Local Livelihoods

A local perspective on drivers and measures to slow deforestation in the Andean-Amazonian foothills of Colombia

Background

The 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

Restoring tropical forests from the bottom up

Background

Written in 2017, this article acknowledges that numerous countries around the world have committed to restoring large areas of forest in the next decade or so. Given these challenging targets, the authors seeks to understand how they can be met given competing land uses. She draws on several case studies to answer this broad question, including ones from Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. 

Open access copy available

Strategic Insights for Capacity Development on Forest Landscape Restoration: Implications for Addressing Global Commitments

Background

Global initiatives, like the Aichi Targets and Bonn Challenge, have recognized capacity development as a key strategy in achieving the large-scale restoration goals, particularly those that utilize the complex forest landscape restoration (FLR) approach. Still though, the concept of capacity development is largely undefined. This article seeks to answer key questions in regards to integrating capacity development strategies into FLR projects. 

Open access copy available

The Monte Pascoal‐Pau Brasil ecological corridor carbon, community and biodiversity initiative: another carbon offset failure

Background

In 2013, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) programs had recently been introduced to governments and conservation groups around the world. Yet, as they were being implemented at increasing rates, traditional forest use practices were vilified while large-scale drives of deforestation were left unaddressed. This was common particularly in Brazil. 

Open access copy available

Hiniduma Biolink Project, Sri Lanka - Reforesting traditional home gardens using the analog forestry concept in wet zones of Sri Lanka

Background

The Hinidum Biolink Project is a cooperative effort between the Conservation Carbon Company and Rainforest Rescue International that aims to build a biodiversity corridor between two remnant forests in Sri Lanka. The document is a plan for this Plan Vivo project, developed in June 2011.

Open access copy available

Árboles y arbustos nativos potencialmente valiosos para la restauración ecológica y la reforestación (Trees and shrubs potentially valuable for ecological restoration and reforestation)

Español

antecedentes

El presente trabajo incluye información de especies leñosas con potencial para su uso en programas de desarrollo agroforestal, ecología de la restauración y reforestación.

Open access copy available

National Potential and Priority Maps for Tree-Based Landscape Restoration in Ethiopia

background

This technical report was created by Ethiopia's Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MEFCC) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) as a first step in Ethiopia's large-scale forest restoration efforts aimed to improve livelihoods and address climate change. 

Open access copy available

Restoration of Degraded Tropical Forest Landscapes

Background

Deforestation and the declining extent of tropical forests has negatively impacted ecosystem functions, services, and goods and has disproportionately harmed the rural poor of tropical countries. In the wake of deforestation, agricultural development and traditional methods of reforestation (plantations) have largely failed to provide sustainable livelihoods. This review article assesses the strengths and weaknesses of different tropical restoration methods to combat forest degredation and address rural poverty.

Open access copy available

Reforesting “Bare Hills” in Vietnam: Social and Environmental Consequences of the 5 Million Hectare Reforestation Program

Background

Large-scale rehabilitation and reforestation of Vietnam has been promoted by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, but unexpected outcomes have, in some cases, harmed local communities. Within this case study from northern Vietnam, lands classified as "barren hills" actually contained a number of economically-important nontimber products which local communities and individuals, particularly poor households and women, were reliant on. These nontimber products included fuelwood, medicines, construction material, food, and pasture. 

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Contribution of Non-Timber Forest Products to Cash and Non-Cash Income of Remote Forest Communities in Central Africa

Background

The authors investigate the contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to local community incomes within jointly-managed forest landscapes in Central Africa.

Research Goals & Methods

Data were collected from Bantu and indigenous persons' (IP) households using the Poverty-Forests Linkages Toolkit method. 

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