Economic issues

Prioritizing sites for ecological restoration based on ecosystem services

Background

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Community-based mangrove forest management: Implications for local livelihoods and coastal resource conservation along the Volta estuary catchment area of Ghana

Background

The author of this paper recognize that there has been limited research into the primary motivators for motivating long-term community-based mangrove restoration and management on local scales. In order to fill this gap, this paper aims to assess management practices of community-based mangrove restoration projects in the Volta River estuary in Ghana, paying close attention to the ecological and economic incentives for community-based mangrove forest management (CBMFM). The site was evaluated between 1974 and 2011 and the authors used participatory mapping and orthophotos. 

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The Future of Plantation Forests and Forest-Based Industry in Indonesia

Background

The author explores the historical development of plantation forests in Indonesia and then concludes that a stable governmental framework is crucial to facilitate sustainable plantation forest development. He also highlights the importance of cooperation with the processing industry and the alignment of the latter to potential markets.

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Burning biodiversity: Fuelwood harvesting causes forest degradation in human-dominated tropical landscapes

Background

In the Northeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest (BAF), extremely dense populations of poor, rural villages create chronic disturbances within the already heavily fragment Atlantic forest in favor of gathering hardwood fuel supplies. This hardwood is self-gathered without management techniques and burned inefficiently, and is driven by poverty, proximity to forest fragments, human labour availability, and lack of alternative energy sources. One of the most biodiverse, endemic, and endangered regions on the planet, this research seeks to study the impact of rural fuelwood development in the northeastern BAF. 

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A Comparison of Governance Challenges in Forest Restoration in Paraguay’s Privately-Owned Forests and Madagascar’s Co-managed State Forests

Background

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Les sociétés rurales et les pratiques d’utilisation multiple des terres (Rural societies and land-use practices)

This chapter focuses on rural poverty in central Africa and the contribution of multiple land use practices to local development.

The authors discuss the paradox of belonging to an area that is on the one hand extremely rich in natural resources, and on the other hand extremely poor in national and local development.

They stress the importance of maintaining globally important natural resources that will be able to respond to the needs of future generations of central Africans.

 

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Economic and Social Significance of Forests for Africa’s Sustainable Development

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This magazine issue covers topics related to Africa's forests and sustainable development.

Conclusions & Takeaways

Topics include sustainable mangrove management in Nigeria, plantation forests in South Africa, natural resource management in Zambia, land governance by local communities, etc.

 

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The Potential of REDD+ in Supporting the Transition to a Green Economy in the Congo Basin

Background

The authors investigate the use of REDD+ as a means of transitioning to a green economy, using the countries of the Congo Basin region as case studies. To do so, the authors complete a review and analysis of national REDD+ strategies and REDD+ readiness proposals submitted to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. 

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Identité et écologie des espèces forestières commerciales d'Afrique Centrale: le cas de Milicia spp. (Identity and ecology of Central African timber tree species: the case of Milicia spp.)

The authors explore the literature on two native tree species of commercial value in central Africa:Milicia excelsa and Milicia regia. Known locally as iroko, the authors note that exploitation of the trees have led to a decrease in its abundance. Finally, the authors argue that because the species are recognized as having economic importance, more research is needed on the species' ecologies in order to sustainably manage them.

 

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Forest Landscape Restoration Opportunity Assessment for Rwanda

Background

Rwanda is a densely populated, landlocked country that relies significantly on non-mechanized agriculture. In 2011, the country also committed to restore 2 million hectares of forest and agricultural land to the Bonn Challenge. The government has recognized the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) approach as the ideal means to achieving this goal.

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