Review Article
Nucleation in tropical ecological restorationbackgroundDue to centuraries of human development, there is a need to restore degraded areas and reconcile productive uses of land with conservation goals. One means of ecological restoration is facilitation, which aims to accrue positive interactions between species. Nucleation has been shown as a effective stategy for facilitation. Open access copy available |
Traditional agroforestry practices in ZimbabweBACKGROUNDThere has been little attention being given to the significance of trees in household economies of Zimbabwe. Most focus has been on crops, livestock, softwood species of trees in commercial plantations and indigenous species that under state management. Extension officers used to encourage people to remove trees from arable land. However, after the country’s independence a Rural Afforestation Program was established resulting in agroforestry engagements. Available with subscription or purchase |
Co-management options for reserved forests in Zimbabwe and beyond: Policy implications of forest management strategiesBACKGROUNDAfter the year 2000 land reform program in Zimbabwe, some peasants began to take advantage of the land reform impetus to squat on forests even though the State had attempted to preserve all conservation areas from land resettlement. Ever since, there have been conflicts between the state and the people living around forests. Co management or joint management initiatives were introduced to try to solve these People- State Relations. Available with subscription or purchase |
Fires in exotic forest plantations of Zimbabwe: Causes and management strategiesBACKGROUNDOf the 201,704-ha allocated to plantation forestry in Zimbabwe, 95,754-ha is usable. Forest plantations are mainly composed of Eucalyptus, Wattle and Pine. The dominant species grown are Pinus patula, P. taeda, E. grandis and Acacia mearnsii. Revenue is generated from timber exports. Forest fires are the major contributors of significant financial losses in these commercial plantations. Hence this article examines the causes of these fires and possible strategies for mitigating these anthropogenic fires. Available with subscription or purchase |
Core principles for successfully implementing and upscaling Nature-based SolutionsBACKGROUNDThe degradation of the natural environment continues to impact on biodiversity, human health and well-being notwithstanding various initiatives to restore ecosystems and conserve the diversity of life within it. Increasing the interface between conservation and sustainable development goals through the Nature-based Solution (NbS) framework show promising results. However, there is a need to address the gaps to effectively implement, assess and upscale NbS programs in different parts of the world Open access copy available |
Carbon farming with bamboos in Africa: A call for actionBACKGROUNDBamboos are of paramount importance for livelihoods, landscapes, and climate change mitigation. When compared to other regions, little research has been done about bamboo resources in Africa. This is because National Forest Resources Assessments rarely capture the necessary data. Approximately, there are 38 species of woody bamboos native to sub-Saharan Africa including Madagascar with many endemic species. So far, their population is dwindling but if sustainably managed, they can contribute significantly economically and to the environment. Open access copy available |
Safety Nets, Gap Filling and Forests: A Global-Comparative PerspectiveBACKGROUNDThis paper seeks to prove how forests and wildlands are utilized in developing countries as safety nets to shocks, and how they provide resources for seasonal gap filling. The study was carried out in various developing countries in different continents. Areas where there is no forest at all were excluded and those completely forest covered such as those dominated by hunter- gatherers were not considered. Open access copy available |
Ecosystem-based adaptation for smallholder farmers: Definitions, opportunities and constraintsbackgroundEcosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) or the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services has been gaining recognition as being a vital part of the overall strategy to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. This study recognizes the importance of EbA in helping smallholder farmers adapt to climate change while providing co-benefits such as livelihood, continued provision of a variety of ecosystem services, and conservation of existing resources. Open access copy available |
Impact of Forest Management on Species Richness: Global Meta-Analysis and Economic Trade-offsBackgroundThis study is a meta-analysis of data from forests managed for timber harvest to assess the conservation value of these forests. From processing data from 287 published studies they rank the following forest management systems from best to worst in terms of conservation value: selection and retention systems, reduced impact logging, conventional selective logging, clear-cutting, agroforestry, timber plantations, fuelwood plantations. They also conducted analysis of net present value in these same systems and found unsurprisingly that the ranking for net present value was different. Open access copy available |
Agro-Successional Restoration as a Strategy to Facilitate Tropical Forest RecoveryBackgroundIn the review article, it compares the forestry restoration model with the agroforestry restoration model. Even though they both incorporate the same techniques for controlling weeds and preparing the site for restoration, they differ in other aspects. One of the two agroforestry methods for restoration is the taungya method, which is when mixed crops and trees are all planted together, while the other is the agro-successional restoration method. Open access copy available |
