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KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

FORESTS, DESERTS, LAND

This page was updated on: 01/13/10

STRENGTHENING THE WEAKEST LINKS: STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS GLOBALLY

(Conservation International – Center for Conservation and Government, September 2004) In this study authored by Anita Akella and Jim Cannon, Conservation International's Center for Conservation and Government examines four biodiversity hotspots—Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and the Philippines—and presents the first quantitative evidence of how poor environmental enforcement is in nations that are wealthy in natural resources. The authors demonstrate the economic rewards for breaking environmental laws; for example, illegal loggers in the Atlantic forest in Brazil can make US$75 for each tree they harvest, but face a fine of only US$6.44. The traditional response to poor enforcement has been to hire and equip more park guards and raise fines. However, the authors conclude that this strategy is ineffective by itself because it does not address the entire enforcement chain—detection, arrest, prosecution, conviction and penalty. To improve enforcement, the whole system must be strengthened in an integrated way. According to Akella and Cannon, the steps that come after arrests often constitute the weakest link. The study argues that the laws need to be more realistic, fair, and fairly enforced. Families must have other sources of income, the public must be educated about why such measures are important, and steps must be taken to reduce the demand for illegal products. To request a free electronic copy of this article in a pdf file, please e-mail Ingrid Neubauer.

"DRYLANDSCOPE" SUSTAINABLE DRYLANDS MANAGEMENT WEBSITE

(2004) Drylandscope is a sustainable drylands management reference and networking website that offers users access to information through its eLibrary and forums on the following topics: soils, natural systems, managed systems, tools and equipment, hydrology, landscape level considerations, and livestock. The site contains a lengthy list of relevant web sources and resources, and invites users to submit additional content. The website.

REPORTS TO THE CCD COP/CRIC

(UNCCD, 2004) A number of new reports submitted to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification's Conference of the Parties (COP) and the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC) are now available on the CCD's website. The reports detail how affected and developed country Parties, UN organizations and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations have carried out their commitments under the Convention, as called for in Article 26 of the Convention. The reports. http://www.unccd.int/cop/reports/menu.php

WEBSITE ON ILLEGAL LOGGING AND THE TRADE IN ILLEGAL TIMBER

(RIIA 2004) The Sustainable Development Programme of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA) in London, with funding from the UK Department for International Development, has launched a new website designed to act as a central point of information on all aspects of the international debate on illegal logging and the trade in illegal timber. The site links to news stories, documents from research institutes, governments, international institutions and NGOs working on the topic, and briefings on all aspects of national and international efforts to stem illegal forest practices. The website.
 

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW: A GUIDE TO DRAFTING SUSTAINABLE SOILS LEGISLATION

(IUCN-World Conservation Union 2004) This IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Paper, authored by Ian Hannam and Ben Boer, offers a resource for States as they endeavor to reform legislation and institutions to protect and manage soils. The 100+ page guide highlights the need for national soil policy, sets out the elements of a soil management plan, and proposes legal and institutional elements that specifically address the needs of disadvantaged people, particularly women. The Paper responds to the World Summit on Sustainable Development's recognition of the importance of promoting programmes for the environmentally sound, effective and efficient use of soil fertility. It also responds to Resolution 2.59 from the 2nd IUCN World Conservation Congress, which called on IUCN to "prepare guidelines and explanatory material relating to principles and elements of national legislation and policy to assist States to manage their specific soil degradation and land degradation problems." The paper.

DEADWOOD – LIVING FORESTS: THE IMPORTANCE OF VETERAN TREES AND DEADWOOD TO BIODIVERSITY

(WWF, October 2004) Written by Nigel Dudley, Equilibrium, and Daniel Vallauri, WWF France, this report outlines how deadwood keeps forests productive by providing organic matter and nutrients for trees, preventing soil erosion, and providing long-term storage for carbon, and cautions that deadwood is at a critically low level, mainly due to a lack of recognition for its importance and inappropriate forest management practices. The authors call on European governments, forest owners and industry to help conserve biodiversity by increasing the amount of deadwood in managed forests, by up to 20-30 cubic meters per hectare by 2030. They also call for an end to subsidies that require the removal of deadwood. The report. http://panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/forests/news/news.cfm?uNewsID=15890

GLOBAL FOREST INFORMATION SERVICE (GFIS)

This Internet gateway provides access to various types of information resources regarding forests and trees through partnership with information providers. The current version of GFIS allows users to locate forest related information through a single entry point and holds more than 120,000 metadata records contributed by 60 forestry institutions. Users can locate maps, datasets, web resources, journal articles, books and other resources. GFIS was launched at the XII World Forestry Congress held in Quebec, Canada in September 2003, and in May 2004 it was endorsed as a new joint Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) initiative. For more information or to initiate a search.

FINAL REPORT OF THE WORKSHOP TO DEVELOP A REGIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH PROGRAM IN THE CONGO BASIN 

(ITTO, October 2004) The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) prepared this document, which is the final report of the implementation of the International Tropical Timber Council's decision on "Promotion of sustainable forest management in the Congo Basin." The decision called for a workshop to develop a regional applied research programme and to identify appropriate implementation approaches for this programme through existing entities, initiatives and networks. The report reviews regional research in the field of moist dense forest management in Central Africa, assesses forestry research capacity in Central Africa, and describes a pilot study on the social, environmental and economic sustainability of industrial concessions in the Congo Basin. The report.

ANNUAL REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF THE WORLD TIMBER SITUATION, 2003

(ITTO, August 2004) This review is produced by the Secretariat of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). It compiles international statistics on global timber production and trade, with an emphasis on the tropics. It uses information submitted by ITTO member countries, through the Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire, as its primary data source. The review is divided into sections on market developments, production, trade and prices of primary products, secondary processed wood products, and country notes. The review.

GOVERNMENT BAROMETER

(WWF, September 2004) The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) updated its ratings of EU governments' commitments and actions to combat illegal logging and trade on 16 September 2004. This newest rating includes seven of the new EU member states, bringing the total to 19 EU countries examined in WWF's effort to draw attention to EU governments' actions against illegal logging and forest crime. While most countries are still failing to take effective action on illegal logging at a national level, the report indicates that 16 of 19 countries are ready to outlaw illegal logging Europe-wide and 15 governments are ready to tackle illegal logging in the new member states and candidate countries. Only the UK was rated as "satisfactory" on domestic measures to tackle illegal logging and related trade. Since the last evaluation in April, Germany has made "significant improvement" and the UK, Denmark and France have made "slight improvement." The Government Barometer.

THE IAF AT THE CROSSROADS: TOUGH CHOICES AHEAD

(WWF Forests for Life Program, September 2004) Bill Mankin authored this discussion paper in preparation for the UN Forum on Forests' Ad Hoc Expert Group on Consideration with a View to Recommending the Parameters of a Mandate for Developing a Legal Framework on All Types of Forests (AHEG-PARAM), which met in New York from 7-10 September 2004. Mankin reviews strengths and weaknesses of the existing International Arrangement on Forests (IAF), with successes including inter-sessional meetings and initiatives and the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) and failures including the UNFF's mandate to facilitate the implementation of the IPF/IFF Proposals for Action, major group participation and reporting. He urges governments to be open-minded and creative as they explore options to revitalize the IAF and presents a number of ideas for their consideration, including: shifting an important part of the central Forum's work to regional and country-led initiatives; holding sessions of the central Forum outside of New York and Geneva; facilitating broader and more substantive involvement by major groups; drawing key national-level actors into all parts of the IAF process; restructuring central Forum sessions so they convene once every two years, with negotiations taking place once every four years; facilitating more effective, creative and collaborative reporting; and exploring the establishment of an IAF financial mechanism or a more formal link with the GEF. The paper.

REPORT OF THE FOREST INVESTMENT FORUM
(PROFOR, July 2004) This text stems from a meeting that took place from 22-23 October 2003 in Washington, DC that explored opportunities for private sector companies, the World Bank, the IFC and other financial institutions to invest in sustainable forest enterprises in developing and economic transition countries and to create an enabling environment for responsible private sector investment. The meeting report includes the forum organizers' outcome statement, a summary of discussions, and an analysis of opportunities and key constraints to environmentally and socially responsible private sector investment in the forest sector. The meeting recognized the primary importance of sustainable forests management in realizing the potential of forests in poverty alleviation, sustainable development, protection of environmental services of both local and global importance, and providing products that improve quality of life. The meeting agreed that containing illegal logging operations and forest corruption are essential prerequisites to achieving sustainability, recognized the importance of involving both local communities and governments to ensure that initiatives being discussed contribute to National Forest Development Plans, and noted the role of organizations and intergovernmental groups such as FAO, UNFF, and ITTO. The report.

POLICY ADVICE ON OPTIONS FOR A LEGALLY BINDING INSTRUMENT FOR ALL FORESTS

(University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna and RIIA, May 2004) The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality commissioned this paper with the objective of assisting delegates to further develop their position in the ongoing intergovernmental discussions on a legally binding instrument for all types of forests. The paper's three authors, Helga Pülzl, Ewald Rametsteiner and Richard Tarasofsky, were asked to offer a legal analysis of a specified number of types of legally binding instruments (LBI) (treaty, convention, framework convention, protocol, regime, agreement), analyze a range of specified existing legal instruments in terms of their history as well as their legal and institutional differences (CBD, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, UNFCCC, UNCCD, Ramsar Convention, CITES, ITTA, IPF/IFF/UNFF process, and WTO), and identify choices and options and their respective advantages and disadvantages.

The authors find that there is no intrinsic legal hierarchy between the types of LBI, but suggest that what is important are the details negotiated and agreed between governments. They find that there is no clear guidance on how an international instrument should be structured, indicating that negotiators have a wide latitude in developing institutions, contents and procedures as they feel appropriate. On the question of forests, the authors highlight three strategic choices that negotiations should make, ideally prior to decisions on a number of functional options that they also outline. The strategic choices encompass the instrument's main aim, content and scope. The functional options concern the type of instrument to use, institutions and auxiliary bodies to choose as well as procedural mechanisms to agree on. The text.

THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION (UNCCD): A CARRYING PILLAR IN THE GLOBAL COMBAT AGAINST LAND DEGRADATION AND FOOD INSECURITY

(UNCCD, JULY 2004) This paper was prepared by members of the UNCCD Secretariat as background for the San Rossore meeting "Climate change: a new global vision," which took place in Pisa, Italy in July 2004. The paper reviews linkages between land degradation and desertification and food insecurity, and identifies coping strategies and policy challenges. It describes the UNCCD's approach to combating land degradation and mitigating the effects of drought, including food insecurity. Finally, it suggests the field of forests and forest ecosystems as an area in which the concerns of all three Rio Conventions can be addressed and proposes cooperation and fostering synergies through the development of projects in this field. The paper can be accessed at http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/publications/docs/rossore-jul04.pdf

THREE PUBLICATIONS ON HARVESTED WOOD PRODUCTS

(July/August 2004) Three reports have recently been published on the complex issue of harvested wood products under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. The first, Harvested Wood Products – A Beginning Guide to Key Issues, was prepared by New Zealand climate change expert Murray Ward. The report is intended as a primer for those following the climate change negotiations who are not necessarily experts on carbon sinks and land use, land-use change and forestry issues. Ward seeks to put the issue in the broader policy context, and considers some possible approaches for accounting for harvested wood products beyond the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period. A second recent paper on the same subject has also been prepared in recent weeks. Approaches for inclusion of harvested wood products in future greenhouse gas inventories under the UNFCCC, and their consistency with the overall UNFCCC inventory reporting framework, was prepared by K. Pingoud, B. Schlamadinger and several other experts from various institutions in Europe, North America, and Australia. A third paper, by Daniel L. Martino of Uruguayan environmental services company Carbosur, is entitled A Negative View of Dakar Approaches for Reporting and Accounting Carbon in Harvested Wood Products. All three reports were released ahead of a planned UNFCCC workshop on the subject taking place in Lillehammer, Norway from 30 August to 1 September.

Links to further information

Ward's paper can be accessed via e-mail

Martino's paper can be requested by e-mail

The report by Pingoud et al

UNFCCC Secretariat's harvested wood products website

THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST: A REFERENCE GUIDE FOR CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

(Daniel & Daniel, 2004) This reference guide provides among other things detailed data on the state of the forests in Russia's Far Eastern region. The 486 page guide, which includes contributions from over 90 scientists, contains: maps and brief descriptions of the region's protected areas and conservation hotspots; analyses of the forestry, fisheries, oil and gas, and mining sectors; and information on indigenous peoples, legal issues, major conservation issues, forest investment and trade, sustainable development. and much more. More information is available at: http://www.rfebook.com/

WHO CONSERVES THE WORLD'S FORESTS? COMMUNITY-DRIVEN STRATEGIES TO PROTECT FORESTS AND RESPECT RIGHTS
(July 2004, Forest Trends and Ecoagriculture Partners) This paper's authors, Augusta Molnar, Sara J. Scherr and Arvind Khare, pooled research from scientists and found that local communities are spending at least US$1.2 billion to US$2.6 billion per year on forest management and conservation activities, which is approximately the annual budget that developing countries spend on protected areas and two to three times the amount of ODA for conservation of protected forests worldwide. The authors argue that this situation creates opportunities to achieve biodiversity conservation through pro-poor policies and forest based livelihood activities, suggesting that indigenous peoples and other residents in regions of great biodiversity should be given a larger role in policymaking and greater recognition for their contributions to conservation, as well as strengthened rights to produce and sell forest products. The authors suggest that, "With a modest level of financial and other support, community conservation efforts could be increasingly effective and sustained with a very high return to the planet."

Forest Trends released this paper during the 26-30 July 2004 negotiations of the renewal of the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA). The ITTA 1994 carries a reference encouraging member governments to consider the interests of local communities in developing their timber industry. However that reference had been dropped going into the July 2004 negotiations, and negotiations for the successor agreement are taking place against the backdrop of a policy shift that has seen a more than doubling of the amount of land under ownership or management of local communities over the last 15 years. The paper can be downloaded from: http://www.forest-trends.org/resources/pdf/Who%20Conserves%2007-23.pdf

VIEWS OF COUNTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ON ISSUES BEFORE THE UNFF AD HOC EXPERT GROUP ON A LEGAL FRAMEWORK
(UNFF, 2004) In preparation for its September 2004 meeting, the UNFF Secretariat has made available compilations of member States' and organizations' views on the issues before the Ad Hoc Expert Group on Consideration with a view to Recommending the Parameters of a Mandate for Developing a Legal Framework on all Types of Forests. These documents comprise submissions from 13 members States and two members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF). The member States who submitted views include Burundi, Canada, Egypt, the EU, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Switzerland and the US. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) submitted views as members of the CPF. The documents can be accessed through http://www.un.org/esa/forests/adhoc-legal.html

PRESERVING OUR COMMON GROUND: UNCCD 10 YEARS ON
(UNCCD Secretariat, 2004) The UNCCD Secretariat prepared this magazine to coincide with the 17 June 2004 celebration of the UNCCD's 10th anniversary. The text consists of a number of articles, commencing with reviews of the Convention's ten years and contribution to sustainable development by Kofi Annan, Maurice Strong and Hama Arba Diallo, among others. Additional articles include discussions of the Secretariat and Global Mechanism and the experience of Italy. It is available in English and French at: http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/publications/menu.php

MUNICIPAL FOREST MANAGEMENT IN LATIN AMERICA
(Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), 2003) This text, edited by Lyes Ferroukhi, uses case studies from Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua to analyze the trend among local municipal governments to establish offices and commissions to address forestry and environmental issues. The contributors illustrate that local governments and populations are becoming increasingly involved in decision-making on issues that affect forest use and management, and that decentralization "from below" has taken root. The book concludes, however, that real decentralized forest management "is still an incipient process that will require much more time, political will and institutional and social agreements if its positive effects are to become generalized." To download the text visit http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/Books/municipal_forest.pdf

WHO PAYS FOR AND WHO BENEFITS FROM IMPROVED TIMBER HARVESTING PRACTICES IN THE TROPICS? LESSONS LEARNED AND INFORMATION GAPS
(CIFOR, 2004) In this study, authors Grahame Applegate, Francis E. Putz and Laura K. Snook analyze four components of improved timber harvesting practices (stock and topographic mapping, directional felling, road planning and construction, and skid trail and road closure) on the basis of who pays the costs of implementation and who derives the benefits over both short and long terms. The objective of this study is to aid efforts to identify which improved timber harvesting practices may require incentives and which can be considered the responsibility of the timber harvesting company or contractor. To download the study, visit: http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/Books/Who_Pays_for.pdf

UNCCD WEB SITE MAKEOVER
The website for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) took on a new look on 8 June 2004. In addition, in preparation for the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the convention on 17 June 2004, information highlighting this event has been added, along with links to the latest documents released by the Secretariat. The website can be accessed at http://www.unccd.int

THE CONTRIBUTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES TO THE FIGHT AGAINST DESERTIFICATION
(June 2004, UNCCD Secretariat) This report, prepared by ENDA TM Energy Programmes and financially supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), discusses "lessons learned from projects and programmes promoting the use of renewable energy to improve access to water and the sustainable use of biomass in the Sahel." Major lessons presented in this 25-page paper include: concentrating more on wood substitution options and methods of securing rational energy use is paramount; photovoltaic and wind pumping have garnered the most encouraging results in terms of thwarting desertification by broadening access to water; and it is vital to effectively combine the development of renewable energies, the promotion of income-generating activities and the fight against desertification and poverty. The paper also proposes a strategy for developing countries exposed to the effects of desertification during the International Conference on Renewable Energies, held in Bonn, Germany from 1-4 June 2004. It can be accessed at http://www.unccd.int/misc/renewables/issues-energies-eng.pdf

ILLEGAL LOGGING, CONFLICT AND THE BUSINESS SECTOR IN INDONESIA
(Adelphi Research and InWEnt - Capacity Building International, December 2003) This 80-page report by Esther Schroeder-Wildberg and Alexander Carius of Adelphi Research considers four main questions: how extensive is illegal logging in Indonesia; what are the social, environmental, and conflict impacts of current logging patterns; what role do forestry businesses play in forest-related conflicts; and what types of policy measures and instruments are available for addressing illegal logging, related conflicts, and business sector involvement? The report's conclusions include the finding that "conflict prevention in Indonesia has to go beyond measures that address only the business sector, such as the promotion of stakeholder meetings and awareness in companies, to deal with larger structural conditions, such as regulation of timber industry, law enforcement, land rights, and codes of conduct (accountability and transparency)." The report also details the proceedings of an expert workshop on "Environment for Peace: The Role of the Business Sector," for which the report was originally prepared. The report can be accessed at: http://www.adelphi-research.de/projektberichte/Logging_final.pdf

HAMBURGER CONNECTION FUELS AMAZON DESTRUCTION: CATTLE RANCHING AND DEFORESTATION IN BRAZIL'S AMAZON
(Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), 2004) In this CIFOR report, David Kaimowitz, Benoit Mertens, Sven Wunder and Pablo Pacheco describe the link between the increase in deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon and the growth in international demand for Brazilian beef. They offer recommendations in four policy areas: make progress in land tenure regulation, which will require political will, appropriate levels of fund and more efficient institutional mechanisms for keeping ranchers from illegally occupying government lands; restrict road projects outside developed regions; formally register government owned lands as National Forests; and provide economic incentives to maintain land as forest. The authors suggest that the international community must be prepared to provide additional support to the Brazilian government's efforts to accomplish this final objective. The report can be accessed at http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/media/Amazon.pdf

REFORMING FOREST FISCAL SYSTEMS: AN OVERVIEW OF COUNTRY APPROACHES AND EXPERIENCES
(2004, PROFOR) This publication contains the workshop proceedings from the International Workshop on Reform of Forest Fiscal Systems, which took place in Washington DC from 19-21 October 2003. Participants at this meeting discussed the political economy of forest fiscal reforms and participants from seven countries - Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ghana, Honduras, Indonesia and Nicaragua - shared their experiences in the reform process. In addition to the workshop proceedings, this publication also contains the background papers prepared by Cambodia, Cameroon, Ghana, Honduras and Indonesia for the Workshop. The Workshop was organized and funded by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), the Program on Forests (PROFOR), UK Department for International Development (DFID), and the World Bank Institute (WBI). To access the proceedings visit http://www.profor.info/pubs/financing_SFM.html

CERTIFICATION IN COMPLEX SOCIO-POLITICAL SETTINGS: LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT DECADE
(Forest Trends, 2004) In this paper, Michael Richards, with contributions from Marcus Colchester, Andre de Freitas, Mikhail Karpachevskiy, Henry Moreno Sanjines, Saskia Ozinga, Mike Packer, and Andrei Ptichnikov, reviews the impacts and problems of forest certification in countries with weak forest governance and socio-political complexities. Among the key priorities and recommendations for certification identified in the paper are: finding a balance between certification efforts and establishing the policy and governance "pre-conditions" for sustainable forestry management and certification; developing markets for environmental services, such as carbon, water and biodiversity, and non-timber forest products and lesser-known species; encouraging the development of national certified product buyer groups, at least in middle income developing countries; and continuing to promote socially and environmentally responsible policies in the corporate and financial sectors. Richards' paper can be accessed at http://www.forest-trends.org/resources/pdf/Complex%20Settings.pdf. This paper is one of a series of reviews that cover challenges for the continued growth of certification to impact sustainable forestry. Each chapter attempts to gather as many cases as possible and to include a large number of contributors. The reviews and case studies are available at: http://www.foresttrends.org/whoweare/publications.htm

ECONOMICS OF SEQUESTERING CARBON IN THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
(US Department of Agriculture, March 2004) This technical bulletin by the Economic Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture presents the results of an analysis of the performance of alternative incentive designs and payment levels if US farmers were paid to adopt land uses and management practices that raise soil carbon levels. The report finds that: agriculture can provide low-cost opportunities to sequester additional carbon in soils and biomass; different sequestration activities studied become economically feasible at different carbon prices; and the estimated economic potential to sequester carbon is lower than previously estimated technical potential. The report also finds that an incentive system with both payments for carbon sequestration and charges for carbon emissions may be more cost effective than a system with payments only. The report can be downloaded at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/tb1909/

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP ON FORESTS AND NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAMME FACILITY ON-LINE FORUM
The Collaborative Partnership on Forests and the National Forest Programme Facility has established an online forum for the exchange of information, ideas and experiences concerning funding of forest-related projects. Fund seekers are encouraged to use the forum to enhance their search process and to increase their skills in soliciting funding. Grant making bodies are encouraged to post news and advice for potential applicants. More information is available at: http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/webview/pageview.jsp?pageId=25608&langId=1. The forum is accessible in English at: http://www.fao.org/forestry/site/17261/en and French at: http://www.fao.org/forestry/site/17261/fr

SMART ALLIANCE: HOW A GLOBAL CORPORATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS TRANSFORMED A TARNISHED BRAND
(Yale University Press, April 2004) Written by Gary Taylor and Patricia Scharlin, this book highlights how Chiquita, a global corporation, and the Rainforest Alliance, an environmental nonprofit organization, worked together to transform Chiquita's corporate reputation by improving conditions for its workers, minimizing the environmental impact of its farms, and conserving the rainforest surrounding its plantations. Through a chronicle of Chiquita's revolutionary and successful transformation, the authors present a new model of corporate behavior at a time when corporate responsibility is a major public concern, and certification of agricultural products by environmental organizations, a central part of the Chiquita story, is becoming an important tool for consumers who care about responsible corporate practices. This book will be available on 15 April in North America and in May in other parts of the world. More information is available at: http://www.smartalliance-online.com

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP UNSUSTAINABLE AND ILLEGAL HARVESTING
(WWF, April 2004) WWF has launched this online guide on how to buy, sell, and trade timber and wood products responsibly to help stop practices such as illegal logging. It offers practical guidance for each of the following actor groups: consumers; forest companies; traders; retailers; local and national governments; builders, architects and designers; and financial institutions. It also offers links to overviews on threatened timber species and to news items on forest management and trade. To access the guide visit: http://www.panda.org/forests/goodwood

DROUGHT ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION PORTAL

Launched by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), this portal contains drought-related information, studies, news and resources for the southwest Asia region. The portal was initiated as part of a research project launched by IWMI on World Water Day, 22 March 2004, which aims to unite the scientific community and civil society organizations across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan and to find ways to mitigate the effects of the region's recurrent droughts. The website is located at: http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/droughtassessment/index.asp

CONGO BASIN FOREST PARTNERSHIP

The Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) recently launched a multilingual website to facilitate communication, cooperation and coordination among partners, as well as to respond to the public's interest in the Congo Basin's forest and environment. The site includes a description of the partnership, a calendar of events, partnership news updates, contact information and links for partners and to other organizations active in economic development, forest management, and environment in the Congo Basin. The website is located at: http://www.cbfp.org

CLOUD FOREST AGENDA
(UNEP-WCMC, 2004) Philip Bubb, Ian May, Lera Miles, and Jeff Sayer authored this six-chapter text, which offers the first mapping of the extent and importance of cloud forests. It is a project of the Mountain Cloud Forest Initiative, comprising the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and International Hydrological Programme (IHP), and the Commission on Ecosystem Management of IUCN–The World Conservation Union. The report notes that the Earth's "cloud forests" – unique mountain habitats that supply water to millions of people – are at risk from climate change and a host of other threats, according to a new report. The forests, which are found mostly in Asia and Latin America, also host thousands of rare species of flora and fauna and are considered critical to the livelihoods of millions of people in the developing world. The report calls for improved monitoring and conservation of cloud forests and highlights the need for local and national organizations to take a leading role as champions of cloud forests. The PDF version is available at http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/forest/cloudforest/presspack/Clouds%20final%20LR.pdf

FOREST CERTIFICATION WATCH: 2003 YEAR IN REVIEW
(Forest Certification Watch, 2004) This two-volume report, edited by Jean-Pierre Kiekens, is Forest Certification Watch's sixth annual report covering prominent developments in North America (Volume I) and Europe, Oceania and the Tropics (Volume II).  The text is based on reports and research published in the monthly newsletter "Forest Certification Watch," and chronicles, among others, the forest certification programmes and growth of certified forest areas worldwide, as well as the new wave of procurement policies in the US, including by Home Depot and Time Inc. For more information see http://www.CertificationWatch.org

If you would like to submit details of
recently published documents and online resources,
send a message to
Diego Noguera, IISD

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