PROFOR NEWSLETTER | ISSUE ONE
PROGRAM ON FORESTS (PROFOR) New Activities Launched in 2009 To receive regular updates on PROFOR's activities and findings join our email list! The Program on Forests (PROFOR) is a multi-donor partnership created in 2002 to enhance forests' contribution to poverty reduction, sustainable development and protection of environmental services through improved knowledge generation and sharing. This year, PROFOR has launched an impressive 20 new knowledge-generating analytical activities. This newsletter describes those activities in brief, seeking to create connections among researchers undertaking similar studies. Please join our email list to receive the results of these activities as they become available! An end-of-year newsletter will provide a similar summary for all PROFOR-funded activities that have been completed.
PROFOR Thematic Areas: LIVELIHOODS FINANCING CROSS - SECTORAL GOVERNANCE
On PROFOR’s website, you will find a collection of alreadycompleted analysis and knowledge tools. These are organized along four thematic focus areas: forests and livelihoods, forest governance, innovative approaches to forest financing, and forests in a cross-sectoral contexts. For more information on PROFOR findings and tools, visit http://profor.info
FORESTS AND LIVELIHOODS
Forests and Rural Livelihood in the Kyrgyz Republic - Development Potentials Non Timber Forest Products could represent a good source of income and other benefits for rural communities in the Kyrgyz Republic. What is the potential and what are the structural constraints to generating income and ensuring the benefits accrue to poor rural communities? Improving Rural Livelihoods and Sustainable Management of Dryland Forests of Eastern and Southern Africa An in-depth look at the issues of dryland ecosystems in Eastern and Souther Africa, the impacts of climate change on the development of these forests. This study will also develop operational recommendations for policy-makers.
Page 1
PROFOR NEWSLETTER | ISSUE ONE
Impacts of Agro-food and Fuel Price Changes on Rural Livelihoods and Forests in Syria A large share of Syria’s poor people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and forest resources for their livelihood. Protected forest areas are beginning to feel the strains of human activity. It seems likely that post-2006 increase in the prices of agrofood products has had a significant direct impact on rural livelihoods. But the full extent— and the impact on forests—is not fully known. Community Forestry Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets in Mexico Some of Mexico’s forest communities are among the world’s most advanced examples of commercial community forestry. But despite the large extent of forests with commercial potential in the country, and a unique system of community ownership, Mexico’s forests are far from meeting their potential for contributing to local development and poverty reduction. PROFOR is helping to develop the community stakeholder consensus and participation needed to develop national programs in support of community forestry enterprise competitiveness. Nepal Forest sector Strategy –Opportunities for Integration of Community Forestry and Carbon Financing PROFOR is lending its support to the World Bank’s South Asia region to prepare an overview of Nepal’s forest sector that will guide development over the next 5-10 years and inform both government and externally aided programs, with a special focus on community forestry and emerging commercial opportunities such as carbon financing.
INNOVATIVE FINANCING
Toolbox for Social Impact Assessment of Forest Carbon Projects There is increasing concern that benefits from REDD and other forest financing are not truly equitable. At the same time, carbon projects claiming to generate social and biodiversity benefits are attracting more discriminating buyers. But how would one know if a project was truly pro-poor? This toolbox would provide the methodological guidance project developers need. Making the Most of Learning from REDD Demonstration Activities What we are able to learn from the first generation of sub-national REDD ‘demonstration activities’ (part of the global process agreed in Bali) will have crucial impact on the design of the second generation of REDD strategies and activities. Such learning will have substantial influence over the international REDD mechanism, and its ability to promote the design of policies, as well as equitable actions to generate the co-benefits.
Page 2
PROFOR NEWSLETTER | ISSUE ONE
Best Practices in Financing Protected Areas - Lessons for Southeastern Europe To help improve the financial management of biodiversity conservation in transition and accession countries in Southeastern Europe, PROFOR is supporting a synthesis of best practices in nature protection financing mechanisms and levels in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Competitiveness of Forest Products in Paraguay In Paraguay, a greater understanding of the current state of industry competitiveness for key timber species, in terms of social, economic and environmental factors, is needed to reduce missed economic opportunities, as well as to help address a trend of unsustainable timber extraction. Developing A Carbon Payment Scheme On Certified Forest Concessions In countries with high forest cover, weak governance structures, and active concession forestry, how can certification and incentives be used to entice the private sector to generate REDD benefits through more sustainable concession practices? Building Capacity for Developing REDD plans The World Bank is assisting developing countries in their efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). PROFOR will support building capacity for REDD in FCPF participant countries by strengthening stakeholder groups’ contributions to the effective design and preparation of REDD Readiness Preparation Proposals (R-PP).
CROSS - SECTORAL COOPERATION
Large-Scale Land Acquisition for Agriculture: Guidelines for the Policies and Safeguards Assessment Framework In last year, foreign investors' acquisition of agricultural land in developing countries has hit the headlines. But what is the information that exists on this trend and the policies that surround them? What are the implications for forests? How to guide decision-makers and stakeholders? Best Practices of Watershed Management in India What lessons can other regions of the world learn from successful examples of integrated watershed management in arid zones, rain-fed lowlands, and higher elevation sites in India? Economic Growth and Drivers of Deforestation in the Congo Basin Deforestation rates in the Congo Basin countries have historically been quite low. But what scientific data do decision-makers in the Basin countries have to know how developing other sectors can affect forest cover?
Page 3
PROFOR NEWSLETTER | ISSUE ONE
Forestry in the Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges & Opportunities Despite significant international financial support to the forestry sector in the SubSaharan African countries, impacts on sustainable management and poverty alleviation are still below expectations. PROFOR, in collaboration with the World Bank’s Africa region, is helping to meet the need for a more comprehensive approach to tackling forest-related challenges and proposing strategic solutions.
Targeting Watershed Rehabilitation Investments in Turkey The Government of Turkey has become a global leader in the fight against soil erosion, investing extensively in rehabilitating degraded landscapes. Investments seek to rehabilitate badly degraded areas in areas with a prevalence of rural poverty and urban migration. Strengthening the data on the intersection of land degradation and poverty prevalence would help to ensure these investments target the right areas and improve their efficiency. West Africa Forest Strategy The Upper Guinea Forest, which covers six West African nations, is being severely threatened by commercial logging, slash-and-burn and plantation agriculture, weak governance, industrial-scale mining, and unsustainable bushmeat hunting. Civil conflict adds a further strain when refugees turn to the forests for shelter and firewood. PROFOR is supporting the World Bank’s Africa region to define a regional strategy to guide its own support (coordinating with the broader donor community) to ensure the sustainable use of forests in this sub-region, and create regional cohesion. Assessing the Potential for Forest Landscape Restoration to Contribute to Poverty Alleviation, Climate Change Mitigation & Sustainable Forest Management The focus of the international forest and climate debate is currently on avoiding further deforestation and degradation of forests in developing countries. Restoration of forests has huge potential to contribute to addressing climate change. Decision-makers, however, need to better understand the scope, extent, variation and priorities of the restoration potential.
FORESTS GOVERNANCE
Forest Governance and Law Enforcement in the Mekong Region The Mekong region is increasing its role in global timber trade and has been one focal point in the global discussion on forest governance and illegal logging. Important progress has been made to address these issues and now there is a need to develop concrete and substantive local, national and sub-regional governance programs and projects, to strengthen the reform process.
Page 4
PROFOR NEWSLETTER | ISSUE ONE
Page 5
Supporting the Development of Liberia's Chain of Custody System Developing a chain of custody (CoC) system for Liberia is a critical element of the country's efforts to introduce transparency in its commercial forestry operations, reduce the scope for illegal logging, ensure that all legitimate forest levies and charges accrue to the government and promote sustainable timber harvests. PROFOR will provide bridge funds to support the development of a credible CoC system for the country.
PROFOR is a multi-donor partnership formed to enhance forests' contribution to poverty reduction, sustainable development and protection of environmental services, through improved knowledge generation and sharing. It is supported by:
Forward this message | Request PROFOR Publications | Visit our website: www.profor.info
If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the following link: Unsubscribe Program on Forests (PROFOR), 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington DC, 20433