies in which environmental values and timber stocks of logged forests were quantified. The conclusion goes well beyond the popular view held by environmentalists who insist that strict protection is the only viable form of conservation.

Promoting agarwood-based agroforestry systems in north central provinces of Viet Nam

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:25:00 +0200

Agarwood trees (Aquilaria crassna) are commonly used as sources for wood chips, incense and essential oils that need further promotion within agroforestry systems in Viet Nam. They are naturally distributed in the central highlands, north central and the southeastern areas and planted in the north central area, particularly from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien Hue provinces.

Tree-ring study displays effects of climate change

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:21:00 +0200

On 13 April 2012, TBI Viet Nam cooperated with Hue University of Agriculture and Rural Development (HUAF) to organize a guest lecture on the “ Effects of climate change on tropical forests: new insights from tree-ring studies,” for lecturers and students of the forestry faculty and staff members of HUAF.

PhD defense Salomon Mampeta

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:18:00 +0200

The 18th of May 2012 Salomon Mampeta defended his doctoral thesis denominated: “Populations, Power and Conflicts around Forest Concessions in Isangi Territory”. The defense took place at the Tropenbos International office in Kisangani with four committee members from the University of Kisangani (Professors Sengi, Saile, Bolinda et Lipipa) and two committee members from the University of Bordeaux, France (Professors Darbon et Bergeron).

MSD Platform Successfully Established in Two New Districts

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:33:00 +0200

The EU chainsaw milling project has expanded its multi-stakeholder dialogue (MSD) platform to two new forest districts: Tarkwa and Nkwanta.

TBI Viet Nam holds a successful final phase two workshop

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:00 +0200

TBI Viet Nam held its final workshop of phase two on April 17th, 2012 in Hue, Viet Nam. The overall objective of the workshop was to evaluate the obtained results compiled by TBI Viet Nam, and to introduce the programme’s orientation thru 2016.

Workshop to assess the policy and practice of Forest Land Allocation held in Ha Noi

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:41:00 +0200

On April 10th, 2012, TBI Viet Nam, with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), conducted a workshop in Ha Noi entitled, “Forestry Land Allocation: Policy and Practice.” The event was held in cooperation with the Department of Science, Technology and Environment (under MARD) and the Institute of Forest Planning and Inventory (FIPI).

Moving Forward with Forest Governance

Tue, 08 May 2012 09:53:00 +0200

The need to improve forest governance as an important prerequisite for promoting sustainable forest management and reducing deforestation and forest degradation is widely acknowledged. To make governance better work for people and forests is not an easy challenge due to divergent interests and mind-sets and imbalanced power relations and unequal access to information, decision-making, resources and benefits.

Call for papers: ETFRN news on Private Business and Forest Finance: Insights, Opportunities and Good Practices

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:03:00 +0200

In order to contribute to documenting and analysing the experiences and lessons generated from private actors engaged in the SFM arena, the European Tropical Forest Research Network (ETFRN), together with Tropenbos International and GIZ, will publish a special issue of ETFRN News on ‘Private Business and Forest Finance: Insights, Opportunities and Good Practices’.

Forest Land Allocation: What has been Achieved?

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:12:00 +0200

On April 10th, 2012, TBI Viet Nam will cooperate with the Department of Science, Technology and Environment (belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), the Institute of Forest Inventory and Planning, and the Department of Forest Protection to organize the “National Workshop on Forest Land Allocation: Policy and Practice”.

TBI Viet Nam Participates in FGLG International Learning Event

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:01:00 +0200

The Forest Governance Learning Group (FGLF) held their 8th international learning event on March 26th-30th in Huế, Viet Nam. The FGLG is an informal partnership of in-country groups and international associations that is currently involved in eight African and three Asian countries.

REDD het bos – OneWorld Live Talkshow about Forests (27 March 2012 from 20:00-21:30 hrs in De Balie, Amsterdam)

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:39:00 +0100

Forests are very important for the quality of life on our planet. They help stabilize the world’s climate, provide a home to many plants and animals, maintain the water cycle, protect against flood, drought, and erosion and are a source for medicines and foods.

TBI Ghana project to build capacity of local communities to produce legal lumber for the domestic market launched

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:03:00 +0100

Forest communities in Ghana will soon be producing lumber to shore up the volume of legal lumber supply for the domestic market. This is to be made possible as Tropenbos International Ghana implements a project that seeks to link local communities to forest concession holders to produce legal lumber under the FAO/ACP/EU-FLEGT Support Programme.

Promoting legal timber trade for sustainable forest management in Ghana

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:14:00 +0100

The domestic timber market in Ghana is large (2.5 million m3) and will expand significantly as Ghana’s population is predicted to double by 2030 to almost 50 million. More than 700,000 livelihoods depend on this trade. Non-regulation of the domestic timber market will lead to forest degradation, loss of environmental services and rural and urban poverty, as well as jeopardizing the legal international timber trade.

The CELOS Management System: a contribution to improved forest management

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:53:00 +0100

The CELOS Management System (CMS) is a system for harvesting tropical rainforests which aims to cause minimal disturbance to the ecosystem while also providing economic return. CMS was developed by the Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS) and the Agricultural University of Wageningen (The Netherlands; nowadays WUR). Starting in the 1960/70s, it was originally developed for Suriname, but has gained international recognition.

Food security and energy development in Viet Nam

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:18:00 +0100

The economic structure of Vietnam has drastically shifted since the mid 1980's from an agriculture based system to one that is multi-based.

How Viet Nam is prepared to meet legal requirements of timber export markets

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:43:00 +0100

More and more markets are demanding legal verification of timber products, e.g. the EU with its Timber Regulation and the US with its Lacey Act. The EU and VS are important export destinations for Viet Nam’s timber products (more than 80% of total export revenue). In the report “How Viet Nam is prepared to meet legal requirements of timber export markets” TBI aims to provide some initial assessments of the impacts of these emerging market requirements.

TBI Cameroon Programme closes

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:05:00 +0100

At the end of 2011, the TBI Cameroon Programme came to an end after almost three years of operation.

A pathway to a green economy

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0100

Country-Led Initiative in Support of the United Nations Forum on Forests, Hanoi, 10-13 January 2012. “A pathway to a green economy in the context of sustainable development: Focus on the role of markets in the promotion of sustainable forest management” is the theme of the Country-Led Initiative (CLI), organised by Viet Nam with the support of the Netherlands and Finland.

Current status of community forestry in Cameroon

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:30:00 +0100

In the publication “Etat des lieux de la foresterie communautaire et communale au Cameroun” (Current status of community forestry in Cameroon) Tropenbos International reviews more than 15 years of community forestry in Cameroon and gives some lessons for its application in other Central African countries.

Book launch "Sustainable Management of Tropical Rainforests - The CELOS Management System"

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:08:00 +0100

On 20 January 2012 a book with contributions from 25 authors on the experiences of the CELOS Management System will be launched as result of a Tropenbos International Suriname project in collaboration with the Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS) and Wageningen University and Research centre (WUR), and co-funding of WWF-Guianas.

EU keen to support adequate supply of legal timber on the domestic market

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:42:00 +0100

Tropenbos International together with local partners have been awarded a next grant from the EU to continue the chainsaw milling project aimed at securing legal domestic lumber supply in support of the VPA. The project was launched on 26th October, 2011 in Accra, Ghana.

REDD+ platform meeting

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:33:00 +0100

On 16 November 2011, Tropenbos International, together with WWF-NL, the Dutch Ministry of Economics, Agriculture and Innovation and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is organising a REDD+ platform meeting.

Commemoration of the International Year of Forests 2011

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:38:00 +0100

Tropenbos International Colombia has joined the celebration of the International Year of Forests participating in various activities promoted by the environmental sector. At these events TBI Colombia has shared its experience on indigenous forest management.

Course on GIS and Remote Sensing for forest management.

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:52:00 +0100

In an effort to improve the capacity of individuals and organisations involved in forest resource management, TBI Viet Nam organised a course “Application of GIS and Remote sensing in Forest Management” on the 22nd of August 2011 in Hue. This event was a joint effort between TBI Viet Nam and the Center of Geo-Information Technology, University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City.

Research on Forest Governance Monitoring in Viet Nam

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:47:00 +0100

Tropenbos International, in cooperation with FAO and the Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation, is implementing a pilot project on Forest Governance Monitoring (FGM) in Viet Nam. With support from MARD, the programme director (PD) of TBI Viet Nam and an independent expert from FAO organised several meetings at national and local level institutes and organizations.

The importance of the domestic timber trade for FLEGT and REDD: Experiences from TBI’s chainsaw milling project in Ghana and Guyana.

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:55:00 +0200

Tropenbos International would like to invite you to an informal networking event on 23 November 2011, to learn about the practical dilemmas of regulating domestic timber markets. During this seminar our partners from Ghana and Guyana will briefly present their experiences, after which there will be time for informal interaction and discussions.

Call for papers: ETFRN News 53 Enhancing forest related governance for development:Recent country experiences and what they teach us

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:45:00 +0200

The European Tropical Forest Research Network (ETFRN), together with Tropenbos International and GIZ, will publish a special issue of ETFRN News. The publication will focus on the incentives, drivers and enabling factors for states and the private sector to improve forest governance and on the approaches and processes taken to improve forest governance. The Newsletter is scheduled for publication in May 2012.

Symposium: Halting deforestation and forest degradation in ghana – the missing link

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:16:00 +0200

To celebrate the International Year of Forests in Ghana, TBI Ghana in partnership with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission is organising a symposium under the theme: “Halting deforestation and forest degradation in Ghana – the missing link’. This high-level debate is aimed at diagnosing the failure of sustainable forest management in Ghana and jointly discussing strategies to address it.

Food Security, Water and Tropical Forests - Are we on the right track?

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:36:00 +0200

On June 22, 2011 Tropenbos International together with Utrecht University, Wageningen University, Dutch Association of Tropical Forests (VTB), Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised the seminar Food Security, Water and Tropical Forests – Are we on the Right Track?

Forestry Investments in Emerging Markets

Mon, 30 May 2011 17:06:00 +0200

Investments in forestry have many desirable features. Under certain conditions, forestry investments yield attractive returns to investors and can contribute substantially to the economic, social and environmental development of countries. Environmentally and socially conscious investors are actively exploring the "ins and outs" of forestry opportunities, motivated by opportunities that are profitable, but also in line with their core values.

“Do Global Intentions lead to Local Improvements? – The Forestry Case”

Fri, 27 May 2011 13:56:00 +0200

Together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Tropenbos International organised an expert meeting in the framework of the Knowledge Network on Sustainability Climate and Energy. The meeting “Do Global Intentions lead to Local Improvements? – The Forestry Case” focused on the challenges of designing and delivering effective international environmental policies

Visit Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:58:00 +0200

On Tuesday 29 March the Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism visited the office of Tropenbos International in DR Congo.

Forest Land Allocation Review Workshop organized in Nam Dong

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:36:00 +0100

On 20 January 2011, a Forest Land Allocation (FLA) Review workshop was organized in Nam Dong District, facilitated and supported by TBI Viet Nam.

GIS course in support of forest information management

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:29:00 +0100

In an attempt to improve the capacity for its partners and stakeholders in the forest sector of Viet Nam, TBI Viet Nam organized a course on “GIS application in forest information management” from 13 to 16 January 2011 in Hue city.

Financing strategies for sustainable land and forest management: Sharing national experiences for the facilitative process in practice

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:42:00 +0100

During the ninth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), Tropenbos International participated in a side event on 26 January 2011 to showcase experiences and lessons in financing sustainable land and forest management as a contribution to the work at the country level and the Facilitative Process.

Workshop on ‘Options for Deploying Forest Investment Programme Resources in Ghana'

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:01:00 +0100

TBI Ghana held a workshop on ‘Options for Deploying Forest Investment Programme Resources in Ghana' on February 11, 2010. The aim was to create awareness on the Forest Investment Programme (FIP) and to identify potential options for deploying FIP resources in Ghana. These options are expected to feed into Ghana’s meeting with the FIP scoping mission late March 2011.

Seminar in Brussels draws attention to local timber markets in FLEGT - VPAs and REDD-plus

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:52:00 +0100

Tropenbos International and six other organisations organised the seminar "Bridging local and global interests: Integration of domestic timber markets in FLEGT/VPAs and REDD+"to discuss how to address domestic timber trade and timber-dependent livelihoods effectively in VPAs; map the potential consequences of VPAs on local livelihoods; and discuss the relevance of these for the further development of forest governance programmes such as FLEGT and REDD+.

Science-policy dialogue on timber legality and social safeguards in Ghana

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:10:00 +0100

A two-day international workshop on the “Illegal or Incompatible” research project was held in Elmina, Ghana on November 25 and 26, 2010. The workshop aimed at informing policy processes in Ghana and the EU on anticipated impacts of Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) signed between the two parties. This workshop was a sequel to one organized earlier in October 2009 to facilitate information exchange and dialogue on potential impacts of VPA implementation on local livelihoods.

Knowledge Dialogue in BIOEXPO 2010

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:59:00 +0100

From 18-24 November, Tropenbos International Colombia participated in the event BIOEXPO 2010 through the construction of a “maloca”, a traditional house and meeting place of the indigenous people of the Amazon. The maloca served as a place for a knowledge based dialogue on climate change, indigenous territories and natural resource management among different indigenous communities of Colombia and other countries of Latin America.

Workshop Generates Valuable Feedback on Land Allocation Research Project

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 12:21:00 +0100

On November 22, Tropenbos International (TBI) Viet Nam organized a workshop to report some findings on the research project “Impacts of Forestry Land Allocation on the Livelihoods of Local People and Forest Resources in the North Central Region,” one of six research projects currently being implemented by TBI Viet Nam. The event gathered over forty representatives from TBI’s partners and stakeholder institutions at the Festival Hue Hotel in Hue City for a spirited discussion.

Domestic Timber Market: Insights and Developments

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 12:53:00 +0100

On 12 November 2010, TBI Suriname organized a workshop titled ‘Domestic Timber Market: Insights and Developments’. The goal of the workshop was, through group discussions, to acquire insights in the deficiencies in the areas of knowledge, research and capacity within the domestic timber market.

Artisanal timber logging

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:04:00 +0100

Excessive artisanal timber logging is said to threaten the forest resource base especially in the east of Congo where there is a lucrative market for timber due to the high demand in neighbouring countries. Artisanal timber logging (chainsaw milling) refers to small-scale logging activities whereby the logs are being processed into planks on-site using a chainsaw. The planks are then carried out of the forest to a nearby road or river for its commercialization.

New Directions in National Forest Policy

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:17:00 +0100

On 26 October 2010, the Forest Science Institute of Viet Nam (FSIV) cooperated with the Science Technology and Environment Department/ MARD and Tropenbos International Viet Nam programme (TBI Viet Nam) to organize a national workshop in Ha Noi.

Land use issues in the Oriental province of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:08:00 +0100

On 22 and 23 October TBI in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) organised a workshop with key informants from the government, the private sector, universities, technical colleges and NGOs to identify the most important issues concerning the use and management of natural resources in the Oriental Province in DR Congo.

Research on forest land allocation policy under way

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:12:00 +0200

As a researcher on the project “Creating Synergy in Forest Research” between HUAF and IDS/UU for mutual capacity development in forest research, PhD candidate Tran Nam Tu has been selected to develop the research proposal “The impacts of forest and forest land allocation policy on rural livelihood in Central Viet Nam”.

High Conservation Value assessment for the Kampar peninsula landscape

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +0200

The 700,000-hectare Kampar Peninsula in Sumatra, Indonesia, is one of the largest peat deposits in the tropics. In the Kampar Peninsula, illegal logging, plantation development, migrant settlement, land clearing, and poorly constructed drainage canals in the periphery of the peninsula are slowly degrading the peatland ecosystem, even in the relatively well-protected central area. Significantly, degrading peatlands are one of the major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the world.

Conservation and use of biodiversity in tropical forests. Are we on the right track?

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 10:10:00 +0200

With smart policies a lot of the biodiversity in the tropical forests can be preserved. This was the impression given during the seminar: Conservation and use of biodiversity in Tropical forests. Are we on the right track? Held on the 16th of June, Ede, the Netherlands.

Economy and Environmental Services in Indigenous and Afro-descendent communities: the local point of view

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 14:35:00 +0200

As part of the results of the cooperation agreement signed between TBI Colombia and Patrimonio Natural Fund for the Biodiversity and Protected Areas, on 16 and 17 June 2010 a roundtable discussion was carried out under the title ‘Economy and Environmental Services in Indigenous and Afro-descendent communities: the local point of view’.

Biodiversity in Brussels

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:18:00 +0100

17th Brussels Development Briefing, 10 March 2010 Tropenbos International was invited to present the study “Effects of Forests Certification on Biodiversity” at the 17th Brussels Development Briefing.

Workshop on social safeguards in FLEGT/VPA process in Accra, Ghana

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:17:00 +0100

The EU FLEGT Action Programme aims to combat illegal logging and its associated trade. Ghana was the first country to formulate a Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the EU for contributing to the FLEGT objectives. It is envisaged that improved legal timber trade will also stimulate good governance and poverty alleviation.

Seminar “Intercambio de experiencias de proyectos productivos en comunidades indígenas y afrocolombianas”

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:22:00 +0100

The seminar “Intercambio de experiencias de proyectos productivos en comunidades indígenas y afrocolombianas” took place in Bogotá, the 22nd and 23rd of October 2009. The seminar was developed under the Nuffic financed project “Formación en gestión ambiental y cadenas productivas sostenibles” which is implemented by SENA (National Training Service – Colombia) and Tropenbos International. The seminar had as objective the exchange of experiences and processes that indigenous and afro-colombian communities have developed in relation to productive projects.

Tropenbos International at the World Forestry Congress

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:31:00 +0100

The World Forestry Congress took place from the 18th until the 23rd of October 2009 in Buenos Aires, Argentina with as main theme: “Forest in development: A vital Balance”. The aim of the Congress was the exchange of the last developments, innovations, insights and knowledge on forestry, policy, research and performance. In this, the 13th edition over more than 7000 forest experts where present from more than 160 countries.

Chainsaw milling in Africa, the Guiana Shield and the Caribbean

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:46:00 +0200

Two regional workshops on chainsaw milling were recently concluded in Accra, Ghana (25-26 May, 2009), and Georgetown, Guyana (8-9 July, 2009). Each workshop presented case studies on the causes and consequences of chainsaw milling and the way in which this practice has been managed in a variety of countries in Africa, the Guiana Shield and the Caribbean.

Outcomes from the seminar: Tropical Forests and Climate Change; Are we on the right track ... beyond Copenhagen?

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:40:00 +0200

Tropical forests will play an important role in the new climate treaty that is to be signed in December 2009 in Copenhagen. Unlike its predecessor - the Kyoto Protocol - this new agreement will likely include a financial mechanism to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). The REDD mechanism has received substantial attention since it was introduced at the Bali conference in 2007. It is commonly viewed as a potential global incentive for the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests.