in the trenches/forests

 

5. New in the Literature

In the past year, important forest initiatives were launched by two global forest conservation organizations. Recently, both groups published reports which detail the strategy behind these initiatives, and in so doing provided excellent introductions to the latest issues in forest policy and science.

World Resources Institute -- The Last Frontier Forests: Ecosystems & Economies on the Edge

From World Resources Institute comes this status report on the world's remaining large, natural forest ecosystems. There is a heavy emphasis on data and statistics in this report, much of it based on information gathered by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. There are statistics on global and regional forest cover and rates of destruction, maps of forest cover and type for every continent, and graphs and charts on tropical forest depletion, consumption of wood and paper products, and threats from different human activities. This report also provides a good discussion of the critical differences between natural forests and other forest types (secondary forests, plantations) and a description of the many threats currently facing all forest types. WRI is putting significant resources into its new Forest Frontiers Initiative, and this and other reports from WRI are critical reading for anyone interested in global forest conservation. Order this report from WRI.

World Wildlife Fund -- Forests For Life 1996 Annual Report

This is the first annual report published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on global forests, a reflection of the importance of its new Forests For Life initiative. The report provides a map and statistics on global forests, but the focus of the report is on regional conditions. For each of the continents, the report provides information on forest cover, protected areas, and forest certification zones. It also profiles significant developments in selected countries, including the establishment of new forest protected areas, major international funding developments, and changes in national forest management policies. Finally, the report covers the latest developments in intergovernmental agreements and treaties, and the important emerging trends towards forest certification and the creation of buyer's groups of corporations committed to sustainable forestry. (Download the PDF version or order hardcopies of original publications from WWF.) These last two topics are the focus of a WWF- sponsored international conference on sustainable forestry being held in San Francisco on May 8-10. Conference information available.

 

Certification of Forest Products: Issues and Perspectives EDITED BY: Virgilio Viana, Jamison Ervin, Richard Donovan, Chris Elliott, and Henry Gholz PRICE: Hardcover, $40.00 Paperback, $25.00 ISBN: Hardcover, 1-55963-493-6 Paperback, 1-55963-494-4 Published 1996 by Island Press. (Order this book from Island Press.) 320 pages.

One of the most innovative consumer-based approaches to addressing deforestation is forest product certification. Products derived from forests that have been managed and harvested in a sustainable manner are certified as such, thus creating a positive incentive for improving forest management practices around the world. This volume presents an overview of the mechanics, background, and implications of voluntary certification programs. Among the topics considered are: the development of market-based conservation initiatives, elements involved in certification, biological aspects of forest auditing, implications of forest product certification, and the importance of cooperation among all parties involved. The book traces the history of certification, the development of an internationally-agreed upon set of forest management principles, and the various certification efforts currently underway. In addition to providing the most current information on the certification process itself, it includes a valuable discussion and analysis of the social and political context in which certification must function.

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Processes in Tropical Forests

EDITED BY: G.H. Orians, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; R. Dirzo, University of Mexico, Mexico; J.H. Cushman, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA (Eds.) PRICE: Hardcover $79.95 ISBN: 3-540-59275-X Published 1996 by Springer-Verlag. (Order this book from Springer-Verlag) Approx. 232 pp. 18 figs. 13 tabs.

Although biologists have directed much attention to estimating the extent and causes of species losses, the consequences for ecosystem functioning have been little studied. This book examines the impact of biodiversity on ecosystem processes in tropical forests -- one of the most species-rich and, at the same time, most endangered ecosystems on earth. It covers the relationships between biodiversity and primary production, secondary production, biogeochemical cycles, soil processes, plant life forms, responses to disturbance and resistance to invasion. The analyses focus on the key ecological interfaces where the loss of keystone species is most likely to influence the rate and stability of ecosystem processes.

Forestry, Economics and the Environment

EDITED BY: W. L. ADAMOWICZ, University of Alberta, Canada, P. BOXALL, Northern Forestry Center, Alberta, Canada, M. K. LUCKERT, University of Alberta, Canada, W. E. PHILLIPS, University of Alberta, Canada, and W. A. WHITE, Northern Forestry Center, Alberta, Canada PRICE: $65.00 ISBN: 0-85198-982-9 Published May 1996 Oxford University Press. ( Order this book from Oxford University Press.) 296 pp., 30 illus.:

Global interest in forest conservation, biodiversity preservation, and non-timber values has risen while pressures on the forest as a source of income and employment have also increased. These demands are often conflicting, making forest planning, allocation and policy formation very complex. This volume explores theoretical and applied issues surrounding forest resource allocation. The book is divided into three sections: (1) Tropical Forests: Environment, Economics and Trade, (2) Non-Timber Valuation: Theory and Application, and (3) Ecosystem Management. The first section focuses on tropical forests, examining the conflict between global environmental concerns about these regions and local economic objectives. The chapters in this section examine mechanisms for capturing or optimizing total (timber and non-timber) economic value from tropical forests and the implications of forest policy on global trade in forest products and production from tropical forest regions. The second section examines non-timber values, particularly existence or passive use values, which are important in planning and policy decisions but which employ highly controversial techniques. This section examines theoretical advances in non-timber valuation and presents case studies employing state of the art techniques. The third section considers ecosystem management, a concept that promotes the use of forest harvesting practices that mimic natural disturbance patterns. The impact of ecosystem management on timber and non-timber values is largely unknown.

More on Forests:
Table of Contents | Twelve Hundred Words or Less... | Web Resources
Activist Groups | Voices | New in the Literature
Hotspots | On the Other Hand... | Funders