Economic issues
Financial Analysis of Agroforestry PracticesBackgroundThe analysis of economic of agroforestry is more complicated than annual crops because it involves trees and crops and because there is usually a period between establishment and when impact can be measured. This chapter analyses the financial returns of farmers in three practices: fodder shrubs (Calliandra calothyrsus) in Kenya were established to increase mil production; rotational woodlots in Tanzania were implemented to provide firewood (Acacia crassicarpa) and improved fallows (Sesbania sesban) were established in Zambia to increase fertility. Open access copy available |
Agro-Successional Restoration as a Strategy to Facilitate Tropical Forest RecoveryBackgroundAbandoned agricultural lands have been increasingly around the world, forcing a recent drive to restore and reforest these lands. Yet, in the tropics there is often limited funding to meet the needs of restoration and the activities conflict with the uses of natural resources that contribute to human livelihoods. This paper outlines agro-successional restoration as a solution to these issues. Open access copy available |
Prioritizing sites for ecological restoration based on ecosystem servicesBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Community-based mangrove forest management: Implications for local livelihoods and coastal resource conservation along the Volta estuary catchment area of GhanaBackgroundThe 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. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Future of Plantation Forests and Forest-Based Industry in IndonesiaBackgroundThe 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. Open access copy available |
Burning biodiversity: Fuelwood harvesting causes forest degradation in human-dominated tropical landscapesBackgroundIn 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. Open access copy available |
A Comparison of Governance Challenges in Forest Restoration in Paraguay’s Privately-Owned Forests and Madagascar’s Co-managed State ForestsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
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.
Open access copy available |
The Potential of REDD+ in Supporting the Transition to a Green Economy in the Congo BasinBackgroundThe 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. Available with subscription or purchase |
Economic and Social Significance of Forests for Africa’s Sustainable DevelopmentbackgroundThis magazine issue covers topics related to Africa's forests and sustainable development. Conclusions & TakeawaysTopics include sustainable mangrove management in Nigeria, plantation forests in South Africa, natural resource management in Zambia, land governance by local communities, etc.
Open access copy available |
