Seasonal Tropical Wet, Moist, and Monsoonal Forest
In the pastures of Colombia, cows, crops and timber coexistBackgroundThis paper highlights the experience of cattle rancher in southwestern Colombia who has actively pursued an alternate style of ranching that, instead of deforesting the land, incorporates trees and shrubs into the pastures. The ranchers practice is largely informed by agroforestry principles. This paper reviews the benefits of this alternative practice and examines the public-private partnerships that make it possible. Available with subscription or purchase |
Initial performance and reforestation potential of 24 tropical tree species planted across a precipitation gradient in the Republic of PanamaBackgroundPanama has experience significant forest loss due to the conversion of forest lands to agriculture and pasture, causing significant negative effects on ecosystems. Since natural regeneration is slow, the country has recently turned to plantation forestry in order to restore these degraded. Yet, many of these initiatives simply use a few exotic species. This study explores the performance of a range of species, including both native and exotic, in order to better ensure the success and adoption of diversified reforestation strategies. Available with subscription or purchase |
Linking forest conservation and food security through agroecologyBackgroundThis chapter, found in Forest Landscape Restoration: Integrated Approaches to Support Effective Implementation, focuses on Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) in the tropics. Specifically, the authors examine agroecology as an integrated approach for both gaining food security and restoring agro-forest landscapes in post-conflict Colombia. Available with subscription or purchase |
Forests in the Time of Violence: Conservation Implications of the Colombian WarBackgroundWhile there has been extensive attention paid to the social, economic, and political effects of the decades of conflict in Colombia, there has been limited research that seeks to understand the environmental side. This is critical since Colombia ranks among a select few "megadiversity" countries in the world. This article aims to remedy this issue through analyzing the geographic distribution of forest remnants in the Colombian Amazon, Andes, and Chocó in relation to the armed conflict in country. Available with subscription or purchase |
Economic and conservation potential of bird-watching tourism in postconflict ColombiaBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Creating space for large‐scale restoration in tropical agricultural landscapesBackgroundThe large-scale degradation and land-use conversion of ecosystems around the world has led to a global push to restore critical environments in order to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. One of the biggest challenges to these efforts though, is ensuring that preexisting land-uses are not simply displaced elsewhere. This article explores this problem, turning to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest as a case-study. The authors examine if restoration will lead to a discplacement of cattle production due to land-shortage. Available with subscription or purchase |
A local perspective on drivers and measures to slow deforestation in the Andean-Amazonian foothills of ColombiaBackgroundThe Andean-Amazonian foothills in Colombia are highly valuable economically, ecologically, and socially, yet they continue to be under extreme threat of deforestation. This study aims to identify drivers and trends of this deforestation, using a unique methodological approach, seeking to compliment past monitoring studies with on-the-ground information. Open access copy available |
Conserving Biodiversity in a Complex Biological and Social Setting: The Case of ColombiaBackgroundColombia is known for its immense biological diversity and complexity. This article examines three of the primary causes of these characteristics, including history, geogrpahy, and evolution along with the context of the country's conservation efforts. The auhors then identified threats based on trends that emerged from these themes. Available with subscription or purchase |
Toward a post‐conflict Colombia: restoring to the futureBackgroundAfter emerging from over 60 years of armed conflict, Colombia is positioned to pursue ecological restoration. Through this pursuit, the country will restore ecosystem services that were severly impaired, thus restoring both natural and social capital that can actively contribute to the peace-building process. Moreover, the Colombian government has also undertaken national and international engagements that commit to reforesting and restoring the country's ecosystem. This article provides suggested goals and guidelines to aid in these ambitious restoration efforts. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tree Planting in Indonesia: Trends, Impacts and DirectionsBackgroundThe report summarizes findings from a consultancy with CIFOR from September 1997 to February 1998. Open access copy available |