While there continues to be refinement in defining and assessing sustainable management, there remains the urgent need for policies that create the conditions that support sustainability and can halt or slow destructive practices already underway. Carol Colfer and her contributors maintain that standardized solutions to forest problems from afar have failed to address both human and environmental needs. Such approaches, they argue, often neglect the knowledge that local stakeholders have accumulated over generations as forest managers and do not address issues involving the diversity and well-being of groups within communities. The contributors note that these problems persist despite clear evidence that equity and social relationships, including gender roles, are important factors in the ways that communities adapt to change and manage forest resources overall. The Equitable Forest offers an alternative to traditional, externally organized strategies for forest management. Termed adaptive collaborative management (ACM), the approach tries to better acknowledge the diversity, complexity, and unpredictability of human and natural systems. ACM works to strengthen local institutions and use the knowledge and capacity of groups in local communities to enhance the health and well-being of both forests and the people who live in and around them. The Equitable Forest provides a detailed explanation of the descriptive, analytical, and methodological tools of ACM, along with accounts of early stages of its implementation in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Although the contributors make it clear that it is too soon to evaluate the efficacy of ACM, their work is supported by evidence that rural communities do make important contributions when involved in formal forest management; that management strategies are most effective when flexible and tailored to local contexts; and that efforts by outside governmental and nongovernmental organizations to support local management are feasible from the policymaking perspective, and desirable for their impact on human, economic, and environmental well-being.

It has been recognized that an important factor in improving the viability of rural livelihoods in developing countries is the promotion of sustainable agriculture. As opposed to relying solely on cash crops, this can be more easily achieved through the domestication of various indigenous fruit trees that can be cultivated and owned by smallholder farmers. Through multi-functional and integrated farming systems, these tree crops can support environmental and social sustainability by providing food as well as promoting economic growth. Twenty years ago, little was known about the biology, ecology or the social impact of indigenous fruit trees on rural populations. Since then, new concepts and approaches have been developed, case studies have been produced and the potential and feasibility of their domestication and commercialization has been explored. This focused study on the tropics brings together a comprehensive review of this research.

The large-scale extraction of natural resources for sale in capitalist markets is not a new phenomenon, but in recent years global demand for resources has increased, leading to greater attention to the role of resource extraction in the development of the exporting countries. The term neoextractivism was coined to refer to the complex of state-private sector policies intended to utilize the income from natural resources sales for development objectives and for improving the lives of a country's citizens. However, this book argues that neoextractivism is merely another conduit for capitalist development, reinforcing the position of elites, with few benefits for working people. With particular reference to the role of neoextractivism within Latin America and the Caribbean, using Guyana as a case study, the book aims to provide readers with the tools they need to critically analyze neoextractivism as a development model, identifying alternative paths for improving the human condition. This book will be of interest to academics and students in the fields of international development, political economy, sociology, and globalization, as well as to policymakers and political activists engaged in social movements in the natural resources sector.

British woodlands and forests are often located on sites and in regions that are marginal for agriculture; many are at high elevations and exposed, with short growing seasons. Wherever forests are located, site and climatic conditions must dictate species choice in forest management. This book provides a detailed guide to the biological suitability of different sites and soils for all important native trees and the most extensively used exotics. Apart from physical difficulties such as steepness and stoniness, forest soils also frequently have problems associated with them. They can be waterlogged or drought-prone, suffer from extremes of acidity or alkalinity, or have compacted layers. The book provides information on species' suitability for different purposes. It includes details of species' origin and introduction (where applicable), as well as their climatic and soil requirements and other silvicultural characteristics. Information about provenance, yield and timber is also provided. Fully updated throughout, this 3rd edition puts more emphasis on species suitable for changing climatic conditions, with accounts of several species that may become more prominent in British forests: including several silver firs, hickories, eucalypts, spruces, poplars and wingnuts. The book concludes with simple keys for identifying the trees most likely to be encountered in British forests. It is an essential resource for students, researchers and forestry professionals.

Despite carefully constructed conservation interventions, deforestation in Indonesia is not being stopped. This book identifies why large-scale international forest conservation has failed to reduce deforestation in Indonesia and considers why key stakeholders have not responded as expected to these conservation interventions. The book maps the history of deforestation in Indonesia in the context of global political economy, exploring the relationship between international trade, the interests and ideology behind global sustainability programmes and the failures of forest conservation in Indonesia. Global economic and political ideologies are shown to have profoundly shaped deforestation. The author argues that the same forces continue to prevent positive outcomes. Case study chapters analyse three major international programmes: Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), the Norway-Indonesia bilateral partnership, and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in Indonesia. The findings provide insight into the failures of global climate change policy and suggest how the book's theoretical model can be used to analyse other complex environmental problems. The book is a useful reference for students of environmental science and policy, political theory, international relations, development and economics. It will also be of interest to forestry professionals and practitioners working in NGOs.

This book is the first systematic investigation into the problem of timber trafficking in Vietnam, providing a detailed understanding of the typology of, victimization from, and key factors driving this crime. The book first reveals a multifaceted pattern of timber trafficking in Vietnam, comprising five different components: harvesting, transporting, trading, supporting, and processing. It then assesses the crime's victimization from timber trafficking. Thanks to the employment of a broad conceptual framework of human security, Cao reveals that timber trafficking has substantial harmful impacts on all seven elements of human security: economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political; whilst being closely interconnected, they vary between different groups of victims. Cao concludes by offering five solutions to better control of timber trafficking in the context of Vietnam, which crucially involve refining the current policy framework of forest governance and improving the efficiency of law enforcement. A wide-ranging and timely study, this book will hold particular appeal for scholars of green criminology and environmental harm.

This volume offers a scientific assessment of the effects of climatic variability and change on forest resources in the United States. Derived from a report that provides technical input to the 2013 U.S. Global Change Research Program National Climate Assessment, the book serves as a framework for managing U.S. forest resources in the context of climate change. The authors focus on topics having the greatest potential to alter the structure and function of forest ecosystems, and therefore ecosystem services, by the end of the 21st century. Part I provides an environmental context for assessing the effects of climate change on forest resources, summarizing changes in environmental stressors, followed by state-of-science projections for future climatic conditions relevant to forest ecosystems. Part II offers a wide-ranging assessment of vulnerability of forest ecosystems and ecosystem services to climate change. The authors anticipate that altered disturbance regimes and stressors will have the biggest effects on forest ecosystems, causing long-term changes in forest conditions. Part III outlines responses to climate change, summarizing current status and trends in forest carbon, effects of carbon management, and carbon mitigation strategies. Adaptation strategies and a proposed framework for risk assessment, including case studies, provide a structured approach for projecting and responding to future changes in resource conditions and ecosystem services. Part IV describes how sustainable forest management, which guides activities on most public and private lands in the United States, can provide an overarching structure for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

This book is written for scientists and practitioners interested in deepening their knowledge of the sustainable production of bioenergy from wood in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Utilising the value chain concept, this book outlines the necessary aspects for managing sustainable bioenergy production. A wide range of topics is covered including biomass localization, modelling and upscaling, production management in woodlands and plantations, and transport and logistics. Biomass quality and conversion pathways are examined in order to match the conversion technology with the available biomass.  A section is dedicated to issues surrounding sustainability. The issues, covered in a life-cycle assessment of the bioenergy system, include socio-economic challenges, local effects on water, biodiversity, nutrient-sustainability and global impacts. Through this holistic approach and supporting examples from tropical and sub-tropical countries, the reader is guided in designing and implementing a value chain as the main management instrument for sustainable wood.

It is increasingly recognized that the economic value of forests is not merely the production of timber. Forests provide other key ecosystem services, such as being sinks for greenhouse gases, hotspots of biodiversity, tourism and recreation. They are also vitally important in preventing soil erosion and controlling water supplies, as well as providing non-timber forest products and supporting the livelihoods of many local people. This handbook provides a detailed, comprehensive and broad coverage of forest economics, including traditional forest economics of timber production, economics of environmental role of forests, and recent developments in forest economics. The chapters are grouped into six parts: fundamental topics in forest resource economics; economics of forest ecosystems; economics of forests, climate change, and bioenergy; economics of risk, uncertainty, and natural disturbances; economics of forest property rights and certification; and emerging issues and developments. Written by leading environmental, forest, and natural resource economists, the book represents a definitive reference volume for students of economics, environment, forestry and natural resource economics and management.

Modelling is an important tool for understanding the complexity of forest ecosystems and the variety of interactions of ecosystem components, processes and values. This book describes the hybrid approach to modelling forest ecosystems and their possible response to natural and management-induced disturbance. The book describes the FORECAST family of ecosystem management models at three different spatial scales (tree, stand and landscape), and compares them with alternative models at these three spatial scales. The book will help forest managers to understand what to expect from ecosystem-based forest models; serve as a tool for use in teaching about sustainability, scenario analysis and value trade-offs in natural resources management; and assist policy makers, managers and researches working in assessment of sustainable forest management and ecosystem management. Several real-life examples of using the FORECAST family of models in forest management and other applications are presented from countries including Canada, China, Spain and the USA, to illustrate the concepts described in the text. The book also demonstrates how these models can be extended for scenario and value trade-off analysis through visualization and educational or management games.

The overarching contribution of this book is a review and assessment of the current and future impacts of globalization on the world's forests. The work has been developed by the "Resources for the Future" Task Force for the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO). Four key themes are addressed: the effect of globalization on forests (including future trade flows); plantations as the primary source of forest products and its consequences, including plant breeding and forest health; the effect of new products such as bio-products and markets on forests; and the emergence of forest ecosystem services and their impact on the landscape and human communities. These four themes are examined in detail to map out the impacts of these trends for forests throughout the world and at multiple scales, and how forest research needs to be adapted to address these trends. Overall, the volume provides a major synthesis of current thinking and knowledge on the topic for advanced students, as well as policy-makers and professionals in the forest sector.

This book provides a comprehensive, global synthesis of current knowledge on the potential and challenges associated with the multiple roles, use, management and marketing of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). There has been considerable research and policy effort surrounding NTFPs over the last two and half decades. The book explores the evolution of sentiments regarding the potential of NTFPs in promoting options for sustainable multi-purpose forest management, income generation and poverty alleviation. Based on a critical analysis of the debates and discourses it employs a systematic approach to present a balanced and realistic perspective on the benefits and challenges associated with NTFP use and management within local livelihoods and landscapes, supported with case examples from both the southern and northern hemispheres. This book covers the social, economic and ecological dimensions of NTFPs and closes with an examination of future prospects and research directions.

Changes in production, demand, supply, and trade patterns; the impact of green building and bioenergy on industry practices and policy infrastructure; and new economies with production advantages and large consumption bases all present challenges and opportunities in the forest sector. With contributions from leading experts in academia and professional organizations, The Global Forest Sector: Changes, Practices, and Prospects fills a gap in the literature that is preventing students, scholars, and policy makers from developing a timely, structured, big-picture view of forest sector business. In addition, the book reviews current thinking on a wide variety of business management issues in the forest sector.

The book covers managing change in the global forest sector and the impact of globalization on forest users. It discusses markets and market forces, new products and product categories, and the influence of China and Russia. The book then examines the environmental paradigm, including environmental activism, sustainability, and the impact of green building and bioenergy. The book concludes with coverage of the role of information technology, corporate social responsibility, innovation, and next steps.

Overall, this book helps readers both develop a bird s eye view of the changes surrounding the forest sector as well as have a magnified view of numerous managerial issues associated with these changes. The content paints a picture of the current and changing forest sector including the state of forests, the nature of markets, the newly emerged patterns of stakeholder impact, and evolution of key business practices. It provides the foundation needed to develop the conservation-based economy required for future success in the global forest sector."

The economics of forestry has always fascinated me as one of the most brain-taxing cases in economics. As an investment forestry is different from many other projects as it has unusually long gestation periods. For example, in the United Kingdom it takes over 40 years to grow coniferous and over 100 years for deciduous timber. These long gestation periods make it very clear how import ant are the magnitude of the discount rate and the method of discounting in the evaluation of investment projects. Any errors in these will misguide investors in forestry one way or the other. In addition, forestry redistributes income between gener ations. Its long gestation periods make it obvious that more than one generation will be involved in any venture. When we plant trees we know that the bulk of the benefits will be captured by future generations. Conversely, when we fell trees we reap the benefit of projects which were established in the past, mostly by generations who are long gone. So far most economists have devoted their time and energy to analysing income distribution in an intragenerational context, and this is a very sensitive and controversial issue. After all, most revolutions have taken place because of the uneven income distribution which was oppressive for the majority. Forestry helps us to study the case from the viewpoint of different generations. Forestry necessitates estimating timber prices a long time ahead."

All students, practitioners and researchers in forestry and related disciplines need a good grounding in statistics and probability. This need is increasing as techniques for gathering and analysing large amounts of data are becoming commonplace. This revised edition of this unique textbook is specifically designed for statistics and probability courses taught to students of forestry and related disciplines. It introduces probability, statistical techniques, data analysis, hypothesis testing, experimental design, sampling methods, nonparametric tests and statistical quality control, using examples drawn from a forestry, wood science and conservation context. The book now includes several new practical exercises for students to practice data analysis and experimental design themselves. It has been updated throughout, and its scope has been broadened to reflect the evolving and dynamic nature of forestry, bringing in examples from conservation science, recreation and urban forestry. - Specifically written and designed to teach statistics and probability to students of forestry and related disciplines in the natural sciences - This revised edition has been broadened to reflect the dynamism of modern forestry -Chapters in this revised edition include new practical exercises allowing students to practice data analysis and experimental design

During late 1985, the Research Management Committee (RMC) of the National Crop Loss Assessment Network (NCLAN) decided the most ap propriate way to bring the NCLAN program to a successful conclusion was to hold an international conference. It was envisaged as an opportunity to present an overview of results from the NCLAN program and as a chance to view the results in the context of ongoing research by members of the international community. * Although we wanted the Conference to have an assessment orientation, it was also intended for the Conference to focus on current state-of-knowledge. The Conference was designed to overview the needs of crop loss assessment, current approaches to assessment, progress in the development of predictive models, the use of the information for economic predictions, and the application of the data in policy decisions. Every effort was made to assure a broad representation of ideas. The Conference program was developed to evaluate major issues that address regional/national assessments of impacts of atmospheric pollutants on agricultural production. Sessions were structured to address specific issues by invited speakers, and by contributed papers and posters. First, background needs for doing loss assessment research including specific approaches and a rather detailed review of the NCLAN program were addressed (Session I). Session II addressed the needs for defining the exposure environment (e. g. extrapolating to regional concentrations and exposure characterization). Field approaches for determining crop loss were reviewed in Session III."

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change recognises that, in the formulation of a global strategy for reducing global emissions of carbon (the main factor in global warming) forests could play an important role. This book highlights that role and demonstrates how the forests of the world may be harvested judiciously and sustainably. The authors argue that the forests are more than just a source of timber and wood; they discuss the role that forests play in reducing global warming, in preventing soil erosion and in helping to minimise the loss of biodiversity. Drawing on the expertise of contributors associated with the analysis of forests, this book is an in depth and fascinating discussion as well as a policy guide for the sustainable management of forests. The book begins by considering the relevant biophysical aspects of forest management and then goes on to study the value of forests for providing carbon sinks that absorb, in part, the carbon released into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels. The book ends with a more detailed analysis of case studies in forest policy in North, Central and South America. This book will be of great interest to academics and policy groups within the many areas of environmental economics including global climate change and sustainable development.

This study, originally published in 1990, seeks to address several important policy questions associated with the ongoing depletion of forested wetlands. First, in the context of Environmental Impact Statements, should the estimated areas of impact of Federal flood-control and drainage projects on wetlands be limited to (minimal) construction impacts, or should they include impacts which occur when such projects cause private landowners to drain and clear their wetland holdings? A second crucial question is whether wetland depletion and conversion to agricultural cropland has been excessive. This title will be of interest to students of Environmental Economics and Policy.

Forest management auditing is expanding from its traditional focus on forest management, stewardship and Chain of Custody certification to more innovative topics such as ecosystem services, forest carbon credits, Non-Wood Forest Products, wood energy and Fair Trade certification. Forest managers, auditors and project developers require a new range of skills, capacities and expertise to monitor these issues. This book outlines the market-based tools that are required by such professionals to ensure corporate social responsibility in the forestry sector. It shows how a mutual learning process between established forest certification processes and innovative markets is needed. It addresses key topics such as High Conservation Value (HCV) approaches, the role of independent certification versus due diligence process and the engagement of smallholders and SMEs. Beginning with a market and policy analysis, the book fosters a deeper understanding of standards, methodologies and auditing techniques. Numerous case studies are included from a wide range of contexts, including both temperate and tropical forests in developed and developing countries. Overall, the book analyses all the steps towards forest management and forest products and services certification.

A CHOICE OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC TITLE The disappearance of China's naturally occurring forests is one of the most significant environmental shifts in the country's history, one often blamed on imperial demand for lumber. China's early modern forest history is typically viewed as a centuries-long process of environmental decline, culminating in a nineteenth-century social and ecological crisis. Pushing back against this narrative of deforestation, Ian Miller charts the rise of timber plantations between about 1000 and 1700, when natural forests were replaced with anthropogenic ones. Miller demonstrates that this form of forest management generally rested on private ownership under relatively distant state oversight and taxation. He further draws on in-depth case studies of shipbuilding and imperial logging to argue that this novel landscape was not created through simple extractive pressures, but by attempts to incorporate institutional and ecological complexity into a unified imperial state. Miller uses the emergence of anthropogenic forests in south China to rethink both temporal and spatial frameworks for Chinese history and the nature of Chinese empire. Because dominant European forestry models do not neatly overlap with the non-Western world, China's history is often left out of global conversations about them; Miller's work rectifies this omission and suggests that in some ways, China's forest system may have worked better than the more familiar European institutions. The open access publication of this book was made possible by a grant from the James P. Geiss and Margaret Y. Hsu Foundation.

This book offers information and insights into the potential of market and policy instruments in improving the state of the world's forests. It advocates the use of the concept of optimal mix of markets and policies as an approach to view the appropriate and operational roles of market and government in dealing with forestry issues. It does not offer a list of policy recommendations to be used as a general tool to combat the threats facing the world's forests. Obviously, the optimal mix of markets and policies must depend on the varying national and local conditions and, more specifically, on the level of development. The contents of this volume are organized in five Parts. Part I, Editorial Perspectives, briefly reviews the outline of the book and analyses the balanced use of markets and policies to support world forests towards sustainable forest management. Part II reviews changes and trends in society and environment outside the forest sector. After all, the evolution of forestry and forest industries is more dependent on these external changes than on changes internal to the sector. Two important aspects that may strongly affect the future of the forest sector are covered: the potential of wood biomass in replacing oil and the global freshwater outlook. Part III focuses on the importance of forests and is primarily aimed at those outside the forest sector. Current innovations in information technology and the fast removal of government regulations have enabled forest industry corporations to invest on a larger scale in optimal locations worldwide. The rapid expansion of forest plantations in the South is a response not only to globalization but also to the expanding conservationpressures in the North. Part IV is the global forum that introduces a few topical forest sector issues affecting the world as a whole. However, these tend to be very complex and can rarely be adequately covered from a single perspective. Therefore, discussants were invited to bring up additional points of view. Forests have great potential in the control of climate change. This is analyzed through both the increased use of wood for energy and the possible forestry investments by Northern nations in the South to cope with the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. The interlinkages of forests and water are also highlighted. Part V is entitled Regional Forum. Its purpose is to analyze globally relevant continental issues. Interregional studies are followed by articles focusing on Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Russian Federation. The role of the G8 economic powers in the development of the world's forests is studied from the days of imperialism to the current Action Programme on Forests, and the implementation of the programme is followed up. A number of comparative analyses of countries are presented. The impacts of globalization on the forest sector in the Russian Far East and reforms in support of sustainable forest management in Russia are the two final themes of the book.

This book is a guide for the identification of the indigenous forest trees of Uganda. It will be useful for those who wish to contribute towards the conservation of the forests or to plant indigenous trees. Information is provided on how to propagate and cultivate about 80 of the most valuable species. Indigenous trees provide numerous resources useful for welfare and development. They include many types of timber and non-timber forest products, such as craft materials, foods and medicines. The proximity of indigenous forest helps to moderate the local climate, making it more suitable for agriculture. Indigenous forests protect springs, therefore safeguarding water supplies more effectively than exotic trees such as pines and eucalyptus. All 450 known indigenous tree species from the forests are included. Both scientific and local names are provided, the latter in 21 languages. Local names facilitate access to knowledge and values traditionally attached to the species, useful when planning pathways of development firmly rooted in local culture. The book will be invaluable for botanists, foresters, rural development workers and members of the general public concerned about contributing to conservation and sustainable development in Uganda. Many of the species grow in neighbouring countries, so the book has relevance there too.

Boycotting tropical timber reduces its economic value and provides an incentive to burn down forests, making them available for subsequent agricultural use or livestock farming. In contrast, a certification scheme for sustainably produced timber (tropical or non-tropical) protects the forests by raising their economic value. Examined here the impact of a certification scheme on German demand for tropical timber. A partial-equilibrium model is developed for the German tropical timber market as a whole as well as for five important submarkets representing 50% of the total demand. The results reveal that a credible certification scheme can induce a significant expansion of demand for sustainably produced tropical timber. This holds true for a scheme restricted to Germany as well as for an OECD-wide approach.

Increasing concern surrounding the loss of natural forests and the decline in biodiversity has lead to a rise in research and policy initiatives in recent years. However, interest has focused primarily on lowland tropical rainforests. Tropical montane and temperate rainforests, which face similar pressures from human activities and play major roles in the livelihood of rural communities, are often ignored.
Biodiversity Loss and Conservation in Fragmented Forest Landscapes is the product of over ten years of intensive field research into the changing montane and temperate rainforests of Mexico and South America. By concentrating on these largely overlooked environments, the studies reported allow for comparative analysis across areas and help identify how human disturbance has impacted the biodiversity of all forest types. Chapters incorporate features of landscape ecology, floristic biodiversity, conservation and policy and vary from in-depth investigations of a single study area to integrated examinations across regions.

Forests cover approximately 26% of the world's land surface area and represent a distinct biotic community. They interact with water and soil in a variety of ways, providing canopy surfaces which trap precipitation and allow evaporation back into the atmosphere, thus regulating how much water reaches the forest floor as through fall, as well as pull water from the soil for transpiration. The discipline "forest hydrology" has been developed throughout the 20th century. During that time human intervention in natural landscapes has increased, and land use and management practices have intensified. This book: - Presents cutting edge thinking and assessments in forest hydrology across all latitudes and terrains, including state-of-the-art modelling techniques and methodologies - Describes the latest challenges facing forest hydrology, such as increased occurrence of disturbance, due to extreme floods, drought, disease, and fire, potentially caused by climate change - Is written by an internationally renowned team of scientists, engineers, and managers to give a well-rounded review of the subject The book will be useful for graduate students, professionals, land managers, practitioners, and researchers with a good understanding of the basic principles of hydrology and hydrologic processes.