Review Article
The ecology and management of the Miombo woodlands for sustainable livelihoods in southern Africa: the case for non-timber forest productsBACKGROUNDOpen access copy available |
Restoration of Degraded Tropical Forest LandscapesBACKGROUNDForest loss and degradation negatively affect rural communities whose livelihoods are dependent on forests for ecological goods and services. To address the challenge, three solutions have been proposed, expanding networks of protected areas, improving agricultural productivity on abandoned lands and reforestation. Of the three, new approaches to restoration have shown to have the potential to address forest degradation and rural poverty. Available with subscription or purchase |
Maximizing Seed Resources for Restoration in an Uncertain FutureBackgroundForest loss is being experienced in many parts of the globe. Seed based plant restoration is now the goal of many land management agencies. There is a growing demand for seed to meet these restoration projects. The effects of climate change on seed availability, viability and the success of these restoration projects is still unknown. Open access copy available |
The Evolution of International Policy on REDD+BACKGROUNDThe article traces the background and history of REDD+ starting from gaps identified in the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol (i.e. the lack of projects to reduce emissions due to deforestation in developing countries), to the early beginning of RED or reduced emissions from deforestation, and finally to its evolution as embedded in the Paris Agreement of 2015 as REDD+ (Article 5). Available with subscription or purchase |
Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+): game changer or just another quick fix?BACKGROUNDThe article provides an extensive review of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in terms of its promise of multiple co-benefits as well as the various challenges it faces in its implementation. It features the Norway-Indonesia REDD+ as the most recent case study and examines whether it holds true to its name as a breakthrough mechanism in reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) build-up in the atmosphere primarily due to the unabated carbon emissions and tropical deforestation. Available with subscription or purchase |
Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in Latin America: Analysing the performance of 40 case studiesBackgroundPayment of Ecosystem Services (PES), which encourages landowners improve land management through market incentives, has been implemented around the world since the 1990s. This high investment requires an analysis of PES schemes and their outcomes. Goals & MethodsThe goal of the paper is to inform policy and provide decisions makers with insights on PES in order to aid in future design and ensure the success of initiatives. To do this, the authors review 40 cases of PES throughout Latin America based on a consistent set of criteria. Open access copy available |
Have integrated landscape approaches reconciled societal and environmental issues in the tropics?BackgroundThe author cite that while there has been growing recognition of intergrated landscape approaches, which aims to enhance environmental and social outcomes, there is still a lack of understanding. There has been suggestions that these approaches have been undertherorized and a lack of evidence of its effectiveness. Open access copy available |
Vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change in Central America and Mexico: current knowledge and research gapsBackgroundThis article recognizes that smallholder farmers are both critical to the global agricultural sector yet are one of the most vulnerable populations to climate change. Specifically, farmers in Central America and Mexico are experiences particularly high threats, thus the authors focus on this subgroup. Open access copy available |
Forests as safety nets for mitigating the impacts of HIV/AIDS in southern AfricaBACKGROUND70% of the people infected with HIV/AIDS are in Southern Africa, and the disease is perpetrating the already existing poverty in the continent. The impacts of the disease have led to livelihood change, as more funds in households are channeled to health care. To cater for these pressures and shocks households can resort to the use of forest products and in trading them to generate income. Some families have begun to rely on traditional remedies due to their low cost. Open access copy available |
Contributions of agroforestry to ecosystem services in the miombo eco-region of eastern and southern AfricaBACKGROUNDOpen access copy available |
