April 2006 ISSN 1020-3435 13 An information bulletin on Non-Wood Forest Products

EDITORIAL CONTENTS

orest-dependent communities have always recognized the importance of NWFPs in 3 SPECIAL FEATURES their everyday lives – whether as food, shelter or medicine. Over time, recognition of • Economic value of NWFPs F the importance of NWFPs in poverty alleviation and knowledge of the multiplicity of - Forestry products gain market in uses and benefits deriving from NWFPs have grown steadily and many NWFPs are now Brazil traded at all levels: locally, regionally, nationally and globally (although figures on this trade - NTFPs in the Russian Far East: are often unorganized, missing or incomplete, e.g. on bushmeat). challenges and opportunities The Special Features section in this issue of Non-Wood News emphasizes the - Selling forest products to improve economic importance of NWFPs and provides information on economic benefits at the livelihoods in the Gambia local level (see the Siberian Pine Syrup Project pp. 5–6) through to the global level (see - Mushrooms: cash crops from the trade figures on pp. 8–9). forest floor Traditional knowledge is a significant aspect of NWFPs, touching as it does on issues of - Nepal’s lokta resources and benefit-sharing, bioprospecting and biopiracy, all of which have been covered extensively handmade paper in this issue (see p. 15). Information on NGOs working with NWFPs has also been included, - Growth of the bamboo sector in but we would like to hear more about NGO activity at both the grassroots and international China level so please continue to send us your contributions. - Cuban pine resin in the Coverage of products in this issue ranges from the versatility of bamboo (used equally international market successfully to build houses or produce T-shirts) to the extensive use of medicinal plants - NWFP cooperatives and the worldwide. There is information on products Siberian Pine Syrup Project from both tropical and temperate forests, as - Moss is a cash crop for mountain well as from the vast boreal areas. NWFPs people in the United States of exist in all regions of the world and America consequently the Country Compass - Economic benefits of conserving section is particularly rich, with information the rain forest from 34 countries. - La valeur monétaire de la forêt Information dissemination and networking suisse en tant qu’espace de are key aspects of today’s knowledge détente society – both of which have always been - Mondia whitei, a socio- NON-WOOD NEWS important aims of Non-Wood News. In 2005 economically important plant is compiled by Tina Etherington, Forest we carried out an auto-evaluation exercise in • Trade in NWFPs Products Service of the FAO Forest Products order to improve our service and to give you - International trade in NWFPs and Economics Division. Assistance for this an opportunity to make suggestions and - Public-private partnerships and issue was provided by Marisalee Palermo; comments. Over 600 readers completed our global trade in NWFPs design, graphics and desktop publishing were questionnaire (see pp. 69–70 for full results) - Trade data on NTFPs in India coordinated by Tina Etherington. and we were delighted that so many of you - Trade measures – tools to promote Non-Wood News is open to contributions by took the time to share your ideas. Thank you the sustainable use of NWFPs? readers. Contributions may be edited to fit the for such an excellent response. - PhytoTrade Africa: adding life to appropriate size and focus of the bulletin. This issue has started to reflect some of If you have any material that could be trade included in the next issue of Non-Wood News your suggestions and to address your - Aggressive strategy for MFP for the benefit of other readers, kindly send it, comments – the most important of which exports planned before 30 September 2006, to: regarded frequency: a vast majority wanted - Exports of Korean ginseng NON-WOOD NEWS – FOPP Non-Wood News to be issued at least twice - High sales boost plant extract drug FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla a year (with many keen to see it as a 00100 Rome, Italy company E-mail: [email protected] quarterly newsletter). Accordingly, we will www.fao.org/forestry/nwfp/nonwood.htm now be bringing you two issues yearly, 14 NEWS AND NOTES which we ultimately hope will lead to a FAO home page: www.fao.org • Alaska paper birch tree holds shorter and more streamlined product. potential for new drugs All Internet links cited were checked on 16 February In conclusion, while many of us are not • Arsenic-eating ferns hold hope for 2006. Articles express the views of their authors, not necessarily those of FAO. The designations employed part of forest-dependent communities, we tainted soils and the presentation of material in this publication are definitely part of a wider global NWFP • Bark paintings do not imply the expression of any opinion community. Our aim with Non-Wood News is • Biopiracy, bioprospecting and whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture to continue to disseminate knowledge on Organization of the United Nations (FAO) traditional knowledge concerning the legal status of any country, territory, NWFP activities from all societal levels - Traditional knowledge: a legal and city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the around the world in order to raise the profile market conundrum delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. of NWFPs and emphasize their importance – - India’s digital library will stop economically, ecologically and socially. biopiracy ➧ 2

CONTENTS

- African women against biopiracy • Myrica gale Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, - Curbing biopiracy • Non-profit organizations and NGOs Chile, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, - Moves to protect devil’s claw - Biodiversity Research and Democratic Republic of the Congo, (Harpagophytum procumbens) Development Centre (BIRD) Ecuador, Fiji, Ghana, India, - Amazon countries team up to tackle - Pragya, India Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, biopiracy - Tree Aid Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Myanmar, - Patenting of Peruvian plants - United Plant Savers Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, - Andean nations seek United States • Non-timber forest resource Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, patent protection for native enterprises: fatty oils for edible and Russian Federation, Uganda, United medicines non-edible purposes Republic of Tanzania, United States - Is Brazil beating biopiracy or • NWFP fabrics of America, Viet Nam biodiversity research? - Bamboo charcoal textile products - Bioprospecting programme in - Bamboo T-shirts 67 ECONOOK Malaysia - Modi: ethnic and exquisite • Traditional medicines could help - Bioprospecting in the Pacific region: - United Nations recognizes bark African environment who will benefit? cloth as world heritage • Conservation of the Central • Bird flu is also a forest problem - Fabrics with a healing touch Albertine Rift • Boreal forest garden • NWFP fuels • Transfrontier Conservation Areas • Boswellia serrata: a tree of - Bamboo-fuelled power plants in • Baltic forest possibilities India • Twenty percent of the world’s • Bushmen’s quiver tree threatened by - Ipomoea fistulosa – the crisis fuel of mangroves lost over the last 25 climate change wetlands years • Challenges in the Congo Basin - Mushrooms as fuel? • Asian nations to build biodiversity • Conservation for a future: lessons • Poison frog production and export conservation corridors learned from the extinction of • Trees for health forever • European Union to give €30 million Cupressus torulosa • Twigs and young trees are falling for biodiversity conservation in China • CPF Sourcebook for funding in prey to human hygiene forestry • Vasaka (Adhatoda vasica Nees) 69 INTERNATIONAL ACTION • Does Bacopa monnieri improve • “Wildlife Interpol” • FAO, South and East Asian cognitive function in older Australians? Countries NTFP Network (SEANN) • Domestication 34 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS - Population preferences for local • Bamboo, Chestnuts, Cork, Edible 73 RECENT EVENTS fruit-tree species: implications for insects, Ginseng, Honey, Medicinal the domestication of Dacryodes and aromatic plants, Moringa 75 FORTHCOMING EVENTS edulis and Irvingia gabonensis in oleifera, Rattan, Sea buckthorn, Shea Cameroon butter, Shellac, Truffles 79 PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST - Sustaining forest resources • El camu camu logra certificación 49 COUNTRY COMPASS 88 WEB SITES orgánica • Angola, Australia, Bhutan, Brazil, • Ethnoforestry paradigms 90 READERS’ RESPONSE • Forest cosmetics and fragrances - Sourcing Brazilian rain forest ingredients for cosmetics Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) are - Shellac may combat skin disorders goods of biological origin other than wood, - Forest berries find their way to derived from forests, other wooded land and trees outside forests. Non-timber forest cosmetics products (NTFPs), another term frequently - Aniba rosaeodora: a quest to save a used to cover this vast array of animal and tree plant products, also includes small wood and - Sandalwood fragrance fuelwood. However, these two terms are • Incense used synonymously throughout this bulletin. Other terms, such as “minor”, “secondary” • Les sources de la fertilité et de la or “speciality” forest products, are durabilité sometimes used to keep original names • Manejo de semillas forestales and/or titles. nativas de la Sierra ecuatoriana y Norte del Perú

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 3 SPECIAL FEATURES

native cacao from the next harvest stakeholders. It is a vast geographically and ECONOMIC VALUE from the producers along the climatically diverse region, extending from OF NWFPS riverbanks of the Urucurituba in the Arctic Ocean to the Sea of Japan. There Forestry products gain market in Brazil Amazonas state. are areas on the southern part of the region Food, fashion and furniture. These are the “We do not have an exact notion yet Ð the Primorie and southern part of profits that come from the forest. what the forestry economy represents for Sakhalin Island Ð where the ecosystems Almost 8 400 people visited the Forest Brazil. What will come to São Paulo will be are quite diverse and highly regarded Market, the first fair on sustainable forestry only a sample of the innumerable types of species, such as Schisandra chinensis and products held in Brazil, from 5 to 8 products and services that the forest can Actinidia spp. can be found. However, most November 2005 in São Paulo. Visitors had generate,” stated Smeraldi. The list is of the region is represented by the “usual” the opportunity to learn about 204 extensive and covers items such as typical (boreal ecosystem) NTFPs that in most enterprises with projects reflecting the fruits, cosmetics, handicrafts and vegetable cases can be found on both sides of the biodiversity of ecosystems such as leather. Pacific, although sometimes represented by Amazonia, the Atlantic forest and savannah. The intention was to offer visibility for endemic species and subspecies. A group of four environmental organizations small businesses, such that they become Nevertheless, even these “usual” and (Amigos da Terra, Imazon, Imaflora and the part of the most varied productive chains. widespread plants have enormous potential Reserva da Biosfera da Mata Atlântica) As an example, Smeraldi made reference as NTFP resources. Yet, as a result of the joined together to conduct the fair with to native cacao, produced on the river degradation of indigenous cultures, lack of products originating from forests, all plains of the Amazonas River. In Amazonia, small business development history and produced in a sustainable manner. native cacao, a tree that can reach up to federal support, they are mostly neglected The principal objective of the event, i.e. 15 m, has special characteristics that make as important tools for community economic increasing business and making contacts it an interesting product for predetermined development and cultural revival. for future business, was quite successful: niches in the market, such as the The literature research of the World the majority left the event with orders or cosmetics, pharmaceutical and fine Conservation Union (IUCN)-Canadian contacts for sales. With products directed chocolate industries. This cacao has a International Development Agency (CIDA) as much at retail stores as at the industries larger content of major fats than the Project “Building Partnerships for Forest of transformation, the fair offered honey, cultivated species, which makes it more Conservation and Management in Russia” oils and materials for cosmetics, bags of resistant to heat. “But as it is missing the demonstrated that 33 species, growing just vegetable leather and timber for furniture structured productive chain, this special on the Kamchatka Peninsula, can be used designers. “The forestry economy is a cacao often falls into the common grave of as wild vegetables; 22 species have edible reality in terms of employment and cultivated cacao,” Smeraldi stated. “This is berries and fruit; 28 make herbal teas; 14 income,” affirmed the director of Amigos da the type of product that we will show at the can be used for weaving; and 251 are Terra, Roberto Smeraldi. Quantifying this fair.” (Sources: O Estado de S. Paulo, 13 useful for medicinal purposes. reality was one of the challenges faced by October 2005 and 2 November 2005 and Many of the products derived from these the organizers. Mercado Floresta, 11 November 2005.) plants have clear marketing opportunities. Listed below are some of the cases that However, less than a dozen are widely can be considered emblematic of the For more information, please contact: used by local communities as food sources diversity of commercial relations regarding Roberto Smeraldi, Director, Amigos da (some berries, wild onions, nuts and NWFPs established during the Forest Terra Amazonia Brasileira, Rua Bento mushrooms), and only two, Vaccinium Market and that show their market potential. de Andrade, 85 – 04503010, São Paulo, vitisidaea and fern, are sold commercially. ¥ The Kayapó People of the Indigenous Brazil. Fax: +55 11 3884 2795; This is surprising because the region has a Territory of Bau sold their entire crop of e-mail: [email protected] long history of NTFPs; many, such as Para nut oil, for a total of R$50 620. charcoal, honey, herbal teas and turpentine, ¥ Artisans linked to SEBRAE of were listed as major export items 150 years Tocantins state sold at retail R$7 250 ago. There are several Native nations that jatoba dolls and golden grass (capim were intensively using NTFPs before the dourado) products. Russians started exploring Kamchatka in ¥ The APA cooperative from Rondonia the eighteenth century. estimated that through contacts made NTFPs in the Russian Far East: challenges Why are NTFPs not bringing money into during the fair it will increase sales of and opportunities the pockets of forest-based communities, cupuacu (plant of the cacao tree) The Russian Far East is a land of “NTFP and in many places are not even viewed as pulp by 100 tonnes starting with the opportunities” for local forest-based an important resource? next harvest. communities yet external persuasion is still As usual, there is no simple answer. On ¥ Five São Paulo companies requested necessary to prove this fact to local the one hand, the traditional knowledge of

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 4 SPECIAL FEATURES

both Native and Russian populations about Selling forest products to improve Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. E-mail: wild harvested plants has been seriously livelihoods in the Gambia [email protected]; eroded; most people now know just a few Poor communities in the Gambia are now www.fao.org/forestry/site/25491/en plants that can be harvested from the forest earning a regular income by selling forest or tundra, compared with 150 years ago products, thanks to an FAO programme, Mushrooms: cash crops from the forest floor when Itelmen Native people were reported funded by the Government of Norway, British Columbia’s wild mushroom industry to use over 100 wild plant species which helps communities to build up is unregulated and unmonitored. Accurate intensively. On the other hand, there are markets for local products. In a pilot area of figures do not exist for amounts harvested, many barriers for NTFP market 26 villages suffering from extreme poverty, dollar values or the number of pickers. development in Russia by local people learned about the potential value of Import information from the Japanese communities. There are psychological forest products and how they could be Embassy in Vancouver is used to make barriers since many people do not believe in marketed more successfully. educated guesses as to how many tonnes their own ability to change their lives and Villagers interested in marketing forest of fungi are being exported from the they wait for somebody else to help. products have set up their own businesses province. But, according to British Problems for distant villages are the lack of and organized themselves in producer Columbia’s Ministry of Forests, there is one processing equipment and skills, associations to sell honey, logs, fuelwood, certainty: “there’s a ton of stuff coming out knowledge about markets and marketing, mahogany posts, handicrafts and palm oil of the forest”. and the money necessary to set up a at nearby markets. They are also earning Richard Winder, a director of the South business. High transportation costs and additional incomes from tree nurseries and Vancouver Island Mycological Society taxes are also a difficulty. Natural resource ecotourism. agrees that it is difficult to unearth hard managers and authorities often neglect the “Before the start of the project, villagers data. He estimates that in 2004, 200 tonnes advantages that NTFP-based business had not explored the market potentials of of morels, 100 tonnes of chanterelles and development could create for local handicrafts made of rhun palm leaves, 100 tonnes of pine mushrooms were communities and environment preservation. because they did not have the practical plucked out of the forests. More specifically, As demonstrated in the Russian Far East skills or market knowledge. Now they are the chanterelle industry in northern and by the IUCN-the Netherlands selling products such as chairs, tables, Vancouver Island, which has wetter Foundation Project “Gifts of Mountain lampshades, baskets and beds made of conditions and a longer growing season, Shoria Forests” in the Kemerovo region in these leaves,” said Sophie Grouwels, an flourished, enabling 100 pickers to sell to Siberia, international projects can assist FAO community forestry expert. three buyers for much of the year. “I’m not local communities to overcome many In the 1990s, the Government of the sure what that translates into dollars, but it challenges in starting an NTFP business. Gambia introduced community forestry, is an important sector in the NTFP sector.” An important key to success is long-term giving ownership to the communities, in an The Government of British Columbia has assistance to remote communities in attempt to improve forest management. been asked repeatedly for funds to product marketing, marketing strategies, Despite this change, communities still did determine how many wild mushroom sustainable harvesting practices, etc. not have many incentives to conserve the dollars Ð and how much lost tax revenues Ð It is usually difficult to convince donor forests until the programme was are being sliced out of the forests. (Source: agencies or local authorities that without introduced. “People who used to shun Globe and Mail [Canada], 17 October effective long-term support many NTFP managing forests or exploited them, are 2005.) projects are doomed because of the nature now asking for more forests to own and of the resource. Long-term initiatives, which manage in order to earn more income,” could be self-sustainable over time, such as said Grouwels. “Given the success of this regional and/or national marketing centres project, FAO hopes its methodology will be TRUFFLE AUCTION HITS NEW HIGH for small NTFP producers, need to be applied in other parts of the Gambia and in developed to enable people to help other countries.” Truffles are famously expensive, but a themselves out of poverty though the More information can be found in charity auction attended by some of sustainable use of NTFPs. (Contributed by: Empowering communities through forestry: the United Kingdom’s most famous Nikolay Shmatkov, IUCN Ð The World Community-based enterprise development restaurateurs set a new record Conservation Union, Office for Russia and in the Gambia (Forestry Policy and yesterday Ð £63 000 for a tartufo the Commonwealth of Independent States Institutions Working Paper 8) available at bianco (white truffle) weighing 1.2 kg. (CIS), 3, bld. 3, Stoliamy Per., Moscow www.fao.org/docrep/008/j6209e/j6209e00. (Source: The Independent [UK], 14 123022, Russian Federation. Tel./fax: +7 htm or by contacting Sophie Grouwels, November 2005.) (095) 609 3411; e-mail: Forestry Officer, Community-based (Please see p. 47 for more information.) [email protected]; www.iucn.ru Enterprise Development (CBED), Forestry and www.dary-lesa.com) Department, FAO, Viale delle Terme di

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 5 SPECIAL FEATURES

Nepal’s lokta resources and handmade Growth of the bamboo sector in China Experts predict an annual extraction of paper The annual growth of bamboo area 100 tonnes of pine resin, so the country’s The area around Kailash village in averages 126 000 ha according to the exporting potential will increase. (Source: Nepal’s Binayak Pimidanda Community statistics of the Sixth National Forest CubaXP, 9 June 2005.) Forest is endowed with abundant lokta Resources Survey. The production value (Daphne spp.), which is a preferred raw of China’s bamboo sector in 2004 was NWFP cooperatives and the Siberian Pine material for handmade paper. “If the 45 billion yuan, a growth of more than Syrup Project forest is properly managed, it can supply 120 percent over that of 2000. Exports Native cooperatives in Kamchatka are more than 20 000 kg of dry lokta bark per were US$600 million in 2004, an increase growing larger and working hard. These year on a regular and sustainable basis,” of 20 percent over 2000. cooperatives create exclusive added Sushil Gyawali, Assistant Project The great development of the bamboo merchandise with NWFPs and NTFPs, Monitoring Officer at the Asia Network for industry has been achieved during the using traditional methods that reflect how Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources Tenth Five-Year Plan period. The bamboo people have been living in symbiosis with (ANSAB) office in Kathmandu. sector has become one of the four largest nature for centuries and how they continue After a thorough study Ð with the full forest industries in the country. to intensify and hand down their participation of the local people Ð it was Bamboo forests cover 4.84 million ha in knowledge of forest resources and their decided that prospects were sufficiently China, an increase of 631 800 ha properties, which are profoundly linked to promising to embark on the compared with the 4.21 million ha their social and spiritual life. establishment of a papermaking recorded in the Fifth National Forest Equally important is that this knowledge enterprise. ANSAB, with funding support Resources Survey. (Source: People’s Daily is today the basis of a “local sustainable from the Ford Foundation, has played an online, 8 December 2005.) livelihood strategy”, together with other important part in the establishment of the elements such as ethnotourism and paper factory, initially lending technical, ecotourism (native dances, the possibility financial and administrative support. of visiting the villages and surroundings, “Prior to the establishment of the etc.); cultural activities; fishing and hunting; community forest, local people used to and reindeer herding. These are all helping cut lokta at random. The raw material the communities to enter economic was sold to business people and processes to counter the economic contractors from elsewhere,” recalled difficulties that the region is suffering. Surat B. Singh, chairperson of the The cooperatives are usually composed Management Committee of the Malika of artisans and herbal and resource Handmade Paper Industry. “Without experts, mostly women. As an example, proper management, the lokta resource the Aleskam Native People’s Community was dwindling fast. Many business Cooperative is composed mainly of people were making profits, but the locals Cuban pine resin in the international women, who cover the crafting, marketing were still poor.” market and management roles, and two men Ð a Today, the Malika Handmade Paper Cuba’s forestry sector is boosting the biologist/medical herb specialist and a Industry in Kailash village is one of the production of by-products, as part of a video documentarist Ð to film the best-managed community enterprises in strategy to increase the island’s offers in production processes and record the Nepal. A report by Dyuthan Choudhari, of the international market. indigenous way of using resources for the International Centre for Integrated Baracoa’s Integral Forestry Company, in official cultural archives and use in native Mountain Development, stated that: “the western Cuba, has increased production of schools. model is designed around forestry pine resin, an essential component in A product of another group, the Tarija resources based on the forest user group several industrial products. Native Peoples’ Community, is dwarf (FUG)’s common property, which Pine resin is used to make wax, paint, Siberian pine syrup, followed by Mrs Elena provides sustainable income to local soap, adhesives and pharmaceuticals, Posvolskaya and monitored by the World communities who have full rights over the among other products in high demand. In Conservation Union. resource”. addition, it is the raw material used to With the sustainable harvesting of dwarf (Source: extracted from: Shree Binayak produce turpentine and colophony, which Siberian pine needles, Mrs Posvolskaya Pimidanda Community Forest: more than fight harmful insects. manages to produce a sweet and tasty a paper tiger by H. B. Singh [in In search Obtaining pine resin is a manual syrup that is much enjoyed when used with of excellence, exemplary forest process and was resumed after nearly a tea, as well as by itself. At the same time, management in Asia and the Pacific, ed. decade, despite the vast areas of pine the pine syrup’s medical properties act P.B. Durst, et al.].) trees that exist in the region. against throat infections, coughs and

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 6 SPECIAL FEATURES

colds. This product shows how centuries- temperatures and shade. How long it (1 905 000 to 7 711 070 kg) being old indigenous knowledge regarding the takes to grow back is a question that has harvested in the two dominant regions, medicinal properties of the pine is used some scientists and United States Appalachia and the Pacific Northwest. today, fusing traditional knowledge, Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest (Source: Environmental News Network sustainable harvesting and production with Service officials wrestling with the [ENN], Daily Newsletter, 17 October economic support, and how this has regulation of this secretive industry, 2005.) actually changed Mrs Posvolskaya’s social where there are plenty of opinions but and family role. few facts. Economic benefits of conserving the rain “Before starting this project,” Mrs North Carolina’s Pisgah and Nantahala forest Posvolskaya said, “my husband used to national forests expect to ban moss Conservation can bring in more dollars give me just enough money at the collection from 1 January 2006 after than it costs. Africa’s large mammals are beginning of the month to buy food for studies there indicated a growback cycle famed for their ability to attract tourist meals and a few basics for myself. Today I “in the order of 15 to 20 years,” says dollars, but wildlife reserves without these have my own money, and he is constantly botanical specialist Gary Kauffman of the mammals can still make enough money to asking me to teach him marketing skills. My Forest Service. This is twice as long as benefit local people, say researchers. future plans are about expanding the sales some veteran pickers and moss buyers In one of the first studies to consider the on foreign markets, to fortify the market I think it will take. Although Kauffman costs and benefits of protecting different already have in Moscow.” (Contributed by: agrees that the science is still lacking, numbers of species, scientists at Canada’s Alessandro Toffoli, Via Bartolomeo Pisgah and Nantahala will probably err University of Alberta concluded that rain Eustachio 4, 00161 Rome, Italy. E-mail: on the side of caution, meaning that the forest conservation can more than pay for [email protected]) forests will be off-limits to the 100Ð200 itself, and is more profitable than clearing pickers a year who typically get permits. forests and using the land for farming. Sue Studlar, a West Virginia University Working in Uganda’s Mabira Forest biologist argues that overall, moss is Reserve, researchers found that tourists “mined, rather than sustainably were willing to pay much more than the harvested” and that large-scale removal current US$5 entry fee for a chance to can inadvertently damage other species, spot some of the reserve’s 143 bird from ferns to salamanders. The species. The study, published in the Moss is a cash crop for mountain people in Monongahela national forest banned Proceedings of the National Academy of the United States of America mossing in 2001 until it could study the Sciences, recommends increasing the fee Moss is the all-purpose sponge of the impact. Two years later, Studlar to about $47. The high charge would forest, storing water, releasing nutrients concluded that picking should be mean fewer visitors and so less of an and housing tiny creatures. But across discouraged near limestone cliffs and wet impact on the forest. But enough tourists Appalachia and in the Pacific Northwest, it areas, that no log or rock should be would still be willing to pay the fee to allow is more than this. It is a way to make ends stripped bare and that known the reserve to protect 80Ð90 percent of its meet when jobs are few. Picking is hard “biodiversity hot spots” should be off- bird species while bringing greater work on a hot day. And it pays only about limits. But “potentially, if you did it right”, economic benefits to local communities. US$5 a sack. What is picked could end up moss could be harvested without Lead author Robin Naidoo thinks in a floral arrangement or a craft project. harming the ecosystem. It falls off in Mabira might be representative of other Along the way, it will support more than a clumps naturally as it regenerates and reserves across the developing world. dozen jobs, from people who sort it, dry it pickers could harvest these remnants. Many protected areas are under pressure and package it to those who ship and sell The Monongahela, which covers from impoverished local populations who it. Nationwide, it is hard to tell how many nearly 1 million acres (approximately 404 exploit them for resources such as timber, people make a living from moss. 700 ha) in West Virginia, may someday fuel and food. “The key is developing a Moss is not commercially grown, so restore moss-picking permits. Mossers mechanism whereby revenues flow back buyers depend on the wilderness. say that they and others should be to the people who need them most, and in However, some state and national forests allowed to take non-timber products from whose hands the future of these reserves have already banned harvesting, worried the forest, including ginseng root and lies – the local residents,” he says. “This about what they will lose when moss medicinal herbs such as goldenseal, will give them an economic incentive to leaves the ecosystem. before the loggers destroy them. protect tropical forests because they can Ethical pickers will not strip the logs Pat Muir, a botanist at Oregon State earn more by preserving them than by bare, but will always leave clumps behind University, estimates that mossing was a chopping them down and farming the to help the spore-driven plant regenerate. US$8.4Ð33.7 million business in 2003, land,” he adds. (Source: SciDev.Net, 1 To thrive, it needs moisture, cool with anywhere from 4.2 to 17 million lbs November 2005.)

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 7 SPECIAL FEATURES

La valeur monétaire de la forêt suisse en récréative de la forêt pour un visiteur tant qu’espace de détente moyen. Cette utilité varie entre Les résultats de la présente étude 1 670 et 2 422 francs suisses (frais de fournissent, pour la première fois, des déplacement uniquement) et entre 1 178 chiffres relatifs à la valeur récréative de la et 3 066 francs suisses par an (frais de forêt suisse pour l’ensemble de la déplacement et frais de séjour), selon que population du pays. D’une comparaison l’on se fonde sur le concept d’utilité nette entre les conclusions de diverses études (gain de satisfaction) ou sur celui d’utilité portant sur la fonction récréative de forêts brute (gain de satisfaction et dépenses locales, sur la valeur du paysage pour le réelles). En extrapolant ce chiffre à la tourisme et sur les dépenses touristiques population suisse de plus de 18 ans, POTENTIAL ECOTOURISM: en Suisse, il ressort que les présents l’utilité de la fonction récréative des forêts SOME EXAMPLES résultats sont tout à fait plausibles. suisses varie entre 9,7 et 14,1 milliards de Par rapport aux études menées jusqu’à francs suisses par an (frais de ¥ The Kenya Wildlife Service estimates présent, les présents résultats offrent déplacement) et entre 6,8 et 17,8 milliards that 80 percent of Kenya’s tourists are quelques améliorations car ils reposent, de francs suisses par an (frais de drawn by the country’s wildlife and d’une part, sur le comportement déplacement et frais de séjour). that the tourism industry generates observable des individus (au contraire de Nous sommes toutefois d’avis d’intégrer one-third of the country’s foreign l’évaluation contingente) et peuvent être le coût d’opportunité du séjour dans exchange earnings. considérés, d’autre part, comme l’optique du problème examiné (calcul de ¥ Domestic and international travellers l’appréciation exprimée d’une sélection la valeur récréative monétaire de la forêt) make more than 275 million visits a représentative de la population suisse et et de nous baser par conséquent sur le year to the 388 recreation areas non seulement des habitants d’une montant de 6,8 à 17,8 milliards de francs administered by the United States certaine région (contrairement aux suisses par an. (Source: Martin Baur, National Park Service, generating méthodes des coûts de transport et aux Walter Ott, concept, Claire-Lise Suter direct and indirect economic benefits évaluations contingentes appliquées à ce Thalmann, Office fédéral de for local communities of more than jour). Les résultats peuvent donc être l’environnement (OFEV), Division des US$14 billion annually and supporting interprétés comme une moyenne forêts, 3003 Berne [Suisse]) almost 300 000 tourist-related jobs. représentative de l’ensemble des types de ¥ Prior to the civil war in Rwanda, forêt des forêts périurbaines, mais Pour plus d’informations, contacter: tourists visiting the country’s également de l’ensemble des types de Claire-Lise Suter Thalmann, mountain gorillas provided more than forêts. Office fédéral de l’environnement, $1 million in annual revenues, La méthode appliquée examine le des forêts et du paysage, Exploitation enabling the government to fund comportement des usagers de biens forestière et industrie du bois, anti-poaching patrols and employ publics lors de leur déplacement. Les frais CH-3003 Berne, Suisse. local residents. Tourism is once again de transport occasionnés par un Télécopie: +41 31 324 78 66, courriel: on the upswing, with hundreds of déplacement en forêt à des fins récréatives [email protected]; foreign visitors a month paying $250 constituent une limite inférieure du site Web: www.umwelt-schweiz.ch each to see the gorillas. consentement à payer et de la valeur ¥ More than half of all international monétaire de cette fonction récréative, qui visitors to Nepal include a trip to at est à l’origine du déplacement. Les frais de least one national park. Before civil transport englobent les dépenses liées au strife reduced numbers, more than déplacement ainsi que le coût en temps 80 000 tourists visited the Royal nécessaire à ce déplacement. Pour Chitwan National Park and 50 000 l’ensemble des bénéfices récréatifs, le coût trekkers visited the Annapurna en temps (coût d’opportunité) est intégré Conservation Area each year. dans les calculs relatifs au séjour en forêt. ¥ The more than 60 000 visitors a year À partir des coûts de la visite en forêt to the Galapagos Islands contribute in (séjour et déplacement) et de la fréquence, excess of $100 million to Ecuador’s nous pouvons tracer une courbe de economy. demande qui représente la relation entre le (Source: State of the World’s Forests nombre moyen de séjours en forêt par an 2005.) et les coûts de ces séjours. Elle permet de déduire l’utilité globale de la fonction

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 8 SPECIAL FEATURES

Mondia whitei, a socio-economically 071239), the total value of the remaining important plant TRADE IN NWFPS 26 increased from US$1.9 to $2.1 billion Mondia whitei (Hook. f.) Skeels, locally between 1992 and 2002. known as mulondo, is consumed in International trade in NWFPs Table 2 lists 34 commodities at different Uganda and represents a source of local Tables 1 and 2 present total import values stages of processing, originating from both income. It is one of the few species of raw materials, as well as semi- inside and outside forests, with a total commonly retailed on the streets of processed and processed products, for import value for 2002 of US$7 billion. By Kampala, another being Canarium 1992 and 2002. All figures are in current comparison, the value of global imports of schweinfurthii Engl. Mulondo is claimed rather than real US dollars, so that the wood-based forest products for the same to improve appetites, ease abdominal growth in trade of most goods appears year, including fuelwood and charcoal, pains, alleviate nausea and is used to more than it actually is. amounts to US$141.4 billion. Excluding the treat fever. Tubers are eaten raw, their Most of the 28 commodities listed in five commodities for which trade data taste depending on the age of the plant: Table 1 are unprocessed, although a few cannot be compared because codes did young tubers are sweet tasting, whereas semi-processed products are included. For not exist in the 1992 HS, the total value of mature tubers have a slightly bitter taste. 2002, their total import value amounted to trade of the remaining 29 increased from The species is gathered and sold US$2.7 billion. Excluding the two US$4 billion in 1992 to $6.2 billion in 2002. locally at the markets of Kampala and its commodities that were not coded in 1992 Between 1992 and 2002, import values suburbs. From Kampala it is redistributed (mushroom categories 070959 and of the 55 commodities in the two tables to other towns and to the islands of Sesse. Many people, including TABLE 1. Global import values of key NWFPs for which HS code refers to a single harvesters, intermediaries, wholesalers product, 1992 and 2002 and hawkers earn a living from the collection and sale of the plant. HS code Commodity description Global import value (’000 US$) No estimates exist on the harvest and 1992 2002 trade of mulondo and we do not how 060410 Mosses and lichens for bouquets, much is harvested or how much is ornamental purposes 9 352 25 476 marketed. A recent rapid appraisal 070952 Truffles, fresh or chilled 4 201 23 656 indicated that the species wholesales for 070959 Mushrooms other than Agaricus, fresh or chilled n.a. 364 412 between US$0.2Ð0.3/kg and retails at 071239 Mushrooms (excl. 071331/33) and truffles, dried n.a. 219 458 200320 Truffles, prepared or preserved, not in vinegar 3 049 11 012 more than US$2/kg. The contribution of 080120 Brazil nuts, fresh or dried 44 344 59 848 this species to socio-economic 080240 Chestnuts, fresh or dried 109 958 184 663 livelihoods needs further study. 230810 Acorns and horse chestnuts for animal feed 1 216 7 380* Consumption and trade in mulondo are 120792 Shea nuts (karite nuts) 5 155 5 136* increasing. There are more consumers 121110 Liquorice roots 33 455 24 310 and traders now than ten years ago. Yet 121120 Ginseng roots 389 345 221 435 mulondo is a slow-growing plant that takes 121190 Plants and parts, pharmacy, perfume, insecticide use n.e.s. 689 926 777 980 about 15 years to attain a tuber of sufficient 121210 Locust beans, locust seeds 22 395 40 239 size for consumption. The ecological 130110 Lac 25 286 25 653 implications of intense harvesting of such a 130120 Gum arabic 101 312 105 510 slow-growing plant to satisfy this 130190 Natural gum, resin, gum resin, balsam, not gum arabic 92 755 96 535 increasing demand are that harvesting is 400130 Balata, gutta-percha, guayule, chicle and similar gums 26 726 13 605 unsustainable and the species may be 130214 Pyrethrum, roots containing rotenone, extracts 27 865 26 173* threatened. Indeed the plant is reportedly 140110 Bamboos used primarily for plaiting 37 562 50 054 becoming much harder to locate in the wild. 140120 Rattan used primarily for plaiting 118 987 51 327 (Contributed by: John R.S. Tabuti, Ph.D., 140210 Kapok 11 920 2 826* Senior Lecturer/Ethnobotanist, Department 170220 Maple sugar and maple syrup 43 632 116 202 200891 Palm hearts, otherwise prepared or preserved 16 082 67 514 of Botany, Makerere University, PO Box 320110 Quebracho tanning extract 51 938 45 173 7062, Kampala, Uganda. Fax: +256 (0) 41 320120 Wattle tanning extract 63 877 34 168 531 061; e-mail:[email protected]) 320130 Oak or chestnut extract 8 653 917* 450110 Natural cork, raw or simply prepared 7 874 110 702 530521 Abaca fibre, raw (Musa textilis) 15 221 20 374

* 2001 value (as no longer in HS 2002). Notes: n.a.: not applicable as this code did not exist in the HS 1992 version. n.e.s.: not elsewhere specified. Source: UN, 2004.

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 9 SPECIAL FEATURES

increased by 50 percent, from US$5.5 wickerwork. These originate in billion to $8.3 billion. However, the total developing countries and were traded as DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH global import value of all commodities raw materials. Commodities that saw COLLECTING, COMPILING AND listed in the 1992 and 2002 HS, as their import values sharply increase are ANALYSING TRADE DATA ON NWFPs recorded by trading countries, increased mosses/lichens and foliage for flower almost two and a half times, from bouquets, truffles, other mushrooms, ¥ The term is not included in US$2.24 trillion to $5.56 trillion. In maple syrup, cork, mucilages and international commodity descriptions addition, the share of global trade of the thickeners from locust bean (carob), or in product classification systems. 55 commodities decreased from 0.25 essential oils not elsewhere specified, ¥ Listings that describe or categorize percent to 0.15 percent, mostly as a live animals other than farm animals, NWFPs within commodities vary result of a decline in the price of raw natural honey and raw reptile skins. They considerably, as does their materials and because other materials represent semi-processed products and aggregated value, since there is no gained in popularity. are mainly produced and traded by agreement among countries, agencies Products that saw no real increase in developed countries (Europe, North or authors on terminology. their traded values are shea nuts, gum America) and China. ¥ International commodity arabic, balata, gutta-percha, kapok, (Source: State of the World’s Forests nomenclature and product tanning extracts of quebracho and black 2005.) Trade figures for 2004 will be given classification schemes are silent as to wattle, Brazil nuts, sago flour and in the next issue of Non-Wood News. whether products originate from farms or the forest. TABLE 2. Global import values of selected commodities for which HS code ¥ Several NWFPs are traded as includes NWFPs among others, 1992 and 2002 processed or semi-processed products or as ingredients in other HS code Commodity description Global import value commodities and cannot easily be (’000 US$) 1992 2002 identified. 010600 Animals, live, except farm animals 183 922 404 633 ¥ Changes in product nomenclature in 030110 Ornamental fish, live 137 886 240 965 international statistical systems Ð 040900 Honey, natural 268 184 657 612 with codes deleted, merged, split or 041000 Edible products of animal origin n.e.s. 80 389 175 770 051000 Ambergris, civet, musk, etc. for pharmaceutical use 134 088 93 942 added Ð make comparisons difficult 060491 Foliage, branches, for bouquets, etc. - fresh n.a. 587 689 over time. 060499 Foliage, branches, for bouquets, etc. - except fresh n.a. 103 998 ¥ Not all countries report accurately on 071230 Mushrooms and truffles, dried, not further prepared 134 205 286 661* their trade. 200390 Mushrooms n.e.s., preserved, not pickled n.a. 82 848 080290 Nuts edible, fresh or dried, n.e.s. 222 915 403 243 (Source: State of the World’s Forests 090610 Cinnamon and cinnamon-tree flowers, whole 95 626 81 332 2005.) 090620 Cinnamon and cinnamon-tree flowers, crushed or ground 8 531 18 606 110620 Flour or meal of sago, starchy roots or tubers 18 063 10 060 120799 Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, n.e.s. 62 297 161 428 130232 Mucilages and thickeners, from locust bean, guar seeds 141 335 254 683 130239 Mucilages and thickeners n.e.s. 138 579 374 674 140190 Vegetable materials n.e.s., used primarily for plaiting 39 670 38 181 140200 Vegetable materials for stuffing/padding n.a. 3 751 140300 Vegetable materials for brush/broom making n.a. 23 519 140410 Raw vegetable material primarily for dyeing and tanning 31 063 33 855 140490 Vegetable products n.e.s. 63 859 127 767 320190 Tanning extracts of vegetable origin 20 515 50 450 320300 Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin 152 082 384 133 330129 Essential oils, n.e.s. 312 524 533 464 330130 Resinoids 61 359 37 282 380510 Gum, wood or sulphate turpentine oils 31 232 35 418 380610 Rosin and resin acids 166 133 224 360 410320 Reptile skins, raw 11 252 78 366 430180 Raw fur skins of other animals, whole 44 025 88 240 460110 Plaits and products of plaiting materials 17 198 38 927 460120 Mats, matting and screens, vegetable plaiting material 215 957 196 784 460191 Plaited vegetable material articles not mats or screen 44 732 120 719* 460210 Basketwork, wickerwork products of vegetable material 789 991 968 044 660200 Walking sticks, seat-sticks, whips, etc. 10 769 44 369 * 2001 value (as no longer in HS 2002). Notes: n.a.: not applicable as this code did not exist in the HS 1992 version. n.e.s.: not elsewhere specified. Source: UN, 2004.

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 10 SPECIAL FEATURES

of high demand, plantations of A major outcome has been the A. annua have been established, development of a patented method thereby reducing reliance on wild permitting the extraction of a natural plants. Novartis has also initiated sweetening substance from the fruit planting trials in Africa with a view to of an indigenous tree, diversifying the source of raw Thaumatococcus daniellii, with high material. The World Health economic potential. A factory is Organization (WHO) has played a currently under construction for large- major role by assuring tropical scale production and at the same countries as to the effectiveness of time, cultivation of T. daniellii is being the product and also ensuring encouraged. continued demand for the Novartis While not exhaustive, these three product. examples illustrate a diversity of driving ¥ The Shea Butter Production Initiative forces behind the partnerships. In the first Feeding minds: fighting hunger is a partnership between the United case, the driving force is to produce an Public-private partnerships and global trade Nations Development Fund for affordable malaria treatment for rural in NWFPs Women (UNIFEM), the Government households. In the second, it is the Poverty reduction stands out as one of the of Burkina Faso, a French cosmetic improvement in the living conditions of United Nations’ most important goals since company (L’Occitane), a Canadian women who are the dominant labour its creation. However, several decades NGO (Centre canadien d’étude et de force in the shea trade. The Ghana case later, poverty still persists. UN agencies coopération internationale, CECI) is driven by sustainable forest now recognize that working with the public and local partners. In the partnership, management. There are, however, a sector alone is insufficient and over the CECI played a major role in the number of issues worth mentioning that past decade they have been actively technical aspects of product could undermine the potential success of encouraging the participation of the private development and UNIFEM supported such initiatives with respect to poverty sector in development initiatives. the development of producer groups alleviation. Typically, this involves the private sector, and educated women producers ¥ In the case of T. daniellii and civil society and the public sector with a UN about new market opportunities. A. annua, there is an ongoing attempt agency or other developmental non- Producer groups were also assisted to synthesize chemically the active governmental organization (NGO) acting in sourcing new outlets for their substances that make these plants as a neutral broker to ensure that a target products, especially in international economically important, which could population benefits from a given activity. markets. Shea trade fairs have been mean that initiatives focused on them These activities could either be aimed at organized annually and one of the may be unsustainable in the long improving the general economic participants, L’Occitane, now term. environment (e.g. advocacy on issues purchases directly from the women ¥ There is much talk on the economic such as human rights and peace, and producers. The women have equally gains for participating populations. service delivery such as provision of benefited from improved processing However, there is far less information electricity and water) or aimed at specific technologies, saving time and available about the consequences on economic subsectors. energy. existing plant populations when A few partnerships are known to have ¥ In Ghana, a public partnership exists demand rises suddenly. targeted the NWFP subsector, with the between a timber company ¥ Another issue is that of supply. These aim of ensuring improved livelihoods (Samartex), landowners, tenants and plants all have a harvesting season of a through sustainable market development state authorities, with the technical few months in the year. The A. annua for NWFPs. These initiatives include the support of the German Development partnership is the only one that has following. Service. The ensuing project aims to attempted to address this issue by ¥ The Swiss pharmaceutical company cultivate on a sustained basis former encouraging planting in different Novartis is in partnership with areas of forestry clearance for the geographic regions. Furthermore, the Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical purpose of preserving biodiversity shea project, in a drought-prone region, companies and rural households in and creating additional sources of could mean that another potential China in order to secure availability income for the rural population. This uncertainty factor has been added to the of the medicinal plant Artemisia Oda-Kotoamso Community long-term risks of the project. annua. This plant contains the active Agroforestry Project is run with (Contributed by: Okwen TenjohOkwen, ingredient used in the production of financial support from Deutsche Via Iberia 66, 00183 Rome, Italy. E-mail: the malaria drug Coartem. Because Investitions und Entwicklungs-GmbH. [email protected])

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 11 SPECIAL FEATURES

For figures covering the past eight resource harvesters and collectors as years, please contact Ms Alka Shiva, well as for many other actors in the GLOBAL TRADE OF RATTAN President and Managing Director, commodity chain. The patchiness of PRODUCTS Centre of Minor Forest Products information on trade in wild plants and (COMFORPTS), HIG 2, No. 8B, animals makes it difficult to estimate total Rattan comprises about 600 species Indirapuram, GMS Road, PO Majra, and relative levels of use for both in 13 genera and is widely distributed Dehra Dun 248 001 (Uttaranchal), India. domestic and commercial purposes, and in tropical Asia and the Pacific, as E-mail: [email protected] or this is complicated by the difficulty in well as in Africa. [email protected] distinguishing between subsistence use The International Network for and trade for commercial purposes. The Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) estimates Trade measures – tools to promote the value of international trade, for which the global trade of rattan products to sustainable use of NWFPs? data are comparatively better, has be in the range of US$4 billion and the An assessment of trade-related recently been estimated at US$11 billion domestic trade to be $2.5 billion. These instruments influencing international per year. figures show the importance of the trade in NWFPs and associated Effective NWFP trade faces practical rattan economy, which has become, in management and livelihood strategies. challenges as NWFPs are often small in terms of export value, almost 40 Through the Norway Partnership size, come from many different sites and percent of the $10 billion trade of Programme (NPP) “Forests for a far larger range of species and primary tropical timber products Sustainable Livelihoods”, funding was products exists than for the two key covered by the International Tropical provided in 2004 and 2005 to enable traded resources Ð timber and fisheries. Timber Organization (ITTO). This huge FAO to analyse trade-related instruments NWFP trade is, accordingly, far more economic importance results from the influencing trade in NWFPs and their complex and difficult to understand and fact that rattan cane has long been applications and impacts on poverty regulate, since NWFPs cannot be used as one of the most popular alleviation and sustainable forest successfully regulated as a uniform materials for furniture. (Source: management. The NPP complements commodity. Chinese Academy of Forestry.) and accelerates implementation of International trade in NWFPs is (Please see pp. 44 and 73 for more ongoing activities of the FAO Programme regulated through a broad range of trade- information.) “Promotion and Development of Non- related instruments that impose Wood Forest Products (NWFPs)”. mandatory trade controls. Some of these, TRAFFIC, an international NGO focusing such as the Convention on International on trade in wild plants and animals, was Trade in Endangered Species of Wild selected to carry out the global analysis Fauna and Flora (CITES) and certain because of its knowledge on and national species conservation measures, experience in international trade issues have their basis in the conservation of and their social, economic and biodiversity, while others, such as import environmental impact on sustainable tariffs or phytosanitary certificates, are forest management. Case studies on used for capturing revenue or for food specific NWFPs in international trade health and quality control. There are also were carried out in Cameroon, Bolivia many trade-related instruments such as Trade data on NTFPs in India and Papua New Guinea and the results trade rules within the World Trade Trade data on NTFPs compiled from of these studies were incorporated into Organization (WTO) that are based on monthly statistics of the foreign trade of the global analysis. A comprehensive enhancing trade liberalization, covering a India (exports) prepared by the report, summarized below, has been broad range of products in international Directorate-General of Commercial produced and is to be published in the trade. For these instruments NWFPs are Intelligence and Statistics, Kolkata (India) near future by FAO. not the key commodities being targeted reveal that the share of NTFP exports NWFPs have an important role to play and impacts are not always supportive of has been significant when compared with in the livelihoods of many rural sustainable use and trade. wood products. communities, particularly in developing NWFP trade is also affected by NTFP exports from India were countries, where they provide a broad voluntary trade measures developed by approximately US$154.18 million (Rs6 784 range of subsistence and commercial the private sector, such as certification crore) from 2000 to 2001, as compared livelihood opportunities. While most of and ecolabelling schemes that generally with the approximately $5.50 million the trade is domestic, for some NWFP aim to achieve the dual aim of (Rs242 crore) of wood products exported species and products, international trade biodiversity conservation and the during the same year (Rs44 = US$1). is significant and generates income for equitable distribution of benefits to the

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 12 SPECIAL FEATURES

communities for whom such trade plays a for certification programmes because the PhytoTrade Africa: adding life to trade key livelihood role. products are generally traded on a small PhytoTrade Africa is the Southern African Trade-related instruments, such as scale in local markets and where they are Natural Products Trade Association, CITES, which aim to ensure biodiversity traded internationally, it is frequently for a representing over 50 members across conservation, do not always achieve this specific industry and on a relatively small the southern African region in order to goal and, in certain cases, have had a scale. Therefore, only some of the more develop a viable, sustainable and ethical negative impact on the species popular products are considered suitable natural products industry. concerned and on those whose for certification and related initiatives PhytoTrade Africa is unique in the way livelihoods are linked to the trade. There should be carried out on a case-by-case it is tackling business, poverty alleviation, are, however, a number of examples of basis. environmental sustainability and benefit- win-win situations and there is increased There are a number of areas where sharing in one practical package. It recognition within the biodiversity inadequate research has been carried reaches marginalized producers all over conservation sector of the need to out and insufficient literature exists to southern Africa and seeks to combine incorporate determination of livelihood determine the impact of trade-related both organic and fair trade standards. impacts into decision-making processes measures. These include international Southern Africa is rich in biodiversity for the regulation of trade in wild plants and regional trade agreements, regional that has contributed to the fabric of and animals. and bilateral biodiversity-related domestic life for centuries. The demand Tariffs are used by both importing and agreements and tariff and non-tariff for raw materials produced by exporting countries as a means of measures. In the latter case, the existing PhytoTrade’s members is growing generating revenue and, normally in the literature needs to be updated. rapidly, as the results of generations of case of developing countries, as a It is clear that NWFPs play a critical traditional use and refinement become protectionist measure. Excessive tax role in the lives of millions of people globally recognized. rates can be counterproductive since around the world and that trade-related PhytoTrade Africa is a member of the they may encourage illegal trade in the instruments do have an impact, both International Federation for Alternative products in order to avoid tariffs. This positive and negative, on the sustainable Trade. In addition, some members will situation often results in a lower price use and conservation of NWFPs and on achieve organic certification this year. being paid to collectors and harvesters. the livelihoods of those dependent upon While all members are signatories of the While tariff-based trade measures can them. Resource users, regulators, NGOs, PhytoTrade Africa Fair Trade Charter, have an impact on trade in NWFPs, the policy-makers and all other stakeholders PhytoTrade is currently developing ways impact of non-tariff measures is probably accordingly need to continue to apply these standards to the cosmetic greater. For instance, phytosanitary emphasizing the important role of industry. controls can become a trade constraint NWFPs and advocating the adoption of All products from PhytoTrade Africa’s where they cause delays and they are trade-related measures that are members can be defined as follows. normally more onerous on small supportive of their conservation and Wild harvested. Through extensive cooperatives and local communities that sustainable use. (Contributed by: Markus research, PhytoTrade Africa has chosen may lack the resources to meet the Burgener, Senior Programme Officer, seven indigenous tree species, each required standards. Non-tariff import TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa, c/o The producing fruits containing valuable controls can prove restrictive as well as South African National Biodiversity constituents for the cosmetics industry. complex and overlapping, creating Institute, Private Bag X7, Claremont, These fruits are naturally organic and unnecessary burdens on both 7735, Cape Town, South Africa. Fax: 27 have been sustainably harvested by enforcement personnel and traders. 21 797 7186; e-mail: marginalized rural producers for Furthermore, such a regulatory [email protected]; www.traffic.org) generations. By creating viable and environment is frequently more open to ethical markets for these products, local exploitation. value is added, and the traditional culture Certification and labelling schemes associated with their usage is secured. In have focused mainly on timber products; this way, rural producers’ livelihoods and the certification of NWFPs has largely food security are enhanced and the trees been available though forest-related are conserved. certification schemes for the last five From educated and empowered years. Consequently, it is difficult to producers. PhytoTrade Africa’s members assess the performance of certification are supported by a dynamic management for NWFPs since insufficient case studies team that provides advice and training on a and sources of information exist. In wide variety of key topics including quality general, NWFPs are not considered ideal standards; export procedures; market

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 13 SPECIAL FEATURES

penetration strategies; business planning; Aggressive strategy for MFP exports Exports of Korean ginseng certification criteria; health and safety planned Exports of Korean ginseng have been on issues; cosmetic formulation; oil With competition in the minor forest the rise for the third year in succession. If processing; supply chain management; product (MFP) export sector hotting up, a the increase in exports continues, the and regulatory environments. In addition, government-sponsored body has Republic of Korea expects the amount to the welfare of each producer is considered planned an aggressive strategy for surpass US$100 million in 2005, a feat with fair prices paid and long-term buyer tapping virgin markets. that has not been repeated since 1996. relationships nurtured. The Shellac Export Promotion Council The Korea Agro-Trade Corporation Within equitable relationships. The (SEPC) has launched an MFP said that ginseng worth $33 million was communities that harvest these products information centre, which will build a shipped overseas between January and are organized groupings of rural producers community of stakeholders by bringing June in 2005, up almost 11 percent from who have a proven business capability to producers, traders, cooperatives and the same period in 2004. Ginseng is manage production. The roots of every exporters under its umbrella and widely consumed around the world for its product are firmly planted within these providing them with a platform to effects in boosting vitality. (Source: communities and for this reason all highlight problems vis-à-vis support Chosun Ilbo, Republic of Korea, 22 intellectual property and genetic rights are measures needed for export August 2005.) protected, and any patents that may arise development. To realize its goal, SEPC is from research and development are co- also conducting market surveys and High sales boost plant extract drug owned through the supply chain. Through developing an export promotion strategy company the creation of coordinated partnerships to nurture and groom new and upcoming Phytopharm, which develops drugs linking producers, regional organizations, exporters, promote international based on medicinal plant extracts, said governments and industry, benefit-sharing competitiveness and identify scope and its sales had grown to £7.4million for the as envisaged under the Convention on export potentials. year ending 31 August 2005, compared Biological Diversity is ensured. India’s MFP exports at present amount with £1.1 million the previous year. to US$362 million, comprising only Losses before tax had dropped to £3 Implications for the cosmetic industry 4 percent of global trade. Global imports billion from £6.8 billion. ¥ Quality ingredients. are estimated to be $9 billion. New and Chief executive Richard Dixey said the ¥ Every ingredient has a rich African emerging global markets such as South highlight of the year had been signing a cultural heritage. Asia and some western countries in this worldwide licence agreement with ¥ Every producer has been fairly treated. sector remain largely untapped. Unilever to develop a cactus extract to be ¥ Every material has been sustainably MFPs include bamboo, medicinal used in slimming products. The hoodia harvested. herbs, cane, honey, tamarind (both dried cactus is used by the San bushmen of ¥ By purchasing PhytoTrade Africa and seed), lac, shellac, amla, tendu leaf the Kalahari as an appetite suppressant. products, customers will be providing and others. According to a study, some (Source: The Guardian, 3 November support to communities that will reinvest 50 million tribals in the country depended 2005.) the money for themselves, from paying on MFPs for meeting their subsistence for school uniforms, to school fees, or consumption and income needs. even a school. Northeast India is home to a wide (Contributed by: Dr L. A. Welford, variety of economically important Information Services Manager, NWFPs, including medicinal plants, with PhytoTrade Africa, 9 Lezard Ave, vast potential for exports all over the PO Box BE 385, Belvedere, Harare, world. With 35 percent of India’s forests Zimbabwe. Fax (263) 4 723037; in this region, it is identified as the richest e-mail: [email protected]; biodiversity habitat. However, for lack of www.phytotradeafrica.com) focus and cohesiveness among growers, the trading community and government policies, this sector has not seen its optimum growth. Major markets for Indian MFPs are the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, China (Hong Kong SAR) and United Arab Emirates. (Source: Press Trust of India, 2 November 2005.)

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 14 NEWS AND NOTES

The papyriferic acid on sapling twigs 2005 on Vashon and Maury Islands with causes snowshoe hares to pass more the primary objective of finding out “Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) sodium with their urine. This loss of whether the ferns take arsenic from the consist of goods of biological origin sodium indicates birch defences, such as soil. other than wood, derived from papyriferic acid, which are potential Four years ago, scientists in Florida forests, other wooded land and trees hypertension drugs. found that Chinese brake ferns (Pteris outside forests.” The north has a bumper crop of birch vittata) thrive on arsenic, sucking the and other trees and shrubs that seem to poison out of the soil and concentrating it ÇLes produits forestiers non ligneux be loaded with papyriferic acid and other in their fronds. A company now markets sont des biens d’origine biologique potentially valuable chemicals. the ferns as a pollution solution for autres que le bois, dérivés des forêts, Since the birches with the highest arsenic-plagued communities. Scientists des autres terres boisées, et des concentrations of the chemical are in the Florida laboratory experiments arbres hors forêts.» between Fort Yukon and northwest measured arsenic concentrations in the Canada, there is potential for villagers to ferns that were as much as 200 times ÇProductos forestales no madereros start a new industry of harvesting young higher than in the soil where the plants son los bienes de origen biológico birch and other woody plants. This sort of grew. “The fronds themselves will distintos de la madera derivados de small industry is already under way in become poisonous,” said Marian Abbett, los bosques, de otras tierras Minnesota, where researchers from the an environmental engineer who oversees boscosas y de los árboles fuera de University of Duluth have joined a the Ecology Department’s Tacoma los bosques.È biotechnology company to harvest birch smelter project. (FAO’s working definition) bark for betulin, a chemical effective as a Ecology Department officials decided herpes and skin cancer drug and as a to test whether the ferns will grow locally component of cosmetics. and reduce soil contamination in areas Plant/mammal interactions can lead to affected by windborne arsenic from the the identification of potential drugs and former Asarco smelter. Its smokestack ALASKA PAPER BIRCH one of the strongest plant/mammal and buildings have been demolished but TREE WOODS HOLDS interactions is between hares and the the site, adjacent neighbourhoods and POTENTIAL FOR NEW trees and shrubs of northern Alaska and nearby shoreline are the focus of a DRUGS northern Canada. (Source: Anchorage federal Superfund cleanup. Beyond that, Daily News, 7 August 2005.) elevated concentrations of arsenic, lead Saplings of the Alaska paper birch tree and cadmium still taint soils in a 1 000 (Betula neoalaskana) produce a sticky square mile (2 590 km2) area around resin on new branches that discourages Puget Sound. snowshoe hares from eating them. Some Chinese brake ferns resemble native scientists think that such chemical sword ferns but they are considered defences could be useful drugs and a invaders in Florida, where they dominate new natural resource for Alaskans to tap. their habitat. “We don’t think they will be Two American researchers thought so an invasive here,” Abbett said. “They like highly of birch trees’ promise that they the warmer, tropical climate.” took a 600-mile (approximately 966 km) Bhaskar Bondada, a Washington State journey up and down the Porcupine River University plant physiologist who studied to clip birch twigs from different locations. the fern in Florida, said that the beauty of They found that new twigs were more ARSENIC-EATING FERNS this plant is that it only accumulates heavily encrusted with resin nodules the HOLD HOPE FOR TAINTED arsenic in the fronds, which are easily further north they went. SOILS picked. But in the process the fern also In the late 1970s, researchers noticed converts arsenate to arsenite, which is that Alaska birches seemed to protect State pollution fighters planted a small more toxic, he said. themselves from hares by producing patch of pitiful-looking plants inside a wire The Institute for Environmental resinous glands on saplings and stems cage in Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park Research and Education on Vashon growing close to the ground. These (Washington, United States) and labelled Island believes that the ferns should be stems are stubbled with tiny beads of them poison. The 100 subtropical ferns studied, but urged caution since they papyriferic acid, a sweet compound with inside the test plot near Fort Nisqually are could prove to be invasive. Moreover, the a bitter aftertaste. Twigs growing higher part of a two-year, US$30 000 experiment fronds might have to be buried in a on mature trees do not have the glands. in pollution control that began in April hazardous waste repository.

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 15 NEWS AND NOTES

“We have to harvest the leaves,” contained in a seed and is what is The Management of Indigenous Abbett said. “They can’t just fall back on required for tracing the genome of a Knowledge Systems Project is a South the ground.” Nor does the Ecology species. Significant quantities of African effort to identify and protect the Department plan to compost them, she biological material are not required. A unique local biosystems used by local said. The plan is to test the arsenic “few seeds” from a location can give all communities as medicines, based on the concentrations and decide whether the the information about the genome, thus authority Ð and knowledge Ð of female fronds are hazardous before dumping. making biopiracy very simple. (Source: traditional leaders. The result has been Regular soil testing also is planned. The Financial Express [Mumbai, India], 7 even greater than a knowledge archive. (Source: Environmental News Network September 2005.) Female traditional leaders from the [ENN], 21 June 2005.) Eastern Cape said that the initiative to India’s digital library will stop biopiracy manage indigenous knowledge systems The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library was community-driven. Before (TKDL) is a US$2 million research embarking on the Management of project to cull medicinal information from Indigenous Knowledge Systems Project, the literature of doctors who practise female traditional leaders from the Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha, and Rharhabe Kingdom focused on how produce a fully illustrated and commercial exploitation of traditional exhaustively referenced database that foods could help develop their will secure this traditional wealth in the communities. However, they later public domain. The BBC reports, realized the need to link the “according to WHO, 70 percent of the management of indigenous knowledge people living in India use traditional systems on traditional foods with that of medicine for primary health care”. traditional medicines in order to make Protecting this vital health information their promotion of rural livelihoods or BARK PAINTINGS from patents will also benefit consumers development effective. The sources of of alternative medicines from India in the traditional foods and medicines are Lake Sentani, near West Papua’s capital rest of the world. So far, 36 000 largely indigenous plants and grains. Jayapura, is home to traditional Sentani formulations have been published in a Some medicines are also acquired from bark paintings. The bark from the kombou retrievable source in five international animals and reptiles. tree is soaked for a few weeks, then languages, so that patent examiners can The female traditional leaders said pounded until flat and dried in the sun readily access records transcribed from that they intended to uplift the socio- before being painted, using charcoal, Ayurvedic texts. economic well-being of their lime and ochre. The designs signify This library will prevent biopiracy and communities through the establishment mutual harmony in social relationships. can be copied by indigenous rights of community business enterprises that Common motifs include the fish, which workers around the world. (Source: produced, marketed and sold traditional represents people’s livelihood and the Guerrilla News Network [United States], foods and medicines. lizard, which is believed to have oracular 12 December 2005.) One notable aspect of the project is qualities. (Source: Green Left Weekly that it aims to stop not just institutional online [Australia], 9 November 2005.) African women against biopiracy biopiracy (from pharmaceutical Despite recent court rulings, “biopiracy” concerns, for example) but also casual Ð non-locals patenting treatments based biopiracy from local city dwellers. BIOPIRACY, on plants used by indigenous Apparently, a number of useful plants BIOPROSPECTING communities Ð continues to be a are being overharvested by South AND TRADITIONAL problem. The construction of databases African urbanites looking for medicinal or KNOWLEDGE and knowledge archives about native nutritional supplements. (Source: group uses of local plants is an WorldChanging [United States], 25 July Traditional knowledge: a legal and market increasingly popular way of combating 2005.) conundrum biopiracy (by establishing “prior art” and Protecting biological or genetic diversity blocking patents), but such projects are Curbing biopiracy is an investment for the future of any not easily accomplished. Indigenous To control biopiracy, many developing society. Genetic diversity is useful for the knowledge is often an oral tradition and countries are demanding disclosure development of new products and remote communities in the developing requirements as a positive obligation by processes such as for crops and world may not be willing to share this patent applicants, making it mandatory to pharmaceuticals. Genetic information is knowledge with outsiders. disclose the source or country of origin of

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 16 NEWS AND NOTES

genetic resources and associated Amazon countries team up to tackle Peru. The statistics on the number of traditional knowledge (TK). biopiracy products based on native Peruvian plants This requirement ensures that the Representatives from patent offices in six came from a study by a commission set patent applicant will comply with the Latin American nations that share the up by the Peruvian Government to access and benefit-sharing legislation of Amazon Basin have agreed to work examine patent registries in Europe, the host country. It will also enable together against biopiracy Ð the Japan and the United States. The report, patent offices to be more vigilant when unauthorized commercial exploitation of which was completed in January 2005, examining patent applications. Moreover, their native species. laid the foundations for verifying whether it will serve as a critical tool for gene-rich According to the Rio Declaration signed the applications for patents were legal. countries to track down applications on 1 July in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Ð Roca said authorities from his country based on genetic resources and related Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Surinam will now investigate whether patent TK, and enable adequate challenges to and Venezuela will share information and applications infringed Peruvian legislation specious patents. (Source: The Rising jointly develop policies to tackle the on access to genetic resources, which Nepal, 29 July 2005.) phenomenon. Together with Colombia requires prior consent from and and Guyana, the countries are members compensation for the indigenous of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty communities that possess the traditional Organization, which was created in 1978 knowledge used in developing the to promote sustainable development in products. Peru’s “regime for the protection the region and which organized the Rio of indigenous peoples’ knowledge related meeting. to biological diversity”, which was adopted The countries are concerned that in 2002, regulates these questions in the researchers could patent drugs and other country and orders remuneration in products derived from their native exchange for access to traditional species, including products based on knowledge; these monies go into a fund to traditional knowledge such as herbal be distributed to the communities involved. Harpagophytum procumbens medicines, without sharing the benefits Of the 500 products, two or three fairly. To tackle this threat more efficiently, cases of proven legal infractions will be Moves to protect devil’s claw they agreed to harmonize their intellectual selected, to demand the revocation of the (Harpagophytum procumbens) property laws and share technical patents and “the success of this first step Botswana, Namibia and South Africa are information included in patents. will set a precedent” that will pave the engaged in talks to protect the devil’s The Amazon Basin is one of the most way for a broad offensive against claw plant (sengaparile or biologically diverse regions on earth, with biopiracy, said Roca. Harpagophytum procumbens) from a many species found nowhere else on the Biopiracy is defined as biological theft, German company that wants to have planet. (Source: SciDev.Net [United or the unauthorized and uncompensated patent rights over it. Kingdom], 18 July 2005.) collection of indigenous plants, animals, Botswana’s Deputy Permanent microorganisms, genes or traditional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Patenting of Peruvian plants communities’ knowledge on biological Wildlife and Tourism, Tutu Tsiang, said Around 500 products based on plants resources by corporations that patent yesterday that the talks involve native to Peru are registered in patent them for their own use. Countries with government officials from the three offices in the United States, Europe and great biological diversity such as those of countries. She said that since the plant Japan, but many of them may have been the Amazon jungle must protect the grows in the three countries it would be produced by breaking Peruvian laws on traditional knowledge and wealth held by unfortunate for the company to claim access to biodiversity and traditional traditional indigenous peoples, just as rights over it. She was not aware knowledge. industrialized nations apply pressure whether there were plant species This complaint was voiced by Santiago around the world to fight the piracy of exported to other countries to be Roca, the president of Peru’s National their products, such as software, films processed and patented. There was Institute for the Defence of Competition and CDs, Roca argued. confusion in 2004 when CITES said that and the Protection of Intellectual Property, The meeting of intellectual property it wanted to put sengaparile on its list of at the first meeting of intellectual property officials was a first step towards the endangered species. The plant grows in officials from the eight Amazon Basin sharing and exchange of information on sandy areas such as the Kgalagadi countries that took place in Brazil from 30 biopiracy and cooperation and desert and is known to have medicinal June to 1 July 2005. international negotiations on patents. value. (Source: Mmegi/The Reporter These hundreds of products were Achieving effective recognition of [Gaborone], 4 August 2005.) derived from just seven native plants from “collective rights” requires an effort by all

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 17 NEWS AND NOTES

countries, because national laws wild or cultivated over generations,” said a broader WTO agreement. (Source: generally only protect the copyright and Renee Marlin-Bennett, chairperson of Bloomberg [United States], 17 November intellectual property rights of individuals the Global Intellectual Property Project at 2005.) or companies, not of the communities the American University in Washington. that developed the knowledge in the first The proposed changes would “redirect place. the rules to rectify some of the A pressing question now is to obtain embedded imbalance” between rich and reparation for indigenous communities for poor, she said. the knowledge that they have collected While it is difficult to quantify the over centuries and that is being used to magnitude of the issue, these nations develop food products, pharmaceuticals are moving to catalogue it. The and cosmetics. This will be a “long Government of Peru created a process”, and is a particularly sensitive commission on biopiracy that has issue in the Amazon jungle region identified ten plant species of local origin because of its immense biodiversity, for which patents have been granted or Roca said, pointing out that each hectare applied for in the United States, Europe in this part of South America contains or Japan. more biological diversity than all of In 2001, New Jersey-based Pure Is Brazil beating biopiracy or biodiversity Europe combined. World Botanicals Inc. won a patent for research? Peru’s experience could make a an ingredient in the Peruvian plant maca Brazil’s Amazon rain forest is teeming significant contribution to Brazil’s struggle and is now marketing it as a “natural with life Ð an estimated 30 percent of the in the area, since many species are Viagra”. The Peruvian commission is planet’s animal and plant species Ð that shared by both countries, such as the preparing a legal challenge. Chris could yield raw materials for new quiebra piedra (literally, “stone breaker”) Kilham, a consultant for Avignon, medicines. Brazil fears that foreign plant used to make herbal tea for people France-based Naturex, which now owns researchers may exploit its biodiversity suffering from kidney stones or Pure World, said the company’s patents without paying the country a fair share of gallstones. (Source: Inter Press Service are legitimate. Still, he said that Pure the profits. News Agency, 4 July 2005.) World had erred in not sharing the However, Brazilian efforts to deter such patent rights with Peruvian communities. biopiracy risk stifling both local and Andean nations seek United States patent The United States says that it has foreign research. The Government’s strict protection for native medicines investigated most of the frequently cited rules controlling research on Brazil’s wild Colombia, Ecuador and Peru are turning examples of biopiracy and found little species have forced some scientists to the tables on United States trade supporting evidence. It has “significant move their projects to neighbouring negotiators accustomed to winning tough concerns” about the explicit notification Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. safeguards for drug patents by proposal and instead is offering And although concerns about biopiracy demanding similar protection for compromises that will guard against are widespread in Brazil, a member of the traditional therapies such as roots and patent abuses, a trade official said. congressional committee investigating leaves. Demands for protection against Representatives of pharmaceutical biopiracy says that the committee has not what these nations call the companies such as New York-based found evidence for even a single case. misappropriation of traditional knowledge Pfizer and Whitehouse Station and New Brazilian researchers interviewed say will be one of the most contentious Jersey-based Merck oppose acceding to Brazil does not have enough knowledge issues during trade talks this week and the Andean nations’ demands, saying about the very biodiversity it is desperate next in Washington. their solution addresses a problem that to protect. They agree that the best way The Andean nations want “minor” does not exist. “Right now there is no to protect the Amazon’s biodiversity protection for their native plants and the evidence of biopiracy,” said Mark would be for Brazil to invest more in ways they are used, such as a rule Grayson, a spokesman for home-grown research. (Source: requiring companies to inform Pharmaceutical Research and Associated Press/mongabay.com, 1 indigenous tribes of any patent Manufacturers of America in November 2005.) applications based on traditional Washington, a lobbying and marketing knowledge and negotiate payment, group that represents drugmakers. Bioprospecting programme in Malaysia according to Carlos Correa, a Buenos The Andean nations’ demands for More minority groups are expected to Aires-based consultant to these nations. prior notification and negotiated payment contribute plant species known to have “Existing rules protect things that are have been picked up by India and Brazil, medicinal value to the Sarawak made in labs, not things taken from the which want similar provisions written into Biodiversity Centre’s bioprospecting

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 18 NEWS AND NOTES

programme. Those expected to do so in and the cost of coming up with one drug The Universities of the South Pacific the next few months include the Bisayas is US$800 million. (USP) and Papua New Guinea (UPNG) from Limbang, Kayan-Kenyahs from A major issue related to the work of are playing leading roles in the Sungai Asap, Melanaus from the Mukah bioprospecting is who will benefit if development of biodiversity through the division and Ibans from Selangau and medicines are found. In the past, plants use of biotechnology, having set up local Betong. and marine organisms were often enterprises to increase local ability to The State Planning and Resource collected from developing countries by perform the work. Both universities have Management Minister said the centre western researchers and the source received a prestigious International had met leaders of these groups to country received little in return. Cooperation in Biodiversity grant given discuss taking part in its traditional This neo-colonial “open access” policy by the United States Government to knowledge documentation programme. was turned on its head by the 1993 partnerships of United States and “The centre already has a collection of Convention on Biological Diversity, which overseas universities working to discover some 9 000 plant extracts in its natural gave sovereign rights of biodiversity to drugs and conserve biodiversity. USP is product library from over 600 plant the source country but encouraged it to working with the Georgia Institute of species from the local communities,” he allow access to outside researchers Technology and UPNG with the said. These species were contributed by under mutually agreed terms. University of Utah, with funding of about the Bidayuhs, Penans, Kelabits, Lun Pacific countries have been slow to $3 million over a five-year period. Bawang and Malays from the various develop this so-called “access and Collaboration such as this is helping to regions. benefit-sharing” legislation. bring benefits to the people of the Pacific The Minister said the state had to build In the examples cited above, it was the and, ultimately, to the people of the up a critical mass of scientific expertise in collecting group working with the local world. (Source: Islands Business, Suva, order to have access to research findings community that ensured a wide range of Fiji.) and good research partners to jumpstart benefits was made available to the its biotechnology initiative. “When the source area. Responsible scientists new laboratories are fully commissioned understand the importance of preserving and the research team adequately the biological diversity from which trained, the centre will be on track to chemicals are derived and, to further this bring in some discoveries,” he added. preservation, they seek partnerships that (Source: Malaysia Star, 16 June 2005.) will allow source communities to undertake conservation efforts. Bioprospecting in the Pacific region: who No chemical derived from a Pacific will benefit? organism has yet been fully developed In the Verata district of Fiji, people turn into a marketable drug. But several are to their Community Trust Fund for showing promise. scholarship support for local students. In ¥ A medicinal tree from Samoa called Faleaupo, Samoa, the cost of malamala (Homalanthus nutans) has BIRD FLU IS ALSO construction of a primary school was been found to be active against A FOREST PROBLEM donated by a foundation in return for the HIV/AIDS. United States scientists are community’s conservation of their rain trying to identify the gene that tells the Bird flu Ð known technically as avian forest. Both the trust fund and the plant to make the chemical. influenza Ð is a highly contagious viral school’s construction were made ¥ A district in Fiji has licensed plants disease that occurs naturally in birds. It possible by bioprospecting. and marine organisms for testing in can be caused by any one of about 20 Plants that have been used for Japan and set up a conservation trust different strains of the influenza virus. traditional medicines, in many cases for fund of $30 000 with the proceeds. Besides the potential impact of the thousands of years, are targeted. ¥ An orange sponge (Jaspis coriacea) disease on humans, its effect on Evidence has shown that scientists have and the makita tree (Atuna racemosa) livelihoods is clearly devastating. In Asia, more than ten times the chance of finding in Fiji have produced chemicals for nutritional patterns, income-generating an active chemical in a medicinal plant medical research. The United States activities and even sociocultural patterns than in one collected at random. company involved is giving 2Ð5 have been adversely affected. Animal The process of drug discovery takes percent of the proceeds from sales to breeding has become an issue for the about 15 years from sample collection to support further research in Fiji. privileged and, as a result, the poor, with having a marketable drug. It is estimated ¥ A chemical from a medicinal tree in limited options, have become even poorer. that only one in 10 000 chemicals Fiji has been patented as an anti- Equally important are the economic losses investigated ends up as a saleable drug diabetes drug. caused by fear of the disease; tourism,

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 19 NEWS AND NOTES

international trade options and business introduce thousands of people to the travels are sectors that have been boreal/taiga forest, but it also promoted BOSWELLIA SERRATA: severely affected. naturalized landscapes in urban settings. A TREE OF POSSIBILITIES The introduction of the bird flu virus Ð TRN’s purpose at Chelsea was to raise H5N1 Ð into Africa has raised new awareness about the boreal forest, the The salga or Boswellia serrata tree, is questions on an already complex threats it faces, and the indigenous part and parcel of everyday life in rural international problem. How can African peoples and rural communities that Jharkhand (India). It is also known as governments, with limited resources, depend on it for cultural, social and salahi-mann by the Oraon people and effectively monitor migratory birds? With economic sustainability. To emphasize as salga daru by the Mundas. the disease spreading simultaneously the boreal forest’s importance for these The tree yields a type of Indian through Africa and Europe will the world communities and to raise awareness frankincense or loban, which is a golden- pay enough attention (through awareness about alternative economies, TRN chose yellow, transparent and fragrant resin raising, technical and financial assistance) to focus on the value of NTFPs. To this that oozes out of the tree. People of all to the needs of Africans? What is the best end, TRN produced an NTFP factsheet religions have used the salga tree resin method to control the disease for for distribution at the show and financed as incense and villagers also often plant populations in which bushmeat is a non- three invited guests from the boreal forest the tree because of its numerous uses in negligible component of their daily diet? to come to Chelsea and introduce the daily life. What impact will this have on livelihoods, public to how their respective The most attractive aspect of the salga progress towards Millennium communities use the forest, and why tree is its tenacity. It requires no special Development Goals and the fight against sustainable forest use is so important to care or extra water to survive the often malaria and HIV/AIDS in Africa? their lives. harsh climes of Jharkhand. The small (Contributed by: Okwen TenjohOkwen, The NTFP factsheet, entitled Our life, tree is often used as a fence around Via Iberia 66, 00183 Rome, Italy. E-mail: medicine path: non-timber forest products kitchen gardens and is popular among [email protected]) of the boreal, introduced NTFPs and farmers to line their fields. It does not issues related to their management and cast any shadow over crops, allowing development; briefly outlined the adequate sunlight. In addition, it grows Bushmeat or edible wild mammals, medicinal/cultural uses of six plants in the faster than the rest of the local trees and reptiles, birds and insects that live in garden; raised awareness about thus fulfils the rural people’s need for forests or trees can account for up to intellectual property rights related to fuel. 85 percent of the protein intake of NTFPs; and suggested options for citizen One of the tree’s major characteristics people living in or near forests. and NGO activism on the subject. is that it does not require a large quantity (Source: www.fao.org/forestry/site/ The boreal forest garden project of water and it is therefore usually 28821/en) definitely raised awareness about the planted in midsummer, using a very boreal forest and its sustainability in a simple process: a branch is cut and very large and new audience forum, planted in the soil. Salga can be grown in primarily within the United Kingdom, but any type of soil and wherever there is BOREAL FOREST GARDEN also in the Russian Federation, western minimum moisture. People often plant a European countries (e.g. Italy and forked and mature branch near the The Taiga Rescue Network (TRN), in Sweden) and North America. village well, which serves a dual collaboration with LandLab Ltd (a TRN (Contributed by: Damien Lee, Information purpose: it can be used as the base for participant organization), recently Coordinator, Taiga Rescue Network, Box the pulley used to draw water from the presented an exhibit at London’s 2005 116, 96223 Jokkmokk, Sweden. Fax: +46 well and, as time passes, the branch Chelsea Flower Show, arguably the 971 12057; e-mail: [email protected]; grows into a live tree and acts as a world’s most prestigious horticultural www.taigarescue.org) permanent pillar. event. The show takes place annually, Popular belief is that salga is not generates huge media coverage and attacked by termites and insects and the draws up to 34 000 visitors per day for twigs are kept as hooks in cattle sheds to five days in May. act as a repellent against flies and The silver medal-winning boreal forest mosquitoes. Experts believe that the garden was designed as a boreal forest presence of a particular chemical, clearing with native plants. Everything in boswellic acid, is partly responsible for the garden had some use, whether this characteristic. edible or medicinal Ð thus promoting Salga also has some medicinal NTFPs. Not only did the garden properties. A paste of its bark Ð salai

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 20 NEWS AND NOTES

guggul Ð is used to treat normal wounds. For the quiver tree, any migration it Many medicine companies use this paste makes would have to come about as a Over one million tonnes of wild as one of the ingredients in medicines for result of seed dispersal via the wind or meat/year is consumed in the Congo gout, rheumatism and other joint pains. from droppings from birds or other Basin, equivalent to 4 million head of Villagers use a salga twig as a toothbrush animals that digest the seeds. This may cattle. (Source: Center for (datun) and as a cure for pyorrhea. help the species but not individuals, some International Forestry Research In spite of its numerous uses it is of which are over 150 years old. [CIFOR].) disheartening to see that there are no (Source: Reuters, 18 October 2005.) systems, as yet, in Jharkhand to collect such an important forest by-product. Had The challenge for the World Wildlife it been given due attention, this plant CHALLENGES IN Fund (WWF), Wildlife Conservation Society would have definitely proved to be an THE CONGO BASIN (WCS), German Technical Cooperation effective source of employment and Agency (GTZ) and country governments in revenue. (Source: Calcutta Telegraph Surrounding the Sangha River, in the their management of the national parks and [India], 23 August 2005.) centre of the Congo Basin, are more surrounding buffer zones in the Sangha Tri- than 3.5 million ha of unique forested National Region, is to conserve the great landscape covering parts of Cameroon, biodiversity while at the same time the Republic of the Congo and the improving the well-being of forest dwellers. Central African Republic. The area is CIFOR has taken up this challenge and is unique because it houses not only a working with WWF on a new landscape group of large mammals such as the management strategy for the Sangha forest elephant, western gorilla and region to achieve win-win outcomes for bongo, but is also home to more than both environment and livelihoods. CIFOR 12 different ethnic groups of hunter- and its partners will identify the trade-offs gatherers and farmers, who have been between development and conservation in BUSHMEN’S QUIVER dwelling in these forests for years. the region, explore where conservation and TREE THREATENED For many of these forest-dependent development can fruitfully coincide and BY CLIMATE CHANGE people, bushmeat is their most important identify the so-called “best practice” for the forest resource, both for subsistence and region. If CIFOR succeeds in helping WWF A famed desert tree used for generations income. Unluckily for them, most to find a way to integrate conservation and by Africa’s bushmen to make quivers for bushmeat originates from very development, it would really provide their arrows is threatened by global charismatic mammals, often the focal research that makes a difference. warming, a conference heard today. point of conservation. In the past, the (Contributed by: Marieka Sandker, With a stocky trunk topped by a tangle hunting of these animals was a Associate Expert, Forests and Livelihoods of forked branches, the quiver tree (Aloe sustainable practice but today, with Programme, CIFOR-Cameroon, c/o IITA- dichotoma) has iconic status in Namibia, commerce and guns, the situation has HFC, PO Box 2008, Messa, Nkolbisson, where its blue-green crown stands out become more complex and some Yaoundé, Cameroon. E-mail: vividly against a parched landscape. animals such as the gorilla are now on [email protected]) “The quiver trees are in the early stage the World Conservation Union (IUCN) red of a poleward (southward) range shift,” list of species in danger of extinction. This Wendy Foden, a researcher at the South has resulted in a strict anti-poaching CPF SOURCEBOOK FOR African National Biodiversity Institute, told policy in certain areas, banning hunting FUNDING IN FORESTRY a conference on climate change science and trapping and only allowing in Johannesburg. A shift towards the agricultural practices on the outskirts of The online Collaborative Partnership on poles and away from the equator is villages. Villagers, often living in extreme Forests (CPF) Sourcebook on Funding for precisely what one would expect as a poverty, are not even allowed to put traps Sustainable Forest Management helps response to warming conditions, Foden in their fields and they see a substantial users to identify information on funding said. “If there is no expansion in the amount of their crops being destroyed by sources, funding policies and delivery quiver trees’ range, then models forecast forest animals. Removing hunted animals mechanisms of donor countries, with a 76 percent reduction in their population from their diet also has implications on particular focus on sustainable forestry over the next 100 years,” she said. “Even their protein intake. For these people, management projects in developing with dispersal its numbers could be down conservationists are seen in the same countries. It covers a wide range of funds, more than 30 percent over the next light as the previous colonizers who from those supporting individuals and small century,” she added. deprived them of their natural resources. NGOs to those available to larger

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 21 NEWS AND NOTES

institutions, forest enterprises and many of these studies are methodologically governments. The entire sourcebook can flawed; for example, by a lack of blinding, Some 80 percent of people living in be accessed interactively via the Web site small sample sizes or the use of outcome developing countries depend on at: www.fao.org/forestry/cpf-sourcebook. measurements that have not been NWFPs, such as fruits and herbs, for One component of the sourcebook is properly validated. A well-designed study their primary health and nutritional the “funding news alert” (electronic by Stough et al. (2001) demonstrated the needs. (Source: www.fao.org/forestry/ newsletter) that is sent monthly to positive effect of Bacopa on cognitive site/28821/en) subscribers. This news alert compiles function in healthy people between 18 funding news related to forestry. Its goal is and 60 years of age; the current study to cast the net wide so that fund seekers was employed to replicate and extend worldwide learn of funding opportunities in these findings by assessing the efficacy a timely manner. All back issues of the of Bacopa specifically in the older forestry funding news alerts can be found population. on the sourcebook’s discussion platform: A clinical trial was carried out to assess www.fao.org/forestry/foris/community/main the effects of 12 weeks of a standardized /listthreads?forum=1 extract of Bacopa monnieri (300 mg/day) on memory in people over 55 years of For more information, or if you wish to age. From the 126 people who elected to subscribe or contribute to the next participate, 98 people met the study entry issue, please contact: Edward Kilawe, criteria and commenced the trial. Of these, Consultant on International Forest 81 participants completed the trial and Policy, Forestry Department (FONL), provided evaluable data for the end-point DOMESTICATION FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, analysis. 00100 Rome, Italy. Primary outcome measures were well- Population preferences for local fruit-tree Fax: +39 06 5705 2151; validated neuropsychological tests to species: implications for the e-mail: [email protected]; measure verbal and visual memory domestication of Dacryodes edulis and www.fao.org/forestry/cpf objectively, and a memory complaint Irvingia gabonensis in Cameroon questionnaire to measure subjective Since 1994, the World Agroforestry memory complaints. The results Centre (ICRAF), in collaboration with its DOES BACOPA MONNIERI demonstrated that Bacopa significantly local partners, has undertaken a IMPROVE COGNITIVE improved memory acquisition and domestication programme for local fruit FUNCTION IN OLDER retention in older Australians. This trees and medicinal plants in Central and AUSTRALIANS? concurs with findings from previous West Africa. The domestication human and animal studies, as well as programme consists in developing Recent research carried out by Annette supporting traditional Ayurvedic claims vegetative propagation techniques and Morgan of Southern Cross University, and uses. The use of Bacopa was promoting the integration of the higher New South Wales, Australia investigated associated with gastrointestinal tract genotypes in agrarian systems. the efficacy and safety of Bacopa monnieri (GIT) side effects, particularly increased From the participative investigations, a in improving memory in healthy bowel movements, nausea and list of priority species was drawn up for Australians over the age of 55 years. A abdominal cramping, findings the region. These species, including review of the literature showed that in the infrequently reported previously. These Irvingia gabonensis, Dacryodes edulis, current demographic climate of an ageing effects may have been a result of the GIT Chrysophyllum albidum, Ricinodendron population, memory impairment and irritant effects of the saponin component heudelotii and Garcinia cola, are used as dementia are increasingly prevalent. Older of the herb, or possibly of the cholinergic models for the implementation of the Australians are using complementary stimulation of autonomic and motor domestication programme. However, a medicines to enhance cognitive function. responses in the GIT, or both. great variability in preferred species was The evidence for many complementary (Contributed by: David Cameron, noted among countries, even among medicines is largely empirical and good- Wollongbar, New South Wales, Australia.) various localities of the same country. quality clinical trials are lacking. Furthermore, the present study aims Bacopa monnieri is a herbal medicine For more information, please contact: at determining the priorities and choices that has been used in India since antiquity Annette Morgan, Southern Cross of the population for the integration of for its cognitive enhancing effects. A University, PO Box 157, Lismore, fruit trees in four different localities in number of preclinical and clinical studies New South Wales 2480, Australia. Cameroon. From the results obtained, it support this traditional usage. However, E-mail: [email protected] was clear that there is an important

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 22 NEWS AND NOTES

variation in fruit preferences according to Sustaining forest resources domestication of these species. (Source: the sites studied and whether the Tree domestication has been identified as The Post [Buea, Cameroon], 16 October choices were made by men or women. one of the major ways of preserving 2005.) In localities where the population is natural forest resources and preventing large and other income-generating their extinction. Given that human beings activities are sought, farmers attach much across generations have relied on forests TREE DOMESTICATION Ð PROGRESS more importance to exotic species, while for food, clothing, medicine, shelter and TOWARDS ADOPTION in the areas where forest cover is still so on, it is incumbent on the various important, the preferences are for local stakeholders to look for ways of “Tree domestication Ð progress fruits. The differences between the sustaining forest resources as they come towards adoption” is the focus of a priorities of men and women are especially under pressure from a fast-growing recent issue of Forests, Trees and of commercial, compatibility and facilitated population. This means taking food, Livelihoods, Vol. 16(1). It covers cultural values, which can be explained by medicinal and other useful trees out of the contributions to the tree domestication the differences in the strategies of natural environment and adapting them, sessions of the First World production according to gender. by either improving their quality or their Agroforestry Congress held in Orlando, Preferences for the exotic as well as for production cycles for wider cultivation. Florida, United States in July 2004, local fruit species are also determined by This was the subject of a one-week which was the fourth meeting looking the following criteria: consumption, seminar – “Domesticating High-value at the potential for domesticating the medicinal and compatibility with other Trees for the African Humid Tropics: underutilized tree species that are cultures. To satisfy its numerous needs, Propagation, Integration and Marketing” – important for subsistence farmers the population prefers to retain a diversity that ICRAF organized in Yaoundé last around the world. of fruit trees on its farms. week. The seminar brought together Products from these species were in An important stage in the domestication participants from the West and Central the past gathered from natural forests of the trees is the mass multiplication of African subregions that are endowed with as NTFPs, but many of them are now those having characteristics appreciated a wide variety of natural resources but becoming new cash crops producing by the population. Thus, the study shows paradoxically host some of the world’s what are called agroforestry tree the importance of a participative approach poorest populations. products (AFTPs). This change has in the identification of preferred Participatory tree domestication in come about in the short space of 14 characteristics, by using I. gabonensis and agroforestry is a farmer-driven and years since the first conference in 1992 D. edulis as examples. The results market-led process. The purpose of the that highlighted the potential of these suggest differences in the preferences regional course, therefore, was to teach overlooked “Cinderella” species. noticed among communities and even and extend recent advances made in the Articles included in this issue among various groups of the same village. domestication of high-value trees in the include: Domesticating indigenous fruit The desired characteristics are guided by African humid tropics. The regional trees as a contribution to poverty the principal objective of the producer coordinator of ICRAF, Dr Zac Tchoundjeu, reduction; Putting participatory (consumption versus commercialization), said the domestication of tree species and domestication into practice in West and market opportunities and food practices. medicinal plants remains an indispensable Central Africa; The cultivation of camu These preferences should be used for economic succour to the African humid camu (Myrciaria dubia): a tree planting the selection of the “higher trees” and aim tropics. programme in the Peruvian Amazon; for the development of varieties by Following a survey carried out by and Towards the development of vegetative propagation methods at a lower agroforestry researchers in the African miombo fruit trees as commercial tree cost, practised by ICRAF in collaboration humid tropics, various species were crops in southern Africa. with the farmers. (Source: English identified and are being domesticated, summary of a paper by Mbosso, C., including two species of Irvingia For more information, please contact: Degrande, A., Schreckenberg, K., gabonensis (bush mango), Dacryodes Michael S. Philip, Editor, Forests, Tchoundjeu, Z., Enyong, L. and Boyd, C. edulis (African plume), Ricinodendron Trees and Livelihoods, Luton Cottage, Préférences des populations pour les heudelottii (the sauce spicing nut, Bridgeview Road, Aboyne, espèces fruitières locales: implications njansang), Garcinia cola (bitter kola) and Aberdeenshire AB34 5HB, pour la domestication de Dacryodes edulis Cola nitida (kola nut). Others are United Kingdom. E-mail: et de Irvingia gabonensis dans la zone vegetables such as Gnetum africana (eru) [email protected]; forestière du Cameroun.) (Contributed by: and medicinal plants such as Prunus www.foreststreesandlivelihoods.co.uk/ C. Mbosso, World Agroforestry Centre africana and Pausinystalia yohimbe. index.htm) [ICRAF], BP 2067 Yaoundé, Cameroon. E- The ICRAF authorities say they have mail: [email protected]) registered spectacular results in the

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 23 NEWS AND NOTES

¥ Para los consumidores a nivel actualmente están en proceso de EL CAMU CAMU LOGRA nacional e internacional, el biosello implementación por las comunidades CERTIFICACIÓN ORGÁNICA obtenido significa una garantía de la organizadas con el apoyo de CEDECAM. calidad y el carácter orgánico de los Se pueden obtener alrededor de 60 t Al haber aprobado los estándares productos con camu camu. de fruta en la cosecha 2005-2006 con internacionales establecidos, la firma una proyección creciente. SKAL International ha decidido conceder Este logro de CEDECAM y de los al CEDECAM la certificación orgánica de actores de la cadena productiva del camu este cultivo emblemático de la Amazonía camu directamente involucrados en el peruana. El certificado es válido para los proceso, trae consigo la responsabilidad mercados de EE.UU., Europa y Japón. de cumplir rigurosamente con las normas La certificación orgánica, conocida establecidas para renovar el certificado también como biosello, sello verde o anualmente sin problema alguno. El certificación ecológica es la garantía que CEDECAM asume el compromiso de el camu camu está exento de insumos vigilar estrechamente el cumplimiento de prohibidos, pesticidas, agroquímicos o las normas, sistematizar, documentar los cualquier otra sustancia tóxica para el Cómo fue el proceso y a quiénes procesos y capacitar permanentemente a organismo humano y que puede alterar el involucra los productores. carácter ecológico del producto. Los El proceso de certificación ecológica se El CEDECAM es una asociación civil beneficios son tangibles en diferentes inició en enero del presente año cuando sin fines de lucro, que articula a los niveles: CEDECAM contrató los servicios de productores de camu camu con el ¥ Para los exportadores, la certificación SKAL International, empresa holandesa mercado; no produce ni comercializa se convierte en una poderosa de reconocida trayectoria, altamente directamente. En este sentido, juega el estrategia de marketing que facilitará especializada en certificación de rol de ÇbisagraÈ entre la oferta y la la internacionalización de este sistemas agrícolas y reconocida a nivel demanda del mercado. Se preocupa de producto. Podrán ofrecer pulpa de internacional, siendo la certificadora más garantizar la calidad y, a partir de ahora, camu camu, pulpa concentrada y/o grande de América Latina. de velar por el carácter orgánico en la liofilizada con el sello verde, lo que Javier García, Presidente ejecutivo de fase agrícola y de transformación de la les permitirá incursionar con mayor CEDECAM, manifiesta que la pulpa en la UNAP para los mercados de éxito en un mercado tan competitivo certificación ecológica del camu camu se exportación. como el de bebidas nutracéuticas y la inscribe dentro de la estrategia de Es probable que con la certificación y industria farmacéutica. posicionamiento de este recurso en el la creciente demanda del mercado, las ¥ Para la región Loreto, esto es un mercado internacional de productos exportaciones de camu camu superen en hecho inédito, pues se convierte en el orgánicos en el marco del proyecto esta cosecha las 150 t de pulpa. (Fuente: primer recurso de la biodiversidad ÇPrograma integral para el Revista Bosques Amazonicos virtual, amazónica con esta distinción, con lo aprovechamiento racional del camu junio 2005.) cual nos ubicamos a la altura de la camu en cuencas seleccionadas de actual tendencia mundial de producir LoretoÈ que implementa CEDECAM con productos naturales. Constituirá, al el apoyo de la Unión Europea, Agro ETHNOFORESTRY mismo tiempo, un incentivo para que Acción Alemana, CESVI de Italia e Hivos PARADIGMS la población ribereña se dedique más de Holanda. a este cultivo, generando empleo SKAL analizó las parcelas de camu Recent research by John Studley of productivo. camu, los rodales naturales y el proceso Loughborough University, United ¥ Para los productores de camu camu de transformación industrial de este Kingdom on ethnoforestry paradigms que se orientan al mercado recurso de la biodiversidad amazónica, has been presented in his doctoral thesis internacional representa una teniendo en cuenta las entradas y salidas entitled “Sustainable knowledge systems oportunidad para obtener mayores de insumos durante este proceso. and resource stewardship: in search of ingresos, que en opinión de los Visitaron 17 comunidades ubicadas en ethnoforestry paradigms for the exportadores es del orden del 30% las cuencas del Mazán/Napo y indigenous peoples of Eastern Kham”. adicional al precio actual; pero al Ucayali/Tapiche, que son las áreas de This study examines resource mismo tiempo, significa un reto intervención del proyecto. Se garantiza stewardship from an alternative neglected porque tienen el compromiso y la una oferta sostenible de fruta de los angle Ð that of knowledge sustainability and obligación de cumplir con las normas rodales naturales de estas cuencas synergistic bridging. The main outcomes of establecidas. mediante planes de manejo que the study include the cognitive mapping of

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 24 NEWS AND NOTES

forest values among “Tibetan minority Copaíba oil is an oily resin that is raw materials from Finnish nature has led nationalities” in Eastern Kham, their extracted from the Amazonian tree, Lumene to using arctic forest berries such spatial distribution and the coincidence of Copaifera officinalis. These dense trees as cloudberry, lingonberry and cranberry, changes in forest values with cultural or grow from 15 to 30 m high and the resin as well as pine and birch extracts in its biophysical phenomena. is extracted from the tree trunks. It is products. For example, cloudberry, Abstracts of the research (in English, commonly used as a fragrance lingonberry and cranberry are used in face Tibetan and Chinese) are available from component in perfumes, as a preparation creams, pine bark extracts in men’s the Loughborough University Web site at: in soaps, creams and lotions, and as an products and birch sap and birch leaf www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~gyjfs/ emollient. extracts in body care products. Cloudberry phd_study.htm A seminar that focused on participative seed oil is used to protect skin from radical planning within the region was held damage and to enhance regeneration. For more information, please contact: during the first stage of the project and Pine extracts are used to prevent John Studley, 46 Sarsfeld Road, included 100 members of the local premature skin ageing and birch leaf London SW12 8HN, United Kingdom. population from Jutai. The discussions extract to boost circulation. Cranberry is E-mail: centred on forming social structures an old, well-known medicinal herb in [email protected] whereby the farming of the land for Finland. ingredients could be better managed. Using Finnish ingredients is important to The aim is to maximize land utilization, Lumene since many arctic berry species FOREST COSMETICS while supporting a sustainable economic have a high concentration of active AND FRAGRANCES and ecologically balanced future. In turn ingredients because of the short but light this should lead to improvements in Nordic summer. The fact that Finnish Sourcing Brazilian rain forest ingredients education and the health services, which nature is considered to be pure is also an for cosmetics will be the responsibility of the important factor for Lumene and its Brazilian personal care ingredients government. The next step will be for the customers. specialists Beraca Ingredients have been community to organize themselves in a Developing cosmetics from berries has involved in a government-led expedition local association, with the aim of been ongoing for six to seven years. It to search Amazonian rain forests for providing reliable supplies of copaíba oil took two to three years of development ingredients that can be used in cosmetic and rubber to various industries, before Lumene had a product containing formulations. The expedition headed to including the cosmetics industry. (Source: berry extracts on the market. the sustainable reserve of Cujubin, in the Cosmetics Design [France], 22 Lumene uses approximately 100 000 kg northern Brazilian municipality of Jutai, September 2005.) of berries each year, the major part of and included government officials and a which is cloudberry. In order to obtain representative from Conservation Shellac may combat skin disorders 1 kg of cloudberry seed oil, 100 kg of International. Ivy Cosmetics announced on 5 August berries are needed. Although Lumene Beraca says that it is hoping to explore that it has identified a unique property of uses only the oil from the seeds, other the rain forests for cosmetic ingredients in shellac, a natural resin secreted by the parts of the berries do not go to waste and a way that is sustainable to the insect Laccifera lacca. are made into juices and jams. environment, while combining local In collaboration with Kitasato University, Lumene has not had problems with resources in an effort to benefit the the company has confirmed that the berry procurement so far, even though region. “The production of the copaíba oil powder or extract of shellac can inhibit the there is a small risk since crops vary from and of other forest products for the production of interleukin-8, one of the season to season. cosmetics industry has a great potential causal factors of skin disorders. The Face care products containing to provide sustainable and economic company and the university have cloudberry represent Lumene’s most means for this region.” concluded that shellac-derived substances successful sales both in Finland and can be used in external skin preparations. abroad. Lumene’s products are available Ivy has applied for patents for these in Scandinavia, the Baltic countries, the findings. (Source: Japan Corporate News, Russian Federation and the United States. 8 August 2005.) In the Russian Federation cloudberry is well known, but in the United States it has Forest berries find their way to cosmetics so far been unknown. Gaining United The Lumene company is a trailblazer in States markets is notoriously difficult. the use of berries in cosmetics. The In Finland Lumene is the leading company’s products now include arctic cosmetics brand with a 27 percent market cloudberry extracts. Research to find new share. (Source: forest-fi, 22 August 2005.)

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 25 NEWS AND NOTES

trees for soaps and salves, always taking Incense and aromatherapy work care to replace what they take. because our sense of smell is a direct path But Avive’s task has not proved easy. to the brain. This process activates our Jungle lots that the government has placed limbic system and is the reason why under the group’s care have been razed by certain odours trigger an immediate invaders. The concentration of oil in response. Particular aromas are known to rosewood leaves can be twice as much as stimulate the brain to produce essential Aniba rosaeodora: a quest to save a tree that in the trunk. But larger volumes of chemicals. Many of the ingredients used in Until the perfume Chanel No. 5 went on the branches and leaves are needed to incense contain phytochemicals, which market in 1921, pau-rosa or Brazilian produce the same amount of oil, and since are chemicals found in plants that have rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) was just this requires extra labour, it is more protective, disease-preventing properties. another tree that grew in abundance in the convenient and profitable for mill operators Incense or aromatherapy is not a Amazon. But the enduring popularity of that to stick to the old predatory system. substitute for seeking medical attention. fragrance, which includes rosewood oil as Higher labour and operating costs mean Once you have attempted to identify the a main ingredient, began a process that a higher price for the finished product. cause of the discomfort (stress, hormones, has led to a black market trade in the oil, Intermediaries have balked at paying this sinusitis), you can find the particular and the tree itself being designated an premium so long as illegal supplies are still ingredient for your symptoms. endangered species. available, but some users say they would Incense recommended for headache Worldwide, demand for perfumes, gladly buy the environmentally friendly relief include the following. soaps, balms and scented candles has rosewood oil if only it were made available Borneol (Dryobalanops camphora), a skyrocketed in recent years, helped by to them. (Source: Silves Journal via The resin derived from the camphor tree, is rising women’s incomes and aromatherapy. New York Times, 30 August 2005.) refreshing and cleansing. Its camphor-like Because of rosewood’s cachet, demand for aroma opens the nasal passages, so it is the oil far outstrips the legal supply and Sandalwood fragrance especially beneficial for headaches some fragrance manufacturers will pay Sniffing sweet fragrances not only soothes brought on by sinus problems. Borneol high prices to obtain it. your senses, but can also improve your smells wonderful even when it is not According to academic and industry mood. A researcher has now developed a burning. It kills bacteria, purifies the air and studies, legal rosewood oil production in “medical perfume” which, when sniffed, can stimulates the adrenal cortex of the brain. Brazil is now barely one-tenth of its peak in also cheer you up. The sandalwood Borneol is a primary ingredient in Buddhist the late 1960s, when annual output was perfume, which was unveiled recently, incense. 300 tonnes. The number of registered mills, contains chemicals that hit the base of the which turn rosewood tree trunks into oil brain via the nose. They then regulate the through an inefficient process that seems to dopamine levels that affect depression and devour trees, has also fallen drastically, anxiety. from more than 50 in the 1940s to fewer Inventor Dr George Dodd said the than eight today. perfume could be more effective than About six years ago, Avive, a community prescription drugs. “One or two sniffs will group in a small island town in the middle of be enough. We’ve done trials with the Amazon River, began an effort to try to hundreds of people.” The perfume is revive the industry, but this time on a expected to reach the shelves in 18 sustainable basis. Rather than simply months. (Source: NewKerala.com [India], cutting down trees and hauling away their 28 October 2005.) trunks, Avive decided to prune branches Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi), a and leaves every five years or so, thereby woody herb found mainly in Nepal, is extending the usefulness of individual INCENSE closely related to valerian. The dried roots rosewood trees for decades. are used, and have a musky aroma that Today the project’s members, most of The world of aromatherapy suggests helps enhance contemplation. them rural women, have planted and are many types of essential oils that are useful Star anise (Illicium verum) comes from tending more than 3 000 rosewood for healing. But incense can also be a small tree native to southwestern China saplings in the heart of the jungle. They utilized as a remedy for certain conditions. that produces a fruit that ripens into the also distil rosewood oil and manufacture Headaches are a common ailment many shape of a star. It is well known for its about 1 000 bars of soap a month at a people face, but with the calming effects liquorice taste and an extract is used in small plant there. The group has begun produced by certain aromas, symptoms making true liquorice. Star anise contains harvesting other exotic fragrances from can be relieved. certain phytochemicals and angiotensin-

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 26 NEWS AND NOTES

converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which trophiques ont tôt fait de transformer un sudamericano. En muchas partes de la lower blood pressure. This can produce a sol pauvre à base de kaolinite en un sol cordillera de los Andes, es posible viajar calming effect and help reduce pain. diversifié biologiquement et structuré un largo día, desde la zona costera del (Source: Llewellyn Journal [United States], physiquement. Ainsi, la diversité Pacífico hasta la cuenca del Amazonas, 7 November 2005.) biologique de la canopée s’est cruzando bosques tropicales húmedos o transformée en un sol riche, fertile et secos, bosques de montaña bajos, d’une utilisation durable bien au-delà bosques de niebla de montaña alto, d’une année et ce en redonnant la fertilité páramos o punas y una serie de obtenue après une fragmentation humedales. La región Andina también es donnant des morceaux ne dépassant pas el hogar de una gran diversidad cultural. 10 cm de longueur. En région tropicale, Pueblos indígenas y mestizos habitan cela remplace la jachère qui, pour diferentes pisos altitudinales como restaurer la fertilité primitive, peut sustento de su vida y para desarrollar prendre des dizaines d’années. sus actividades agrícolas, sociales y Des augmentations de rendement de económicas. Todo esto hace de los l’ordre de 30 pour cent en matière sèche Andes una zona privilegiada a escala se sont manifestées tant en Côte d’Ivoire mundial, ya que en ninguna otra región qu’à Madagascar, en République se encuentra tanta biodiversidad y dominicaine, au Sénégal, puis en en diversidad en capital humano Belgique, au Canada, en France et en concentrado. Ukraine. Ainsi, l’utilisation des rameaux La deforestación en los Andes y la fragmentés est à la base d’une pérdida de ecosistemas en general, son pédogenèse contrôlée et ne peut être casi tan famosos como su diversidad. Por associée à un engrais ou à un una serie de razones históricas, LES SOURCES amendement humique comme plusieurs económicas y políticas, la convivencia, de DE LA FERTILITÉ ET le proposent. la relativamente alta densidad de DE LA DURABILITÉ Ainsi les rameaux fragmentés población con el medio ambiente no ha bouleversent tous les paramètres du sol sido siempre positiva, lo cual ha Les rameaux des arbres, particulièrement et des cultures en éliminant des parasites promovido una degradación ambiental deux des feuillus dicotylédones tels les nématodes parasites des racines, muy severa. Esta degradación es composent la canopée tant en climat augmentent les rendements à la récolte, actualmente muy grave, pues resulta que: tempéré que tropical. Ces rameaux sont diminuent de moitié la consommation en la región con más alta biodiversad del fait de bois dont la composition protéique d’eau, réduisant ainsi les méfaits de la mundo no hay suficientes áreas silvestres est très différente du bois des tiges (bois salinité tout en stabilisant le pH. preservadas para un funcionamiento caulinaire). Ces protéines sont associées (Contribution de: professeur Gilles ecológico natural; en una región à des composés dont on ne parle peu Lemieux; Groupe de coordination sur les montañosa, con suelos muy fértiles, falta que sont les polyphénols, eux-mêmes bois et rameaux, Département des tierra cultivable como resultado de la associés aux sucres et aux celluloses. sciences du bois et de la forêt, Université erosión; y en el continente mas húmedo Si l’arbre est stable, il en va autrement Laval, Québec G1K 7P4, Canada. del mundo, falta agua para vivir. des rameaux de la canopée qui offre un Télécopie: (1) 418-656-5262; courriel: Entre las respuestas a los grandes milieu de vie extraordinaire que nous [email protected]) problemas ambientales presentes en los apprenons à connaître depuis une Andes del Norte, siempre ha surgido la décennie et qui n’a de cesse de nous forestación. En los últimos años ha tenido émerveiller et de nous confondre. Nous MANEJO DE SEMILLAS mucho éxito la reforestación social o constatons tous les jours que des millions FORESTALES NATIVAS DE comunitaria, o sea la integración entre d’enfants africains souffrent de graves LA SIERRA ECUATORIANA reforestación, agricultura y manejo carences en protéines, alors que le feu Y NORTE DEL PERÚ forestal, y por la participación social que servant à cuire de maigres rations est este tipo de forestación promueve. Esta largement disponible. Los Andes del Norte conforman la modalidad de forestación, además, utiliza Ainsi, avons nous tiré leçon de cet état ecoregión más biodiversa del planeta, muchas especies de árboles, ya que se de fait et utilisé les rameaux des arbres considerando la cantidad de especies de trata de una actividad multipropósito y abattus pour l’exploitation du bois flora y fauna y los tipos de ecosistemas aprovecha los diversos fines de la caulinaire, et nous les avons employés que se encuentran en este rincón diversidad forestal andina. Es así que la pour le sol, où fongus et chaînes noroccidental del continente forestación comunitaria ha revalorado

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una gran cantidad de especies nativas de los Andes, y ha aumentado la NON-PROFIT agrobiodiversidad del paisaje cultural ORGANIZATIONS andino. AND NGOS Sin embargo, el hecho de que este tipo de forestación tiene un enfoque social y Biodiversity Research and Development menos industrial, no significa que pueda Centre (BIRD) prescindir de bases técnicas y The Biodiversity Research and académicas de alta calidad. Es Development Centre is a government- precisamente éste, uno de los factores registered NGO located in Kathmandu, limitantes para que la forestación reciba Nepal, which aims at biodiversity una mayor acogida. No existe suficiente conservation, environmental conocimiento de la taxonomía, de la improvement, social services awareness silvicultura, del uso y la comercialización Myrica gale activities and poverty alleviation, working de especies que las comunidades in an area with a diverse mix of ethnic campesinas usan o pueden usar en su MYRICA GALE groups and cultural traditions and a high práctica diaria. Un gran problema es la biodiversity value of global importance. utilización de material genético de Myrica gale, also known as sweet gale or BIRD’s main goal is to integrate calidad. Si bien la incorporación de una bog myrtle, is a small deciduous shrub conservation with development by diversidad de árboles en el paisaje with reddish brown buds that grows in safeguarding the area’s biodiversity; andino requiere altas inversiones bogs, wet heaths and fens. It used to be improving the socio-economic condition laborales, igualmente implica muchos common throughout the United Kingdom, of the local people; and developing and beneficios. Estos beneficios pueden but as wetlands were gradually drained its studying development models for social aumentar –eventualmente– en más del habitat was removed and it retreated enlistments. 50% con una semilla de buena calidad. further north, finally making its home in BIRD’s objectives are to conduct Sería un desperdicio dedicar tanto the Scottish Highlands. The leaves of this scientific field studies and research and tiempo y esfuerzo a un árbol de mala sweet-scented plant are resinous and development projects at different levels, procedencia genética. were used to flavour beer. Another well- from grassroots to national planning, to Con estos elementos la corporación known use was as an insect repellent. promote the biodiversity sector; promote EcoPar y la fundación EcoCiencia con el The bark was hung in wardrobes and and facilitate development of natural apoyo financiero y técnico del programa stuffed into mattresses to repel fleas. resource-based microenterprises to Fosefor en los Andes, ejecutaron un plan Recently, a Scottish company has enhance the livelihoods of local de recolección de información, de started harvesting this plant to extract the communities; and facilitate and develop conocimientos prácticos y de oil for its insect-repelling properties. With physical infrastructures for biodiversity capacitación con organizaciones £750 000 of commercial and government conservation and the sustainable campesinas y demás actores de la funding for research into the plant, there is collection, production and market cadena forestal en el manejo de semillas huge commercial potential for the management of medicinal and aromatic forestales de calidad. Uno de los Highlands. plants (MAPs) and NTFPs. productos de este programa es la Bog myrtle, like many plants, was BIRD has been working to fulfil its presente publicación, en la cual se thought of as a medicine, and at one time mission in the control and management recopila toda la información actualmente was the standard treatment for scabies. of natural resources and improvement in disponible sobre el manejo de semillas, el The leaves were made into “gale tea”, the biodiversity sector. It works directly manejo en vivero y en plantaciones de which was a cold remedy as well as being with rural people and related especies forestales nativa y exóticas. a useful astringent for upset stomachs. organizations at the grassroots level to Esta información es producto de una Belonging to the Myricacea family, there improve their socio-economic condition investigación en fuentes primarias y are about 50 species of wax myrtles through biodiversity development and secundarias, refleja especialmente la worldwide. They are nearly all aromatic and commercial utilization of local resources. experiencia de la gente del campo: have a history of being used as a medicine. BIRD also encourages local-level campesinos y campesinas, técnicos, They are found in soaps, stomach initiatives to manage NTFP-based viveristas y de los proyectos impulsados remedies and catarrh mixes and can still enterprises to improve rural livelihoods. It por el Fosefor. (Fuente: Ordóñez, L., be found in many herbal dispensaries. coordinates with relevant stakeholders to Arbeláez, M. y Prado, L. 2004. Manejo de (Source: Edinburgh Evening News devise and facilitate policy formulation on semillas forestales nativas de la Sierra [Scotland, United Kingdom], 8 October biodiversity management and NTFP ecuatoriana y Norte del Perú [Com-Eds].) 2005.) conservation, utilization and marketing.

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Finally, BIRD acts directly in developing butter, soaps and gum,” says Miranda NON-TIMBER FOREST and disseminating the market price Spitteler, Tree Aid’s chief executive. A RESOURCE ENTERPRISES: information system of NTFPs/jaributi donation of £18 covers the cost of a FATTY OILS FOR EDIBLE (MFPs) from local to national level for zizyphus tree, which bears vitamin-packed AND NON-EDIBLE better information among relevant fruit. For donations of £550 or over, you PURPOSES stakeholders. can be linked with your own Tree Aid project and the charity will keep you closely It has been emphasized many times that For more information, please contact: involved with its progress. no single non-timber forest resource Rana B. Rawal, Chairperson, (NTFR) enterprise offers adequate Biodiversity Research and For more information, please contact: livelihood opportunities and ensures Development Centre (BIRD), GPO Box Tree Aid, Brunswick Court, people’s security throughout the year. 23162, Mitranagar, Ramhiti Phant, Brunswick Square, Bristol BS2 8PE, Consequently, India and other countries Boudha-6, Kathmandu, Nepal. E-mail: United Kingdom. Fax: +44(0)1179096617; need to select and manage five or six [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]; NTFR species on the basis of their www.treeaid.org.uk harvesting times and biological calendar, i.e. time of planting, maturity of plant United Plant Savers parts required for the enterprise, etc. in United Plant Savers is a Vermont-based order to guide NTFR management in the non-profit organization with the goal of right direction. preserving North America’s native Another important point is that in raw medicinal plants. It has about 2 000 material production for a particular members nationwide and for each member commodity, such as fatty oils from the focus is on its “at risk” list, about 20 oilseeds, more than one species should Pragya, India plants in danger of disappearing as a result be extensively propagated so that any Pragya is a non-profit organization that of habitat loss and overharvesting. failings can be averted. For example, has been engaged in the holistic and Plants such as ginseng and bloodroot, although a massive campaign was sustainable development of vulnerable which can be used to treat a number of launched to produce fatty oils for refined neglected communities and ecosystems ailments including stress and skin cancer, cooking oil from palm oil (Elaeis in the high altitudes of the Himalayas are of particular concern. The root of the guinunsis), the species could not meet the through promoting the conservation and plant is used to create remedies, but shortage of edible oil in India; other cultivation of endangered medicinal and harvesting the plant kills it. Therefore, species of the Palmae family should have aromatic flora together with the ethnic teaching harvesting ethics is crucial to been grown, in accordance with the cultural heritage of the area. ensure that native medicinal plants sustainability of climate and ecology. The organization facilitates appropriate, continue to thrive in the wild. Root Similarly, Jatropha curcas was grown sustainable and stable development of the dividing, pruning and seed planting are a vigorously in different parts of India during region, empowerment of communities and few of the ethical harvesting methods 2005 to produce fatty oils to be added to the conservation and revival of ethnic promoted by the organization. diesel at 20 percent as biofuel. It is culture, including local languages, arts and suggested that other species such as crafts and music and dance. For more information, please contact: Pongamia pinnata and Mucuna prurens United Plant Savers, PO Box 400 E. be grown simultaneously, following trials For more information, please contact: Barre, VT 05649, United States. on the use of their fatty oils as biofuel. The Dr Visvarup Chakravarti, Pragya, Fax: +1 (802) 476 3722; Centre of Minor Forest Products A-212A Sushant Lok I, NRM-CTM, e-mail: [email protected]; (COMFORPTS) for Rural Development Gurgaon-122002, (Haryana), India. http://unitedplantsavers.org and Environmental Conservation, Dehra E-mail: [email protected]; www.pragya.org Dun has been preparing a project for undertaking such trials on about 12 plants Tree Aid yielding oilseeds. Tree Aid, a well-established charity set up COMFORPTS has been specifically in 1987, has planted more than six million working for NTFR utilization and trees across Africa and has protected propagation management and its services many more. “Not only do trees provide may be obtained, through its MFP wood for homes, food, medicines and fuel, database, by any country for the selection but they allow communities to develop an of NTFR species for different enterprises. income from their products, such as shea

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For more information, please contact: Ms Alka Shiva, President and Managing network of organizations that works with Director, Centre of Minor Forest upland and rural communities on issues Products, HIG 2, No. 8B, Indirapuram, of land tenure, resource management GMS Road, PO Majra, Dehra Dun Ð 248 and livelihood based on NTFPs, with the 001 (Uttaranchal), India. hope of establishing a regular demand for E-mail: [email protected]; these crafts and thereby ensuring a [email protected] stable source of income for the artisans. Modi was also established to preserve and promote the continuation of the NWFP FABRICS traditional arts and lifestyles of these artisans and elevate the perceived value Bamboo charcoal textile products of handmade and culturally related Taitei. On 11 November the Ministry of products. Economic Affairs (MOEA) launched a Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens, NTFP-TF’s vision is to preserve series of textile products made of commonly known as moso bamboo. This indigenous crafts and raise them to a bamboo charcoal which the ministry says is the largest of the temperate zone much higher level where more value is can make Taiwan’s textile industry more bamboo species and is the most placed on the traditions and culture of the competitive on the world market. economically important species in China. people who fashion them. MOEA took two years to develop the It is generally used for construction Modi will be featuring new designers technology of bamboo charcoal textiles purposes and as edible bamboo shoots. yearly to present fresh design concepts with the help of the Taiwan Textile Moso bamboo is prevalent throughout and an interesting product line. And Research Institute and several textile China. Bamboo Textile’s factory, however, through design clinics organized by the companies. owns and maintains its own plantations NTFP-TF, the featured designers will all To produce bamboo charcoal, the on a large mountainside located in have the chance to interact and consult bamboo, which needs to be four to five Zhejiang Province, which is south of the with the artisans, who are considered years old, is burned at 700Ð750¡C. The factory in Suzhou. creative partners in this worthy endeavour. charcoal is then finely graded and inserted Bamboo is known to be the fastest- Simply put, through Modi the NTFP-TF into fibres to create a new form of textile. growing plant on earth, making it naturally aims to spark a renewed interest in and Clothing made of bamboo charcoal highly renewable. Bamboo’s growth appreciation of all indigenous crafts. textiles has the advantage of absorbing characteristics enable it to spread rapidly (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, 19 odours, retaining heat, blocking out across large areas and, consequently, it is August 2005.) electromagnetic radiation and maintaining known to improve soil quality in degraded low humidity. and eroded areas of land. In addition, United Nations recognizes bark cloth as MOEA also introduced a new Phyllotex bamboo’s natural growth habits allow it to world heritage trademark for its line of bamboo charcoal reproduce in abundance without the use Uganda’s bark cloth has been named as products which includes (besides clothing) of fertilizers and without the need for part of the world’s collective heritage soap, lotion, shampoo and pillows. pesticides. recognized by the United Nations (Source: BharatTextile.com, 13 December The process to make bamboo fibre and Educational, Scientific and Cultural 2005.) yarn is similar to the process used to Organization (UNESCO). Speaking make rayon. Stalks of bamboo are yesterday, Augustine Omare Okurut, who Bamboo T-shirts essentially crushed and pulped to heads the Uganda National Commission Bamboo fibre T-shirts are the most separate the natural fibres. These are for UNESCO, said the global body had comfortable and softest textile product. then mixed with chemicals such as caustic proclaimed the “art of bark cloth making Made from a 21/1 ring spun yarn, the soda to convert the plant fibre into textile in Uganda as a masterpiece of the bamboo T-shirt is 70 percent bamboo quality fibre. (Source: I-Newswire.com world’s intangible heritage”. The fibre and 30 percent cotton and is (press release) [United States].) proclamation “is an honour to Uganda preshrunk. Bamboo fibre T-shirts are and a recognition of the indigenous textile naturally antibacterial, biodegradable Modi: ethnic and exquisite production skills of Ugandan craftsmen”. and extremely soft. Modi or “modern indigenous” is a fashion “It will strengthen the activities aimed at Bamboo clothing will never stick to the and home designer collection of preserving the bark cloth production skills body or skin, even on the hottest of days, indigenous handmade crafts infused with in Uganda as well as promoting the bark and will always make you feel extremely a stylish contemporary twist. The line was cloth and its use in Uganda and cool under any condition. initiated by the Non-Timber Forest internationally.” The species used for bamboo fibre is Products Task Force (NTFP-TF), a Okurut said that bark cloth is used in

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various festivities, including burials, and making coir mats, mattresses, doormats cultivation further so that we can use it as has invaluable commercial potential and carpets. Delhi-based wool weavers an alternative for wood in the near future,” when exploited for handicrafts. from Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and NMBA said. (Source: Webindia123 [India], He said research was being Orissa have entered into partnership with 15 December 2005.) undertaken on making bark cloth, which the society to make Ayurvedic wool. is extracted from a ficus tree popularly Discussions have also been held with Ipomoea fistulosa – the crisis fuel of known as omutuba in central Uganda. Kanchipuram weavers to produce wetlands Okurut said that the tree was becoming Ayurvedic Kanchipuram saris. Fuel in rural Bangladesh is a problem, with endangered and that if it were to be However, the lakh weavers in the fuelwood becoming more scarce every day. commercially exploited the local people society are facing marketing problems The problem is particularly acute in would be encouraged to grow it for and efforts are consequently being made Sunamganj, a northeastern district of posterity and improve their welfare. He to popularize these innovative products. Bangladesh situated in typical wetlands. also said bark cloth making had been left (Source: Rediff, [India], 28 September Most of the district remains under water for to a few traditional artisans because of 2005.) at least half the year. The main fuelwood the lack of a market, adding that this collected in the low-lying areas is koranch could result in the tree’s demise. (Pongamia pinnata), hijal (Barringtonia Okurut said researchers had been to acutangulata), kadam (Anthocephalus various places, including Busoga and kadamba) and sheora (Streblus aspera). Bunyoro, but discovered that Buganda People lop parts of these species during was the only place where bark cloth is the monsoon season, while during the dry widely used. (Source: New Vision season different reeds and shrubs meet [Uganda], 3 December 2005.) their fuel demand. Fuelwood in these low-lying areas is Fabrics with a healing touch diminishing at an alarming rate and, facing With people becoming increasingly this acute fuel scarcity, people are now health conscious all over the world, using cow dung, rice husks, etc. as Ayurvastra fabric, which is dyed using alternative fuel sources, but they are not various Ayurvedic herbs, sandalwood, enough to meet demand. It is time to neem and turmeric, is climbing the NWFP FUELS address the suffering of the people in the popularity chart. wetlands; government agencies and Ayurvedic herbs have various Bamboo-fuelled power plants in India NGOs should come forward to solve the medicinal properties and when they are Indian scientists have successfully energy crisis in these areas. dyed with the fabric, give it a cooling developed two unique power projects During my recent visit to Sunamganj, I effect. They are good for various skin using bamboo to generate electricity. saw people planting ipomoea (Ipomoea disorders, asthma and other ailments. The plants, with a capacity of 1 MW fistulosa) along the sides of the road. Plant Clinical trials are currently under way at each, will be commissioned in Assam by growth is luxuriant and once ipomoea is the government Ayurvedic college in the February 2006. “This would be the first planted it can be harvested year after year. state capital. Some clothing materials are of its kind where we are using bamboo It also has a soil-binding capacity and also dyed using pomegranate and and its wastes to generate electricity,” protects the soil of the newly constructed jaggery. said the Director of the National Mission “kacha” road in rural areas. The species is The Ayurvedic herbs are boiled at a on Bamboo Applications (NMBA). “It now used as fuel during the monsoon particular temperature and the fabric is would not only be cost effective but also season and can survive under water for a dipped in it for at least four hours and, in highly ecofriendly.” considerable time. Thus, if properly some cases, a whole day. For making NMBA is an agency set up by the planted, it will partially meet the demand sandalwood saris, first the yarn and then central government to promote value for energy. In the meantime, a well- the cloth is dyed in sandalwood. addition and commercialization of the planned system should be developed so The Handloom Weavers Development country’s 80 million tonnes of annual that poor rural people can have a Society is at present exporting to Italy, bamboo crops. sustained supply of energy. Germany, United Kingdom, United India is the second highest bamboo- Planners are requested to keep ipomea States, Singapore and Malaysia; export producing country after China. More than in mind since it is very easy to grow and earnings last year amounted to Rs1 crore 55 percent of India’s annual bamboo crops can provide a sustained yield. (Rs10 million). are grown in the northeastern region. (Contributed by: A.Z.M. Manzoor Rashid, The technology used in making “Bamboo grows in the wild abundantly Assistant Professor, Department of Ayurvastra cloth is being utilized for and all we need to do is to propagate Forestry, Shahjalal University of Science

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and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh. order to prevent these outstanding frogs habitats, the NGO INIBICO (located at E-mail: [email protected]) from terminal extinction. Several species Tarapoto, Peru) has developed are in fast decline Ð Dendrobates sustainable production methods for many Mushrooms as fuel? arboreus, Panama; some Minyobates in species of poison frogs. These methods New research could move shiitake Colombia; and several D. histrionicus are applied in original forest and allow mushrooms out of the kitchen and into variants in the Chocoan rain forest belt of poor forest settlers or natives to earn an the petrol tank. These fungi grow on Ecuador and Colombia. One species is extra or exclusive income. In 2004, fallen logs in the forest. They digest the possibly already extinct in the wild (D. INIBICO, together with INRENA, wood and turn it into sugars that they use speciosus, Costa Rica) as a result of new established Peru’s first Concession of for food. diseases (particularly chytrid fungus), Faunal Management of 3 861 ha near Now scientists with the United States devastating oil palm monocultures Tarapoto (consisting of a buffer zone of a Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s (Ecuador, Peru), cattle farming (Colombia, new regional park), where poor forest Agricultural Research Service are Ecuador, Peru), devastating monocultures settlers are trained to produce nine investigating whether this technique of soya and other crops (Brazil) and local species of local poison frogs, two tree could be used to produce fuel. The or global climate change caused by large- boa species, orchids (in vitro culture researchers have discovered and copied scale deforestation. based) and commercial insects for the shiitake gene, Xyn11A, which gives Some species are protected in a few export. the mushroom the ability to produce the national parks or reserves, but are still The producers are organized as an enzyme xylanase that dissolves wood endangered there by the chytrid fungus, NGO (ASPRAVEP) and maintain a into sugar. Now that the researchers have climate change and forest fires (Brazil). biological field station and recollecting isolated the gene, they are looking into In 2004, in a first unique rescue centre, where tadpoles and froglets are whether it can be used to produce vats of operation, IUCN-SPN-NL helped to raised to juveniles. Since poison frog in the enzyme for digesting rice hulls or finance in Peru the purchase and situ production is only possible in other harvest leftovers into sugars that protection of the last original habitats and standing original forest or high secondary could be used for making ethanol or other refuges of Dendrobates mysteriosus, a forest, producers learn to value their fuel types. project currently managed by three local forest plots. The ASPRAVEP project was This research was published in 2005 in NGOs. The tiny refuges will receive recently featured in a Discovery Channel Protein Journal. (Source: LiveScience, 2 international registering, while an documentary entitled “Frogs of gold”. December 2005.) intensive production process with marked ASPRAVEP is exporting its first frog reproductors will provide sufficient funds shipments in 2006 and the financial to maintain the reserves by exporting outcomes of this type of NWFP production some juvenile frogs. will be available at the end of the year. This shows that not in all cases do The experience gained in Peru will be hundreds or thousands of hectares of transferred to those neighbouring forest need to be protected: for poison countries having the same severe rain frogs or Atelopus, small areas of only a forest loss. few hectares can make the difference The project’s success is also based on between extinction and survival. Funding the World Bank Development agencies should, therefore, meet this Marketplace Grant won in 2002 (Poison POISON FROG need for small-scale funding for the dart frog ranching to protect rain forest PRODUCTION selected original habitat conservation of and alleviate poverty, project no. 1761). AND EXPORT endangered species. (Contributed by: Dipl. Biol. Rainer Another problem is that many wild Schulte, INIBICO, Jr. Ramírez Hurtado Poison frog production and export are collected Dendrobatids are stolen in the 608, Tarapoto, San Martin, Peru. E-mail: new NWFP tools to keep rain forests countries of origin by “professional” [email protected]; www.inibico.org) standing and alleviate rural poverty in smugglers (Peru and Panama are most Central and South America. affected currently). These illegal frogs Many Central and South American turn up in great numbers in Europe or the countries have colourful poison dart frogs United States. Smugglers often in their faunal listings. According to CITES concentrate on stealing young poison Appendix II, most of these frogs are frogs since they can be camouflaged and endangered and worldwide trade is sold more easily than adults. controlled. Yet hardly anything is being To fight this illegal trade and to install a done to preserve their original habitats in functioning network of protected original

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pioneering work by the CPWild species. Obtaining such data for a single TREES FOR HEALTH consortium in South Africa species in a forest, especially when the FOREVER (www.cpwild.co.za) while consideration of species is often rare, is problematic. The resource inventory issues developed project developed and tested several Traditional plant-based medicine is of work initiated by the FAO methods for medicinal bark inventory. great importance for the health security of GCP/RAF/354/EC project (see Non- The findings of the project were people in southern Africa. It is based Wood News 9). presented at the November workshop to almost entirely on the collection of wild Bark comprises around 60 percent of representatives of ten countries drawn plants from increasingly fragmented and the mass of plant-based medicine for sale from forestry departments, ministries, beleaguered natural forest and in South African wholesale herb markets research, education, traders and conservation areas. In the past, collection and many of the species in high demand herbalists within the Southern African was largely for personal use and are becoming scarce within forests close Development Community (SADC) region. undertaken by the healers themselves. to the markets. As a consequence, 36 The response was a resolution However, in order to supply the growing percent of the bark material in the Durban committing participants to further action urban populace collection is increasingly herb market originates from neighbouring towards the sustainable management of commercial and, if left uncontrolled, countries, especially Mozambique (19 medicines and NWFPs through the threatens the future of species in high percent). A market survey undertaken by formation of a regional NWFP working demand and the forests and the project indicates that although the group. The project team are now environments in which they live. relationship between traders and preparing for the inaugural meeting of the Commercialization has generated a herbalists is quite different in southern working group and completing a whole suite of trade-dependent Malawi and the Copperbelt province of handbook for sustainable bark harvesting livelihoods that are in turn threatened by Zambia, even here long-distance, for use by local forest resource overexploitation. Remedying this crossborder trade of medicines is taking managers. (Contributed by: Jenny Wong, situation requires concerted effort on the place. Furthermore, the people engaged Wild Resources Limited, Robinson part of foresters, national park managers, in the collection, trade and administering Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd herbalists, traders and the public itself. of herbal medicines are often poor with LL57 2UW, United Kingdom. Fax: +44 However, although it is easy to say action vulnerable livelihoods heavily dependent 1248 354997; e-mail: is needed, it needs to be evidence-based; on forest resources. [email protected]; in other words, it should be based on As a contribution to the scientific basis www.wildresources.co.uk/treesforhealth/ good-quality information arising from for the sustainable management of index.html) objective research. commercial collection of medicinal bark The Forest Research Programme the project established a large-scale (Department for International experiment on the impact of bark Development [DFID]) funded a three-year harvesting on the trees. The results project in Malawi, Zambia and South indicate that there is a range of Africa with the intention of providing a physiological responses and pathological scientific basis for the sustainable consequences of bark wounding. Miombo management of medicinal trees in species appear to be more sensitive to southern Africa. The focus of the project bark wounding than afromontane species was bark from indigenous species in because of termite activity and the drying natural forests and was based on and lifting of bark remaining on the tree, which may be part of the reason why the roots are more often harvested in these environments. Even within montane forest species there has been a range of TWIGS AND YOUNG responses to bark wounding from rapid TREES ARE FALLING PREY regrowth to no regrowth at all. Knowledge TO HUMAN HYGIENE of the species’ response to wounding is therefore required to provide a sound Of late the saplings and younger plants basis for management prescriptions for from the saal forest reserve in the West commercial harvesting. Sustainable Singhbhum district are being cut before harvesting also needs to be based on they can mature, to accommodate a knowledge of the numbers, sizes and simple and regular human need Ð dental locations of populations of the required hygiene.

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Every day, hundreds of tribal villagers bundle up young twigs or tadduns, which “WILDLIFE INTERPOL” are used for cleaning teeth. They sell the twigs in various village haats (markets). Officials from ten Southeast Asian Officials working for the vast stretches of countries gathered in Bangkok to launch the saal forest maintain that the twigs cut a regional Wildlife Enforcement Network for this regular use greatly disturb the to combat criminal syndicates that proper growth of the plant. The twigs smuggle exotic wildlife across borders for generally used are the newly formed immense profits. The agency, heralded ones that grow immediately after the as a “wildlife Interpol”, will ensure sharing rains. By cutting off the twigs, experts of information between countries where say, the villagers are retarding the natural the black market trading of items such as growth of the plant. Adhatoda vasica nees bushmeat, fur, pet birds, animal skins and This problem is especially rampant as reptiles is proving difficult to control. The hundreds of forest and revenue villages global illegal wildlife trade is estimated to in the district depend on minor forest be worth at least US$10 billion a year, products for their livelihoods. Although a VASAKA (ADHATODA slightly less than the trafficking of arms considerable part of the tribal population VASICA NEES) and narcotics. (Source: Wildlife in the district has switched over to other Enforcement Network [WEN], 2 agricultural activities, the poorer tribals Vasaka (Adhatoda vasica Nees) is a December 2005.) still feed their daily needs by selling forest small gregarious evergreen shrub produce, of which the twigs are an easily occurring throughout the plains of available option. Moreover, the Land Bangladesh. The timber of the thicker Settlement Record gives a number of stems is used for gunpowder charcoal rights to forest dwellers and villagers, and as a fuel for brick burning. including the right to exploit forest Vasaka is a well-known drug in the products for domestic use. Consequently, Ayurvedic and Unani medicine systems their use of the forest produce, although and is recommended for a variety of harmful in many ways, is completely ailments such as bronchitis, asthma, legal. fever, jaundice and consumption. The The demand for tadduns has lately pharmacological action and therapeutic increased since the numbers of truck properties of A. vasica are attributed to drivers in the area who shuttle between vasicine and the essential oil. The fluid the mine heads of iron ore and the steel extract of the leaves is a useful remedy plants have also risen. The truckers and for asthma, especially in combination with others, who follow traditional methods of belladonna. Compound preparations brushing their teeth, still prefer this option containing A. vasica are now available because of habit and easy availability. from pharmaceutical manufacturers. The divisional forest officer (Saranda), The leaf is excellent as manure and is however, feels that this trend is on the scattered over the fields just before the decline; the forest department has rainy season commences. It is then initiated several schemes to divert tribals worked into the soil by plough and left to who are engaged in cutting and selling decay with the moisture, thus forming twigs as tadduns. (Source: The Telegraph mould. [India], 22 November 2005.) As fuel it is almost exclusively used in the process of boiling down cane juice and is collected in large heaps some days prior to cutting down the sugar cane. Take advice from a tree A yellow dye obtained by boiling the Stand upright and strong leaves is used for dyeing coarse cloth. It Defy the storms gives a greenish-blue colour when Remember your roots combined with indigo. (Source: The New Author unknown Nation [Bangladesh], 3 September 2005.)

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in antiprostate disease drugs” developed Environmental Management Project BAMBOO by Future Solutions Development Inc. (LVEMP) that Lake Victoria’s pollution (FSD), the newly acquired subsidiary of the has reached alarming levels. The Lake Bamboo attracts global audience company, was approved by China’s State Victoria Basin supports a population of Delegations from four nations Ð Bhutan, Intellectual Property Bureau in November 30 million people who depend on its Cuba, Ghana and Timor-Leste Ð will visit 2005. Together with this approval, the waters but only 30 percent have access Guwahati in the next six months under same patent also received approval from to clean water. Water-borne diseases the aegis of the Cane and Bamboo Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery Technology Centre (CBTC) to acquire international patent registration and are common in about 90 percent of the bamboo technology in a bid to develop administration organization. The treaty population. the bamboo sector in their countries. makes it possible to seek patent protection However, the report, written by ICRAF A five-member team from the Royal for an invention simultaneously in each of a scientists Willy Kakuru and Chin Ong, Bhutan Forest Development Corporation large number of countries by filing an says that bamboo is a promising will arrive this week to chalk out “international” patent application. FSD filed alternative since it can take up nitrogen, modalities for having their artisans this patent under PCT for China, the United phosphorus and heavy metals. These trained in bamboo technology. They will States and Japan. The approval is the first metals are attributed to pollution of some study bamboo plantations and bamboo step for FSD to enter markets in the United of the aquatic ecosystems. processing equipment. Altogether 31 States and Japan. The ICRAF project has already started species of bamboo grow in Bhutan, The scientists at FSD discovered that pilot sites in Kisumu to demonstrate probably the largest variety found in any bamboo flavone is effective in relief bamboo’s potential for wastewater Himalayan country. symptoms of inflammation caused by treatment. The main focus is to expand Cuba is also rich in bamboo and skills prostatitis, prostatic hyperplasia and the project to the whole Lake Victoria in developing bamboo products would go prostate cancer. About 50 percent of all Basin, including Uganda, Rwanda and alongside its tourism promotion policy. men are affected by prostate illnesses the United Republic of Tanzania. Pilot Bamboo provides good raw material for during their lifetime. The bamboo flavone, activities are soon to be extended to making furniture and complementary as a natural extract ingredient, poses no Kampala and Mwanza and later to other building materials; new technology, long-term side effects and is a viable towns on the lakeshore. incorporated into existing enterprises, option in fighting these illnesses. (Source: The project is expected to offer great would help to boost tourism. The country Tramford International Press Release, 23 potential for income and employment for is especially interested in acquiring skills November 2005.) communities around the Lake Victoria in weaving bamboo mats. A two-member Basin. technical team from Cuba is expected to The report says that in China the arrive next month. annual export value from bamboo Ghana is interested in cluster products is estimated to be more than development (i.e. bringing artisans US$600 million, with the total value of together in common facility centres to the bamboo industry estimated at develop products) in the bamboo sector $12 billion, almost double the total gross and would like to learn from CBTC domestic product (GDP) of the three experiences. East African countries. According to the Timor-Leste wishes to upgrade its scientists, promotion of value addition in skills in building bamboo houses. bamboo products will create an incentive Bamboo grows widely in the country and for planting bamboo. can be used for several purposes. Bamboo solution to lake pollution Since indigenous bamboo is now Employment generation is the biggest The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) restricted to mountainous areas and is a concern in all these countries and has launched a bamboo project on the government protected resource, ICRAF development of the bamboo sector could Lake Victoria Basin as a solution to water says that there is an urgent need to make a significant contribution towards pollution. ICRAF was asked by the diversify bamboo species and products. employment. (Source: Calcutta Swedish International Development Further plans include the promotion of Telegraph, 14 October 2005.) Cooperation Agency to develop an linkages to markets for bamboo products ecological wastewater treatment that would and improving the skills of local artisans Bamboo flavone for prostate patent serve the dual function of filtration and in the efficient use of bamboo raw approved purification of polluted Lake Victoria waters. materials for high-value products. Tramford International Ltd announced that The development comes in the wake (Source: East African [Kenya], 7 the patent for “bamboo flavone application of reports by the Lake Victoria November 2005.)

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 35 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS

For more information, please contact: modern high-rise buildings, bamboo and contain antioxidant nutrients that help Dr Willy Kakuru or Chin Ong, ICRAF, continues to play a role in human to protect against cancers, heart disease PB1752, Kampala, Uganda. E-mail: civilization. and stress and promote healthy gums and [email protected] or In recent years, there has been a bones. It is no wonder that the seventeenth [email protected] or visit the LVEMP growing emphasis on promoting the century herbalist John Evelyn Web site: www.lvemp.org/ cultivation of bamboo varieties. Bamboo recommended chestnuts for a good that has traditionally been used in paper complexion, while his contemporary Bamboo houses and rayon production is now being used Nicholas Culpeper suggested that they The lean, tall and gracious bamboo is an for buildings in many parts of the world. In prevent scurvy. Vitamin C is used in many ecofriendly natural resource of great Bangalore, the Indian Plywood Industry skin care products as it helps in the utility that has been meeting the wide- Research and Training Institute has formation of collagen, the skin’s support ranging needs of human society from developed the technological elements for fibre, and improves skin texture. time immemorial. building dwellings with reinforced Chestnuts also contain minerals Ð Indonesia is the world’s largest bamboo. There is a move to popularize phosphorus and potassium in particular Ð producer of bamboo. About half a million the cost-efficient and ecofriendly bamboo which are essential for nerve function, people in Southeast Asia derive their houses in both the rural and urban areas muscle control, blood pressure control and employment directly from bamboo of India. The Bangkok-based Asian heart health. They are rich in complex cultivation, extraction and processing. Institute of Technology (AIT) has played a carbohydrates and are, therefore, a good From birth to death, bamboo plays a key role in popularizing bamboo houses source of energy. crucial role in the lives of millions. China in rural pockets of Thailand, with a high Grinding chestnuts into flour offers a has succeeded in turning bamboo into a degree of success. (Source: Central gluten- and cholesterol-free alternative for lucrative foreign exchange earner Chronicle [India], 21 November 2005.) making bread and pasta; ideal, not only for through the production and export of those who are wheat-intolerant, but also for many innovative bamboo products. anyone looking for variety and a rich, India, which has the second highest distinctive flavour. resource of bamboo in the world Chestnuts have a lower protein content (bamboo forests cover 10.03 million ha Ð than most nuts and, unlike other nuts, have 12.8 percent of the country’s forests), is little oil, making them lower in fat and also planning to exploit the global market calories. They are also a good source of for bamboo products. There is a huge fibre. demand and supply gap insofar as Absolutely nothing is “done” to bamboo is concerned: the supply of (Please see pp. 29 and 30 for more chestnuts; they are an unadulterated wild bamboo at present is about 13.47 million information on bamboo.) food and the spiky husks are discarded on tonnes, while demand is pegged at the forest floor to turn to mulch, acting as 26.9 million tonnes. India hopes to natural compost. (Source: The Times overcome the gap by raising commercial CHESTNUTS online [United Kingdom], 19 November bamboo plantations. According to the 2005.) International Network for Bamboo and Just as sweet as a chestnut Rattan (INBAR), the Indian bamboo The chestnut, also known as sweet Scientists trying to resurrect American industry is estimated to grow to a chestnut, originally from Asia Minor, was chestnut trees US$5.7 billion sector by 2015, as against first introduced to Europe by the Ancient Chestnut trees used to be as plentiful in the the $174 million sector in 2000. Greeks. In the poorer, mountainous eastern United States as oaks and maples A large proportion of the tribal regions of the Mediterranean, where even are today. About 25 percent of forested population in the country is dependent the humblest cereals cannot be grown, the land, stretching from Maine to northern on bamboo for its livelihood. In chestnut has long been a dietary staple: Georgia, was composed of chestnut trees. Karnataka, Medhara tribals who have dried and ground into flour and made into They were big, substantial trees, some been making a living for centuries bread or soup; and fed to pigs to give their surviving 400 years, often measuring more through bamboo products are finding it meat a more nutty taste. than 8 ft (2.4 m) in diameter and reaching hard to make ends meet on account of Chestnuts are the only nuts to contain 120 ft (36.6 m) into the sky, filled with nuts, an acute shortage of bamboo. significant amounts of vitamin C; having long, thin green leaves and, starting Possibly no other natural species is amazingly, 100 g of chestnuts contain as around mid-June, tiny blooms. used to make as many products as much vitamin C as 100 g of lemons. They But the tree known as the “redwood of bamboo. From the traditional weapons of are beneficial in building resistance to the East” because of its resistance to rot the aboriginals to the scaffoldings of infection, particularly the common cold, and its value as lumber is now an extremely

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rare treasure in a region where it was once Careful forest management provides for abundant. Sometime in the late 1800s, a the continued removal of the cork oak’s different variety of chestnut tree, perhaps bark in a cycle of nine to fifteen years, while from Asia, was imported into the United helping to maintain a unique ecosystem of States carrying blight. The affliction was not high biodiversity and creating the discovered until 1904, and it was soon conditions for a diverse range of woodland determined that the American chestnut tree products. Villagers gather edible fungi for was not resistant to the disease. their own consumption, use rockrose Over the next 50 years, 4 billion in the world to abandon totally the bushes for firewood in their traditional stone chestnut trees, about 99.9 percent of the traditional cork closure. bread ovens and tap local beehives for eastern population, succumbed. Cork taint occurs when natural mould honey flavoured with native lavender and The loss proved tragic on several in corks causes a chemical reaction that rosemary. On even a small patch of cork counts. Residents of Appalachia lost a produces trichloroanisole, commonly land a farmer can raise a herd of goats, a steady income from lumber and nuts Ð called TCA. The compound can give wine few cows and some pigs, which forage for chestnuts at one time produced about an unpleasant, musty odour. (Source: acorns and graze beneath the trees. 50 percent of the entire forest nut crop. Business Wire (press release) [United The recent growth of synthetic cork has Wildlife also suffered because the once States], 8 August 2005.) prompted concern that by threatening bountiful food supply all but disappeared. traditional cork production, these new However, more than 50 years after the Alcan seeks to turn tables on cork diehards stoppers could undermine the economic tree bordered on extinction, an effort is Montreal-based aluminium giant Alcan Inc. basis of cork harvesting and thereby the now under way to bring back the chestnut. is in the forefront of the movement to cork-producing areas. Economic pressures Scientists are working to develop a blight- convert cork diehards to the view that could force farmers to convert their forests, resistant strain in the rolling hills of screw caps really are better, which would disrupt the natural ecosystem, southwestern Virginia, and there is hope notwithstanding their hard-to-shake increase erosion and lead to possible that sometime towards the middle of the association Ð in the minds of many Ð with desertification. century the chestnut tree will come home. cheap jug wine. The key reason for the The Rainforest Alliance is working with “Our goal is to restore the American switchover is that inert screw caps are a the cork industry and cork landowners in chestnut to the eastern forest,” said the superior seal against oxygen, whereas Portugal, Italy and Spain, helping them to president and chief executive officer of the about 10 percent of wines stopped with meet the conditions for Forest Stewardship American Chestnut Foundation. cork are affected by cork taint. Cork taint Council certification. The SmartWood Accomplishing that ambitious objective can deaden a wine’s subtle and complex certification of cork forests paves the way is going to take time. The foundation is in flavours or leave it smelling musty and bad- for the conservation of one of the last the third year of what stands to be a tasting, according to the industry. Screw remaining natural forest ecosystems in 30-year project. But results thus far show tops are also better at maintaining western Europe and with it, the promise and there is optimism that the freshness than either natural or synthetic environmental, economic and cultural venture ultimately will become the most corks, according to studies. (Source: Globe stability of the cork-producing regions. The successful nature restoration programme and Mail [Canada], 7 November 2005.) Alliance is also working to educate in the nation’s history. (Source: Scripps consumers about the fact that cork can be Howard News Service, 16 November Conserving cork forests in the harvested sustainably and in harmony with 2005.) Mediterranean the environment. (Source: Rainforest In recent years, the use of cork Alliance, 2004 Annual Report and alternatives, specifically plastic wine bottle Rainforest Matters [rainforestalliance@ CORK stoppers, has been increasing. Their use ra.org].) threatens the economy, environment and Wine company abandons cork stoppers cultural traditions of the cork-producing For more information about Rainforest Concerned by overwhelming proof that a regions of western Spain and eastern Alliance’s SmartWood programme, significant amount of wines sealed with Portugal where cork oak trees (Quercus please see: www.rainforest- traditional tree bark cork are spoiled by suber) dominate large swaths of the alliance.org/news/2005/cork.html?tr=y&a cork taint, Don Sebastiani & Sons today Iberian Peninsula. In the cork-producing uid=980992 announced that they will focus exclusively areas of the Peninsula, cork oak forests on using alternative closures for their (montados) represent around 21 percent of entire product line. With annual case the forest area and are responsible for the production approaching two million, the production of more than 50 percent of the company is now the largest wine company cork consumed worldwide.

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squeamish to swallow a locust whole. In consommées, aux techniques de récolte, EDIBLE INSECTS some villages in southern Mexico, insect aux usages culinaires, aux communautés “contamination” is hardly accidental. A few consommatrices et à l’importance Creature-eating source of income ground-up insects are added to hot chilli économique. Les premiers résultats and nutritious food salsa in villages as a nutritional boost. obtenus nous permettrons de faire des As Mexico’s centuries-old tradition of Garcia Oviedo applies that same principle travaux sur l’analyse chimique des eating insects becomes more lucrative, to modern products, such as grinding up différents insectes répertoriés et de researchers are trying to convince poor grasshoppers into hot dogs and enriching déterminer les taux de pourcentage en communities to cash in on eating the tortillas by adding a high-protein powder protéine, lipides et la valeur calorique. creatures as a source of income and made from milling less commercially Cette première étude fait partie des nutritious food. With a protein content valuable larvae. Nevertheless, Mexican priorités du Plan d’action pour la almost twice that of beef, some insects food safety standards treat insect content biosécurité en République du Bénin, la could become a welcome diet supplement as contamination, rather than as a potential conservation et pour l’utilisation durable among the estimated main ingredient. des ressources biologiques (Article 6 b, 20 million Mexicans who live in extreme The biggest challenge, however, is page 7 de la Convention sur la diversité poverty on incomes of US$1/day or less. reviving an appetite for some of the biologique). (Contribution de: M. Sévérin In many towns, especially in southern estimated 360 insect species that the Tchibozo, Centre de recherche pour la Mexico, insects are a regular part of the Mexicans’ ancestors used to eat, such as gestion de la biodiversité et du terroir 04 diet and although many Mexicans are still stink bugs, honey ants, beetle grubs, water B.P. 0385 Cotonou, Bénin. Télécopie: repulsed by the thought, the insect-eating beetle larvae, bees and fly eggs. So far, +229 21303084; courriel: [email protected]; movement is winning converts in a variety Garcia’s test groups have been successful. site Web: www.hyperinfo.de/arccona; of ways. Consider the chocolate-covered (Source: EITB [Spain], 14 June 2005.) www.web-africa.org/cerget) locusts, locusts in sweet sauce, worm Jell- O and worms covered in clear, hard candy Edible insects on sale in the United invented by biologist Juan Garcia Oviedo Kingdom of the National Polytechnic Institute of Add a chocolate coating and apparently Mexico. They have been a big hit in test people in the United Kingdom will eat groups and children love them. anything Ð even ants, scorpions and Farmers on the outskirts of Mexico City Insectes comestibles au Sud-Bénin worms. London’s Fortnum & Mason store were spending large amounts of money on Plus de 500 espèces d’insectes sont has started stocking a range of novelty pesticides to kill grasshoppers, Garcia consommées par les humains dans les drinks and nibbles containing the insects, Oviedo said, until they found they could get régions tropicales et subtropicales. La as well as hornets and snakes. more money for the edible bugs at local pratique de l’entomophagie contribue à The bizarre bites apparently boost markets than for their crops. It is also more compenser les carences en protéines et en energy levels and the libido and are coated environmentally sound, researchers say, lipides par rapport à la viande de poulet et in honey, chocolate or vodka in order to noting that in Aztec times, pest control was de porc. La demande mondiale de viande help the medicine go down. accomplished largely by eating rather than s’accroît et il devient important de trouver Tom Dalton, the founder of Edible which spraying. des sources alimentaires ayant un meilleur produces the insect appetizers, said: “We In Tlaxcala state, maguey worms are rendement. Les insectes sont consommés are shifting about 750 000 units a year and raised all year. Currently available only in depuis plusieurs décennies au Bénin, Fortnum & Mason sold around 1 500 of our certain seasons, farmers can now produce renferment une source très importante en giant ants covered in chocolate in the last the worms throughout the year by using cut protéines animales pouvant remplacer two weeks alone”. maguey leaves and in vitro production of valablement certaines viandes et ainsi Animal rights activists claim that the larvae. Increased availability would lutter contre la malnutrition infantile. Une treats are twisted and cruel. (Source: improve the market for the sought-after étude préliminaire a été menée pour DeHavilland [United Kingdom], 31 October white and red wrinkly worms Ð actually répertorier sommairement les insectes de 2005.) caterpillars Ð which are fried and sold with quelques régions du Sud-Bénin. Au total, butter and garlic for as much as $40 for 12 quatre espèces sont comestibles: at some upmarket Mexican restaurants, Ormesson spp., Rhynchophorus about 15 times the price paid to those who phoenicis, Brachytrupes membranaceus et gather them. Macrotermes falciger. Les espèces The insect renaissance also seeks to Macrotermes falciger et Oryctes spp. sont revive ancient practices in Mexico, such as plus consommées que les autres. Les “hidden” insect ingredients, for those too différents résultats sont dus aux espèces

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 38 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS

ginseng grows in the eastern regions East Asia, where it has been prized for between 30¡ and 48¡N latitude. This centuries for medicinal properties. area includes northeast China’s Jilin Hunting ginseng to generate extra Province and the Korean Peninsula. cash Ð at least US$250/lb (453.6 g) Ð Today, authentic wild mountain has long been a practice among some ginseng is very difficult to find. People residents of the Appalachian Mountains. now cultivate it in fields. Virginia is one of the largest exporters of Korean ginseng is categorized into ginseng in the nation and with West three types, according to the processing Virginia accounts for approximately 18 methods used: fresh or raw ginseng is percent of the 60 000 lb (27 200 kg) unprocessed, with its original shape annual national harvest. In the past three intact; white ginseng is peeled and dried years, the state agriculture department in the sun; and red ginseng is steamed certified 4 000 lbs (1 800 kg), 5 000 lbs GINSENG and dried to a brown hue and can be (2 270 kg) and 3 600 lbs (1 633 kg) of kept for longer. ginseng for export at an annual value Ginseng guidelines KGC’s sales reached 305 billion approaching $1 million. (Sources: An international standard on ginseng will Korean won ($290 million) in 2004; RedNova.com [United States], 12 August take several more years to be adopted, 70 percent of its products are for 2005 and Southern Standard [United as discussion at the Codex Commission domestic consumption. Its exports States], 25 September 2005.) yesterday revealed a wide difference of reached $55 million in the same year; opinion on the scope of the standard. The approximately $27 million of which were standard proposed by the Government of exports to Hong Kong SAR and the the Republic of Korea a few years ago Chinese mainland. (Source: China has made slow progress with Codex Business Weekly, 7 November 2005.) decision-makers because of diverse opinions as to ginseng’s status and the Ginseng export restrictions toughened significant number of different species on in the United States the market. The United States Fish and Wildlife In some countries, including within Service issued a ruling this month that it is Europe, ginseng is not listed as a food increasing the age limit for ginseng ingredient. A Codex guideline would (American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius) HONEY recognize its status at international level roots eligible for export from five to ten as a food. (Source: Food Navigator years this season. The five-year age Honey used as an antibiotic [France], 5 July 2005.) restriction, enacted in 1999, was the first Australian researchers have found honey ever on ginseng exports. The change is to be effective as an antibiotic cream to Root of the matter in the Republic meant to halt the rapid disappearance Ð prevent infections when applied to of Korea caused by overharvesting Ð of wild catheter sites in kidney dialysis patients. The largest ginseng producer in the ginseng on private land and in national Kidney specialist David Johnson said Republic of Korea is poised to cash in on parks and forests. The age restriction also honey also had an advantage over the the Chinese public’s increasing appetite applies to ginseng grown under simulated commonly used antibiotic ointment, for health care products with Korean red wild conditions unless the grower obtains mupirocin, in that hospital “superbugs” ginseng expecting to become the latest an exemption from the agency. such as Staphylococcus aureus, “Korean wave” export to hit China. The Ginseng is a slow-growing, long-living commonly known as golden staph, had Korea Ginseng Corporation (KGC) has perennial herb. The age of ginseng can not developed resistance to it. “There are been producing red ginseng for more be determined in two ways: by counting no documented cases of honey-resistant than 100 years; Cheong-Kwan-Jang is the scars on the plant’s underground bacteria,” Professor Johnson said. the top brand in the Republic of Korea. stem caused by the yearly loss of its (Source: NEWS.com.au [Australia], 26 KGC expects annual sales in the Chinese above-ground stem or by counting the August 2005.) market to reach US$30 million next year. number of above-ground compound There are three main types of leaves, also known as “prongs”. Plants Honey’s healing qualities stump scientists ginseng: “Asian ginseng”, a collective with three prongs are five years old and A type of honey produced in northern term used to refer to the Chinese and those with four prongs are ten years old. New South Wales has attracted interest Korean varieties, American ginseng and The primary market for ginseng is from scientists and doctors for its healing Siberian ginseng. The best Asian overseas. Most of the dried root goes to properties. Doctors are recommending

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 39 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS

jelly bush honey to help treat ulcers, The European Union banned the 2004, Brazil exported 8 700 tonnes, burns and sores. But scientists cannot import of Nepali honey in 2002, stating which generated $20.4 million. In the work out the honey’s active ingredient. that its quality did not meet European same period in 2005, exports totalled Dr Craig Davis, from Queensland’s standards. The use of pesticides in just 3 300 tonnes, equivalent to $6.6 Department of Primary Industries, says beekeeping and brood harvesting was a million. This is a significant reduction in he has spent years researching the jelly major reason for halting honey exports terms of volume and revenue. However, bush honey’s antibacterial properties. “I completely for the last three years. because of the quality of Brazilian honey, can’t put a name to it; it’s a floral Nepali honey is famous in Europe, one of the paths followed by the CBA is chemical that the tree makes and especially in Scandinavian countries, prospecting new importer countries to secretes into the nectar that the bees and about 100 tonnes of honey used to maintain foreign sales. collect,” he said. “When the bees have be exported from Nepal every year. The Arab market is considered collected that nectar they put it into the (Source: Xinhuanet [China], 26 October favourable. Last year the countries in the honey and when the honey is used it 2005.) League of Arab States imported 50 000 seems to have this additional factor.” tonnes of honey from China. (Source: ABC Regional online [Australia], Apiculture may also be considered an 10 September 2005.) excellent option for diversification of cultures and for farmers’ income Honey production in Malaysia generation, mainly in the poorest regions Malaysia’s Agriculture and Food Industry of the country, as is the case in the north Minister said local farmers should and northeast of Brazil. According to the consider venturing into honey production CBA, between 2002 and 2005, 150 000 to offset imports of related products. He jobs were generated, guaranteeing described honey as a lucrative greater opportunities in the interior and commodity, which could provide at least thus avoiding a rural exodus by many RM2 500 a month. Malaysia imported families. Apart from providing incentives some 2 520 tonnes of honey worth for production, regional associations and RM17.6 million last year and Sabah cooperatives were created for the honey imported 49 tonnes worth RM1 million to be traded. (Source: ANBA (Brazil-Arab during the same period. The Brazilian honey has flavours and colours News Agency) [Brazil], 29 June 2005.) Government’s aspiration is to make for all tastes Malaysia one of the major honey Brazil is the seventh largest producer and producers in the world, he added. exporter of honey in the world. In 2004 MEDICINAL AND The honey bee species Apis cerena is honey exports exceeded US$43 million, AROMATIC PLANTS unique, thriving on acacia trees, coconut with a volume of 21 400 tonnes, i.e. 47.5 plantations and pristine jungles for its percent of the yearly production of 45 000 Artemesia annua shows “potential” food and nectar, available mainly in tonnes. This position was reached as a in preventing breast cancer Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas. In this result of the quality and variety of the An extract of the sweet wormwood plant respect, people were urged to refrain honey, mostly wild, and also to the space (Artemesia annua), used for centuries to from indiscriminate felling of trees, an left open by China, which faced sales fight malaria and shown to target and kill action that could reduce the food restrictions because of the use of cancer cells, may help prevent breast resources of these bees, he said. pesticides in production. In fact, in 2001 cancer, researchers have found. The two The Government has allocated China, the largest honey producer in the bioengineers with the University of RM200 000 this year as start-up capital for world with 275 000 tonnes/year, was Washington in Seattle found that the farmers in Sabah interested in promoting prohibited from exporting because of the substance artemisinin seemed to prevent the honey industry. (Source: Daily Express strong presence of pesticides in the breast cancer in rats that had swallowed [Malaysia], 20 September 2005.) product. a cancer-causing chemical. The study According to the Brazilian Apiculture appears in the latest issue of the Honey exports from Nepal to the Confederation (CBA), around 70 percent research journal Cancer Letters. European Union likely to resume of the domestic production is of wild Because artemisinin is widely used in Exports of Nepali honey, once greatly in honey with 173 catalogued honey plants. Asia and Africa as an antimalarial drug, it demand in Europe, are likely to resume With the return of the Chinese to the has a track record of being relatively soon as a result of the latest efforts being market, however, Brazil did not manage safe. The results “indicate that it may be made in quality testing for European to maintain the rhythm of growth of a potent cancer-chemoprevention agent standards. foreign sales. From January to April ... additional studies are needed to

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investigate whether the breast cancer when they harvest the plant’s thick Malaria Conference in November 2005, is prevention property of artemisinin can be foliage, compared with about $22.7 from indicative of a surge of scientific interest generalized to other types of cancer”. maize crops. Scientists are working on a in the antimosquito properties of (Source: World Science, 20 December synthetic version, but this has not yet indigenous plant life. 2005.) been perfected. However, switching back Scientists from Kenya, working with once the Artemisia annua market fades investigators from other East African should not be a problem for farmers, research institutions, tested oils since the medicinal plant takes less toil extracted from 150 East African plants on the soil than maize. for their ability to repel malaria-carrying In the meantime, increased Artemisia mosquitoes and found that 20 of them annua supplies could bring down the appeared to be effective. They then costs of artemisinin-based treatment, formulated a mixture of the oils into a crucial in a poor country such as the cream that is now being sold under the United Republic of Tanzania. Artemisinin- brand name Mozigone. Tests showed based combination treatments cost the cream was more effective than about $2 a dose. Other antimalarial DEET, the chemical found in most widely drugs cost between 10 and 15 cents. used consumer brands of mosquito A cheaper alternative to artemisinin- repellent and was also less expensive to based combination drug treatment for produce. Artemisia annua fights malaria malaria is for people growing the plant in Scientific efforts to derive new malaria Artemisia annua, more commonly known their gardens to pluck and dry a few medicines from indigenous plants have as wormwood or sagewort, has been leaves to make an infusion taken over intensified since artemisinin, an extract applied for a variety of ailments, including seven days. There have been no widely of the wormwood plant (Artemisia haemorrhoids, coughs and fevers. China recognized scientific studies of such annua) emerged as the leading drug for and Viet Nam are the main sources of the infusions. (Source: Guardian Unlimited fighting the disease. plant native to Asia, but they have been [United Kingdom], 17 June 2005.) Scientists have also discussed: unable to meet a steep increase in ¥ the potential for a Brazilian plant demand. The World Health Organization known as “Indian beer” to prevent (WHO) says demand for artemisinin- malaria. Laboratory studies have based combination drug treatment rose Recognizing the antimalarial shown that the plant can kill the to 30 million courses in 2004, from just properties of Artemisia annua,the malaria parasite early in its lifecycle 2 million courses in 2003. Foundation of Italian Doctors for before it matures and does the most Last year, after trials in several Africa (Fondazione Italiana Medici per damage to the human body; countries, it was found that the plant l’Africa – FIMA ONLUS) has prepared ¥ two plants used by traditional herbal grows well in East Africa Ð fitting, as a project covering its cultivation and practitioners in Burkina Faso to treat Tanzanian health officials call malaria free distribution in Burundi. malaria. Used in combination, this country’s number one killer, with Pavetta crassipes and Mitragyna roughly 100 000 fatalities, mainly For more information, please contact: inermis exhibited antimalarial children, each year. FIMA, piazza Monte Grappa 9, properties when tested against a Resistance to other antimalarial drugs 00044 Frascati, Rome, Italy. E-mail: laboratory culture taken from a drug- has grown over the years, leading WHO [email protected]; www.fimaonlus.it/ resistant form of the malaria parasite; in 2001 to recommend artemisinin-based ¥ the antimalarial activity of methanol combination drug treatment. extract of Adansonia digitata (African Some farmers who have been growing baobab tree) in mice infected with a maize and beans for years are switching Fighting malaria with traditional rodent form of malaria. The to Artemisia annua, a medicinal herb medicinal plants traditional use of baobab as a from which artemisinin is extracted to East African scientists have translated malaria treatment is well known make a drug or a combination of drugs new findings regarding the antimosquito throughout the West Africa region. used to treat malaria. The treelike plant, properties of indigenous African plants The results of the test indicate that which grows up to six ft (1.8 m) is into a low-cost and effective mosquito A. digitata bark extract was able to extremely valuable and does not need repellent that could play a role in reducing reduce malaria parasites in the as much care as maize, largely acting as malaria transmission. Their research, mouse. its own pesticide and insecticide. presented at the Fourth Multilateral (Source: The Fourth Multilateral Initiative Farmers expect to earn about US$36 Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan-African on Malaria [Dakar], 14 November 2005.)

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Boswellia ovalifoliolata (Bal. et Henry) Boswellia ovalifoliolata (Bal. et Henry), a DEVELOPING AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOR THE SUSTAINABLE WILD narrow endemic and endangered plant COLLECTION OF MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS from the hot spots of India’s Tirupati- Tirumala-Nallamalai hills, belongs to the Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) Specialist Group (MPSG) through family Burseraceae, and is vernacularly are offered in a wide variety of IUCN-Canada and by WWF/TRAFFIC known as konda guggilum in Telugu. This products on the market. An estimated Germany. This standard will bridge the medium-sized deciduous tree is narrowly 40 000Ð50 000 plant species are used gap between already existing but distributed on the foothills of the eastern in traditional and modern medicine mostly very abstract guidelines and parts of the Tirumala hills up to an altitude throughout the world. The great management plans developed for of about 300 m. majority of MAP species is provided specific local conditions. Stakeholders The plant flowers from December to by collection from the wild. This trend involved will receive an easy to handle February and the fruits appear between is likely to continue in the long term list of criteria, indicators and verifiers April and June. Leaf fall occurs from as a result of numerous factors, that will enable them to prove the December to February and new foliage including the high costs of sustainability of wild collected plant appears in April to May. The plant trunk domestication and cultivation. material. ISSC-MAP covers social and secretes oleoresin, a secondary Moreover, cultivation is not economic factors, but clearly focuses metabolite that is a pale yellow liquid necessarily the most beneficial on ecological aspects addressing two and hardens on exposure. Amyrins are production system for some MAP important elements that are often left the chief constituents of this gum species. Wild collection secures aside: the need for resource together with resin acids and volatile valuable income for rural households, assessments and the question of acids. The tribals of the Tirumala hills especially in developing countries; annual sustained yields. (Lambadi, Sugali and Nakkala) and the may provide incentives for The development of ISSC-MAP local healers of surrounding villages use conservation and sustainable use of builds on existing principles, the gum extensively to cure a number of important habitats; and can guidelines and standards for diseases. They make deep incisions on strengthen local economies. sustainable forest practices, organic the main trunk to extract the gum but Approaches to sustainable wild MAP production and good agricultural unknowingly cause damage to immature collection that engage local, regional practices, fair trade and product plants, leading to the depletion of the and international collection quality. plant in its natural habitat. It has now enterprises and markets are urgently Drafts of the standard and other become endangered and is listed in the needed to provide specific guidance documents related to the project are CITES red data book under medicinal for industry, collectors and other available on the project Web site plants. stakeholders on sustainable sourcing (www.floraweb.de/map-pro). The gum and fresh leaf juice are used practices. Comments on the current draft are for mouth and throat ulcers. Shade-dried The German Federal Agency for welcome and can be sent to gum is powdered, dissolved in water, Nature Conservation (BfN) has [email protected]/ mixed with curd and given orally to cure provided start-up funding for the (Contributed by: Susanne Honnef, amoebic dysentery. The gum powder development of an International Species Conservation mixed with sour milk is taken on an Standard for Sustainable Wild Section/TRAFFIC, WWF Germany, empty stomach for stomach ulcers and, Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Rebstöckerstr. 55, 60326 Frankfurt/M., mixed with the plant Pedalium murex, is Plants (ISSC-MAP). The project is Germany. Fax: 0 69/7 91 44-213; made into paste and applied on the implemented by the Medicinal Plant e-mail: [email protected]; www.wwf.de) affected parts of the body to cure hydrocoele. A decoction of the stem bark is used for joint or rheumatic pains. (Contributed by: Dr (Mrs) N. Savithramma, Associate Professor, Department of Botany, S.V. University, Tirupati 517 502, India. E-mail: [email protected])

Mappia foetida The Western Ghats are home to the medicinal plant Mappia foetida,

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commonly known as narakya or amruta. Stephania brachyandra shows capability supplied when production increases. The alleged illegal international trade of to treat melanoma (Sources: Forest Herbs press release, this plant is now becoming an issue of Researchers at New Zealand’s 13 October 2005 and All Headline News, concern. Mappia foetida is sought after Wellington School of Medicine are 9 November 2005.) for its high concentration of camptothecin working on a possible treatment for Ð an agent used in drugs to treat cancer melanoma derived from a Vietnamese For more information, please contact: in countries such as Japan, Germany, herb. This herb’s potential came to light Forest Herbs Research Ltd, 142 Spain and China. through a project that aims to save Collingwood St, Nelson, Besides Karnataka, Mappia foetida is endangered medicinal plants and New Zealand. Fax: +64 3 545 6056; found in Satara, Pune, Kolhapur, Raigad, develop sustainable incomes for e-mail: [email protected] Ratnagiri and Jalgaon in Maharashtra. Vietnamese hill tribes, whose people are Interestingly, most of the land on which it among the poorest in Asia. Stevia rebaudiana to cure diabetes grows belongs to the forest department, The company behind the project, Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana), a high-value yet the plant has been plundered Forest Herbs Research Ltd, has medicinal plant whose dry leaves are far unchecked for the last eight to ten years. registered a provisional patent to protect sweeter than sugar and can be used by Dr P.S.N. Rao, director of the the intellectual property of the project for diabetics, has been successfully Botanical Survey of India, Pune, who the benefit of the hill tribes, and is cultivated in the Debang valley district of has undertaken a study on this plant exploring options for commercializing the Arunachal Pradesh and is ready for says: “Of late, a worldwide search for discovery. commercial harvesting. plant- and animal-based anticancerous The Director of Forest Herbs, Peter The Regional Research Laboratory drugs has gathered momentum and so Butler, says the find was unexpected. (RRL) of Jorhat has adopted several the plant is being regularly harvested “We certainly weren’t looking for a cure villages at Roing in the Debang valley to from reserve forest zones in for cancer. Our expertise is in natural motivate 300 farmers to cultivate the Maharashtra. According to figures from products to control Candida albicans plant. The particular area was selected the Forest Research Centre at Wada in outgrowth.” Butler says the patent for the since its climate was ideal for the Thane district, about 16 lakh/kg of this melanoma treatment will be assigned to cultivation of stevia. plant powder was exported to Japan and a collective of the hill tribes in the Sa Pa RRL has provided technical Spain from Maharashtra during 2002. district, near the Chinese border. The assistance to the villagers besides acting While intermediaries sell it for plant, with antimelanoma properties, is a as a facilitator to help them find Rs1 700/kg, the villagers who supply the very rare tuber found at high altitudes in marketing opportunities through links dried bark and wood to the dealers the forest. Methods have been with businesses from as far away as receive just Rs2–3/kg.” developed to propagate and cultivate it Hyderabad. Stevia plants yield 2 500 kg However, Rao feels that instead of to protect the wild stock and to provide a of dry leaves per acre (0.405 ha) per including the plant on the endangered viable base for an industry. year and 1 kg of green leaves can fetch species list, it should be cultivated on a The tuber of the plant Stephania Rs125. large scale to procure foreign exchange. brachyandra has traditionally been used In Arunachal Pradesh, almost 30 The debate now revolves around for many purposes, including as a species of medicinal plants were whether its potential should be exploited relaxant and sleep aid. New research identified as being commercially viable in a scientific manner or whether it has shown that its antimelanoma for cultivation. Nearly 7 000 farmers should be put on the endangered properties are untapped. cultivate various medicinal and aromatic species list. (Source: Indian Express The Forest Herbs’ team in Viet Nam plants in the northeastern states, [India], 3 July 2005.) has some other exciting prospects for including 30 to 35 large entrepreneurs the plants of the northern hills of Sa Pa. who are mainly tea planters. (Source: The aid project has funded a commercial Financial Express [India], 27 November essential oil still, set up on one of the 2005.) communes to produce oils from traditional herbs that showed promise in early trials. Mr Butler said that one of these, a fast-growing member of the mint Natural products are the only source family, Elsholtzia penduliflora, has of medicine for 75 to 90 percent of excellent potential and that traditionally it people living in developing countries. has been rubbed into sore muscles. (Source: www.fao.org/forestry/ There is also demand from international site/28821/en) fair trade organizations, which will be

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widely used of all the tree parts. Many Tree Africa encourages everybody to countries throughout Asia use them in establish nutrient herbal gardens that their traditional dishes. would see them improve their health. Several other uses of this versatile “The moringa tree is highly nutritious in tree deserve mention: moringa seeds Vitamins A, B and C and it is also a good are the source of a fine oil called ben or source of calcium, phosphorus, protein behen oil, prized for many years for its and carbohydrates. The plant does not culinary uses, its burn quality of cure HIV/AIDS as people have been illuminating without smoke, and its speculating of late,” Mr Jepsen said. Moringa oleifera lubricating capabilities for very small Moringa tree leaves and roots can be machinery, such as in watches. Moringa pounded differently into powder form and seeds are also effective in clarifying used to spice food or as herbal tea. The ORINGA OLEIFERA M water. plant is being processed into capsules No discussion about this tree would be but Tree Africa encourages people to The ultimate multipurpose tree complete without mentioning its use the unprocessed powders since no The versatile moringa plant abounds in medicinal value. In India’s traditional traces of other essentials are destroyed. nutrients and vitamins. The concept of medicinal practices, every part of the The leaves can be chewed fresh while using multipurpose trees has gained plant has been used since ancient times the flowers can be used as relish. popularity in recent years and no for the prevention of various diseases or Tree Africa’s Harare offices also sell discussion of these trees would be fitting to treat assorted ailments. genuine moringa tree seedlings for less without including moringa. Moringa is easily propagated and than the exorbitant prices charged by A measure of the versatility and established. Little or no attention is some unscrupulous dealers. (Source: usefulness of a tree is the number of required to keep the tree thriving and The Herald [Harare], 30 June 2005.) names it has been given. One of growing well. In fact, stem growth of up moringa’s more common international to 10 ft (approximately 3 m) or more in names is “horseradish tree” because of one year is not uncommon. (Source: the flavour of the roots. Another is Thomas Marler in Pacific Sunday News, “mother’s best friend” because of the 31 July 2005.) nutritional value of its fresh or dry leaves. Widely consumed to increase protein, Moringa tree production gets calcium and iron in the diet, moringa US$60 million boost leaves are also packed with vitamins A, B Farming and propagation of the moringa and C. Recent research has revealed tree, referred to by medicinal scientists as that moringa leaf powder may contain “Africa’s wonder tree”, has gathered seven times the vitamin C content of momentum in Zimbabwe with Tree Africa oranges, four times the vitamin A content donating US$60 million towards the of carrots, and three times the potassium large-scale cultivation of the tree. content of bananas. When added as a Moringa became popular recently after supplement to a child’s diet, just 25 g of tests conducted by scientists in West Farmers’ drumstick beats drought the leaf powder reportedly supplies all Africa and India revealed that it can In a country where hundreds of debt- the calcium and vitamin A daily needs, boost the human immune system while ridden farmers routinely take their lives about half the protein and potassium the seeds can be used to process oil after their crops fail, growing drumsticks daily needs, and about three-quarters of and for water purification. may be a solution. The drumstick tree the iron daily needs. Tree Africa programme adviser Mr (Moringa oleifera) is one of India’s most Moringa’s value for human nutrition is Jacob Jepsen said the money would go common trees, with a vegetable crop of not restricted to its leaves. The flowers a long way towards expanding moringa triangular, ribbed pods with winged are cooked and used in many dishes, tree cultivation and conservation projects seeds. The tree’s bark, roots, fruit, and the seeds are boiled, sautéed or in Zimbabwe. “This exotic plant has a lot flowers, leaves, seeds and gum also fried before consumption. to offer and we would like people to have have medicinal uses including as an The plant is also called “drumstick access to it. It originates from India, but antiseptic and in treating rheumatism, tree” on account of its long and slender is cultivated in Binga, Mazowe and on a venomous bites and other conditions. nutritional fruits or pods, which look like small scale in the Matabeleland south, Growing drumsticks makes eminent drumsticks. The immature green pods north and Nyanga areas,” Mr Jepsen good sense in a country such as India are probably the most esteemed and said. with patchy irrigation systems.

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Drumsticks can be grown using This neglect changed in the 1970s as comparison with other major rainwater without expensive irrigation a result of supply shortages from the commodities. techniques since the yield is good even wild, which made several forest if the water supply is not. research institutes intensify their studies For more information, please contact: While it takes only US$110Ð130 an in the taxonomy and biology of rattan in Edoardo Pantanella, Università degli acre (0.405 ha) to farm drumsticks, order to develop methods for growing it studi della Tuscia, Facoltà di Agraria, returns from the crop easily range from in plantations. Several programmes Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 $440 to $1 550. (Source: BBC have been developed and the Viterbo, Italy. Fax +39 761 357504; Newsroom, 28 November 2005.) importance of this product is now e-mail: [email protected] recognized. However, although great Zimbabweans living with HIV/AIDS turn advances have been made in the to herbal medicines understanding of rattan both in the wild Moringa powder is the latest medical and as a plantation crop, there is still craze for Zimbabweans battling with one much that is unknown and many of the world’s highest HIV/AIDS infection problems that could threaten the rates. Many of those testing positive for sustainable utilization of the canes still HIV/AIDS believe that herbs from the remain unresolved. baobab-like moringa tree, which grows in A recent dissertation by Edoardo Binga in northern Zimbabwe, help boost Pantanella (resulting from cooperation the immune system and fight off colds. between the University of Tuscia, Italy Hippophae rhamnoides However, Zimbabwe Medical and FAO) describes the silvicultural and Association (Zima) said the hype over sustainable management of rattan. moringa was unwarranted and that there Through the review of several studies SEA BUCKTHORN was no evidence to support the fact that on ecological, managerial and economic (HIPPOPHAE the herb helps reverse the symptoms of issues, the main aim of the paper RHAMNOIDES) HIV/AIDS. (Source: Mail and Guardian consists in analysing rattan profitability online [South Africa], 26 August 2005.) and sustainability. Breakthrough in the fight against acne Rattan gross revenues show great and eczema economic potential in comparison with Sea buckthorn is an extraordinary plant timber. Rattan can be harvested with that has been recognized for centuries in continuity and with shorter rotation Eurasia for its exceptional medicinal and cycles and does not require large nutritional benefits. Its berries are so rich financial investment for maintenance, in vitamins and nutrients that it has been machinery and harvesting equipment or speculated that the plant must have been processing machineries. grown by ancient plant cultivators. From an ecological point of view, The oil of sea buckthorn has general rattan management systems, if nourishing, revitalizing and restorative maintained within a sustainable level, action. It can be used for acne; avoid damage to local fauna and flora dermatitis; irritated, sore, dry and itching since they do not disturb local habitats skin; eczema; skin ulcers; postpartum in the same way as other forest pigmentation; burns; scalds; cuts; and RATTAN utilizations. tissue regeneration. The stimulation of Pantanella concludes that rattan is an tissue regeneration is helpful in the Silvicultural and sustainable management important means of livelihood in almost treatment of burns, bedsores and poorly of rattan production systems all equatorial and tropical countries and healing wounds. Sea buckthorn oil helps Rattan and NTFPs have rarely been one of the most important NTFPs reduce the damaging effects of sun considered major forest products by worldwide. radiation and effectively combats forestry research institutes, which have However, being considered a minor wrinkles, dryness and other symptoms of not paid enough attention to these plants forest product, rattan is not a priority malnourished or prematurely ageing as a way of improving sustainable issue on the political agenda on account skin. It is utilized in anti-ageing skin livelihoods and reducing the impact of of its low visibility (no lobbies, regional creams and lotions. logging overexploitation through the instead of international markets, The berries appear to be an utilization of alternative sources of difficulty in monitoring, data ignored in unsurpassed natural source of vitamins income. national accounting schemes) in A and E, carotenes and flavonoids. Sea

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buckthorn berries are second only to to grow the “wonder plant”. These cold area in each desert development project. rosehips and acerola in vitamin C deserts, where minimum temperatures Experts and environmentalists feel content. They are also rich in several dip to -40¡C during winter, are bereft of that keeping the Chinese experience in other vitamins, including B1, B2, K and P any vegetation and are perpetually short view, sea buckthorn’s potential should be as well as in more than two dozen of fuelwood, food and fodder. The efforts fully explored for developing it as an microelements. made earlier to provide green cover for agro-industrial crop that would also help The restorative action of sea the cold deserts under desert in vegetation rehabilitation and more job buckthorn oil may be in part a result of development programmes resulted in opportunities for poor tribal people with its high content of essential fatty acids developing green patches only in some limited options. (Source: Rediff [India], (EFAs), carotenes, tocopherols and isolated pockets but sea buckthorn is an 19 September 2005.) phytosterols, which are all important for ideal plant for cultivation in such harsh the maintenance of healthy skin. The and hostile weather conditions. EFA content in sea buckthorn oil is Sea buckthorn is a deciduous shrub, 80Ð95 percent. Major EFAs are oleic and widely distributed in the cold deserts. It linoleic. Others are pentadecenoic, has an extensive root system for soil palmitoleic, heptadecenoic, linolenic, stabilization; a nitrogen-fixing ability for eicosenoic, eicosadienoic, erucic and fertility; high vitamin C content; provides nervonic. best-quality fuelwood and fodder; and its Among the carotenes found in sea fruits and seed oil have a high economic buckthorn are alfa- and beta-carotenes, value for cosmetics, medicines and lycopene, cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, beverages. Ladakh berry beverage taraxanthin and phytofluin. Tocopherols The plant can withstand extreme Delhi-based FIL Industries Ltd today are mostly vitamin E and gamma- temperatures ranging between -43¡C launched the Ladakh berry premium sea tocopherol. Phytosterols of sea buckthorn and +40¡C and can grow in dry, arid buckthorn beverage in India. The Ladakh include beta-sitosterol, beta-amirol and zones with 300 mm rainfall. berry (also known as sea buckthorn, erithrodiol. Taken internally, sea buckthorn Except for China and the Russian Hippophae rhamnoides) is extracted from can help prevent gums from bleeding; Federation, which developed sea the light yellow or orange sea buckthorn recuperate mucous membranes; heal buckthorn as a major horticultural and berries that grow in the wild on the peptic and duodenal ulcers; combat agro-industrial crop, this wonder plant hillsides of Ladakh. urinary tract and cervical erosion; help has remained neglected. Sea buckthorn is a powerhouse among solar and cancer radiation injuries; and is Three species of sea buckthorn, fruits and vegetables, containing over 100 a source of carotenes, phytosterols and namely H. rhamnoides, H. tibetana, nutrients, eight vitamins, 24 minerals and EFAs. (Source: I-Newswire.com [United H. salicifolia and Hippophae rhamnoides 18 amino acids. The juice is highly stress- States], 7 July 2005.) ssp. turkestanica have been identified so resistant as it contains natural vitamins C, far and successfully cultivated in cold dry E, A and beta-carotene and flavonoids. It zones. The Baspa, Bhaga and Kaza has no preservatives and serves as an valleys have unique plant species of sea antioxidant that slows the ageing process, buckthorn with fewer thorns, dense reduces cholesterol, boosts immunity, fruiting and large fruits that can be nourishes the brain and eyes and identified and selected for promotion on improves memory. (Source: a commercial and industrial scale. agencyfaqs.com [India], 24 October Sea buckthorn is used for fuelwood, 2005.) fencing around fields and houses and for fodder, while herbal doctors use the plant for curing lung diseases and SHEA BUTTER headache. It is also used for making (VITELLARIA PARADOXA) Tribes in India to grow wonder plant wines and jams but these practices have After years of experiments, the now become almost extinct as a result of L’arbre à karité (Vitellaria paradoxa) successful plantation of sea buckthorn the commercialization of agriculture and Source d’une des plus anciennes huiles (Hippophae rhamnoides) in the cold the availability of other options. d’Afrique, l’arbre à karité (Vitellaria deserts of Himachal Pradesh’s tribal A series of meetings has been paradoxa) est un arbre indigène areas of Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti districts organized with the tribal people to d’Afrique, semi-domestiqué, à croissance opened the doors for the prosperity of popularize sea buckthorn and make its lente, présent sur une bande de tribal people who are being encouraged cultivation compulsory in at least a 2-ha végétation qui s’étend sur 5 000 km au

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sud du Sahel, à travers 16 pays africains, Atelier international sur le traitement, du Sénégal à l’Ethiopie et l’Ouganda. la valorisation et le commerce de karité SHELLAC L’utilisation du beurre de karité et de en Afrique. Actes du séminaire. CFC l’arbre lui-même a été documentée il y a Document technique no 21. FAO, Lac cultivation in Viet Nam environ 4 000 ans en Egypte antique. Rome. Shellac represents the sole natural Dès 1354, l’arbre à karité a été resinous substance secreted by a small documenté comme produit de grande Pour plus d’informations, contacter: insect (Laccifer lacca Kerr) while it lives valeur commerciale régional de l’Afrique Peter Thoenes, Spécialiste des and develops as a parasite on some lac occidentale par le voyageur marocain Ibn produits, Division des produits et du host trees and plants. The resin is in Battuta. commerce international, essence the nest of the Laccifer lacca Département économique et social, whose product is termed as “sticklac” FAO, 00100 Rome. Courriel: when just harvested, “seedlac” when [email protected] crushed and washed clean and “shellac” when processed and commercialized in Shea butter becoming popular in Europe the form of very thin scales. With its natural healing and moisturizing Shellac has several particular features properties and its ability to combat the such as non-toxicity, insulation and ageing process, shea butter is fast adhesiveness, which are not present in becoming the answer to fighting skin artificial plastic, hence the use of shellac Le développement moderne de l’arbre complaints. Although relatively new to in the manufacture of superior quality à karité comme ressource économique America and Europe, shea butter has paint for the electronics, aviation and et alimentaire a commencé en Afrique been used in Africa for centuries as a skin canning industries, among others. occidentale dans les années 50 et a and hair care balm. Today it is used as a Pharmacologically, shellac is used as a considérablement augmenté ces cream, at various levels of refinement, by detoxicant, an antidote and a tooth dernières années. Environ 610 000 men and women all over the world. analgesic. tonnes de noix ont été rassemblées à As we become aware of the effects of Shellac has long been produced in the travers la zone africaine du karité durant chemicals and toxins in our bodies, South and Southeast Asian region, 2 000 récoltes. Environ 10 pour cent de organic products are increasingly viewed including Viet Nam and the Lao People’s cette production ont été exportés, as the number one choice for our health Democratic Republic. In 1937, the two principalement vers l’Europe et le Japon, and beauty demands. Naturally rich in latter countries produced 357 tonnes of tandis que 545 000 tonnes ont été essential vitamins (A, E and F) and acids sticklac, valued at approximately Fr.Fr.1 traitées localement dont 131 000 tonnes the skin needs, shea butter is 100 million. environ de beurre de karité. percent natural. Vitamins A and E help In Viet Nam, lac is cultivated mainly in L’exploitation économique de l’arbre à maintain the skin and keep it clear and the northern provinces. The host trees beurre de karité d’Afrique est devenue healthy, preventing premature wrinkles and plants for lac insects to parasitize l’objet d’une industrie dynamique, and are especially good for sun- include Protium serratum, Cajanus essentiellement grâce à l’esprit damaged skin and mild skin issues. cajan, Dalbergia hupeana var. laccifera, d’initiative, à la résistance physique et au Vitamin F acts as a skin protector and Ficus racemosa, Pterocarya tonkinensis courage des femmes africaines des rejuvenator and soothes rough or dry and Saraca dives, with the first three zones rurales skin. giving highest yields. In the province of Les essais d’étude sur la productivité, Shea’s versatility makes it the new Nghe An, local people have long étant donné la maturation lente de and more efficient alternative to cocoa harvested natural sticklac and cultivate l’arbre. (10 à 20 ans), le manque de butter. (Source: Fashion.ie [Ireland], 13 lac themselves. In 1964, their sticklac continuité dans la recherche et les efforts December 2005.) output topped 64 tonnes; by 1981, this de développement, ont laissé d’énormes stood at 3 tonnes. Without incentive lacunes dans notre compréhension des policies, there was a drastic decrease in facteurs biologiques et sticklac output. Only a few locals kept up environnementaux de la productivité du the trade, cultivating lac on natural trees karité. Durant les quatre dernières and plants. décennies, des technologies employées One of the main causes of lac’s au niveau des villages pour améliorer le decline was that farming households traitement du karité ont été développées found it difficult to cultivate host trees, et couronnées de nombreux succès en particularly perennial trees that could Afrique de l’Est et centrale. Source: give high yields such as Protium

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serratum and Dalbergia hupeana var. Lac growing involves the inoculation of laccifera. lac insects into perennial host trees. The In early 2004, Nghe An Provincial farmers take a few days to tie the Forestry Subdepartment launched a broodlac (mother cell with the female lac sectoral scientific study on “Adopting insect) on to the hosts. After three to four technical measures to propagate the months, farmers return to harvest the Dalbergia hupeana var. laccifera as a host broodlac, which usually takes a week. tree for lac cultivation”. As a perennial During harvesting, the branches found in natural conditions, distributed bearing lac are cut down and the mainly in the districts of Ky Son and Growing lac insects for resin in an broodlacs are tied to new hosts. The Tuong Duong and a number of villages in agroforestry system in Indonesia harvested host trees are left alone for Que Phong district, the Dalbergia Lac is a natural resin produced by the one to two years for the regrowth of hupeana var. laccifera is a medium-sized scale insect Laccifer lacca, which is a branches. tree usually growing on hillsides and parasite of certain host trees. Used Lac yields depend on the weather. If foothills; it is shade-demanding when mainly to make lacquer and glossing the weather is bad, especially during the young and light-demanding when mature. material, lac is a commodity that has rainy season, there may not even be Mountain farmers have taken been traded in the international market enough broodlac to inoculate the next advantage of natural Dalbergia hupeana since the early twentieth century. Lac is crop. var. laccifera for lac cultivation. They go to also used today in electronics, printing, Despite declining production, lac look for the trees in forests and mark textiles, clothing, cosmetics and food. growing in East Nusa Tenggara has them once found so that the trees then The United States and Japan are major good economic potential because of low become their own. One Dalbergia importers of lac resin, while India and labour costs. It also requires only low- hupeana var. laccifera may nourish lac Thailand are the leading exporters. level investment (since sticklac is insects for many years and yield 60 kg of Because of the increasing market obtained from the empty broodlac a sticklac per year. demand for resin, growing lac has month after inoculation and can cover As it is difficult to propagate the tree, become an enterprise in Indonesia. two-thirds of the cost); provides quick the locals often chop at its roots to get Local governments have set up lac and regular income; is easily shoots for future nurseries and cultivation. cultivation projects in areas where a high transported; and trees as perennial hosts Using this technique, the rate of survival population of kesambi (Schleicera can be readily found or grown. (Source: of seedlings is fairly low and it is oleosa) host trees abound. Today, policy- Extracted from: article by M. Kudeng impossible to meet the local people’s makers and business people in the East Sallata and I. Made Widyana [in demand for lac host trees. Consequently, Nusa Tenggara Province continue to APANews, Asia-Pacific Agroforestry Nghe An Provincial Forestry promote lac resin production. Newsletter, 26, July 2005].) Subdepartment and the research team Lac insects are found only in certain have germinated 7 000 cuttings in an regions (Alor, Sumba, Flores and Rote indoor nursery in Ky Son. In 2005, it is Islands) of East Nusa Tenggara at estimated that 2Ð3 ha will have been put altitudes between 100 and 500 m. Many under Dalbergia hupeana var. laccifera by of these places have no roads or even individual households in Ky Son. bicycle trails. The first officially recorded This success is expected to open up lac production in Alor district was in new directions for lac-cultivating 1993, totalling 206 tonnes. Since then, households in the three districts of Ky accumulated production up to 1999 was Son, Tuong Duong and Que Phong, thus approximately 1 610 tonnes of stick and helping to restructure crops in the scraped lac. mountain and highland districts with a Most lac growers are traditional farm view to accomplishing the target of families practising shifting agriculture. TRUFFLES cultivating 5 000 ha of lac host trees for Expertise is passed on from father to lac cultivation in Nghe An Province by son. Each family usually has only a few White magic 2010. (Source: Extracted from: article by big host trees in the forest or in the The white truffle of Alba Ð the tartufo Nguyen Tien Lam in NTFP Newsletter, garden. With the government ban on bianco, which comes from the woods of 2[4], October 2005.) wood exploitation, highland farmers are the Italian province of Piedmont, where it turning to non-wood products, such as is dug from the earth by specialist hunters For more information, please contact the lac, together with livestock as sources of and their dogs Ð is the king of all fungi, author at: [email protected] additional income. one of the world’s most sought-after and

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most expensive delicacies, commanding Secretive truffle growers in New Zealand Hidden delicacy in Oregon’s forests prices which make it more valuable, per Second only to espionage as the world’s Oregon’s forests are home to a treasure gram, than gold. most mysterious occupation, truffle for mushroom hunters in search of The white truffle is found in five growing is taking off in Wairarapa, New truffles. They are the United States’ different varieties, determined by the Zealand. An industry insider revealed largest source of truffles but lag behind species of tree on whose roots it there are at least nine truffle growers in France, Spain, Italy and other parts of originates. Depending on whether it is the region, but they like to keep their Europe. Oregon’s annual harvest is associated with, for example, the willow, identities strictly under wraps. roughly 10 tonnes, compared with more oak, poplar or hazelnut, its colour can The reason for the truffle growers’ than 100 tonnes for all of Europe. range from white, sometimes veined with notorious secretiveness comes down to Truffles grow underground and rely on pink, to grey verging on brown. the sheer value of their crops. Truffles trees to host them and animals eating Truffles are part of the vast family of can fetch up to US$3 500/kg so the them to distribute their spores. Many fungi, found all over the world. The tuber potential for a grower who has a Oregon truffles grow near the roots of itself is born Ð like most fungi Ð hundred or so trees in his truffle orchard Douglas firs, but they can also be underneath the leaf mould, in the early – known in the business as a “truffiere” – cultivated on hazelnut and oak trees. summer months, attaching itself to the is huge. (Source: Seattle Times, 6 December tree roots like the parasite it is. Sufficient Truffles are the fruits of specific 2005.) rain in August can swell the truffles in varieties of fungi that grow underground, size. Attempts to grow them in a symbiotic relationship with tree commercially have failed. roots. They usually grow with oaks and Black summer and winter truffles also hazelnut trees, but they may also grow grow in parts of France, where they are with sweet chestnut, some pines and hunted using pigs in the Perigord region, other tree types. Italy, Spain and Croatia. Some black In New Zealand truffles generally fruit truffles have also been found between May and August, but growers occasionally in British woods and there have to be quick to harvest them since is clearly money to be made by anyone they are ripe for only a matter of days. who locates a large amount. They also have to have a well-trained Alba itself has become the centre of dog that can sniff out the truffle’s the truffle trade, with a weekly market location. where fungi from all over central Italy are There are two main varieties of truffle bought and sold, while shops sell related grown commercially in New Zealand Ð products such as highly flavoured truffle the Tuber melanosporum, which oil or preserved truffles. (Source: The produces the Perigord black truffle Independent [United Kingdom], 14 originally found in the south of France, November 2005.) northern Italy and northeastern Spain and the Tuber borchi, which produces an Italian white truffle called bianchetto. The industry took off in the late 1980s after a mycologist began growing tree seedlings, which he deliberately infected with the Perigord black truffle fungus. Since then, would-be truffle growers around New Zealand have bought infected seedlings from Crop and Food Research in the hope of making mega dollars. The oldest truffle plantations in the region are eight years old, but it can take five to ten years for the truffle fungi to fruit and even then there is no guarantee that they will fruit at all. (Source: Wairarapa Times Age, 9 November 2005.)

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new techniques and build expertise in warning about their unique local product, ANGOLA the use of herbs and complementary saying logging of the leatherwood trees medicine through a close link with and that give the honey its distinctive taste is Forests play key role in country’s involvement of the School of Natural and threatening their industry. A new report is development Complementary Medicine of Southern calling for changes to timber harvesting in Angola’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture Cross University. southern Tasmanian forests to ensure the and Rural Development said that forests This year’s festival featured a herb survival of the state’s unique leatherwood and fauna play an important role in the garden area, a bush food cooking area, honey industry. Beekeepers have country’s development, as they are the woodworking demonstrations and quality welcomed the Forests and Forest sources of goods and services of cabinet work display, a bush food farm Industry Council study that has looked at economic, social and environmental tour and demonstrations on the use of how much leatherwood is needed to character. According to the deputy herbs in natural medicine treatments. sustain their hives. The forestry industry minister, who was speaking at today’s Indigenous non-wood forest crops says that it is working to preserve the opening session of a seminar on regional grown in this region are lemon myrtle trees and there is no cause for alarm. public consultation for the participative (Backhousia citriodora), tea tree (Source: ABC online [Australia], 28 drafting of policy and legislation on (Melaleuca alternifolia) and macadamia November and 19 December 2005.) forests, fauna and forests play an (Macadamia integrifolia). important role in the poverty reduction Lemon myrtle is in increasing use as a Fungi and mosses in Australia’s forests and food security of rural communities. food additive and as a flavouring (in Tasmania’s native forests could be a gold Angola has enormous potential in confectionery, tea, etc.) and the citral- mine for new human medicines, says a forests, wild fauna and huge protected type oils are similar to those found in leading mushroom expert. They may areas, a fact that gives the southern lemon grass. There is some evidence of even hold the key to a breakthrough African country a valuable basis for its insecticidal properties but there are cancer treatment. economic, environmental and social indications that some skins are sensitive University of Tasmania fungi researcher development. to its use. Sapphire McMullan-Fisher said the Acknowledging the importance of Tea trees are planted extensively on island’s native forests were an untapped these resources, the deputy minister moister, lower-lying soil types. The trees resource for new drugs. She said that said that forests are the sources of are harvested periodically and the oils Tasmania’s forests were full of fungi and subsistence and income for the majority extracted. These are used in creams and mosses with active ingredients that could of the rural population, as they contribute have antifungal and antimicrobial be useful for medicine. to the substantial reduction of poverty in properties. Plantations are now based on Ms McMullan-Fisher estimates that only the country. (Source: Angola Press highly selected genotypes with very 40 percent of Tasmania’s native Agency, 6 December 2005.) large yields of sought-after oils. mushrooms have been scientifically Macadamia is also planted extensively named. The other 60 percent remain a in this region, mainly for nuts for the food mystery to science. There is a major lack AUSTRALIA industry. However, the oil is valuable and of research into Tasmania’s native fungi the chippings left from kernel extraction and in Australian fungi as a whole. “There Greenridge Health and Herb Festival are used for the production of are about 10 to 15 people Australia-wide This Festival is held in August each year macadamia oil that is used in cosmetics studying fungi but there are 2 000 in the northern New South Wales city of as well as in cooking. Australian scientists investigating plants,” Lismore. The area is subtropical, with an Work on these products and other she said. The lack of information about annual rainfall of about 1 400 mm and potential products is being carried out by the native fungi has also seen the volcanic soils are krasnozems. In the Centre for Phytochemistry and bioprospectors all but ignore them. pre-European times, the area supported Pharmacology at Southern Cross Ms McMullan-Fisher said interest in the largest subtropical rain forest in University. (Contributed by: David fungi and mosses had waned particularly Australia but most has been cleared for Cameron, PO Box 5237, East Lismore, in the past 30 years. The lack of agricultural purposes. Wollongbar, New South Wales 2480, understanding had serious consequences. The festival is a no-profit, signature Australia. Fax: +61 2 6621 2917; e-mail: She said most forest reserves in event that showcases the use of herbs in [email protected]) Tasmania were based on large plant complementary medicines and regional types and did not take into account fungi cuisine and promotes healthy lifestyles, Leatherwood honey under threat by logging and mosses, which may be becoming a healthy natural environment and Leatherwood honey is highly prized all extinct without our even knowing it. community participation. It provides a over the world. But beekeepers in Ms McMullan-Fisher said the means to stimulate, network and learn southern Tasmania are sounding a Tasmanian Aborigines probably had a far

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more in-depth understanding of the altitudes show that there is no uniform surroundings. The majority of the trees island’s fungi and which varieties were forest policy on NTFPs. are those that have survived both legal edible, poisonous or beneficial in medical The first case study was on and illegal felling. treatments. “Unfortunately not much Cordyceps sinensis, a high-altitude The Para nut tree, under normal remains of what the Tasmanian valued medicinal plant and a restricted conditions, produces fruit continuously Aborigines knew because we came in and species as of 2003. The policy restriction and can live for up to 500 or 600 years. didn’t bother to learn.” (Source: Hobart and the high value of the product The surrounding forest is essential for its Mercury [Australia], 2 October 2005.) resulted in revenue loss and was a survival, as it offers protection from the source of “park-people” conflict. wind, nourishment from the ground and For more information, please contact: There is however no such policy a route for the pollen-making bees to do Ms Sapphire McMullan-Fisher, Hobart restriction for Tricholoma matsutake, a their job. The progressive removal of Campus, Geography-Geology Building, high-value mushroom in the temperate forest from around the Para nut leaves it 111, University of Tasmania, French region. The government instead is fully isolated as its genetic flow is interrupted Street, Sandy Bay, 7005, Australia. supportive of this industry. The regular when pollination does not occur. Fax: +61 3 6226 2989; e-mail: income from the mushroom has brought Reforestation does not work if other [email protected] economic prosperity to the local forestry species native to the area are community and much-needed foreign not planted as well. The Para nut tree is exchange to the country. a forest tree. It is useless to protect one The third case concerns Piper without the other. (Source: O Estado de pedicellatum, a low-altitude medicinal S. Paulo, 25 September 2005.) plant, which has a very low cash value compared with Cordyceps and Tricholoma, but is still a major source of CAMBODIA cash for people in remote poor rural districts. Improvement of the sustainable The future of NTFP commercialization in management and utilization of NTFPs in Bhutan looks promising, particularly after Cambodia the lifting of the ban on Cordyceps This 36-month project (PD 275/04 Rev. 3 BHUTAN collection in 2004. This opens up a brave [I]) will promote the sustainable new world for forest policy development management of NTFP resources by Forest policy and income opportunities for NTFPs in the country. (Source: abstract improving social, economic and legal from NTFP commercialization in Bhutan of Ph.D. thesis of Namgyel, P. 2005. aspects of NTFP production and trade. The forests in Bhutan, as in much of the Forest policy and income opportunities Specifically, the project will help developing world, are state owned. from NTFP commercialization in Bhutan. strengthen the local management of Forests are seen today as central to International and Rural Development NTFPs in four provinces (Kampong sustainable development, but the forest Department, University of Reading, United Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Mondulkiri and bureaucracy, by mandate and Kingdom. Contributed by: Phuntsho Rattanakiri) through the development of institutional culture, is control-oriented Namgyel, Ph.D., Council for RNR villagers’ associations in collaboration with and not predisposed to promote rural Research for Bhutan, Ministry of local communities and NGOS; and build people’s income opportunities. The Agriculture, Royal Government of Bhutan, local capacity to integrate local villagers overall aim of this research study is PO Box 119, Thimphu, Bhutan. E-mail: better with NTFP markets by addressing broadly to assess the policy context for [email protected]) the socio-economic and legal aspects of NTFP commercialization in Bhutan. The existing market channels. (Source: ITTO documentary analysis shows that forests Tropical Forest Update, 15[1], 2005.) in the country are a source of conflict of BRAZIL interest between the state and the rural For more information, please contact: people. Exports of NTFPs can take place Felling trees is prohibited – and the Para International Tropical Timber only with the express approval of the nut tree dies standing Organization (ITTO), government. A permit application can The legal prohibition against felling Para International Organizations Center, take as little as one day or as long as nut (Bertholletia excelsa) trees, a symbol 5th Floor, Pacifico-Yokohama 1-1-1, 128 days to process. There is an of Amazonia, creates cemeteries of dead Minato-Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, apparent move towards incorporating standing trees that cover the Maraba 220-0012, Japan. Fax: +81 45 223 1111; NTFPs in forest policy. The three case region in the southeastern Para state: all e-mail: [email protected]; studies from different regions and the result of the deforestation of the www.itto.or.jp

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and the workshop was a forum to share Nigeria while hausa sticks are limited to the findings with other partners. the northern states of Nigeria and The major concern was about the state sometimes find their way to customers of NTFPs in Cameroon, the criteria of in Chad, the Niger and northern identifying the diverse activities to ensure Cameroon. proper promotion, mastery of the areas to Intermediaries are predominantly be promoted, priorities in capacity building Nigerian traders who are not only well and instruments to be used that will cater organized but also have preferential for problems arising. access to other players along the The workshop took place with the help product chain once it gets to Nigeria. CAMEROON of FAO; the outcome was a harmonized Attempts by Cameroonians to access national strategy to boost the contribution the Nigerian market have been Boosting NTFPs of NTFPs to the national economy. unsuccessful because of their lack of Actors in the NTFP subsector want (Source: Cameroon Tribune, 5 December understanding of the market structure. activities in the area organized. Meeting in 2005.) For example, some Cameroonians Yaoundé for two days, experts – most of have had bitter experiences when they them from the Ministry of Forestry and Non-timber/special forest products in decided to transport chewing sticks to Wildlife Ð discussed ways and means of Ndian division Nigeria. They were obliged to abandon rendering the subsector more organized A study carried out by the World Resource the products there and return penniless by adopting a legal framework that will Institute (WRI, 2000) concludes that it is as no one was willing to buy at the price regulate it, reinforcing research and extremely difficult to quantify the economic the sellers could offer. putting in place a perfect national importance of non-timber forest products Because of the poor road network in management synergy. All these are being (NTFPs) because of lack of statistics. Ndian, the preferred period to exploit is developed within the framework of the In Ndian division in the Southwest the rainy season (AprilÐNovember) Project for Institutional Support and Province of Cameroon, many studies on when rivers leading to the creeks are Sustainable Management of Non-timber NTFPs have been carried out by the full, enabling the easy evacuation of the Forest Products in Cameroon, for which Korup Project. These studies were based products to Nigeria by boat. the Yaoundé workshop was organized. essentially on a description of harvesting 2. Bush mango (Irvingia gabonensis Speaking at the workshop, the project’s and processing techniques and not on and I. wombulu). coordinator, Jeanne Balomog stated that economic importance. This NTFP is highly consumed in Ndian NTFPs are diverse and include all forest However, it is important to note that and is used for preparing soup. Bush resources besides wood. She said the NTFPs play an important role in improving mango is sold at the local markets as non-timber forest sector faces problems the living standards of the Ndian rural well as exported to neighbouring because it is not well known and population. Nigeria. The price varies depending on mastered, whereas the products that NTFPs currently harvested in the area the harvesting period and ranges range from fruits, vegetables, medicinal include the following. between CFAF7 500 and 14 000 per plants, and building and furniture material 1. Chewing stick (Garcinia manii and bucket of 15 litres. such as rattan constitute a source of Masscularia acuminata) and hausa 3. Njansang (Rhicinodendron livelihood for millions of people. Mrs stick (Carpolobia lutea). heudolotii). Balomog said that almost everyone The woody parts of these plants are Njansang seed is a very popular exploits or uses NTFPs in one way or harvested and while chewing sticks are condiment used in Cameroonian another. She added that because of the predominantly used for personal dental dishes. It is mostly collected by women vast nature of the subsector, it is difficult to hygiene, hausa sticks are used mostly and sold at local markets. A glass of quantify what it contributes to the national by cattle rearers to facilitate the about 0.2 litres costs between CFAF150 economy but disclosed that, from management of cattle herd and 200. statistics, it injects more than displacements. These products are the 4. Bitter kola (Garcinia manii). CFAF300 million into the economy yearly. most exploited NTFPs in the area. After Bitter kola is a fruit used both as a The Yaoundé workshop was therefore harvesting, the villagers arrange them in stimulant and as a medicine. Production aimed at helping the government to bundles of 40Ð50 sticks of about 1 m varies according to the season. When maximize the contribution of NTFPs to the long, which they sell at CFAF2 000 per production is high, the price varies socio-economic development of the bundle to intermediaries who come and between CFAF8 000 and 15 000 for a country through sustainable management buy in the villages. Nigeria serves as 15 kg bag and between CFAF18 000 and promotion. Research has been the principal market for these products. and 30 000 per bag during periods of carried out on ways to boost the subsector Chewing sticks are sold throughout low production.

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Forestry controls. The local forestry certain actions have to be taken. These hunters to continue the traditional way of service controls trade in NTFPs using include: life and by that I mean hunting and two main instruments: ¥ the creation of one or two sale points getting food from the land,” said Sensitization. With the assistance of with the institution of a sales or Kathleen Wootton, the deputy chief of the administrative authorities the forestry market day and a day for loading to Mistissini. “There are also ancient trees service has so far organized numerous Nigeria; in that area that are tall and very thick working sessions with traditional village ¥ the regulation of this activity by the and we want to preserve those as well. authorities during which they are attribution of community forest and Once this park is all set up and ready, no educated and encouraged not to allow issue of exploitation permits for mining and no forestry or any other any harvested NTFPs to leave the special forest products in the case of development can ever happen on that village without relevant documents from chewing sticks; and land.” the service. ¥ providing the local forestry service The government says tallymen will Exploitation control. This involves with a motorized boat for efficient continue to play a role after the park is carrying out spontaneous checks in control in the maritime area, which is created. Tallymen, or traditional forests and transport services to ensure the principal outlet of the product. grassroots resource managers, are that harvesting and marketing are (Contributed by: Liyong Emmanuel custodians of a community’s land base carried out as required by the law. Sama, Divisional Delegation of Forestry in the region. (Source: CBC Montreal, 16 Nevertheless, the results obtained to and Wildlife, Mezam, PO Box 4081, November 2005.) date have been far from satisfactory, Bamenda, Cameroon. E-mail: because most transportation of the [email protected]) products takes place during the night. On estime que, dans l’ensemble du It is forestry policy in Cameroon to Canada. 2,5 millions de Canadiens generate revenue for its activities CANADA vivent dans les 522 communautés through auction sales of illegally dépendant de la forêt boréale. harvested forest products. However, Quebec creates first boreal forest park Source: Point de vue, Automne 2005, when the local forestry service The Government of Quebec is taking No 03. succeeds in confiscating large amounts steps to protect a huge swath of its of illegally harvested chewing sticks, for boreal forest. It announced that it was example, it is difficult to sell as there is teaming up with the Cree nation of Aboriginal ecotourism no buyer. This is because trade is Mistissini to create the 11 000 km2 Rose and Ric Richardson are a Métis dominated by Nigerian business men Albanel-Témiscamie-Otish Park, the first couple living and working in who show a great deal of solidarity boreal forest park in the province and Saskatchewan (www.culturalnative.com). among themselves and would boycott the first park inhabited by a First Nation At their business, they promote the pride the auction of a fellow member’s that continues to practise its traditional and dignity of Métis people and work on confiscated merchandise. Furthermore, way of life. Mistissini is a Cree ensuring that cultural knowledge is anyone who dares purchase auctioned community of 3 460 on an arm of Lake shared with their own people and others. chewing sticks would find their goods Mistissini, the largest freshwater lake in They work with traditional medicines confiscated once they enter the Nigerian Quebec. The park will include Lake found in the northern boreal forest and market by members of the chewing stick Mistissini, Lake Albanel and surrounding teach some uses of these in the union. lands. “medicine walk” part of their ecotourism Nonetheless, from January to June The park contains three distinct business. They also lobby the 2003, the Delegation of Environment and ecosystems, including boreal forest, governments of Saskatchewan and Forestry for Ndian division realized a taïga and subarctic vegetation at the foot Canada to promote sustainable practices revenue of CFAF117 100 from the of the Otish Mountains, and patches of in the use of the resources of the boreal auction sales of seized NTFPs. tundra that cover their peaks. forest, as well as to gain support for Therefore, as can be seen, the export The First Nation will continue to have aboriginal ecotourism. of NTFPs is complex and almost totally its rights to fish, hunt and trap in the They believe ecotourism can help to escapes control of the forestry service. area as well as other rights specified preserve the traditional knowledge of Only the local populations, and under the James Bay and Northern native people, as well as provide an especially the Nigerian buyers, reap Quebec Agreement. The park’s creation economic basis from which they can benefits, leaving the state with practically will also ensure protection of sites within offer opportunities based on the nothing. it that are sacred to Mistissini elders. sustainable use of natural forests. We think that for this activity to be “One of the main reasons we want to (Source: Taiga News, Issue 50, spring beneficial to all stakeholders involved, make this park is to allow the Cree 2005.)

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Chimbarongo, divided among 88 CHILE plantations, most of them belonging to CUBA small-scale producers. About 1 200 workshops were producing a wide range Developing bamboo Towards development of the Chilean of willow articles, most of which were A project to develop bamboo in Cuba basket willow sector sold on the local market. However, aims to obtain and multiply in vitro four About 300 species of Salix trees and producers and intermediaries had begun species useable as lumber in order to shrubs, as well as many other varieties to export a large amount of basket willow expand the use of bamboo throughout and hybrids, are distributed at various (800 tonnes of dry material per year, this Caribbean island. The result will be latitudes in Europe, Asia, North America, valued at US$750 000), so that the local “the production of laminate wood, and northern and southern Africa. The artisans lacked the raw material needed artisanal items and the use of its waste only species native to South America is for their products. (Source: extracted as an energy source,” said Fernando Salix humboldtiana (Chilean willow), from Towards development of the Martirena, deputy director of the which grows wild along watercourses in Chilean basket willow sector by M.I. structures and materials research and Argentina, southern Brazil, Chile and Abalos Romero [in Unasylva, 221(56), development centre at the Central Uruguay. 2005/2].) University de las Villas. Many shrub forms of Salix species Ð Some 1 200 ha will be planted with including Salix viminalis, S. purpurea, the support of the Swiss agency for S. cinerea, S. caprea, S. triandra, S. alba CHINA Development and Cooperation. The var. vitellina and S. fragilis Ð are used in plantations are in addition to another wickerwork and basketry. Chile has an Promotion of NTFPs in Guangxi 1 000 ha already developed in eastern optimal climate and soils for growing Autonomous Region, China based on Cuba. S. viminalis, which is well known for its sustainable community development Bamboo grows in the temperate zones qualities in the production of baskets, This three-year project (PD 73/01 Rev. 5 of Asia and the Americas, and is known packaging and furniture. Introduced into [I,M]) aims to promote the sustainable for its structural resistance, lightness and the country in colonial times, S. viminalis, use and management of promising perennial growth. Until now, its utilization also known as basket willow, now grows NTFPs in order to contribute to the in Cuba has been very limited. (Source: wild, often along watercourses and social and economic development of the Tierramérica [in CFRC weekly summary], around springs, and has spread from the project sites in Fangcheng district, 29 September 2005.) centre of the country to the south. Shansi and Ninming counties, Guangxi The suitability of flexible shoots or region. The project will conduct field switches of S. viminalis for making surveys of the three promising NTFPs to CZECH REPUBLIC handicraft items was discovered in the determine their distribution, production, small town of Chimbarongo, 200 km from processing and markets and establish Bumper mushroom crop Santiago, in the early twentieth century. three demonstration plots of 100 ha each Millions of Czechs are taking to the People began to cultivate the species and to enhance the participation of local countryside after record rainfall in July artisans were trained to produce furniture communities in managing and utilizing and August produced a bumper that reached the capital and elsewhere in the selected NTFPs on a sustainable mushroom crop. This year’s Czech the country. In Chile, activities related to basis. Training courses will be organized mushroom season started three months the cultivation and manufacture of basket for key stakeholders involved in earlier than usual and the crop may be willow products have remained promoting NTFPs and the project will more than double the average of 20 000 concentrated in the Chimbarongo area. also establish three community-based tonnes, according to the Prague-based By the end of the 1990s, 223 ha were cooperatives to promote selected NTFPs Czech Mycological Society. About under S. viminalis cultivation in at the project sites. (Source: ITTO 2 billion koruna (US$86.5 million) of Tropical Forest Update, 15[1], 2005.) mushrooms are gathered annually, says the group, which estimates that as many For more information, please contact: as six million people, or two-thirds of the International Tropical Timber population, are gathering the plants. Organization (ITTO), International The mushroom-picking season in the Organizations Center, 5th Floor, Czech Republic normally begins in late Pacifico-Yokohama 1-1-1, Minato-Mirai, September and continues through Nishi-ku, Yokohama, 220-0012 Japan. October. This year, gatherers say they are Fax: +81 45 223 1111; e-mail: already collecting as much as 60 kg of [email protected]; www.itto.or.jp mushrooms in a few hours in the dense

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forests that cover about a third of the cropping it becomes virtually useless productos forestales maderables, country. In July, rainfall in the Czech after a relatively short time and contribuyendo al deterioro del importante Republic was triple the average from considerable effort is then needed to patrimonio genético contenido en la rica 1961 through 1990. rehabilitate it. biodiversidad forestal. Measures to protect the environment Hunting for honey has been a traditional El Ministerio de Ambiente, ante la have helped to improve the quality of the activity in Bas-Congo, as in much of Africa, importancia de proteger el patrimonio mushrooms. Sulphur dioxide emissions but beekeeping has only been practised in genético forestal y su apropiada have fallen 90 percent and traces of the area since the early 1980s. The administración, impulsa la valoración de nitrogen oxide dropped more than 40 beehive in common use is the top bar hive los productos que ofertan los bosques, percent between 1990 and 2003, introduced from Kenya. Beehives are apoya la iniciativa de forestación, la de according to the Czech Environment always sited in areas of fairly thick bush or reforestación y promueve el Ministry, helping to reduce acid in the soil forest and therefore usually in the establecimiento de plantaciones and allowing certain types of mushrooms nkuunku. Beekeepers choose these areas forestales. including chanterelles to re-emerge after to provide shade and seclusion and to En este contexto, con el propósito de a 30-year hiatus. (Source: Bloomberg enable them to get away from the hive favorecer la conservación de los bosques [United States], 14 September 2005.) without being followed by the bees after y por ende, el de las fuentes semilleras inspecting or harvesting the honey. de las especies forestales nativas, (Source: Some honeybee plants of Bas- promulgó la presente publicación sobre DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Congo Province, Democratic Republic of la norma de semillas forestales, OF THE CONGO Congo by P. Latham, 2005.) instrumento que fomenta la producción, la investigación, la comercialización, la Beekeeping in Bas-Congo promoción y el uso de semillas forestales Bas-Congo Province lies between the de procedencia y calidad conocida. Con coast and Kinshasa in the Democratic ésta aspiramos mantener la reserva Republic of the Congo. It covers an area genética del país e impulsar el of nearly 55 000 km2 and has an incremento de la cobertura boscosa, en estimated population of 3.9 million. Soils especial con las especies forestales are either deep sand or clay in the nativas. (Fuente: Fabián Valdivieso districts of Cataractes and Lukaya where Eguiguren, Ministro del Ambiente. Norma beekeeping is practised and a system of de semillas forestales. Ministerio del shifting cultivation is used to produce Ambiente, República del Ecuador. Sitio crops. web: www.ambiente.gov.ec) Traditionally, areas of the bush/savannah have been protected from ECUADOR fire which has led to the establishment of FIJI forest reserves (called nkuunku in El Ecuador posee una valiosa diversidad Kikongo). After a certain number of years de ecosistemas que albergan una Bark paper decided by the village chief, they are multiplicidad de especies de flora y Bark paper is ecologically sound, perfect allocated to families for growing their field fauna, así como un variado paisaje. La for rural dwellers and sustainable. It is no crops. These areas of forest were rica biodiversidad está entre las más wonder that handmade paper production normally left for between 15 and 20 years abundantes del planeta por unidad de has taken off in some parts of rural Fiji. but are now more likely to be cut down superficie territorial. Los bosques, con For centuries, Fijians have made a after five or six years or less, because of aproximadamente 11,45 millones de bark cloth (masi) from the bark of the the shortage of good fallow land. This has hectáreas ofertan a las comunidades mulberry tree that serves a multitude of led to the invasion of coarse grass locales y a la población en general una traditional purposes from clothing to species and Chromolaena odorata (Siam amplia gama de recursos maderables, no ceremonial decoration and offerings. weed) which are generally burnt during maderables y paisajísticos, además de Therefore, papermaking was a logical the dry season, resulting in a further loss otros valiosos servicios ambientales. adjunct to this existing skill. The of forest species. Las acciones de forestación y handmade paper project in Fiji was The forest fallow is the only practical reforestación impulsadas históricamente initiated by Pure Fiji. method of maintaining soil fertility and no aportaron significativamente a la Paper is made from the cellulose found providing the range of NTFPs that conservación de los bosques. El limitado in plant fibres, which are literally beaten maintain rural life in Bas-Congo. Unless alcance de esas acciones, favoreció el to a pulp and dispersed in water. land is returned to forest fallow after incremento de la presión extractiva de los Cellulose fibre, the main ingredient of

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paper, is available in a number of effectively replace wood since it had been The Bill includes the right to hold and different forms, e.g. bast, leaf and grass found to be the fastest-growing plant that live on forest land, under individual or fibres. All living plants contain cellulose, could be a substitute for timber. “It could be common occupation, for habitation or for but some yield a higher percentage of used for almost all the wood needs of the livelihood. It also provides the right of useable fibre than others. Fibre from nation including furniture, construction ownership access to use or dispose of ginger, selected grasses, bamboo, sugar work, furnishings for buildings such as MFPs. It provides for adequate cane, banana stalks, pineapple leaves flooring and ceilings as well as handicrafts safeguards to avoid any further and hibiscus bark can all be used. and household items,” she said. (Source: encroachment of forests and seeks to Realizing a golden opportunity, the GhanaWeb, 13 September 2005.) involve democratic institutions at the Wainimakutu Mothers’ Club was grassroots level in the process of determined to make a success of the recognition and vesting of forest rights. project. And they did. Particular attention INDIA This Bill is a logical culmination of the was given to the use of the outer bark process of recognition of forest rights (kulina) from the paper mulberry tree, Mizoram to give thrust to minor forest enjoyed by the forest-dwelling Scheduled which is normally discarded in the products Tribes on all kinds of forest lands for masi-making process. In a bid to promote the export of minor generations. (Source: Press Information The papermaking project was almost forest products (MFPs) in Mizoram, the Bureau, Government of India, 13 entirely run by the women of these rural government has worked out a strategy December 2005.) communities, empowering them in ways for tapping virgin markets with the help of they had never experienced before. the Ministry of Commerce and several Together with training in papermaking, major companies. Pure Fiji provided the women with some The project aims to set up basic, simple business skills. manufacturing units wherever it can, to Today, papermaking is the major use the resources, backing the existing income earner for the village and brings ones and bringing in new ventures from in between US$1 000 and $3 000 a week. outside, in order to encourage various With this money the women of minor forest producers across the state. Wainimakutu have been able to expand The industry department officials their papermaking facilities with a new stated that bamboo and cane would be drying hut and generator, and create an used as the core raw material to increase ongoing fund for improving health care the production of MFPs in the region. Working with the real health experts: and schooling. Financial assistance would be the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh In recognition of these village women’s provided to young entrepreneurs to set Over 17 percent of the population of the business acumen and vigilance, they up their own units in their respective Indian state of Chhattisgarh is affected were given a Special Recognition Award areas, where they would also be given with sickle cell anaemia. It is at present and $2 000 cash, prizes donated by the training and marketing assistance. incurable and modern medical systems Australian High Commission. The award (Source: Webindia123, 18 November are searching for a cure. Patients was a surprise inclusion in the Westpac 2005.) approach the traditional healers of 2005 Businesswoman of the Year Chhattisgarh as a last hope and with the Awards. (Source: Fiji Times, 22 October The Scheduled Tribes (Recognition help of traditional medicinal knowledge 2005.) of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005 these healers give immense relief to such The Bill lays down a simple procedure for patients. Healers consider it a curable recognition and vesting of forest rights in disease if diagnosed at an early stage; GHANA the forest-dwelling scheduled tribes so they use medicinal herbs such as indra that rights, which stand vested in forest jau in their treatment. Bamboo, a good substitute for wood dwelling tribal communities, become Many patients with different types of timber legally enforceable through corrective cancer come from different parts of India Ghanaians should embrace bamboo and measures in the formal recording system to the capital of Chhattisgarh. When rattan as substitutes for timber since the of the executive machinery. It also modern science surrenders, the treatment nation’s forest resources continue to reinforces and utilizes the rich of traditional healers begins. In addition, diminish at an alarming rate. Mrs Gifty conservation ethos that tribal although the healers are not aware of the Ohui Allotey, Programme Administrator, communities have traditionally shown word “AIDS”, they use traditional medicine Bamboo and Rattan Development and cautions against any form of to treat HIV-positive patients. There are Programme said bamboo could unsustainable or destructive practices. many success stories.

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Chhattisgarh is rich in biodiversity. present in their areas. Through my work crore over a period of ten years. (Source: Native and traditional healers have one can imagine the quantum of Express Textile [India], 1Ð15 November immense traditional medicinal knowledge knowledge present in other parts of the 2005.) of herbs and insects. Surprisingly, earth. healers do not charge for treatment: they The traditional healers, herb collectors Sericulturists go natural, experiment with were told by their ancestors that earning and natives of Chhattisgarh have rich lac and neem through knowledge would result in loss of knowledge that is time tested and has no With an annual silk production of about knowledge. Instead, they earn their side effects. Unfortunately these traditional 15 000 tonnes, India trails behind China as livelihood from forest products and healers are still waiting for recognition and the major producer of silk with an output cultivation of agricultural crops. honour from civil society. They are not exceeding 55 000 tonnes. India may be Healers use traditional diagnosis legally allowed to practise their knowledge; lagging behind China in silk production but methods, e.g. the healers of southern my dream is to provide them with a legal that does not seem to deter the country in Chhattisgarh use red ants to diagnose licence to practise. I believe that with the undertaking research and development to diabetes. Besides herbs and insects, the combination of knowledge and experience add value to this sector. Both China and healers also use medicinal soils and of these healers, as well as of modern Japan are already developing newer excreta of wild animals, and over 500 medical practitioners and researchers, we value-added products made from silk types of herbal glasses and bowls. The can achieve a disease-free world. derivatives. The Bangalore-based Central use of wooden glasses prepared from (Contributed by: Pankaj Oudhia, SOPAM, Sericulture Technological Research koha wood for heart patients is popular 28-A, College Road, Geeta Nagar, Raipur Institute (CSTRI) has experimented with among the traditional healers of Ð 492001 Chhattisgarh, India. E-mail: natural dyes and is looking at the prospect Chhattisgarh plains. Traditional allelopathic [email protected]) of commercializing this product. knowledge is used to enrich herbs with “We have been experimenting with lac. medicinal properties: there is a specific Revival of the silk industry in Jharkhand Natural products including natural dyes time and collection method for each herb. Once a hub for tasar silk, Jharkhand is are gaining ground globally. There is good Although I do not have a formal looking for central assistance for revival of potential to commercialize this kind of education in ethnobotany, as an its famous product. Before the state’s product,” sources said. Lac is produced by agronomist my interest in weeds and creation, the region used to play a major the insect Coccus lacca and has homeopathy motivated me to document role in enabling undivided Bihar to application in numerous products such as this traditional medicinal knowledge Ð contribute 50 percent of the nation’s total paint. CSTRI officials said that the real without waiting for financial help. Initially I raw silk production. challenge lay in identifying and developing published the results in national and Mostly the tribals were the rearers of more natural dyes. international science journals, but later silkworms, producing about 438 tonnes of The challenge stems from the fact that found this publication procedure costly, tasar silk and about 8 tonnes of mulberry there are not enough safe mardents lengthy and time consuming. After silk every year, benefiting from natural (binding agents that are used for fixing the publishing over 100 research papers and races such as laria, modia and sarihan in colour on the fabric). Typical mardents attending over 70 conferences I decided the suitable agroclimatic conditions of such as dichromates are strictly prohibited to disseminate this knowledge through southern Bihar, now Jharkhand. This was because of rising concern about the Internet. largely because a total of 2 325 km2 in the environmental pollution. Interestingly, Many years of extensive surveys have region is covered by tasar food plants, besides lac, natural dyes have been resulted in a huge amount of information: 90 percent of which are saal trees, with produced using a whole range of materials over 13 000 research documents are now the rest arjuna and asan trees that attract such as neem and even gooseberry available at www.botanical.com/. I am also silkworms Ð although far behind southern (amla). documenting this information in Hindi states such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra In the interim, both Japan and China through regional magazines, as well as Pradesh. have already diversified into contributing articles and photographs to The story has been different since manufacturing quality products using silk Ecoport (www.ecoport.org), where over Jharkhand’s emergence as a separate derivatives. One such product is fairness 10 000 photographs based on my surveys state, with the production of cocoons cream, which has cericin as a raw can be found. coming down to 9 tonnes and that of material, derived by degumming silk yarn. All this work is purely an individual mulberry to 2 tonnes per year, according to The process of degumming, which helps attempt, without any financial assistance, a report by the state sericulture directorate. to add lustre to the yarn, subjects the yarn and is really only a drop in the knowledge The state, however, recently received to high pressure and temperature. Cericin ocean. I trust that my ongoing work will some hope when the Central Silk Board is also used to manufacture toilet soap. motivate young researchers worldwide to promised to increase silk production in (Source: Economic Times [India], 20 document the traditional knowledge Jharkhand by 640 tonnes, funding Rs383 December 2005.)

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forests, designated a reserve by the Kenya launches new poaching crackdown INDONESIA United Nations Educational, Scientific and to protect its wildlife Cultural Organization (UNESCO) were The Kenya Wildlife Service is launching a Promoting selected NTFPs based on a some 250 000 to 300 000 ha in 1976 but US$1.25 million (£700 000) scheme to community participation approach to today destruction has left no more than bolster its wardens’ fight against support sustainable forest management 164 000 ha of these forests. poachers in the savannah land of Tsavo, in East Kalimantan Iran’s official body in charge of the where lions, elephants, rhinoceros and The International Tropical Timber preservation of forests has announced deer are still falling to hunters. Some Organization (ITTO) has recently that annually 100 000 ha of forests are killers are ivory traders, seeking a quick approved a 36-month project (PD 277/04 restored; nevertheless, as experts note, profit selling elephant tusks, but others Rev. 3 [I]) that aims to increase the this is a very low number considering the are poor villagers, searching for meat to contribution of NTFPs to forest sector area destroyed. (Source: IranMania News, add to the cooking pot. (Source: The earnings in East Kalimantan through the 2 December 2005.) Independent [United Kingdom], 23 establishment of small-scale NTFP September 2005.) industries focusing on medicinal plants from the forests and an NTFP marketing system. Project activities will focus on the LIBERIA establishment of plantations for selected NTFPs on both state and private lands, as Community forestry practicable in well as on the development of technical Liberia? guidelines for the sustainable In an effort to include the respective management of NTFP resources, the communities in the governance and establishment of appropriate NTFP management of forest resources for processing techniques and the commercial and non-commercial development of small-scale NTFP purposes, an international workshop on industries and business plans. (Source: community forestry aimed at sharing vision ITTO Tropical Forest Update, 15[1], 2005.) and an action frame for community forestry in Liberia is taking place in Monrovia. For more information, please contact: While the Environmental Desk (EnDe) International Tropical Timber KENYA welcomes the Unity Party’s platform Organization (ITTO), International declaration on natural resource Organizations Center, 5th Floor, Game park wildlife at risk as farmers turn management as positive, EnDe considers Pacifico-Yokohama 1-1-1, Minato-Mirai, poacher that the development of a community Nishi-ku, Yokohama, 220-0012 Japan. Poachers are once again stalking forestry policy document aimed at Fax: +81 45 223 1111; Kenya’s game parks, 30 years after the including rural people in the management e-mail: [email protected]; www.itto.or.jp slaughter of whole herds in supposedly of the nation’s rich forest resources is protected reserves. imperative. In the absence of a present Four years of drought are driving well-defined and workable framework for ISLAMIC REPUBLIC Kenya’s rural poor to switch from community forestry, the incoming OF IRAN subsistence farming to animal trapping, in government might not address the order to supply a booming underground question of subsistence; livelihood Destruction rate of Iran’s forests worries trade in bushmeat. An estimated 20 000 improvement and poverty reduction; the experts wild animals, including antelopes, zebras, social, cultural and religious significance of With some 142 000 ha of forest land buffaloes and giraffes, are dying each year timber and non-timber products; wildlife destroyed annually, the Islamic Republic of around Tsavo National Park, the largest management; the conservation of Iran is considered to be among the top park in Kenya. biodiversity; and maintaining the quality of countries not properly safeguarding its A report for the Born Free Foundation the environment in a short period of time. natural heritage. Forests are considered found that more than half the meat on Community forestry is one aspect of the an important factor in the ecotourism sale in some Nairobi butchers’ shops was New Forestry Law of Liberia. The other industry. Based on the latest statistics, not beef or mutton, as advertised, but two aspects for which a policy or 12.48 million ha of land in Iran are forests. game meat. The quality and taste of legal framework has been developed are A report by Iran’s Department of the or illegal meat vary little. (Source: commercial forestry and conservation. Environment does not present a hopeful Telegraph.co.uk [United Kingdom], 15 The idea of community forestry would future for forests. For example, Arasbaran July 2005.) be workable in Liberia only if we are

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prepared literally to kick inequities out of Orang Asli and gaharu (species of the it remains mainly undisturbed. Large natural resource management. The In- genus Aquilaria) mammals living in the park include Country Coordinator of the Liberia Forest The Orang Asli community needs to find elephants, gaur, banteng, sambar and a Initiative, John Woods, observed that an alternative source of income in future relatively large population of tigers. The generally, communities have claims to because of the depletion in resources and exceptional management features include land but they do not own it. He added that the need to practise sustainable non- the conservation of natural forests and if community forestry is to be established timber forest resource management. Dr wildlife, including tigers; ongoing research; in Liberia, the participants must review the Lim Hin Fui of the Forest Research environmental education; and the land tenure system and recommend how Institute Malaysia said that most gaharu development of ecotourism. forest landownership can be conferred on harvesters in Peninsular Malaysia were (Source: In search of excellence, communities. Orang Asli and a good grade of gaharu exemplary forest management in Asia and He challenged the workshop also to could fetch RM5 000Ð6 000/kg while lower the Pacific, ed. P.B. Durst, et al.) consider capacity building facilities for grades fetch RM4/kg. He said that communities to build up sociocapital and international trade in gaharu was now skills to control and manage their own regulated and, as such, a permit was NAMIBIA forests. This would curtail uncontrolled needed to harvest it but the community access to forest resources, which has led hardly ever applies for such a permit. The humble mushroom turns money-spinner to the loss of an estimated average of 1Ð2 Speaking at the International Mushrooms are said to be an ideal percent of the forest every year. “Similarly, Conference on Indigenous People 2005, substitute for meat and could provide relief an estimated US$60 million is traded in Dr Lim noted that, since 1985, for meat lovers who live with the painful bushmeat each year without taxes or encroachment by Thais on Malaysian condition of gout as a result of eating beef. fees.” (Source: The Inquirer [Monrovia], 13 forests to search for gaharu had also A handful of oyster mushrooms could December 2005.) resulted in depletion of the resource. “The replace a chunk of meat, while at the same Orang Asli’s continued dependence on time reducing cholesterol because of the gaharu remains doubtful; they need to find vitamins and proteins that they contain. alternative sources of income.” Because mushrooms represent a highly Gaharu, one of a few NTFP products nutritious food that is good for one’s health, well known internationally (e.g. in the a new trend has now begun where these Middle East for wealth, hospitality and umbrella-shaped vegetables are being medicinal purposes), is produced from the farmed commercially in different parts of resinous, fragrant and highly prized the country. heartwood of the Aquilaria species of the The University of Namibia (Unam)’s new

Asociacion de agronomos indigenas del cañar “A.A.I.C.” family Thymelaeaceae. mushroom production house and Marine Dr Lim said that their study in 2003 in and Coastal Resources Research Centre Hulu Perak showed that of the 71 assist communities through viable MALAYSIA households surveyed in seven Orang Asli mushroom cultivation projects in order to villages, 57 households (80 percent) improve their living standards. These Rare find in newly gazetted forest generated a cash income from gaharu initiatives are seen as a mechanism by The gazetting of 7 504 ha of forest at Bukit harvesting. The average monthly income which Namibians could tackle poverty and Bauk, Dungun as a recreational area has derived from the sale of gaharu was RM69 unemployment and ensure food security. led to an unexpected find Ð rare camphor or 20 percent of the monthly household Experts and agronomists say that not only trees (Dryobalanops aromatica) and the cash income. (Source: Bernama is mushroom farming an easy and quick Livistonia endauensis fan palm. [Malaysia], 4 July 2005.) way of farming, compared with beef Researchers have also found 89 species production, but people can also turn of trees and plants endemic to Bukit Bauk. mushrooms into a money-spinner as well Most Dryobalanops species of camphor MYANMAR as a food source. trees in the country were the result of more Researcher and mushroom scientist at than 40 years of replanting in logged-over Alungdaw Kathapa National Park the University of Namibia Pauline Kadhila- forests but those found in Bukit Bauk were Alungdaw Kathapa National Park is Muandingi said that awareness campaigns endemic. The aromatic resins from these located in a mountainous area are being conducted to mobilize the species are highly sought after by approximately 100 miles (160 km) west of community on growing mushrooms as a producers of camphor and camphor oil. Mandalay. It was classified as a reserved cash crop. Traditionally, many Namibians (Source: New Straits Times [Malaysia], 13 forest as early as 1893 and, although it know and eat mushrooms, especially in the July and 7 August 2005.) was logged selectively for teak in the past, villages where they are picked from the

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wild, but much needs to be done to turn mushroom cultivation into an agricultural NEPAL NICARAGUA business for the benefit of all the people. While most locals know what a Certification of NTFPs Beekeeping as a sustainable use of the mushroom tastes like, many of them find it The demand for environmentally friendly rain forest strange that such a vegetable can be products in Europe and America and For the last three years, the Danish NGO cultivated. Unlike other crops, mushrooms awareness among consumers there to Nepenthes (www.nepenthes.dk) in can grow all year round and can be buy these products has created an cooperation with the Nicaraguan NGO cultivated to fruition in a short span of four opportunity for Nepali NTFPs to gain a Fundación del Rio (FdR), has been to six months, while impressive results can foothold in international markets through working with a DANIDA-supported project be achieved in the first nine weeks under the certification of forests. on environmental awareness among humid conditions. According to the Asia Network for young local people. Muandingi said that the mushroom is a Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources FdR owns part of one of the rain forest- medicinal relish that helps boost the body’s (ANSAB), about 602 865 kg of raw and covered Solitiname Islands. A main immune system, while at the same time it processed NTFPs worth about activity has been the construction of El acts as a defence against various types of US$500 000 (Rs35.1 million) were Quebrachio Rain Forest Centre, 50 km cancer. exported in 2004. east of San Juan. The centre is situated The production of oyster mushrooms, Forest certification is carried out by the in the forest buffer zone of the Indio Maiz which could easily be cultivated from grains Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) with Forest Reserve, part of the Central of wheat, is easy to maintain with the right certification responsibility being given to American forest corridor. Here classes of type of humidity at a temperature of 22¡C. the Federation of Community Forestry children and teachers from 48 schools Project manager at the Centre, Flip van Users Nepal (FECOFUN). According to spend a few days learning about the Vuuren said the projects are geared FECOFUN, 23 species of NTFPs have forest and how it can be used in towards assisting the poorest of the poor to been certified by the FSC and Nepal is sustainable ways. There are footpaths feed themselves and earn some money. the first country in Asia and fifth in the through the forest where medicinal During the first few months, the coastal world to obtain an FSC certificate. plants, spices and other useful forest community members at Henties Bay will Lack of proper management and products are demonstrated. earn N$300 a month and once this initiative manufacturing companies in the country Beekeeping is a small part of the becomes fully operational, the cooperative is the major drawback. However, in a project, but there has been great interest would pay each of its 15 members a salary one-year period ten Nepalese companies in learning the business. A Nicaraguan of between N$1 500 and N$2 000 a month. and Aveda Corporation, a United States- professional beekeeper has been Unam said the greatest danger of based manufacturer of NTFPs, have engaged to give regular training at the poverty is when Namibians overlook the joined ANSAB to manufacture the centre. (Source: Extracted from an article fact that sustainable solutions to poverty certified products. by Ole Hertz in Bees for Development and unemployment should come from According to the Community Forest Journal, 76, September 2005.) within the country. This statement strongly Division, the concept of the certification of echoes President Pohamba’s comment forests is evolving Ð an outcome of the that solutions to Namibia’s challenges must decline of the tropical rain forests. be “home-grown”. It is in view of this that (Source: Gorkhapatra [Nepal], 16 taking science to the people, like the September 2005.) commercialization of mushroom production, and translating these technologies into innovative income- generating enterprises would pave the way Every year villagers in Nepal gather for socio-economic development for many some 15 000 tonnes of medicinal Namibians. (Source: New Era [Windhoek], plants from the wild, pack and dry NIGERIA 26 October 2005.) them and sell them to traders for export. The sale of these plants, oils Nigeria to earn US$6 billion from neem tree For more information, please contact: and resins provides most of their Nigeria may earn US$6 billion from the Mr Jansen van Vuuren, Marine and income, while they also rely on the neem tree, popularly called dogonrayo, in a Coastal Resources Research Centre, plants for food, medicines and fuel. fresh push by the federal government to University of Namibia, Private Bag (Source: Rainforest Alliance, 2004 expand the nation’s foreign exchange 13301, Windhoek, Namibia. Annual Report.) earnings through a consistent E-mail: [email protected] diversification of the economy.

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The Director-General of the National Omo Forest Reserve: another opportunity For more information, please contact Research Institute for Chemical for ecotourism the author: Technology (NARICT) Zaria, Dr Ebenezer In the southwestern part of Ogun state lies Dr (Otunba) S. Kehinde Sanwo, Head, Okonkwo, said that the production of a the 1 305 km2 Omo Forest Reserve. Many Department of Renewable Resources, wide range of products from the neem animals that are being threatened by the College of Agricultural Sciences, tree has commenced under a public- activities of loggers and tree takers can be Olabisi Onabanjo University, PMB 2001, private partnership. found here. Ayetoro, Yewa, Ogun state, Nigeria. Annually, India exports as much as A recent paper by Dr (Otunba) E-mail: [email protected] $2 billion worth of neem tree products, S. Kehinde Sanwo examines the attraction ranging from pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, of the Omo forests for casual visitors and germicidal bathing soap, antifungal tourists and the possibilities of upgrading PAPUA NEW GUINEA creams, toothpaste and oil. Nigeria’s the forest reserve to a wildlife park in order neem potential has been put at three to promote ecotourism within it and save Agarwood and the perfumed forests of times more than India’s capacity. the rich biodiversity of this tropical rain Papua New Guinea Two plants are being established in forest. The paper recognizes the saving Worldwide sources of agarwood Kastina and Kebbi to mass produce a grace (i.e. from total destruction), resulting (Aquilaria malaccensis, also referred to range of products from the tree. The from the participatory management of part as eaglewood and aloeswood, and more “immediate task is the development of a (142 km2) of the Forest Reserve for locally as gaharu) are dwindling, so that biopesticide plant from the neem and elephants by the Ogun State Ministry of its discovery in Papua New Guinea in implementation of the establishment of Agriculture (Forestry Division) and the 1997 provoked intense harvesting. biopesticide manufacturing plants in Omo Forest Conservation Foundation To curb the rate of destruction, the Kastina and Kebbi states by NARICT”. (OFCF), a community-based organization. Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) has In addition to biopesticides, three other The need to encourage further OFCF and been working with local communities in products containing neem oil will be similar private initiatives to complement the country, who own about 97 percent of produced for exports: for the production the work of the Government in the land, offering workshops to help them of soap (neem oil has the added environmental conservation and utilization map their land, predict the location of the advantage of being germicidal); as an through sustainable ecotourism is agarwood trees and develop ways of alternative to palm kernel oil; fertilizers; highlighted. managing their resources sustainably. and powdered grade azadirachtin. In the Omo Forest Reserve, other WWF is teaching them how to extract Okonkwo said that each of the two attractive ventures can also be agarwood resin without killing the trees plants would be built in India at a cost of incorporated to generate funds and attract and is ensuring that the local N$50 million and that with successful tourists, such as mushroom growing, communities know its real value, so they model projects in the two states, the apiary sciences, sericulture, wild rat are not fooled by traders. WWF is also plants would be extended to other states domestication, crocodile breeding, reptile helping communities designate certain of the federation. housing, a bird sanctuary and a snailery. In regions as official wildlife management Already 2 000 youths have found fact, it would be most desirable to areas, which will help to protect them gainful employment in the collection of designate the entire Omo Forest Reserve from being handed over as concessions neem seeds for the institute and, given as a wildlife park. The Ogun State to loggers and mining companies. the fact that neem is readily available Government has already indicated that it Agarwood could provide a long-term throughout Nigeria, the income- intends to start profitable sustainable sustainable livelihood for some of the generating benefits of the tree should sericulture at the reserve in early 2006. poorest people in the country and also soon spread across the nation. By investing in its conservation of the boost the survival prospects of the Neem, which is known for its potency gene pool, its wild forests, animals and world’s third largest remaining rain forest in the treatment of malaria, was said to environment, a viable sustainable and all the wonders it contains. (Source: have been introduced to the country’s ecotourism business will soon evolve that WWF, 21 October 2005.) flora in 1928 when it was established in should bring in millions of dollars for the Borno Province. Ogun State Government. In this way, the Until the partnership was set up, the Omo Forest will regain its lost glory. PARAGUAY economic uses of neem seeds were not This paper therefore recommends that known to Nigerians and the seeds were OFCF be assisted in order to encourage Palmito (NWFP) therefore left to waste; this initiative further private participation and save the El palmito, Euterpe edulis Mart., es la should turn neem into a huge foreign last frontier of wild forests in Ogun state for única especie de palmera productora de exchange earner for the nation. (Source: the future of our children and for revenue palmito comestible a nivel comercial del Vanguard [Nigeria], 16 September 2005.) generation from ecotourism. Paraguay. Es endémica en el Brasil, el

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Paraguay y la Argentina y se desarrolla en los mercados europeos proviene de root extracts contain mainly tannins en el estrato medio del Bosque Atlántico. especies afines cultivadas en América (catechins and proanthocyanidins). Forma agrupaciones florísticas latina, como por ejemplo el (Euterpe Recently more attention has been given to conocidas como palmitales, en sitios con edulis) que producen un delicado, tierno y the occurrence of neolignans and to características particulares que aún blanco manjar. Sin embargo, su uso antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. necesitan ser mejor estudiadas desde el resulta poco ecológico, pues la obtención Despite its traditional use over the entire punto de vista ecológico y de los palmitos supone la muerte de la distributional range, commercial sourcing medioambiental. Se localiza únicamente palmera. De ahí que se le conozca mainly takes place in Peru. According to en los suelos arcillosos de la cuenca de también como corazón de palmera. Su figures facilitated by PROMPEX (Comisión Río Paraná y es muy exigente en cuanto rendimiento es muy bajo y para obtener un para la Promoción de Exportaciones, April a condiciones ecológicas. Habita en kilo de palmitos se requieren una o dos 2005) Peru exported an average of suelos arcillosos y húmedos, y crece palmeras de 10 años. Debido a que su 33 tonnes of rhatany per year between mejor cuando está protegido de la luz consumo va en aumento es urgente 2000 and 2004 (see Table). Total exports excesiva por doseles altos de copas de mejorar el conocimiento de las técnicas amounted to about 180 tonnes of dried árboles tropicales. que puedan asegurar su regeneración y rhatany since 2000. Some 96 percent of utilización de una forma sostenible, this amount (approximately 170 tonnes) principalmente en los países tropicales, was exported to Germany; the remaining Familia: Arecaceae incluido el Paraguay. (Contribuido por: 4 percent largely went to France, Spain Genero: Euterpe Díaz Lezcano, Maura y de Pedro, J.L. and the United States. The plant is also Especie: Euterpe Edulis (E.T.S. de Ingenieros de Montes, Madrid, widely sold on local markets but no data Nombre común: Palmito España.) are available on the total harvest of rhatany in Peru. All rhatany is collected from natural Para más información, dirigirse a: populations and no cultivation of the Su desmedida explotación comercial va Maura Díaz y José L. de Pedro, E. T. species has been attempted. acabando con las reservas en el Paraguay, Superior de Ingenieros de Montes, ya que cada árbol tarda de 10 a 15 años Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, en estar apto para el consumo. Presenta España. Fax nº: 0034 91 336 63 86; un tallo único, por esta razón la extracción correo electrónico: [email protected]; de la yema apical significa su muerte. La [email protected] explotación netamente extractiva y el reemplazo del bosque nativo, principalmente por especies exóticas de PERU rápido crecimiento, ha reducido drásticamente su área de distribución. Wildcrafting rhatany (Krameria lappacea) La mayor parte de las especies Rhatany (Krameria lappacea) is a alimentarias de la familia de las Palmáceas medicinal and dye plant native to Ecuador, son apreciadas por sus frutos. Sin Peru, Argentina and Chile. The roots are embargo, existe aproximadamente un traditionally used against inflammation and centenar de palmeras que dan lugar a un minor injuries, and in dental care. The red Krameria lappacea palmito suficientemente grande como para su comercialización y consumo humano. Annual exports of Krameria lappacea roots from Peru (tonnes) Los palmitos son los brotes terminales tiernos que según el país de origen Year Germany Other countries Total presentan características diferentes, por 2000 36 000 299 36 299 ejemplo variando el sabor desde dulce 2001 29 000 3 655 32 655 hasta amargo. 2002 41 500 2 907 44 407 En Europa, únicamente se obtiene el palmito de la Çpalmera enanaÈ o ÇpalmitoÈ 2003 24 000 1 292 25 292 (Chamaerops humilis), que no se 2004 24 000 3 020 27 020 encuentra cultivada, sino que crece de 2005 (March) 14 985 200 15 185 forma espontánea en el área Total 2000–2005 (March) 169 485 11 373 180 858 mediterránea, de donde es originaria. En la actualidad, la mayor parte del palmito Average annual exports 2000–2004 30 900 2 234.6 33 135 comercializado como brotes comestibles

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(Source: Towards a standardization of economically viable and sustainable Community, Kamchatka Herbal Tea biological sustainability: wildcrafting alternative to logging. NGO, Menedek NGO and many other rhatany (Krameria lappacea) in Peru by Of the total area, 27 000 ha of Brazil volunteers and organizations. A large M. Weigend and N. Dostert [in Medicinal nut concessions have also been certified number of local people from the villages Plant Conservation, 11].) Ð for the first time anywhere Ð by the of Anavgai and Esso took an active part Forest Stewardship Council in recognition in achieving such a unique project. For more information, please contact: of producers’ adherence to the strictest Participants were selected from both Maximilian Weigend, Institut für international standards for forest local and international youth, with Biologie Ð Systematische Botanik und management. The result is a benefit for participants from Canada (including a Pflanzengeographie Freie, growers, the forests and consumers young First Nation man), France, Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, seeking to use their purchasing power to Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the 14195 Berlin, Germany or Nicolas support conservation. (Source: CEPF United States, as well as from other Dostert, Botconsult GmbH, E-News, September 2005.) Russian regions. Some members of the Bergmannstr. 19, 10961 Berlin, native traditional dance group Nurgenek Germany. joined the camp Ð as teachers of dances and songs, and as participants to learn Brazil nut concessions native crafting skills. One hundred and thirty pioneering Brazil One of the purposes of the summer nut producers in the Amazonian region of camp was to share traditional knowledge, Madre de Dios, Peru recently won formal beliefs and ceremonies “through a Brazil nut concessions from the Peruvian coeducation of Russian youth and people National Institute for Natural Resources from other countries”. Coeducation (INRENA). The establishment of these started by living under the same roof as concessions effectively ensures legal village elders and the master crafters. For protection for 225 000 ha of primary native participants, the camp provided a tropical forest in the path of a planned possibility to strengthen the awareness of highway connecting Brazil to the Pacific. RUSSIAN FEDERATION their traditions; for international Supported by the Critical Ecosystem participants, it was an occasion to learn Partnership Fund, the Amazon Oran – traditions and the nature about native culture by living it, as well as Conservation Association worked with its of Kamchatka playing an active role in its preservation. Peruvian counterpart, the Asociación From 18 to 29 July 2005, the first At the same time, native cooperatives para la Conservación de la Cuenca international ethno-ecological youth and associations, together with Amazónica and INRENA to establish summer camp “Oran – traditions and the organizers from the CIDA-IUCN project, formal, long-term contracts with local nature of Kamchatka” took place in the provided information on their current producers. Under these contracts, Brazil Menedek settlement close to Anavgaj projects and results, enabling them to nuts are harvested from mapped areas, native village, Bystrinsky district, deep expand their knowledge of NTFPs and according to management plans that inside the Kamchatka Oblast. traditional handicrafts. incorporate the highest standards of The peninsula, located in the Russian During those ten days we lived sustainable forest management. Far East and composed of the together, cooking local meals, dancing Brazil nuts are harvested from natural Kamchatka region and the Koriakia and joining forces to help in the stands, not plantations, because the autonomous district is home to almost organization of the camp, while trees depend intimately on a complex 12 300 indigenous people (Itelmen, simultaneously learning the life of the web of pollinators, seed dispersers and Koriak, Eveni and Chukcha) with 42 indigenous people through the many abiotic conditions. Even short-term percent of its territory covered by forests. master classes and field trips organized productivity therefore depends on The camp was organized under the to show sustainable resources and managing these natural stands in an aegis of the Canadian International production skills. ecologically sustainable fashion. Development Agency (CIDA)-World Examples of master classes included Most of the Brazil nut harvesters in this Conservation Union (IUCN) project birch bark weaving, wood and bone region are small-scale producers, with “Building Partnerships for Forest carving, fur and skin traditional treatment stands that are seldom larger than Conservation and Management in and beadwork and ornaments, which 1 000 ha. The project has successfully Russia”, by a partnership between IUCN, covered the manufacturing of different stabilized land tenure in collaboration ProSibiria E.V., administration of the pendants and ornaments made with with other land titling initiatives in the Bystrinsky district, Bystrinsky Information stones from the river, leather and wild area, while also providing an Centre, Dulipki Native People’s salmon skin discarded from lunch. Every

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class was given the possibility to practise agro-enterprise aimed at increasing 1 tonne per day but because of the skills learned. household incomes, reducing poverty in limited number of farmers supplying A field trip organized by the Kamchatka rural areas and diversifying sources of cocoons, the factory is unable to operate Herbal Tea NGO demonstrated the the country’s foreign exchange earnings”. every day. harvesting and preparation of herbal tea, In the late 1990s, a number of farmers China has placed an order of 6 tonnes showing how harvesting continues in the took on the cultivation of mulberry plants of threads per month. India requires 8 same naturally sustainable and forest- and later embarked on the rearing of tonnes and Japan 100 tonnes per year; caring way, and introducing the role of silkworms but failed to exploit their Egypt 200 tonnes per month and cooperatives and projects inside the life potential. As a result, the Mobwe Factory, Zimbabwe and South Africa 100 kg. and economy of today’s communities. now farmer-owned, has been established Despite these requirements, Uganda only Visiting the Sleeping Beauty Hill played a by a group of various farmers engaged in produces 20 tonnes annually. (Source: key role in expanding the participants’ the sericulture business, funded by the New Vision [Kampala), 30 November knowledge about the traditional natural African Development Foundation and the 2005.) resource use that generations of Itelmen, Danish International Development Koriak and Eveni indigenous people Agency (DANIDA). harvest for mushrooms, roots, herbs, With the acquisition of the factory, a berries and nuts as food and for number of farmers from Bushenyi, medicinal and cultural uses. Kanungu, Mbarara, Kashongi, Isingiro Personally, I joined the camp to learn and Wakiso districts have now been about the traditional way of life of the trained on how to plant their mulberry indigenous people and to propose gardens and on the techniques of rearing possibilities to local cooperatives as to silkworms for cocoon production. how to export their products in a fair However, a total of 15 000 farmers are trade. still needed to supply cocoons to the Every one of my expectations was already established factories in Kawanda, fulfilled thanks to the immensely warm Wakiso and Bushenyi districts. and hospitable native people. The camp The rearing of silkworms requires at was a unique source of knowledge Ð of least 1 acre (0.405 ha) for mulberry nature and of NTFP resources and the establishment and a rearing house of UNITED REPUBLIC important economic role they play in local 30 x 20 ft (9.1 x 6.1 m) fitted with rearing OF TANZANIA communities. (Contributed by: beds, silkworm eggs, spinning frames, Alessandro Toffoli, Via Bartolomeo spray pumps, disinfectants, herbicides, United Republic of Tanzania bans export Eustachio 4, 00161 Rome, Italy. E-mail: fertilizers/manure, polythene sheets, of unprocessed sandalwood [email protected]) secateurs and pruning saws. In order to The United Republic of Tanzania has become a regular supplier of cocoons, banned the export of unprocessed sufficient land for the mulberry plants sandalwood trees. This action followed UGANDA should be prepared by removing press reports in recent months that the perennial weeds such as couch grass highly priced tree was being harvested Ugandan farmers take on mulberry (lumbugu) and planting at the onset of the indiscriminately and exported to Europe, cultivation to produce silk rains, with cuttings taken from mature the Middle East and Asia, especially to The cultivation of mulberry plants sections of the mulberry stem (8Ð10 India where sandalwood is widely used to (enkenene), used for rearing silkworms months old). After 21 days, farmers manufacture expensive perfumes. (Bombyx mori L.), is becoming a new harvest the cocoons and sort them before All institutions charged with protecting income venture worthy of serious selling them to rearing units. At the units, Tanzania’s natural resources, including investment. Sericulture is the feeding of the cocoons are categoized into grades the Tanzania National Parks Authority silkworms on the leaves of mulberry A, B and C. One kg of grade A sells for (Tanapa), were directed to intensify anti- plants to produce silk cocoons from which USh28 000, B for USh1 200 and for C poaching patrols in national parks where raw silk or silk yarn is produced. Silk is a USh800. The cocoons are later boiled for the tree is illegally harvested. Stricter high-value natural fibre for making 15 to 30 minutes before being brushed in laws would be introduced to regulate precious textiles, carpets and other cold water. This eases the removal of the trade in the tree and ensure that only products that are in great demand on the thread from the cocoons. crude oil extracted from the tree is international market. The reelers dry or stifle the cocoons exported. According to the agriculture minister, and reel them into silk threads, which are The tree fetches up to US$5 000 per “Silk production in Uganda is a promising used for weaving. The factory capacity is tonne. Hundreds of containers of all sizes

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are believed to have been shipped out in Based on this study, recommendations The annual survey covers the portion recent years. have been made to both the local and of the state where forest dominates the Poaching of the tree in national parks central governments. The research landscape, approximately half the state. follows its depletion in areas where showed that the bamboo trade employs a The result is a series of acorn production harvesting is allowed by the Ministry of reasonable proportion of the population in indices broken down by region and oak Natural Resources. However, the ministry Ileje district and is a good source of tree type Ð red or white. Over the past 46 only permits the cutting of the tree trunk income. (Source: IPPMEDIA-Guardian years, the overall index for all oak trees from selected forests and not the [United Republic of Tanzania], 21 May throughout the survey area has been uprooting of the entire stem. The 2005.) 133. Last year, the number was 116. This ministry’s guidelines have been largely year’s overall index is 152 Ð producing a ignored. Several cubic metres of the tree, For more information regarding bumper acorn crop. worth millions of Tanzanian shillings, this study, please contact: The news is similar throughout most of were intercepted last year. Dr M. Mbonile, Department of the survey area. The only exceptions are The Arusha Regional Forestry Geography, PO Box 35049, white oaks in the west Ozark and the Secretariat confirmed that sandalwood is University of Dar-es-Salaam, Ozark border at the western edge of the one of the 12 nationally protected trees. It Dar-es-Salaam, United Republic survey area. Even in these areas, the was upgraded to the class A level of of Tanzania. overall acorn crop is above average. In the highly valued tree species last year to E-mail: [email protected] eastern Ozark, white oak acorn production protect it from extinction. is up 55 percent compared with the Apart from making perfumes, average of the last 46 years. sandalwood is also an ingredient in All this would be little more than lotions, soap and candles. Mashed into a scientific trivia except for one thing Ð the paste, it is used in folk medicine and upcoming firearms deer season. In spread on the skin to purify the autumn, deer gorge on high-energy foods complexion and heal rashes. (Source: in preparation for winter. In forested areas, East African [Kenya], 10 October 2005.) this means acorns. When acorns are scarce, deer flock to trees that did produce Bamboo trade and poverty alleviation in acorns. This simplifies hunters’ work. If Ileje district they can find acorns, they will find deer. A study was carried out recently to Hunting is much tougher in years of investigate the impact of the bamboo acorn abundance. Deer do not have to economy on poverty alleviation in the travel far to find their favourite food, so Ileje district, Mbeya region of the United they spend less time on the move and they Republic of Tanzania. The study, by are scattered unpredictably throughout the Milline Mbonile on behalf of Research on forest. Poverty Alleviation (REPOA), UNITED STATES This effect is already showing up in investigated among other things, the OF AMERICA early deer harvest statistics. A relationship between the bamboo trade Conservation Department’s deer and sustainable resource management in Acorn abundance could significantly management expert said he expects this the district, which is one of the leading reduce this year’s deer harvest year’s deer harvest to be low because of districts in the bamboo trade in the Biologists cannot predict when bumper the superabundance of acorns. Mbeya region and probably in the whole crops of acorns will appear, but they do The Conservation Department experts country. The most popular bamboo know that hunters kill fewer deer in years do not know all the factors that have led to product marketed all over the country and of acorn abundance. Each year the this year’s acorn bounty. Annual data point abroad is the winnowing basket. Missouri Department of Conservation to some correlations between weather and Recently, however, some bamboo conducts a survey to determine the acorn production. The number of red oak weavers have been producing special abundance or scarcity of acorns. This acorns seems to be higher two years after decorated bamboo goods. knowledge is important because a wide abundant spring rainfall, and white oaks There are two major sources of array of wildlife relies heavily on the fruit are more productive in years with mild bamboo in the Ileje district: forest of oak trees for food. Acorn counts from spring weather. reserves in the highlands and along river thousands of trees give biologists Oak trees are divided into white and valleys; and small plots, where most valuable information about how ducks, red families. Acorns on white oaks mature bamboo is grown very close to squirrels, deer and turkeys will fare in the in one year, so unfavourable conditions households, particularly near river valleys. coming year. during the flowering or growing season

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affect that year’s crop. Red oak acorns Medicinal plants in the United States The chanterelle season in the take two years to mature, so the results In the United States alone, medicinal and northwest lasts throughout autumn and of bad conditions are not apparent until nutritional herbs are a US$4 billion-plus may run into December, depending on the following year. (Source: Jim Low, industry and worldwide the figure is at the rainfall. Unlike most mushrooms, Kansas City infoZine [United States], least $20 billion annually. The Appalachian chanterelles are bright in colour. The 21 November 2005.) Mountains in western Maryland and West caps and stems are burnished orange, so Virginia support a unique and they match the hue of autumn leaves. Evaluating the role of forest management exceptionally diverse flora, including many Lighter-coloured and slightly meatier in huckleberries plants that have a long history of medicinal white chanterelles also grow in Oregon. Understorey species such as huckleberries use. In recognition of the need to Chanterelles picked from Oregon’s (species in the genus Vaccinium) are conserve wild native plants, to explore coniferous forests are actually a distinct important ecosystem components of forest scientifically and understand their true species from the chanterelles that grow in communities in the Pacific Northwest medical efficacy, and to generate eastern Canada and Europe. Scientists (Oregon and Washington in the United economic benefit for the people of the made this discovery only recently, which States and British Columbia in Canada). Appalachian region, the University of created the impetus for the official state Forest understorey species contribute to Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) mushroom designation. biological diversity and long-term and Frostburg State University, in Worthy as the chanterelle is, having an ecosystem productivity, are well correlated collaboration with West Virginia University, official state mushroom at all may seem with mammalian and avian abundance and have established the Appalachian Center silly. It does, however, bring public are important for wildlife since they for Ethnobotanical Studies (ACES). awareness to the unusual challenges of contribute browse, berries and cover. The centre’s goal is to conduct the foraging economy. Much collecting Often overlooked, however, in the long- multidisciplinary research and education takes place on federal and state lands standing and human extensive use of programmes on native plants with that are in the tug-of-war zone over NTFPs, huckleberries are currently used in potential medicinal properties, where and how much timber should be the Pacific Northwest in the floral market, conservation of these plants and harvested. Suffice it to say, fewer trees as wild food and as medicinals and for Appalachian ecosystems as a whole, equal fewer mushrooms. (Source: landscaping. (Source: Kerns, B.K., preservation of Appalachian culture as it Portland Tribune [United States, 23 Alexander, S.J. and Bailey, J. D. 2004. relates to the harvesting and traditional September 2005.) Evaluating the role of forest management use of medicinal plants, and the in huckleberries. Economic Botany, 58(4): exploration of economic benefit to the 668Ð678.) region that may be derived from the managed development of botanical For more information, please contact: resources. Susan J. Alexander, Regional (Source: Newswise, 5 October 2005.) Economist, Alaska Region, USDA Forest Service, PO Box 21628, Juneau For more information on the AK 99802, United States. Fax: 907 586 Appalachian Center for Ethnobotanical 7852; e-mail: [email protected] Studies, please visit: www.umbi.umd.edu/nande/ EthnobotanySymposium.html

Oregon’s chanterelles Oregon’s chanterelle harvest is big Ð 500 000 pounds (227 000 kg) were collected in 1999, the year that the Pacific golden chanterelle was made the state’s VIET NAM official mushroom. Accurate statistics are hard to come by, because chanterelles NTFPs and biodiversity conservation grow only in the wild, brought to market Viet Nam is endowed with rich fauna and by independent foragers and dealers who flora: 11 400 vascular plants, about 700 operate on a cash basis. No one has sea and freshwater grasses, 826 large- found a way to cultivate them, even size mushroom species, 310 animals, though they sprout up abundantly in 840 birds, 260 reptiles, 120 amphibians, many parts of the world. 2 038 sea fish, over 700 freshwater fish,

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7 750 species of insect and thousands of simultaneously develop prospective ones Japanese partners’ demand. (Source: non-vertebrates. It is for this reason that for domestic consumption and export, for Viet Nam Economic Times, 20 the country is recognized as one of those hunger alleviation and poverty reduction, September 2005.) with the highest biodiversity in the world, and for the improvement of people’s living constituting an important basis to conditions, particularly those in mountains. Pine resin: first Vietnamese ink factory discover, select and develop its NTFPs of A recent issue of the NTFP newsletter creates local market high and distinctive economic values. focused on “NTFPs and biodiversity The first-ever offset printing ink factory in Up to now, Viet Nam has possessed a conservation” with the aim of helping to Viet Nam, Pacific Ink, opened recently in group of traditional NTFPs, such as conserve the biodiversity of Viet Nam’s Bac Ninh Province. Currently in its first cinnamon, anise, cardamom Amomum forests. (Source: NTFP newsletter (Viet phase of production, the US$ million aromaticum Roxb., pines, eaglewood, Nam NTFP Network,) 2(4), October 2005.) facility will produce 3 000 tonnes of ink Monrinda officinalis, shellac and many per year. other prospective NTFPs such as Panax For more information, please contact: Pacific Ink said that previously the local vietnamensis, Scaphium macropodium, Ms Nguyen Thi Bich Hue, market has had to import 90 percent of its Canarium album, Ganoderma lucidum, Communications Officer, IUCN Viet ink supply and the factory will now reduce Calamus tetradactylus and C. Nam, Non-timber Forest Products cost and time. Pine resin, the main platyacanthus. Subsector Support Project, ingredient in printer’s ink, is abundant in 8 Chuong Duong Do Street, Hoan Kiem, Viet Nam and the factory makes use of Hanoi, Viet Nam. Fax: (844) 9 320 996; this natural resource. Pacific would also THE VIET NAM NTFP e-mail: [email protected] or cooperate with Hanoi Polytechnics WORKING GROUP [email protected]; University to train students in the factory’s www.ntfp.org.vn laboratory. An initiative to form a working group Pacific Ink is the first company in Viet on NTFPs was raised during a recent Nam to join a newly formed National NTFP network workshop. This Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers working group will consist of key (NAPIM). Pacific stressed that prices institutions and organizations active would be much lower than those of in the field of NTFP conservation and imported products. (Source: VietNamNet, development, both national and 25 October 2005.) international, and act as a core group for facilitating cooperation and information sharing among NTFP actors in Viet Nam. A tentative overall goal is “to support the NTFP network to initiate and implement networking activities more effectively and more sustainably”. Bamboo coal and essence for export The Da Lat Urban Management Company has succeeded in producing It is a great pity, however, that Viet bamboo coal and essence for export after Nam’s resource of precious NTFPs is now one year of experiments with Japanese on the verge of depletion in view of experts’ guidance. The products are prolonged poor management and made from locally available materials with excessive harvesting and exploitation, Japan technology. specifically of Panax vietnamensis, Bamboo coal is used as activated eaglewood and Cupressus torulosus charcoal for the medical sector and to driven to near extinction, Monrinda grow clean vegetables in greenhouses, officinalis, Anoetochilus setaceus and while bamboo essence is a biological Coscinium fenestratum seriously on the product used in organic vegetable and decline, which cannot meet domestic pesticide production. An optimist takes the risk of losing. consumption and export demands. The company will export one 8-tonne A pessimist misses the chance of At this point, it is essential to find container of bamboo coal and essence to winning. necessary solutions to the rehabilitation of Japan per month and will gradually Hazrat Inayat Khan NTFPs currently on the decline, and increase its exports based on the

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as the Transfrontier Conservation Area TRADITIONAL CONSERVATION (TFCA) programme, the long-term MEDICINES COULD HELP OF THE CENTRAL objectives of which are to conserve AFRICAN ENVIRONMENT ALBERTINE RIFT biodiversity in the southern Africa region and emphasize regional collaboration in the Growing plants used in traditional Home to the world’s remaining mountain management of transfrontier resources. medicines could rescue Africa’s driest gorillas and many other endemic species A World Bank press release said the regions from total soil degradation and of mammals, birds and plants, the Central funds would be used to establish and provide much-needed income and health Albertine Rift region has become the manage conservation in three areas on the care for the rural poor, said the World focus of joint conservation efforts by the Mozambican border with significant Bank in a report published last week. governments of the Democratic Republic transborder biodiversity linkages with It says that the global market for of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda and neighbouring countries. Public sector and traditional medicines and the plants they Uganda. On 14 October 2005 ministers local community capacity would be are derived from is worth about US$65 from the three African nations signed the strengthened to manage biodiversity and billion, partly because of demand for plants Tripartite Declaration on the natural resources, while the private sector used as raw materials in western transboundary natural resource is to be engaged through the promotion of medicines. Being able to capture even 1 management of this biodiverse region. ecotourism. percent of this Ð $650 million Ð would mean This declaration recognizes the need to Environmentally sustainable tourism a significant injection of cash for Africa’s conserve the unique ecosystem of the development links the conservation and arid regions, says Warren Evans, the World Central Albertine Rift Transfrontier development objectives of TFCA by Bank’s director of environment. Protected Area Network through a providing an economic alternative to the Millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa collaborative management of eight parks unsustainable, destructive use of natural struggle to make a living from arid land that and establishes a strategic management resources, as well as a direct economic not only gets little rain but has also been system that will enable sustainable incentive to maintain the natural damaged by overgrazing, deforestation and conservation of natural resources for the ecosystems and their biodiversity. poor irrigation practices. According to the benefit of the people of Rwanda, Uganda, Further financing for the project will report, growing medicinal plants “can help the DRC and the international community. come from a $10 million grant by the Global check runoff and erosion, control flooding, The eight parks will be managed as one Environment Facility and a $3.7 million purify water and protect against wind”. collective ecosystem and the countries grant from the Japanese Policy and Human The report identifies 38 plants that could have pledged to collaborate further on Resources Development Fund. (Source: grow in dry conditions. One is a type of research, monitoring, community-based IRIN [in Reuters Alert, 2 December 2005].) acacia tree that is the source of gum arabic, conservation, knowledge sharing and used to treat inflammation of the throat and ecotourism to ensure sustainable stomach. The Sudan’s dry savannahs are a biodiversity conservation. (Source: African major source of the gum, with a global Wildlife Foundation, 25 October 2005.) market worth $90 million. Another of the plants, known as devil’s claw For more information, please contact: (Harpagophytum procumbens), is grown in P. Thomson, Communications Officer; the arid grasslands of southwest Africa. It e-mail: [email protected]; www.awf.org has anti-inflammatory properties and is used to treat arthritis. The report stresses the need for growing TRANSFRONTIER indigenous plants. Although non-native CONSERVATION AREAS plants might hold more commercial promise, it says, they could threaten local The World Bank has approved a US$10 biodiversity. (Source: SciDev.Net [United million credit for the conservation of BALTIC FOREST Kingdom], 31 October 2005.) Mozambique’s biodiversity and natural ecosystems through the promotion of Twenty-five partners from nine Baltic sustainable use and the development of Sea countries (Denmark, Estonia, natural resources by local communities. Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, The transfrontier conservation area and Poland, the Russian Federation and tourism development project, for which the Sweden) have agreed to cooperate to bank approved the credit, represent the enhance sustainable regional second phase of a 15-year initiative known development based on the management

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and use of forests as a resource and sheltered coastlines, in deltas and along establish and employ multipurpose, cross- riverbanks in the tropics and subtropics. EUROPEAN UNION sectoral and transnational forest sector Millions of fishers, farmers and others TO GIVE €30 MILLION cooperation. depend upon them as a source of wood, FOR BIODIVERSITY The partners expect that the Baltic forest medicinal plants and food. (Source: FAO CONSERVATION IN CHINA will improve the economic, ecological and Newsroom, 9 November 2005.) social optimization of the forest sector, The European Commission (EC) said it ensure a broadened awareness and will give €30 million towards a technical implementation of current knowledge and ASIAN NATIONS TO cooperation programme on biodiversity have a substantial and durable impact on BUILD BIODIVERSITY in China. “The programme will support management of the forest resources. CONSERVATION China to manage its ecosystem CORRIDORS sustainably and to contribute to the For more information, please contact: implementation of the international Johan Svensson, Skogsvårdsstyreslen, The six Asian countries sharing the conventions related to biodiversity,” the Västernorrland, Sweden. E-mail: Lancang-Mekong River have pledged to EC’s China branch said in a joint [email protected] or build Asia’s first biodiversity conservation statement with the United Nations Baltic 21 Secretariat e-mail: corridors for wild species movement and Development Programme (UNDP) and [email protected]; the maintenance of viable populations. China’s State Environmental Protection www.baltic21.org The corridors are unprecedented in Asia Administration (SEPA). and the news is a blessing to wildlife and UNDP will contribute US$500 000 to plants struggling for survival in their the project. SEPA, which will be highly fragmented habitats in the responsible for achieving the Mekong River Basin, the state media programme’s overall objectives, will make reported this week. an in-kind contribution of US$265 000. This is a timely and necessary “This is an unprecedented large-scale initiative, said Jin Liqun, vice-president of government-led initiative bringing the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the together, for the first time, all relevant main sponsor of a decade-old parties at national, subnational and subregional economic cooperation community levels to agree on a common programme involving Cambodia, China, and innovative strategy to address the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, China’s biodiversity conservation Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. challenges,” said the UNDP’s senior Habitat fragmentation, mainly caused deputy resident representative in China. by rapid economic development, poses a The five-year programme has a total TWENTY PERCENT growing threat to the rich animal and budget of €52 million and will mainly OF THE WORLD’S plant diversity in the greater Mekong focus on the western and southern MANGROVES LOST OVER subregion (GMS). The initiative was provinces of China, according to the THE LAST 25 YEARS adopted at a recent conference of GMS statement. environment ministers and is expected to China has approximately 10 percent of Approximately 20 percent of the world’s get a nod from the heads of government all species within its borders. (Source: mangrove forests have disappeared over of the six GMS countries, who are now in Forbes Ð United States, 6 November the last 25 years as a result of Kunming, capital of southwest China’s 2005.) overexploitation and conversion to other Yunnan Province for the second GMS uses, according to a new FAO study. summit. (Source: Financial Express Mangroves today cover around 15 million [India], 5 July 2005.) ha worldwide, down from 18.8 million ha in 1980, according to the study. However, during the same time frame the annual rate of mangrove deforestation dropped from around 185 000 ha per year in the 1980s to 105 000 ha per year during the 2000Ð2005 period, it added. Mangroves are salt-tolerant forest ecosystems commonly found along

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ensuing NTFP subgroup meeting of the workshop on NTFPs in 2007 in FAO North American Forestry Commission. collaboration with FAO and INBAR. Most people agreed that it would be a Could we launch a unified initiative then? commendable initiative. For any alliance There is, of course, lots of groundwork to FORESTRY DEPARTMENT or partnership to be truly meaningful, I do, including potential funding. think concrete activities to address common interests rather than simply For more information, please contact: Global alliance exchanging information are crucial and Hikojiro Katsuhisa, Chief, Forest In the last issue I reported on the these require some funding support. In Products Service, Forest Products and initiative to create an NWFP global the meantime, INBAR proposed an Economics Division, FAO, Viale delle alliance. Readers may be wondering if NTFP global partnership and held a Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. there has been any development since. meeting in Morocco in December 2005. I E-mail: [email protected] The answer is unfortunately “nearly do not know if the partnership initiative nothing”. At the International Conference garnered strong support from a wide Non-Wood Forest Products Programme on Non-Timber Forest Products in audience and had an official kickoff. There have been quite a few changes Victoria, British Columbia in August Some people may be a little confused by within the NWFP programme. Paul 2005, Jim Chamberlain and I introduced the two initiatives. Vantomme has taken a two-year leave of the concept in our respective What I personally propose is to join all absence to work with ITTO in Japan, presentations. I believe the idea was the forces to create synergy. The name while Sven Walter is now working in supported in general terms by the can be alliance, partnership or whatever. Cameroon for FAO as the Technical audience. It was discussed at the ITTO is planning an international Adviser of a regional NWFP project (see pp. 71Ð72 for more details). However, even with reduced regular personnel, the programme’s current A VOLUNTEER’S EXPERIENCE AT FAO activities cover trade issues and resource assessment guidelines. The first guarantee that you’ll have when entering FAO headquarters in Rome is Information dissemination continues that you will become hopelessly and utterly lost in it, and the first days you’ll through publications and other media, be begging for Icarus’ wings to make your way out of the labyrinth. But after including translation of our material into having successfully passed the challenge of assisting a meeting in the A-wing French and Spanish. However, because on the second floor while coming from the D-wing’s fourth floor, the sky clears of current resource shortages, we are and sitting delighted in the great conference room you think you’ve really made unable to update our Web page as often it. Your triumph lasts until the speaker begins and after hearing “FAO’s FOP as we would like. We hope to address looking at the impact of the UNFCCC’s CDMs on LUCC” your head starts this shortcoming this year. spinning and you find yourself tangled up again in a maze of confusion. However, those brave and competent volunteers ready to struggle though the Evaluation of non-wood forest products thresholds of acronyms and hierarchies, will find FAO a great place. It’s a place information where experts from all over the world come together. It’s a place where you can An evaluation of NWFP information (i.e. have lunch on the terrace with a spectacular view of Rome, while hearing Non-Wood News and the NWFP Digest) conversations in Japanese, Arab and Spanish all around you (although pay took place from August to October 2005. attention to the rude seagulls wanting to steal the food from your plate). It’s a A short questionnaire was sent to a place where you can learn about the world’s strategies for fighting hunger and random selection of those in our poverty. Non-Wood News database. From 2 328 As a volunteer at FAO you are guaranteed to have a great and enriching questionnaires sent (either by e-mail or time and it can open doors for you to the world. For example, I worked on as a hard copy) we received 627 replies FAO’s NWFP programme on synthesizing case studies from all over the world (an encouraging 27 percent return). A for a global study on how NWFPs contribute to poverty alleviation and this synthesis of the results follows. experience stood me in good stead because I now work on forests and poverty Where are our readers? Replies by alleviation as a JPO for CIFOR in Cameroon. (Contributed by: Marieka Sandker, region can be seen in the table on p. 70 Associate Expert, Forests and Livelihoods Programme, CIFOR-Cameroon, c/o and were divided equally (50 percent IITA-HFC, PO Box 2008, Messa, Nkolbisson, Yaoundé, Cameroon; e-mail: each) between temperate and tropical [email protected] countries. India is one of the most (Please see p. 20 for information on Marieka’s work with CIFOR.) important users (73 respondents) followed by Cameroon (22).

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strengths and weaknesses of our NWFP ¥ Lacks details and statistical Responses by region (percentage) information products. As expected, information. readers did not all agree: for some they Africa 18.5 were too long, for others too brief; users Suggestions for improvement. North and Central America 21 from the academic sector criticized the Although many of you were satisfied with South America 4 lack of scientific approach of the articles, the present format and content (“jam- Asia 31.5 while those mostly from communities packed with useful information”; “up-to- Europe 22 and NGOs found it excessive. Specific date news at the international level”; Oceania 3 comments include the following: “excellent overview of NWFP news”; and Total responses 627 “world vision plus local vision”), the Non-Wood News following general suggestions were Who are you? Seventy-six percent of Strengths made: statistics are necessary (based on the respondents to this question were ¥ Very good coverage of non-wood UN COMTRADE database statistics); male and 24 percent female. This is an topics around the world and often the fewer pages; pdf format (NWFP Digest); interesting result since NWFPs are only source for this field of research. more trade/market issues; a more traditionally more the domain of women ¥ Detailed information and good scientific approach; higher frequency (they carry out most of the collection and references to the source material. (Non-Wood News), with most suggesting use of these products). ¥ Information source is considered four/year; better format, more pictures. Who do you work for? Forty percent reliable and authoritative. Importance to continue? Ninety- of the respondents were from academic Weaknesses eight percent thought FAO should or research institutions, 18 percent from ¥ It should be published more continue producing its NWFP information NGOs and 14 percent from government frequently (maybe in a shorter products (78 percent “very important”, 20 or the public sector. A lower share of version). Often news is already out percent “important”, with “2 percent quite respondents came from the private of date when the publication reaches important”. sector, mainly from herbalist or users. How are we addressing your agroforestry plantation owners. ¥ Difficult to be used for topic-focused comments? All the comments and Use and impact. Seventy-eight search. suggestions have been reviewed and will percent use our NWFP information ¥ It should be published in the three be taken into account in future issues. “several times a year”. Information is main FAO languages (English, As mentioned in the editorial, there has used for different purposes, e.g. French and Spanish). been an immediate response to the academic activities (projects, theses, issue of frequency (which many scientific proposals, workshops) policy NWFP Digest respondents mentioned): Non-Wood advice; and NGO activities. Sixty percent Strengths News will now be published twice a year. state that they quote our information. ¥ Good overview of what is going on in We also recognize that some more work Satisfaction. Ninety-eight percent of this field. needs to be done on gender aspects the 516 replies to this question rated our ¥ Easy to access and delivered and NGO issues (which we are starting NWFP information as either “very good” frequently. to address Ð see pp. 27Ð28). We are (49 percent) or “good” (49 percent). ¥ Up to date. now also including a specific section on Strengths and weaknesses. Weaknesses indigenous knowledge (see pp. 15Ð18). Respondents were asked to list the ¥ Message may arrive truncated We have included more statistics (see COMTRADE figures on pp. 8Ð9). In addition, we are currently indexing all past issues of Non-Wood News. This will Is coverage adequate? eventually be available on our home page and will facilitate topic-based Yes No Don’t know Total response research (one of the indicated Products 81% (389) 9% (45) 9% (45) 479 weaknesses). Events 70% (329) 10% (46) 21% (98) 473 Thank you to all those who responded Publications of interest 75% (359) 13% (64) 12% (56) 479 and who willingly offered their Gender aspects 35% (162) 19% (88) 46% (212) 462 suggestions and comments. Indigenous knowledge 57% (275) 24% (117) 19% (90) 482 For more information, please contact: NGO issues 38% (173) 21% (95) 41% (187) 455 Tina Etherington at the address on the Total respondents 488 first page.

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centrafricaine et République partenaires et des sites pour la démocratique du Congo). Il vise à réalisation des activités pilotes, afin de renforcer la sécurité alimentaire dans la tester les approches appropriées pour la région à travers l’utilisation durable des production et la commercialisation des PFNL des forêts denses humides et des PFNL/aliments forestiers, seront systèmes agroforestiers. identifiés lors d’un atelier régional. Basés Le projet du Gouvernement allemand sur les résultats de cet atelier, des tests d’une durée de trois ans (2005-2008) sur le terrain, y compris le renforcement supplémente et appuie le Programme des capacités, sont prévus pour la régulier du Service des produits forestiers seconde année/phase du projet. FAO IN THE FIELD de la FAO pour renforcer la contribution Pendant la phase de consolidation de la Projet «Renforcement de la sécurité des PFNL à la sécurité alimentaire et troisième année, toutes les conclusions alimentaire en Afrique Centrale à travers favoriser la création des revenus et du projet seront validées lors d’un atelier la gestion et l’utilisation durable des l’aménagement durable des forêts en régional, et des actions de suivi seront produits forestiers non ligneux» Afrique centrale. Ce projet fait partie identifiées. (GCP/RAF/398/GER) intégrante de la stratégie du Département Ce projet contribue au renforcement En Afrique centrale, la consommation et des forêts de la FAO pour le institutionnel dans la région, à le commerce des produits forestiers non développement «des forêts du bassin du l’amélioration des connaissances sur les ligneux (PFNL) contribuent à la sécurité Congo» et ses trois priorités stratégiques ressources forestières et sur les alimentaire de la population. Les PFNL d’appui à la gestion durable ces forêts qui systèmes de production agroforestiers, importants incluent les plantes sont: et assure une meilleure coordination comestibles, les plantes médicinales et ¥ améliorer les conditions de vie des entre les acteurs gouvernementaux, les les rotins. La valorisation des PFNL offre populations plus pauvres; bailleurs de fonds et les autres parties une opportunité pour les populations ¥ renforcer la coopération sous- intéressées à la sécurité alimentaire et à rurales et les autres acteurs concernés régionale; la conservation des forêts. d’accroître leurs revenus sur la base ¥ renforcer et organiser la collecte et la Les bénéficiaires immédiats sont les d’une gestion durable des ressources gestion pour harmoniser les forêts et agences gouvernementales et les forestières. Il a été demandé à FAO de leurs politiques sectorielles. services de vulgarisation responsables soutenir les pays d’Afrique centrale, Le projet fonctionne dans le cadre pour la conservation et l’utilisation durable d’identifier et de mettre en œuvre des établi par la Conférence des Ministres des forêts, ainsi que pour l’assurance de mesures politiques afin de promouvoir la des forêts d’Afrique centrale (COMIFAC) la sécurité alimentaire dans les pays. gestion durable des PFNL et la et la Conférence sur les écosystèmes Indirectement, les populations locales, qui distribution équitable des bénéfices. des forêts denses humides d’Afrique n’ont actuellement pas accès à une centrale (CEFDHAC). Il est élaboré sur alimentation adéquate, ni les moyens ou Objectifs les conclusions des précédents projets les connaissances pour améliorer leurs ¥ La prise de conscience et la forestiers tels que ceux du Programme récoltes et leurs méthodes de production/ connaissance du rôle des PFNL pour de partenariat Commission Européenne marketing des aliments forestiers, renforcer la sécurité alimentaire. Ð FAO pour l’Afrique, et en liaison avec profiteront des résultats du projet. ¥ Les bases sont établies pour une les projets régionaux en cours d’agences intégration systématique telles que la Gesellschaft für Technische Résultats d’informations sur les aliments Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), l’Organisation ¥ Contributions actuelles et potentielles forestiers dans les programmes et internationale des bois tropicaux (OIBT), des aliments forestiers à la sécurité politiques pertinents. l’Organisation africaine du bois (OAB), le alimentaire en Afrique centrale Centre international pour la recherche en évaluées. Généralités agroforesterie (CIRAF), le Centre pour la ¥ Impacts de la gestion forestière sur Le projet «Renforcement de la sécurité recherche forestière (CIFOR), le Fonds les aliments forestiers évalués. alimentaire en Afrique centrale à travers mondial pour la nature (WWF) et les ¥ Contribution commerciale des PFNL la gestion et l’utilisation durable des ONG locales. comestibles évaluée comme moyens produits forestiers non ligneuxÈ contribue Après la mise en place institutionnelle de subsistance des communautés à faciliter les actions des gouvernements, initiale, une série d’études techniques locales. des organisations non gouvernementales ont été lancées pour analyser le ¥ Elaboration de directives politiques (ONG) et du secteur privé des six pays potentiel des aliments forestiers à la pour la contribution des PFNL à la d’Afrique centrale (Cameroun, Congo, contribution de la sécurité alimentaire en sécurité alimentaire et à la gestion Gabon, Guinée équatoriale, République Afrique centrale. Des propositions, des durable des forêts.

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¥ Série d’actions et de suivi au niveau et M.H. Katsuhisa, Chef du Service des SEANN has organized the following five régional compilées, discutées et produits forestiers, FAO, Viale delle workshops. validées. Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italie. ¥ The first SEANN workshop, held in ¥ Résultats du projet publiés et Courriel: [email protected] India, evolved a standard MFP/NTFP disséminés. classification and documentation manual. Le statut des activités SOUTH AND EAST ASIAN ¥ The second workshop, held in India, Dans la première phase du projet (juin COUNTRIES NTFP on evolving mechanisms for NTFP- 2005-juin 2006), trois revues régionales NETWORK (SEANN) oriented need-based sustainable forest techniques sur la contribution des aliments management resulted in a book forestiers à la sécurité alimentaire seront SEANN was established in January 1995 entitled Approaches to sustainable élaborées, y compris l’évaluation de: i) la under the aegis of the Centre of Minor forest management and biodiversity production, la biologie et le risque de Forest Products for Rural Development conservation with the pivotal role of surexploitation des espèces forestières and Environmental Conservation, Dehra non-timber forest products by Dr M.P. comestibles; ii) le contexte Dun with the overall objective of dealing Shiva and Sri S.K. Verma, IFS, socioéconomique, y compris les aspects specifically with issues related to minor published in 2002. parité, l’impact du VIH/SIDA et la valeur forest products (MFPs) and non-timber ¥ The third workshop, held in Nepal, nutritionnelle et médicinale des aliments forest products (NTFPs), comprising 26 focused on community-based NTFP forestiers; et iii) la structure légale categories of use, including medicinal management. Six member countries of gouvernant l’utilisation des PFNL plants. the SEANN network, India, Nepal, comestibles. Les revues seront élaborées The usefulness of SEANN depends Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka sur la base des informations existantes et entirely on the active participation and and Thailand participated, with les sources, à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur de responsiveness of its member countries, delegates from the Russian la région, et seront complétées par six which are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Federation, the United Kingdom, the études nationales sur l’utilisation des PFNL Darussalam, Cambodia, China, India, United States, Canada and Australia en Afrique centrale. Par ailleurs, des études Indonesia, Japan, the Democratic also attending. Topics discussed complémentaires sont réalisées sur les Republic of Korea and the Republic of included: assessment of NTFP thèmes suivants: Korea, the Lao People’s Democratic resources, constraints of NTFP ¥ étude sur l’impact de l’exploitation du Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, development, people’s participation in bois dans les concessions forestières Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New community forest management and et sur la disponibilité des PFNL en Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri policy issues. Afrique centrale; Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Viet Nam. ¥ The fourth workshop was held in the ¥ étude sur le cadre politique et SEANN’s more specific objectives are Philippines with the theme of non- institutionnel régissant l’utilisation to popularize the concept and need for wood forest products and biodiversity: des PFNL en Afrique centrale; NTFP-oriented sustainable forest SEANN agenda for conservation and ¥ études sur l’analyse nationale des management; motivate propagation and development in the twenty-first century. instruments politiques relatifs au harvesting methodology of MFP species ¥ The fifth workshop was held in Bhutan commerce des PFNL: applications et for income generation; ensure social and and focused on the odyssey of natural impact sur la réduction de la economic changes with better utilization products. pauvreté et la gestion durable des of raw NTFPs; prioritize research areas Any member countries are invited to forêts (Gabon, Guinée équatoriale); and work out economics of MFP crops organize a SEANN workshop in their ¥ étude portant sur l’exportation des (pure and intercrops); promote small- country in the future. produits forestiers non ligneux et des scale NTFP-based enterprises for rural aliments traditionnels de l’Afrique development; investigate/promote For more information, please contact: centrale sur les marchés régionaux improved marketing and trade of NTFPs; Dr M.P. Shiva, Chief Patron or Ms Alka et internationaux – état des lieux et document NTFP information; strengthen Shiva, Patron SEANN, President and stratégies de développement. database networks to ensure Managing Director, Centre of Minor identification of site-specific appropriate Forest Products (COMFORPTS), Pour plus d’informations, contacter: choice of species for economic growth HIG 2, No. 8B, Indirapuram, M. S. Walter, Conseiller technique, and environmental conservation; prepare GMS Road, PO Majra, Dehra Dun Ð Représentation de la FAO au a global directory of NTFP organizations 248171(Uttaranchal), India. Cameroun, B.P. 281, Yaoundé, and specialists; and organize E-mail: [email protected] or Cameroun. Courriel: meetings/small focused workshops by [email protected] [email protected] network members once a year.

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equity, both at home and abroad, and NATIONAL WORKSHOP how can these roles be enhanced? THE SECOND ON SUSTAINABLE NTFP INTERNATIONAL MARKETING IN VIET NAM: For more information, please contact: NON-TIMBER FOREST ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND The George Washington University PRODUCTS FAIR AND ECOLOGICAL Medical Center, Office of Continuing FORUM Education in the Health Professions, OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS MOSCOW, RUSSIAN FEDERATION 2300 Eye Street, NW, Suite 313-D, 24-–28 SEPTEMBER 2005 HANOI, VIET NAM 28-–29 JUNE 2005 Washington, DC 20037, United States. Fax: +1 202 9941791; e-mail: This workshop explored the opportunities [email protected]; and risks of a growing NTFP market and www.africanmedicine.info/ was organized around four different topics: ¥ NTFP marketing worldwide and in REGIONAL WORKSHOP Viet Nam Ð an introduction to ON SUSTAINABLE concepts, opportunities and DEVELOPMENT OF THE challenges; RATTAN SECTOR IN ASIA ¥ NTFP market information; NTFP harvesting has a long tradition in BEIJING, CHINA ¥ NTFP marketing and biodiversity 24–30 JULY 2005 Russian culture. Since the collapse of the conservation; Soviet era, small businesses have ¥ tools for market assessment and This workshop was organized under the developed but are still confronted by many analysis. auspices of the International Tropical problems. Their participation at the Fair Timber Organization (ITTO)-funded and Forum helped them to overcome some For more information, please contact: project, “Capacity building for the of these, broadening their marketing Mr Maurits Servaas, NTFP Project development of a sustainable rattan contacts and discussing problems such as Training Adviser, 8 Chuong Duong Do sector in China based on plantation bureaucratic and informational barriers. Hanoi, Viet Nam. sources” (PD 100/01 Rev. 3[I])) with The name of the fair, Gifts of the forest Ð Fax: 84 4 9 320 996; e-mail: technical support from the International culture of use, reflects its principal idea: to [email protected] Network for Bamboo and Rattan emphasize the sustainability of NTFP use (INBAR). and the importance of NTFPs in the revival Topics discussed included of many cultural and commercial traditions. AFRICAN HEALING ¥ research and development (R&D) In fact, Russian boreal forests are WISDOM: FROM issues in the rattan sector as well as threatened by illegal logging, overuse of TRADITION TO directions and strategies; economically accessible stands, forest fires ¥ business and investment and pests. The sustainable harvest of CURRENT APPLICATION opportunities in the rattan sector in NTFPs is one of the possible alternative AND RESEARCH Asia; and ways of using forest ecosystems, without WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES ¥ new directions and strategies in the destroying them. NTFPs consist of any 6–9 JULY 2005 R&D of rattan. resources of the forest other than timber, This conference focused on two key In addition, it provided a platform for pulpwood or firewood. They include not questions to evaluate African traditional key players in the rattan industry and only food products, such as herbal teas, healing practices in the context of government officials to interact, network preserved and fresh wild berries, delivering affordable, sustainable and and build strategic partnerships. mushrooms and fruits, but also a wide culturally sensitive care. range of health products, natural cosmetics, ¥ What can African traditional For more information, please contact: medicine and crafts. As well as being an medicines contribute to the Huang Shineng, Ph.D., Assistant important source of additional income for prevention and control of infectious Project Director and Secretary of the forest-based communities these products and chronic diseases and how can Workshop Organizing Committee, have a high cultural and spiritual value. such contributions be validated and Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Moreover, buying sustainably harvested enhanced? Chinese Academy of Forestry, NTFPs helps local communities to maintain ¥ What roles can traditional African Long Dong, Guangzhou 510520, China. traditional knowledge or rediscover it. health knowledge play in addressing Fax: (86 20) 8703 1622; e-mail: The fair’s participants were mostly issues of health disparities and [email protected] private businesses (double the number of

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2004), varying from an artist creating For further information on the workshop, ascertain concrete strategies to ensure pictures on birch bark, to a company please contact: effective application of research results. processing and canning wild mushrooms Fu Jinhe Ph.D., Programme Officer and Subtopics included medicinal plants, and plants. There were also native Coordinator of IUFRO 5th November spice and aromatic plants, ornamental cooperatives and groups such as 2005 Bamboo and Rattan, plants and green species, valorization Aleskam, Esso Native People’s International Network for Bamboo and technologies and intellectual property Community and Kamchatka Herbal Tea, Rattan (INBAR), Beijing 100102-86, rights. which are supported by the IUCN-CIDA Beijing 100102, China. Fax: +86 10 6470 project on Kamchatka and Sakhalin (see 2166; e-mail: [email protected]; www.inbar.int For more information please contact: p. 62 for more information). They produce or www.iufro.org/science/divisions/ CEN secretariat [email protected] or Siberian pine nuts, herbal teas, wild berry division-5 Pr. Bernard-Aloys Nkongmeneck; BP, jams, birch bark crafts and other products 812 Yaoundé; e-mail: from the taïga forest. [email protected] CONFERENCE ON For more information, please contact: FORESTRY AND FOREST Nikolay M. Shmatkov, Forest Programme PRODUCTS RESEARCH WORKSHOP ON Manager, IUCN Office for Russia and the KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA MEDICINAL PLANTS Commonwealth of Independent States, 22–24 NOVEMBER 2005 CULTIVATION, 3 bld. 3, Stoliamy Per., Moscow 123022, EMPLOYMENT AND Russian Federation. Tel./fax: +7(095) 609 This biennial national conference was MARKETING (FOR 3411; e-mail: [email protected]; www.iucn.ru designed to bring the latest findings in FARMERS AND BUYERS) or www.dary-lesa.com forestry and forest products to the private INDIRAPURAM, DEHRA DUN, INDIA sector, researchers, academicians, forest 20–21 DECEMBER 2005 managers, industrialists and policy-makers. INTERNATIONAL BAMBOO Discussions embraced issues pertaining to The workshop was organized by the INVENTORY TRAINING natural and planted forests, improved Centre of Minor Forest Products in order WORKSHOP processing and utilization of wood and non- to improve the livelihoods of village and wood products, conservation of forest dwellers, including tribals and BEIJING AND ZHEJIANG PROVINCE, CHINA 24 OCTOBER–4 NOVEMBER 2005 biodiversity, forest ecology, socio- forest-based enterprises. Discussions economics and the potential for new were held to find remedial measures for This workshop was jointly organized by developments in forest industry. economic cultivation and harvesting of the International Centre for Bamboo and medicinal plants; sort out problems of Rattan (ICBR), the International Network For more information, please contact: marketing and equitable distribution of for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), the Food The Secretariat, Conference on Forestry profits from farmers to entrepreneurs; and Agriculture Organization of the United and Forest Products Research 2005 develop methodologies to forge linkages Nations and the International Union of (CFFPR 2005), Forest Research Institute between farmers and buyers of medicinal Forestry Research Organizations Malaysia, Kepong 52109, plants raw material; and discuss (IUFRO). Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, attention difficulties of manufacturers of Ayurvedic Although bamboo is an integral part of of Dr Lim Hin Fui; fax: 603 6280 4629; medicines and Ayurvedacharyas. Useful the tropical and subtropical forest, little is e-mail: [email protected]; recommendations emerged for cultivation known about global bamboo resources. www.frim.gov.my. of medicinal plants for boosting the The rapid technological development of economy. bamboo-processing technologies increases the importance of bamboo CAMEROON ETHNOBOTANY For more information, please contact: resources for poverty alleviation and NETWORK (CEN), SECOND Ms Alka Shiva, President and Managing sustainable environmental and economic INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM: Director, Centre of Minor Forest development in developing countries. It is Products, HIG 2, No. 8B, PLANTS TO CURE HUMANS essential to develop remote sensing and Indirapuram, GMS Road, PO Majra, AND THE ENVIRONMENT on-the ground inventory methods to Dehra Dun Ð 248 001 (Uttaranchal), India. YAOUNDÉ, CAMEROON facilitate the global assessment of bamboo E- mail: [email protected] or 6–7 DECEMBER 2005 resources. [email protected] Topics at the workshop included remote The objective of this symposium was to sensing inventory methods and bamboo contribute towards the valorization of on-the-ground inventory techniques. plant diversity and, more specifically,

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the conference will stimulate debate on a standards compare with guidelines CONSERVATION AND range of topics, including but not limited generated by policy-makers, THE AGRICULTURAL to such questions as the following. researchers, conservationists or FRONTIER: INTEGRATING ¥ How can timber and non-timber other communities? FORESTS AND forest product harvesting be AGRICULTURE IN integrated into agricultural For more information, please contact: management schemes? What impact Yale ISTF Conference c/o Tropical THE TROPICS do markets for these products have Resource Institute, Yale School of NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATES on ecosystems and livelihoods? Forestry and Environmental Studies, 7–8 APRIL 2006 ¥ Do income-generation schemes 210 Prospect Street, New Haven, integrating agriculture and forest CT 06511, United States. E-mail: Is agriculture responsible for management have the potential to [email protected]; www.yale.edu/istf/ deforestation? In discussions of forest reduce poverty? Or do they further conservation, the debate over the impact trap resource users inside the of forest clearing by smallholder farmers poverty net? TRAINING WORKSHOP is of long standing. While some argue ¥ What potential do agroforestry ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION that the effects of traditional agriculture systems hold as a “middle ground” THROUGH BAMBOO-BASED are mild and reversible, others suggest between agriculture and forest DEVELOPMENT: POLICIES, that smallholder forest clearing Ð conservation? What institutional STRATEGIES AND especially in the context of population strategies have successfully STAKEHOLDERS expansion Ð has drastic negative impacts motivated farmers to implement LIN’AN AND ANJI COUNTIES, ZHEJIANG on ecosystem integrity. Recently, the agroforestry systems? PROVINCE, CHINA dimensions of this debate have expanded ¥ How does the legitimacy of 18–28 APRIL 2006 in the light of research showing that biodiversity conservation in large-scale agricultural development agricultural landscapes vary among Over the past 15 years, China has projects, including plantation farming and actors, across regions, and across achieved great progress in the ranching, may be changing the world’s systems of government? What role development of the bamboo sector. A forest cover with previously does perceived legitimacy play in series of bamboo panel products of higher unacknowledged speed and extent. conflicts on the agricultural frontier? quality than wood have been developed. Faced with the linked challenges of ¥ What methods exist to pinpoint the Bamboo curtains, mats and carpets livelihood maintenance, forest collateral effects of agriculture- appear on the international market. New degradation and sustainable related activities indirectly products based on bamboo charcoal, development, what is a modern-day threatening biodiversity conservation, vinegar and extracts of bamboo leaves, tropical forester to do? such as local development plans, including medicinal products, natural Can initiatives along the agricultural market liberalization, and/or illicit pesticides, beverages and daily toiletries frontier contribute to the ongoing and crop production? have great development potential. sustainable use of forest resources? In ¥ How do local communities measure Bamboo shoots also have huge market recent years, initiatives integrating success at integrating conservation potential as a natural high-fibre food. agricultural production and forest and agriculture? How do these The workshop will be carried out jointly management have proliferated in the by the International Network for Bamboo tropics. Projects grounded in agroforestry and Rattan (INBAR) and the Bamboo and the management and harvest of Industry Associations of Lin’an and Anji timber and non-timber forest products counties in Zhejiang Province, China. It have been offered up as compromises will focus on policies and case studies between the challenges of poverty, from the two counties, where impressive development and sustainable forest developments have taken place in recent management. However, challenges years. remain, not only in assessing the effectiveness of these initiatives, but also For more information, please contact: in determining where, when, and how Ms Jin Wei, INBAR Publications and their lessons can best be scaled up in Training Officer, International Network policy, legislation, and practice. for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), The Yale Chapter of the International Beijing 100102 86, China. Fax: +86 10 Society of Tropical Foresters hopes that 64702166; e-mail: [email protected]

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¥ social forestry: participatory forestry, Additionally, the concept of “wild” implies INTERNATIONAL information dissemination and a lack of management, although in reality CONFERENCE ON THE communication technology and almost all land is managed, and the ROLE OF FORESTS IN forestry policy; collection of wild products themselves RURAL DEVELOPMENT ¥ forest environmental services: soil should be subject to sustainable AND ENVIRONMENTAL and water conservation, biodiversity management. Nevertheless, for lack of conservation and restoration and better alternatives, the term wild SUSTAINABILITY combating desertification. harvested production is used here and is BEIJING, CHINA 19–21 APRIL 2006 also a term used in the International For more information, please contact: Federation of Organic Agriculture Forests are the world’s predominant Ms Guan Xiuling or Ms Feng Caiyun, Movements (IFOAM) basic standards. vegetation and play an important role in Symposium Secretariat, the Summer Other systems use other terms to rural poverty alleviation, rural Palace, Beijing 100091, China. Fax: +86 describe similar production, such as development and environmental 1062889817; e-mail: natural/biodiversity products, NTFPs, sustainability. Rural communities have [email protected] NWFPs and MFPs. Some products that accumulated considerable knowledge are wild can also be cultivated. This and experience on managing and utilizing conference will not focus on such forest resources scientifically in order to THE FIRST IFOAM cultivation, although it will be addressed coexist harmoniously with nature. They CONFERENCE ON in a future session. have also developed and established ORGANIC WILD creatively many technical models that PRODUCTION have produced good practical results. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA The goals of the conference are to 3–4 MAY 2006 share and exchange these experiences and technologies, to promote the There is significant trade in organic wild development of relevant disciplines and products, including products for direct to enhance the sustainable utilization of consumption, such as berries, forest resources. mushrooms and a wide variety of herbs. The conference, sponsored by the There is also a growing interest in organic Chinese Society of Forestry, the Korean wild products by the body care medicinal Forest Society and the Japanese Forest herb sector. Statistics for this type of General objectives of the conference Society, has as its theme “the role of production are vague and parallel to the ¥ Establishment of the state of the art in forests in rural development and organic market; other concepts such as organic wild production, the volumes, environmental sustainability”. the NTFP scheme of the Forest the participating countries and Topics to be covered include: Stewardship Council and other company- communities. ¥ forests in developing rural economy: specific schemes have been developed. ¥ Clarification of terms and definitions. renewable wood and non-wood This conference will focus on the ¥ Increasing understanding of the products; harvesting of wild vegetable products various initiatives for NTFPs, NWFPs, ¥ forests and livelihoods, indigenous from forests, natural lands, pastures and wild collection, etc. agroforestry, forestry trade and uncultivated land in the agriculture ¥ Exploring the possibilities of bringing economy; landscape. It will concentrate on current initiatives together. production that enters the organic market ¥ Identification of challenges and stream, but will also extend to other opportunities for the sector. concepts, such as fair trade, sustainable ¥ Information exchange and networking forest management certification and good between actors in the sector, manufacturing practices. including forging commercial links. Wild harvested production as a ¥ Increased visibility of wild production. concept is very broad, and also ¥ Addressing sustainability in wild encompasses commodities used for harvesting. fibrous or industrial production. The term ¥ Initiating further development of “wild” is not fully appropriate, since many quality assurance and standards. so-called wild products are collected in ¥ Assisting IFOAM to develop further areas such as pastures, commons and the concept of wild harvested marginal or uncultivated agricultural land. production.

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For more information, please contact: Conference themes include the Agriculture Institute Banja Luka at following. INTERNATIONAL TRAINING [email protected] or Gunnar ¥ History of traditional forest WORKSHOP ON BAMBOO Rundgren at: [email protected]; knowledge and its landscape. AND RATTAN SUSTAINABLE www.ifoam.org/events/ifoam conferences/ ¥ Historical context of scientific forestry MANAGEMENT IN IFOAM_Wild_Conference.html and traditional forest knowledge with DEVELOPING COUNTRIES respect to forest management. YUNNAN, GUANGDONG AND HAINAN, ¥ Conservation of traditional CHINA THE FUTURE FOR WILD knowledge and cultural landscapes. 12–22 JUNE 2006 HARVESTS IN SCOTLAND ¥ Planning, management and monitoring methodologies for the This training workshop will combine BEAULY, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM 10–11 MAY 2006 conservation of cultural forest courses with field visits and operational landscapes. practices. The main courses will include: This NTFP seminar will bring together ¥ Objectives and actions in European ¥ bamboo and rattan biodiversity and land managers, collectors, buyers, rural and environmental policies to their utilization processors, researchers, funders and preserve and support traditional ¥ bamboo and rattan propagation and policy-makers to develop a picture of the knowledge. nursing technologies whole sector and discuss what can be ¥ Good practices for including both ¥ bamboo and rattan plantation and done to help it develop. traditional and scientific forest- cultivation technologies, including related knowledge in forestry plantations for shoot purposes For more information, please contact: education, research and forest ¥ an outline of rattan processing Elizabeth Hughson, Cluster Support management activities in Europe. technologies and industrial Unit, Scottish Forest Industries ¥ Exchange of information between utilizations of tropical bamboo Cluster, Confederation of Forest traditional and formal (scientific) species Industries Ltd, 5 Dublin Street Lane forest-related knowledge in ¥ China’s policy system supporting the South, Edinburgh, EH1 3PX, European forest management. bamboo and rattan sector and Scotland, United Kingdom. ¥ Application of traditional forest- sustainable development strategies. Fax: +44 131 538 7222; e-mail: related knowledge to forest [email protected] ecosystems and biodiversity For more information, please contact: assessments and management. Fu Jinhe Ph.D., Programme Officer ¥ Conflicts regarding traditional forest and Coordinator of IUFRO 5.11.05 knowedge in relation to forest Bamboo and Rattan, International science and forest management, and Network for Bamboo and Rattan lessons learned from (INBAR), Beijing 100102 86, China. experiences/case studies in Europe Fax: +86 10 6470 2166; on ways to avoid/resolve these e-mail: [email protected]; www.inbar.int or conflicts. www.inbar.int/news/tc0602.htm ¥ Benefits of social and cultural dimensions in sustainable forest management by maintenance/ development of the material (wood in CULTURAL HERITAGE architecture, medicinal plants, AND SUSTAINABLE traditional practices) and non- FOREST MANAGEMENT: material aspects (recreation, well- THE ROLE OF TRADITIONAL being and health). KNOWLEDGE FLORENCE, ITALY For more information, please 8–10 JUNE 2006 contact: Dr Valentina Marinai, Department of Environmental This conference is being organized by Forestry Science and Technology, the IUFRO Research Group of Forest University of Florence, Via San and Woodland History and the IUFRO Bonaventura 13, 50145 Florence, Italy. Task Force on Traditional Forest Tel./fax: +39 055 30231282; Knowledge. e-mail: [email protected]

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disease and promote health. Natural The field visit to selected sites will SPIRIT OF HEALING: spaces and elements such as forests focus on the following subjects: current TRADITIONAL MEDICINE, and trees have been seen as providing strategies of the Department of FAIR TRADE AND HEALTH opportunities to ameliorate such trends. Environment and Natural Resources FOR ALL (DENR) and recent developments in the For more information, please contact: implementation of the community-based PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES 16–18 JUNE 2006 Dr Kjell Nilsson, Forest and Landscape forest management programme; small- Denmark, Rolighedsvej 23, scale handmade papermaking; This conference is being cosponsored by 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark. household-based wooden novelty Herbalists Without Borders and Penn Fax: +45 3528 1508; e-mail: [email protected]; manufacture; rattan craft, bamboo craft, State’s Interinstitutional Consortium for www.e39.com.ee/en/m-main/c- vine craft and other forest-based craft Indigenous Knowledge. It will explore the current/d-15/. industries; small- to medium-scale role of herbal medicine in primary health furniture industries; cottage-based care and poverty alleviation. How can woodcarving; community-based and traditional medicine serve the primary medium-scale industries for specialized health care needs of the majority of wood products; and ecotourism. people who have little or no access to conventional medicine? How can For more information, please contact: medicinal plants bring in more income for The Director, Training Center for poor communities? What type of Tropical Resources and Ecosystems regulatory and policy approaches help or Sustainability (TREES), College of hinder the provision of health care and a Forestry and Natural Resources, higher standard of living for the poor? University of the Philippines Los Baños, PO Box 434, College, For more information, please contact: Laguna 4031, Philippines. Jennifer Chesworth, Program Director, IX CONGRESO Fax: + (63 49) 536 3340 or 536 2639; Herbalists Without Borders, LATINOAMERICANO e-mail: [email protected]; 153 South Allen Street, State College, DE BOTÁNICA www.uplbtrees.ph Pennsylvania 16801, United States. 19-25 DE JUNIO 2006 E-mail: [email protected]; SANTO DOMINGO, REPÚBLICA www.herbalistswithoutborders.org DOMINICANA

Para más información, dirigirse a: INTERNATIONAL Sonia Lagos-Witte, Jardín Botánico CONFERENCE ON FORESTS, Nacional, Apartado Postal 21-9, Santo TREES, HUMAN HEALTH Domingo, República Dominicana. AND WELL-BEING Fax: 001809/3850446; correo electrónico: [email protected]; COPENHAGEN, DENMARK 28–30 JUNE 2006 sitio web: www.botanica- alb.org/index2.html Traditional medical and public health approaches to illness and health are among the successes of modern STUDY TOUR ON science. However, society today is faced COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST with the increasing incidence of various COTTAGE INDUSTRIES forms of poor health related to modern PHILIPPINES lifestyles. Contributing factors have been 20 JUNE–3 JULY 2006 (AND 19 JUNE–2 identified as an increasingly sedentary JULY 2007) population, levels of psychological stress related to urban living and contemporary The study tour aims to provide work practices, and exposure to participants with the necessary exposure environmental hazards such as air to the different community-based forest pollution. These problems encourage cottage industries and related project new thinking about ways to prevent sites in the Philippines.

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Agrawal, A. 2005. Environmentality: United States, University of Chicago Hedychium coronarium Koering. MFP community, intimate government and Press. 672 pp. News, 15(1). the making of environmental subjects in Kumaon, India. Current Bhagwat, S.A., Kushalappa, C.G., Christensen, M. & Larsen, H.O. 2005. Anthropology, 46(2): 161Ð190. Williams, P.H. & Brown, N.D. 2005. How can collection of wild edible fungi The role of informal protected areas contribute to livelihoods in rural areas Akinnifesi, F.K., Kwesiga, F., Mhango, in maintaining biodiversity in the of Nepal? J. Forests and Livelihood, J., Chilanga, T., Mkonda, A., Kadu, Western Ghats of India. Ecol. Soc., 4(2). February. C.A.C., Kadzere, I., Mithofer, D., [online], 10(1): 8. Saka, J.D.K., Sileshi, G., Colfer, C.J. Pierce & Capistrano, D., Ramadhani, T. & Dhliwayo, P. 2006. Bongers, F. & Parren, M.P.E. 2005. eds. 2005. The politics of Towards the development of miombo Forest climbing plants of West Africa: decentralization. Forests, power and fruit trees as commercial tree crops in diversity, ecology and management. people. Earthscan. ISBN southern Africa. Forests, Trees and Wallingford, United Kingdom, CABI 1844072053. Livelihoods, 16(1). Publishing. ISBN 0 85199 914 X. Coulston, J.W. & Riitters, K.H. 2005. Aravind, N.A., Manjunath, J., Rao, D., Bonn, A. & Gaston, K.J. 2005. Preserving biodiversity under current Ganeshaiah, K.N., Shaanker, R.U. & Capturing biodiversity: selecting and future climates: a case study. Vanaraj, G. 2005. Are red-listed priority areas for conservation using Global Ecol. Biogeogr., 14(1): 31Ð38. species threatened? A comparative different criteria. Biodivers. Conserv., analysis of red-listed and non-red- 14(5): 1083Ð1100. Cowlishaw, G., Mendelson, S. & listed plant species in the Western Rowcliffe, J.M. 2005. Structure and Ghats, India. Curr. Sci., 88(2): Brehm, G., Pitkin, L.M., Hilt, N. & operation of a bushmeat commodity 258Ð265. Fiedler, K. 2005. Montane Andean chain in southwestern Ghana. rain forests are a global diversity Conserv. Biol., 9(1): 139Ð149. Badola, R. & Hussain, S.A. 2005. hotspot of geometrid moths. J. Valuing ecosystem functions: an Biogeogr., 32(9): 1621Ð1627. Cruse-Sanders, J.M., Hamrick, J.L. & empirical study on the storm Ahumada, J.A. 2005. Consequences protection function of the Bhitarkanika Brugiere, D., Sakom, D. & Gautier- of harvesting for genetic diversity in mangrove ecosystem, India. Environ. hion, A. 2005. The conservation American ginseng (Panax Conserv., 32(1): 85Ð92. significance of the proposed Mbaéré- quinquefolius L.): a simulation study. Bodingué national park, Central Biodivers. Conserv.,14(2): 493Ð504. Baquero, F., Sierra, R.L., Ordóñez, M., African Republic, with special Tipán, L., Espinosa, M.B., Rivera, emphasis on its primate community. Cullen, R., Hughey, K.F.D., Fairburn, G. F. y Soria, P. 2004. La vegetación de Biodivers. Conserv., 4(2): 505Ð522. & Moran, E. 2005. Economic analyses los Andes del Ecuador. Memoria to aid nature conservation decision- explicativa de los mapas de Burrows, J.E. & WIllis, C.K., eds. 2005. making. Oryx, 39(3): 327Ð334. vegetación: potencial y remanente a Plants of the Nyika plateau: an escala 1:250.000 y del modelamiento account of the vegetation of the Nyika Cunningham, A., Campbell, B. & predictivo con especies indicadoras. National Parks of Malawi and Zambia. Belcher, B. 2005. Carving out a EcoCiencia/CESLA/Corporación Southern African Botanical Diversity future. Forests, livelihoods and the EcoPar/MAG SIGAGRO/CDC Ð Jatun Network Report No. 31. Pretoria, international woodcarving trade. Sacha/División Geográfica – IGM. South Africa, SABONET. Indonesia, CIFOR, paperback ISBN Quito. 1-84407-045-X. This book is part of Butaud, J.F., Rives, F., Verhaegen, D. & the People and Plants Conservation Berglund, H. & Jonsson, B.G. 2005. Bouvet, J.M. 2005. Phylogeography of Series. More information about all the Verifying an extinction debt among Eastern Polynesian sandalwood books in this series is available at: lichens and fungi in northern Swedish (Santalum insulare), an endangered http://shop.earthscan.co.uk/ProductDe boreal forests. Conserv. Biol., 19(2): tree species from the Pacific: a study tails/mcs/ProductID/581/ 338Ð348. based on chloroplast microsatellites. J. Biogeogr., 32(10): 1763Ð1774. d’Alessi, F. 2005. The cultivation of rare Bermingham, E., Dick, C.W. & Moritz, endangered plants: a different C., eds. 2005. Tropical rainforests: Chadha, S. 2005. Vulnerable and approach. Acta Bot. Gallica, 152(2): past, present and future. Chicago, threatened plants of economic value. 247Ð250.

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da Silva, J.M.C., Rylands, A.B. & da This book highlights the brighter side of FAO. 2005. Proceedings Third Expert Fonseca, G.A.B. 2005. The fate of forestry in a much-maligned region. A Meeting on Harmonizing Forest- the Amazonian areas of endemism. widespread call for nominations Related Definitions for Use by Various Conserv. Biol., 9(3): 689Ð694. identified 172 forests in 21 countries that Stakeholders. Rome, 17Ð19 January were perceived to be “well-managed”. 2005. de Thoisy, B., Renoux, F.& Julliot, C. After careful vetting, 28 forests were 2005. Hunting in northern French selected for detailed case study FAO. 2005. State of the World’s Forests. Guiana and its impact on primate analysis. The result is a kaleidoscope of CDÐROM collection 1995Ð2005. communities. Oryx, 39(2): 149Ð157. ideas, approaches, inspiration and FAO has published State of the perspiration that tell the stories of people World’s Forests – the Organization’s Diederichs, N., ed. 2005. dedicated to building sustainable flagship publication presenting the Commercialising medicinal plants: a livelihoods through careful management latest information on major policy and southern African guide. African Sun of their forests. The entire book can be institutional developments and key Media. ISBN 1-919980 83 0. downloaded in a PDF format from issues concerning the forest sector Ð www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.as every other year since 1995. In Duchok, R., Kent, K., Khumbongmayum, p?url_file=/docrep/007/ae542e/ae542 coordination with the publication of A.D., Paul, A. & Khan, M.L. 2005. e00.htm State of the World’s Forests 2005, Population structure and regeneration For more information and to obtain FAO has released a CD-ROM status of medicinal tree Illicium copies, please contact: containing the entire collection of the griffithii in relation to disturbance P. Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO report since its first edition. It contains gradients in temperate broad-leaved Regional Office for Asia and the all six issues of the publication in forest of Arunachal Pradesh. Curr. Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok, Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Sci., 89(4): 673Ð676. 10200 Thailand. Fax: (66 2) 697 Spanish. This unique resource 4445; e-mail: [email protected] provides a ready overview of the Dudley, N. et al. 2005. Measuring (Please also see pp. 5 and 58 for situation and development of forest biodiversity and sustainable case studies from this book.) resources over the past decade. management in forests and For more information, please contact: agricultural landscapes. Philos. Trans. El-Keblawy, A. & Ksiksi, T. 2005. [email protected]. Available R. Soc. London. [Biol.], 360(1454): Artificial forests as conservation sites at: www.fao.org/forestry/site/26161/en/ 457Ð470. for the native flora of the UAE. Forest Ecol. Manage., 213(1Ð3): 288Ð296. FAO. 2005. FAO participatory forestry Durst, P.B., Brown, C., Tacio, H.D. & publications on CD-ROM. Ishikawa, M. 2005. In search of Ericsson, T.S., Berglund, H. & This CD-ROM contains 15 years of excellence: exemplary forest Östlund, L. 2005. History and forest publications produced by FAO and its management in Asia and the Pacific. biodiversity of woodland key habitats partners, mainly under the Forests, RAP Publication 2005/02. Bangkok, in south boreal Sweden. Biol. Trees and People Programme FAO. Conserv., 122(2): 289Ð303. (FTPP). FTPP, which started in 1987 and ended in 2002, was an European Environment Agency. 2005. international community forestry European Environment Outlook. (EEA programme designed to increase Report No. 4/2005. ISBN 92 9167 social and economic equity and 769 8. improve well-being, especially of the poor, through collaborative and Fa, J.E., Ryan, S.F & Bell, D.J. 2005. sustainable management of trees, Hunting vulnerability, ecological forests and other natural resources. characteristics and harvest rates of The CD-ROM includes more than 70 bushmeat species in afrotropical forests. publications on participatory forestry Biol. Conserv,. 121(2): 167Ð176. and related subjects, organized according to series, theme and FAO. 2005. Committee on Forestry, alphabetical order. It is hoped that Seventeenth Session Ð Report. these publications will contribute to Rome, 15Ð19 March 2005. Available strengthening human and institutional at: www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/ capacities that are necessary for the 009/j4876e.htm/ support of locally based sustainable

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management of forest resources. Fazey, I., Fischer, J. & Lindenmayer, Hecht, S.B., Kandel, S. Gomez, I., For more information, please contact: D.B. 2005. Who does all the research Cuellar, N. & Rosa, H. 2006. Dominque Reeb, Senior Forestry in conservation biology? Biodivers. Globalization, forest resurgence, and Officer (Participatory Forestry), Conserv., 14(4): 917Ð934. environmental politics in El Salvador, Forestry Policy and Information World Development, 34(2), February. Division, Forestry Department, FAO, Fink, C. & Maskus, K.E., eds. 2005. 00100 Rome, Italy. E-mail: Intellectual property and development: Hollingsworth, P.M., Dawson, I.K., [email protected]; lessons from recent economic Goodall-Copestake, W.P., www.fao.org/forestry/index.jsp research. Washington, DC, World Bank. Richardson, J.E., Weber, J.C., 339 pp. Available at: Montes, C.S., & Pennington, R.T. FAO et CFC. 2005. Atelier international www.worldbank.org/research/IntellProp 2005. Do farmers reduce genetic sur le traitement, la valorisation et le _temp.pdf diversity when they domesticate commerce de karité en Afrique. Actes tropical trees? A case study from du séminaire. CFC Document Forup, M.L. & Memmott, J. 2005. The Amazonia. Mol. Ecol.,14(2): 497-501. Technique no 21. FAO, Rome. relationship between the abundances of L’Atelier international sur le traitement bumblebees and honeybees in a native Hoyt, Reginald. 2004. Wild meat et le marketing des produits du karité habitat. Ecol. Entomol., 30(1): 47Ð57. harvest and trade in Liberia: en Afrique, tenu à Dakar (Sénégal) du 4 managing biodiversity, economic and au 6 mars 2002, a constitué un forum García Rollan, M. 2004. Guía fácil de social impacts. ODI Wildlife Policy pour l’échange et l’analyse las mejores setas. Mundi-Prensa Briefing, No. 6, April. d’informations entre les experts du point Libros, S.A.ISBN 8484762009. de vue des matières techniques et du Hurni, H., & von Dach, S.W. 2005. marché afin d’évaluer le potentiel des Gilg, O. 2005. Old-growth forests: Biodiversity conservation to benefit demandes existantes et nouvelles de characteristics, conservation and mountain people. Mtn. Res. Dev., traitement et de marketing des produits monitoring. ATEN/RNF. 96 pp. 25(3): 199. du karité en Afrique. Copies de cette publication (en langue Gillespie, T.W. 2005. Predicting woody- IUFRO. 2005. Forests for the new française uniquement) sont fournies plant species richness in tropical dry millennium Ð making forests work for gratuitement par le Programme sur les forests: a case study from south Florida, people and nature. PFNL de la FAO en contactant: non- United States. Ecol. Appl., 15(1): 27-37. This policy brief, which is based on the [email protected]. Les versions work of over 100 authors, was prepared électroniques des démarches (en Giulietti, A.M., Harley, R.M., de by the IUFRO Special Project, “World anglais et en français) sont disponibles Queiroz, L.P., Wanderley, M.D.L., & Forests, Society and Environment”. The au site: www.fao.org/documents/ Van den Berg, C. 2005. Biodiversity report can be obtained by e-mailing the show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/008/y59 and conservation of plants in Brazil. IUFRO WFSE-Coordinator at: 52f/y5952f00.htm Conserv. Biol.,19(3): 632-639. [email protected]/

Glavonjic, B. et al. 2005. Forest and Jáger, L., ed. 2005. COST E30. Economic forest products country profile: Serbia integration of urban consumers’ and Montenegro. UNECE Timber and demand and rural forestry production. Forest Discussion Paper 40. Geneva. Forest sector entrepreneurship in Europe: country studies. Acta Silvatica Gordon, E. A. et al. 2005. Protecting and Lignaria Hungarica. ISSN 1786- biodiversity: a guide to criteria used 691X (print), ISBN 1787 064X (online). by global conservation organizations. The country studies include Report No. 5. Global Institute of considerable information on NWFPs. Sustainable Forestry. Yale School of The hard copy of the book can be Forestry and Environmental Studies. ordered from Laszlo Jáger, University Available at: www.yale.edu/environment/ of West Hungary, Faculty of Forestry, publications/index.html Ady E. str. 5, Sopron, H-9400 Hungary. E-mail: [email protected]/ Hammond, D. 2005. Tropical rainforests For more information, please visit: of the Guiana shield. CABI. CABI www.joensuu.fi/coste30/ASLG_2005. Publishing HB. ISBN 0 85199 536 5. htm/

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Jansen, P.C.M. & Cardon, D., eds. Indonesia. Biodivers. Conserv., 14(3): Lawrence, A., Phillips, O.L., Ismodes, 2005. Plant resources of tropical 547Ð560. A.R., Lopez, M., Rose, S., Wood, D. Africa 3. Dyes and tannins. 216 pp. & Farfan, A.J. 2005. Local values for (PROTA 3: Dyes and tannins.) ISBN Khumbongmayum, A.D., Khan, M.L., & harvested forest plants in Madre de 90 5782 159 1. Tripathi, R.S. 2005. Sacred groves of Dios, Peru: towards a more This handbook is published in both Manipur, northeast India: biodiversity contextualized interpretation of French and English and gives a value, status and strategies for their quantitative ethnobotanical data. comprehensive up-to-date description conservation. Biodivers. Conserv. Biodivers. Conserv., 14(1): 45Ð79. of 116 primary use dyes and tannins 14(7): 1541Ð1582. in 73 clearly illustrated review articles. Lewinsohn, T.M. & Prado, P.I. 2005. How With the increasing awareness of the Konijnendijk, C.C. et al., eds. 2005. many species are there in Brazil? environmental and toxicity problems Urban forests and trees. Springer. Conserv. Biol., 19(3): 619Ð624. associated with the use of synthetic ISBN 3 540 25126 X. (abstract) www.blackwell-synergy.com/ dyes, natural dyes may regain their doi/abs/10.1111/j.1523- former role in the tanning and dyeing Kowarik, I. & Körner, S., eds. 2005. Wild 1739.2005.00680.x industry. Natural dyes and tannins of urban woodlands, new perspectives for tropical Africa are highlighted. urban forestry. ISBN 3 540 23912 X. Linderman, M., Bearer, S., An, L., Tan, For more information, please contact: Y.C., Ouyang, Z.Y. & Liu, H.G. 2005. Backhuys Publishers, PO Box 321, Krüger, P. 2005. The role of ecotourism in The effects of understory bamboo on 2300 AH Leiden, the Netherlands conservation: panacea or Pandora’s broad-scale estimates of giant panda (www.backhuys.com). box? Biodivers. Conserv., 14(3): habitat. Biol. Conserv., 121(3): 579Ð600. 383Ð390.

Kumar, A. & Ram, J. 2005. Lynch, K.A. 2006. An interdisciplinary Anthropogenic disturbances and plant curriculum on non-timber forest biodiversity in forests of Uttaranchal, products. Portland, Oregon, United central Himalaya. Biodivers. Conserv., States, Institute for Culture and 14(2): 309Ð331. Ecology. 450 pp. The workbook is an interdisciplinary Latham, P. 2005. Some honeybee set of instructional materials that plants of Bas-Congo Province, includes over 100 lesson plans and Democratic Republic of Congo. ISBN handouts covering the ecological, Kala, C.P. 2005. Indigenous uses, 0 9546698 8 6. cultural, political and economic population density and conservation of (Please see p. 54 for more importance of NTFPs. The geographic threatened medicinal plants in information.) focus of the workbook is on the United protected areas of the Indian States, although the exercises can Himalayas. Conserv. Biol., 19(2): easily be adapted to scale up to the 368Ð378. international arena or to scale down to focus on species and issues of Kathiresan, K. & Rajendran, N. 2005. regional or local importance. The Mangrove ecosystems of the Indian workbook consists of seven modules Ocean region. Indian J. Mar. Sci., Ð each including detailed lesson 34(1): 104Ð113. plans, activities, evaluation tools and ready-to-use teaching aids, such as Keen, M., Brown, V.A & Dyball, R., eds. PowerPoint presentations and 2005. Social learning in environmental handouts. Each module has a specific management. Towards a sustainable disciplinary orientation (history, future. Earthscan. ISBN 1 84407 183 9. culture, economics, ecology, policy) to facilitate easy adoption within these Kessler, M., Kessler, P.J.A., Gradstein, different disciplines. The curriculum S.R., Bach, K., Schmull, M. & encourages critical thinking about Pitopang, R. 2005. Tree diversity in NTFP issues and their relationship to primary forest and different land use overall forest health, sustainability systems in Central Sulawesi, and biodiversity conservation. This is

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accomplished through interactive Marshall, E., Schreckenberg, K. & Murphy, M.L., Oli, K.P. & Gorzula, S. classroom and field activities. Both Newton, A.C., eds. 2006. 2005. Conservation on conflict: the theoretical frameworks and research Commercialization of non-timber impact of the Maoist-government methods are introduced and there is forest products: factors influencing conflict on conservation and an emphasis on building effective success. Lessons learned from biodiversity in Nepal. IISD. communication and collaboration Mexico and Bolivia and policy skills. Faculties are encouraged to implications for decision-makers. Nagendra, H., Karmacharya, M. & integrate individual lesson plans into Cambridge, United Kingdom, UNEP Karna, B. 2005. Evaluating forest their existing courses or use the World Conservation Monitoring management in Nepal: views across workbook materials as the foundation Centre. space and time. Ecol. Soc. for a new course or workshop. In [online],10(1): 24. addition, the Institute for Culture and McLain, R.J. & Jones, E.T. 2005. Ecology is available to facilitate a set Nontimber forest products National Forest Strategy Coalition. of workshops and courses based on management on national forests in 2005. Highlights of accomplishments: the materials. This project was funded the United States. Gen. Tech. Rep. two years of progress Ð advancing by the National Commission on PNW-GTR-655. Portland, Oregon, the National Forest Strategy Science for Sustainable Forestry. United States Department of (2003Ð2008). Ontario, Canada. For more information, please contact: Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Available at: http://nfsc.forest.ca/ Institute for Culture and Ecology, PO Northwest Research Station. Box 6688, Portland, Oregon 97228 PDF files at: Olsen, C.S. 2005. Trade and 6688, United States. E-mail: www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/ conservation of Himalayan medicinal [email protected]/ pnw_gtr655.pdf or www.ifcae.org plants: Nardostachys grandiflora DC and Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora Mackay, R. 2005. Atlas of endangered McLain, R.J., McFarlane, E. M. & (Pennell) Hong. Biol. Conserv., species (revised edition). Earthscan, Alexander, S. J. 2005. Commercial 125(4): 505Ð514. United Kingdom. Paperback ISBN morel harvesters and buyers in 1844072886. western Montana: an exploratory Ordóñez, L., Arbeláez, M. y Prado, L. study of the 2001 harvesting season. (Com-Eds). 2004. Manejo de Mahpatra, A. K. & Tewari, D.D. 2005 Gen. Tech Rep. PNW-GTR-643. semillas forestales nativas de la Importance of nontimber forest Portland, Oregon, United States Sierra ecuatoriana y Norte del Perú. products in the economic valuation of Department of Agriculture, Forest EcoPar Ð Fosefor Ð Samiri, Quito, dry deciduous forests of India. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Ecuador. Policy and Economics, 7: 455Ð467. Station. Order free hardcopies or download at: Pain, D.J., Fishpool, L., Byaruhanga, Manoharachary, C., Sridhar, K., Singh, www.fs.fed.us/pnw/ A., Arinaitwe, J. & Balmford, A. R., Adholeya, A., Suryanarayanan, pubs/pnw_gtr643.pdf or www.ifcae.org 2005. Biodiversity representation in T.S., Rawat, S. & Johri, B.N. 2005. Uganda’s forest IBAs. Biol. Conserv., Fungal biodiversity: distribution, Merlo, M. & Croitoru, L., eds. 2005. 125(1): 133Ð138. conservation and prospecting of fungi Valuing Mediterranean forests: from India. Curr. Sci., 89(1): 58Ð71. towards total economic value. CABI Penn, Jr, J. W. 2006. The cultivation of Publishing. ISBN 0 85199 997 2. camu camu (Myrciaria dubia): a tree Mansourian, S., Vallauri, D. & Dudley, planting programme in the Peruvian N., eds. 2005. Forest restoration in Mery, G. et al. 2005. Forests for the new Amazon. Forests, Trees and landscapes. Beyond planting trees. millennium Ð making forests work for Livelihoods, 16(1), January. XXVIII, 437 pp., 28 illustrations, hard people and nature. cover ISBN: 0 387 25525 7. For more information, please contact: Pethiyagoda, R. 2005. Exploring Sri Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Lanka’s biodiversity. Raffles Bull. Box 176, 00161 Helsinki, Finland. Zool. Suppl., 12(14).

Mittermeier, R.A., da Fonseca, G.A.B., Pierce Colfer, C.J. & Capistrano, D., Rylands, A.B., & Brandon, K. 2005. eds. 2005. The politics of A brief history of biodiversity decentralization: forests, power and conservation in Brazil. Conserv. Biol., people. Indonesia, CIFOR. Earthscan. 19(3): 601-607. ISBN 1844072053.

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Predny, M. L. & Chamberlain, J. L. A searchable database and an mundo en vías de desarrollo, Costa undated. Goldenseal (Hydrastis electronic version are available at: Rica ejerce el liderazgo en la canadensis): an annotated www.sfp.forprod.vt.edu/prodarea/golde aplicación de esos mecanismos. Este bibliography. The Southern Research nseal.asp/ documento examina la literatura Station, United States Forest Service. Hard copies can be obtained from the sobre la experiencia costarricense Goldenseal, a member of the Southern Research Station, PO Box con el fin de visualizar lo que buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), is a 2680, Asheville, NC 28804, United estamos aprendiendo de esa herbaceous perennial found in rich States or from Jim Chamberlain, experiencia: ¿cómo ha calzado hardwood forests throughout the Ph.D., CF, Research Scientist, Non- dentro de estas iniciativas la northeastern United States and Timber Forest Products Coordinator, información técnica, científica y Canada. Originally used by Native Research Group 5.11 (Non-Wood económica sobre los servicios Americans as both a medicine and a Forest Products), IUFRO United ambientales? ¿Qué alcance tienen el dye, the herb was eventually adopted States Forest Service, SRS-4702, monitoreo y la evaluación de estas in the nineteenth century. The alkaloids 1650 Ramble Road Blacksburg, VA experiencias iniciales? El objetivo in goldenseal have been found to have 24060, United States. Fax: +1 540 231 principal de esta revisión bibliográfica antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, 1383; e-mail: [email protected] or es identificar y analizar los materiales antispasmodic and tonic effects. [email protected] comprendidos en la siguiente temática: Rawat, M.S. 2005. Medicinal and • los orígenes locales del concepto de aromatic plant resources and pago y mercados de servicios potential. Medplant Network News, ambientales y como estos han 5(2): 5Ð8. evolucionado a través del tiempo; ¥ el tipo de iniciativas existentes Refisch, J. & Koné, I. 2005. Impact of relacionadas con los mercados de commercial hunting on monkey servicios, y quien está participando populations in the Taï region, Côte en estas actividades; d’Ivoire. Biotropica ,37(1): 136Ð144. ¥ el conocimiento base que soporta el desarrollo de mercados; Robinson, C.J., Smyth, D. & ¥ las iniciativas tomadas con respecto The growing awareness of possible Whitehead, P.J. 2005. Bush tucker, al monitoreo y evaluación de las medicinal benefits has increased bush pets and bush threats: experiencias con pagos y mercados worldwide consumption which, cooperative management of feral de servicios ambientales y hasta combined with a continual loss of animals in Australia’s Kakadu dónde y con qué resultados la habitat, has greatly reduced wild National Park. Conserv. Biol., 19(5): literatura toma estas iniciativas en populations. Goldenseal has been 1385Ð1391. términos de eficiencia económica, listed under the Convention on eficiencia ambiental equidad social International Trade in Endangered Robinson, J.G. & Bennett, E.L. 2004. y/o reducción de la pobreza. Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Having your wildlife and eating it too: Sitio web: (CITES) Appendix II since 1997. an analysis of hunting sustainability www.earthprint.com/go.htm?to=9247S Demand for cultivated roots has across tropical ecosystems. Anim. IIED increased as wild populations become Conserv., 7: 397Ð408. scarce, motivating research into Rowcliffe, J.M., Milner-Gulland, E. & propagation and cultivation techniques. Rojas, M. y Aylward, B. 2005. ¿Qué Cowlishaw, G. 2005. Do bushmeat More attention should be focused on estamos aprendiendo de la consumers have other fish to fry? educating consumers about the experiencia con los mercados de TREE, 20(6): 274Ð276. appropriate uses of the herb in order servicios ambientales en Costa Rica? to reduce overconsumption; working Revisión y crítica de la literatura. Ruiz-Pérez, M., Almeida, M., Dewi, S., with growers to increase the IIED. ISBN: 1 84369 455 7. Lozana Costa, E.M., Ciavatta profitability of cultivation and reduce El uso de mercados y el pago de Pantoja, M., Puntodewo, A., de pressures on wild plants; and servicios ambientales es un tema que Arruga Postigo, A. & Goulart de identifying and tracking wild ha venido ganando terreno entre los Andrade, A. 2005. Conservation and populations to determine the most hacedores de políticas, development in the Amazonian effective management and ambientalistas y agentes de extractive reserves: the case of Alto conservation practices. desarrollo de todo el mundo. En el Juruá. Ambio, 34(3): 218Ð23. May.

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Sands, R. 2005. Forestry in a global cultivation, production and trade for Sistemática, Ecología, Etnobotánica e context. CABI Publishing PB. 272 pp. farmers and buyers. Centre of Minor Importancia Económica. Universidad ISBN 0 85199 089 4. Forest Products, Indirapuram, Dehra de Guadalajara. Guadalajara. Dun, India. Sayer, J., ed. 2005. The Earthscan reader Wilkie, D.S., Starkey, M., Abernethy, in forestry and development. WWF Shiva, M.P. 2005. Types of gums and K., Effa, E.N., Telfer, P. & Godoy, R. International Forests for Life resins and their industrial uses. MFP 2005. Role of prices and wealth in Programme. Earthscan. ISBN 1 84407 News, 15 (1): 6Ð8. consumer demand for bushmeat in 153 7. Gabon, Central Africa. Conserv. Biol., Shiva, M.P. 2005. Akashth Van 19(1): 268Ð274. Schippmann, U., Leaman, D.J., Sampada: Sampurna Bahudrishtiya Cunningham, A.B. & Walter, S. 2005. Sarvalokan (Hindi). (A forestry Williams-Linera, G., Palacios-Rios, M. Impact of cultivation and collection on textbook on non-timber forest & Hernández-Gómez, R. 2005. Fern the conservation of medicinal plants: resources.) International Book richness, tree species surrogacy, and global trends and issues. In A. Distribution, Rajpur Road, Dehra Dun, fragment complementarity in a Jatisatienr, T. Paratasilpin, S. Elliott, India. Mexican tropical montane cloud V. Anusarnsunthorn & D. Wedge, forest. Biodivers. Conserv., 14(1): eds. Conservation, cultivation and Sidaway, R. 2005. Resolving 119Ð133. sustainable use of MAPs. Proceedings environmental disputes: from conflict of WOCMAP III. The Third World to consensus. Earthscan. ISBN Congress on Medicinal and Aromatic 1844070131. NEW PUBLICATIONS IN THE FAO NON- Plants, pp. 31Ð44, Leuven, WOOD FOREST PRODUCTS SERIES International Society for Horticultural Struhsaker, T.T., Struhsaker, P.J. & Science (Acta Horticulturae 676). Siex, K.S. 2005. Conserving Africa’s NO. 17. LOS HONGOS SILVESTRES rain forests: problems in protected COMESTIBLES Schnitzler, A., Hale, B.W. & Alsum, E. areas and possible solutions. Biol. 2005. Biodiversity of floodplain forests Conserv., 123(1): 45Ð54. in Europe and eastern North America: a comparative study of the Rhine and Sunderlin, W. D., ed. 2005. Livelihoods, Mississippi Valleys. Biodivers. forests and conservation. World Conserv., 14(1): 97Ð117. Development, 33(9): 1379Ð1544.

Schreckenberg, K.,Awono, A., Tchoundjeu, Z., Asaah, E.K, Anegbeh, Degrande, A., Mbosso, C., Ndoye. O. P., Degrande, A., Mbile, P., & Tchoundjeu, Z. 2006. Domesticating Facheux, C., Tsobeng, A., indigenous fruit trees as a contribution Atangana, A.R., Ngo-mpeck, M.L. & to poverty reduction. Forests, Trees Simons, A.J. 2006. Putting and Livelihoods, 16(1). January. participatory domestication into practice in West and Central Africa. Schwartzman, S. & Zimmerman, B. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 16(1). 2005. Conservation alliances with January. indigenous peoples of the Amazon. Conserv. Biol., 19(3): 721Ð727. UNEP. 2005. One planet many people: Wild edible fungi, no. 17 in FAO’s atlas of our changing environment. NWFP publications series, has now been translated into Spanish: Los Shiva, A. 2005. Ayurved ke Chetra Mein Nairobi, Kenya, United Nations hongos silvestres comestibles. Ped-Paudhon ka Dharmic Mahattav Environment Programme, Division Perspectiva global de su uso e (Hindi), (religious or sacred value of of Early Warning and Assessment. importancia para la población. Copies medicinal plants in Ayurveda). Centre 322 pp. Available at: of this publication can be purchased from FAO’s Sales and Marketing Group of Minor Forest Products, Indirapuram, www.na.unep.net/OnePlanetManyPeo at: [email protected]. Dehra Dun, India. ple/index.php. An electronic version is available at: www.fao.org/docrep/008/y5489s/y5489 Shiva, A., Bhatt, R. & Bartwal, M. 2005. Vázquez-García, J.A., Cházaro, B.M.J., s00.htm The French version will be available Jari-Butiyon ka Krishikaran, Utpadan, Vera, C.H. y Berrios, E.F. 2005. Los later this year. evam Vyapar (Hindi), (medicinal plants Agaves del Occidente de México:

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Global Forest Resources Assessment However, negative trends are still a rate of 6 million ha per year, mainly in 2005 (FRA 2005) alarming in some regions. Forests are South America and Southeast Asia. New FAO data show progress towards rapidly being lost to agriculture in Africa, Significant progress has been made in sustainable forest management at the Central America, South America and terms of political commitment, policies and global level, but also that biological Southeast Asia, accounting for almost 90 legislation, with a majority of countries in diversity and forest ecosystems remain percent of the world’s deforestation of 13 the world taking steps to strengthen the seriously threatened in several regions. million ha per year. policy and legal framework to improve the Primary forests, crucial for maintaining management and conservation of forests. biological diversity, are converted to “There are positive and negative trends agriculture or degraded through logging at in all regions towards the goal of sustainable forest management which vary even more at the country level. To KEY FINDINGS ON NWFPs say more about the progress of forestry, it INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING is necessary to upgrade monitoring and reporting processes in many countries,” One-third of the world’s forests said Mette L¿yche Wilkie, the coordinator are primarily used for the of this assessment. production of wood and non- wood products For more information, please contact: Wood production continues to be Global Forest Resources Assessment, an important function of many Forestry Department, FAO, Viale delle forests and reported removals of Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. NWFPs are on the rise. E-mail: [email protected]; Production of wood and non- www.fao.org/forestry or wood forest products is the www.fao.org/forestry/fra2005 primary function of 34 percent of the world’s forests. More than The main report of the Global Forest half of all forests are used for the Resources Assessment 2005, launched production of wood and NWFPs at the Sixth Session of the United in combination with other Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF6) in functions such as soil and water New York, gauged progress towards protection, biodiversity sustainable forest management, defined conservation and recreation. and measured in terms of the extent of The value of wood removals is forest resources and their contribution to decreasing, while the value of the global carbon cycle; biological NWFPs is increasing Ð and diversity; forest health and vitality; and underestimated. the productive, protective and socio- The forecasted value of NWFP Microfinance and forest-based small- economic functions of forests. removals amounted to about scale enterprises According to the report, there are US$4.7 billion in 2005. However, This publication, funded by Norway, more positive than negative trends at information was missing from shows how microfinance can help low- the global level, including a move in many countries, and the reported income households living in forest areas forest management towards multiple statistics probably cover only a to start up and run their own small uses, including social and environmental small fraction of the true total businesses. Such forest dwellers benefits. Forests dedicated to the value of NWFP removals. Edible frequently live in remote areas where a conservation of biological diversity have plant products and bushmeat are lack of financial services is a major increased by 6.4 million ha per year to the most significant products in obstacle to developing successful include 11 percent of all forests. terms of value. Trends at the business activities. Microfinance is, Forests for the protection of soil and global and regional levels therefore, crucial to alleviating poverty in water and for recreation have also generally show a slight increase forest communities. increased significantly. Planted forests since 1990. The key findings of Microfinance is a general term are expanding and provide an FRA 2005 can be found at: referring to the provision of basic increasing proportion of the world’s www.fao.org/forestry/fra2005/. financial services such as credit, wood supply. savings, leasing, equity financing,

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insurance and remittance mechanisms Diccionario Forestal has been they, the indigenous rural by banks, NGOs and credit and savings La Sociedad Española de Ciencias women, with an intimate knowledge of cooperatives in both the formal and Forestales (SECF) presentó en Madrid the forest, who have been the principal informal financial sectors. el Diccionario Forestal (Mundi-Prensa), caretakers and guardians of the forests. The publication includes a number of con más de 19 000 términos gracias al At present, the encroachment of success stories, including one from the trabajo de noventa colaboradores. global commerce and “development” Parbat district of Nepal, where 673 Las entradas, recogidas en 1 336 projects into the forests Ð such as small-scale enterprises were set up páginas, están divididas en siete plantations, oil exploitation, logging, under a microfinance enterprise bloques en los que se agrupan términos mining, shrimp farming, dams and others development programme, creating de materias relacionadas al tema Ð has not only destroyed nature but also employment in rural areas that depend forestal y cuyas definiciones a veces se distorted the ancestral relationships of on the trade of NWFPs such as honey, extienden en la explicación casi «con forest peoples among themselves and allo (traditional cloth made from nettles) carácter enciclopédico». Para don José with the forest. Such forest change or and lapsi (a fruit used to make drinks Alberto Pardos, miembro de la Real loss has not been gender neutral and and sweets). Some 669 of the Academia de la Ingeniería y colaborador has had a double and differentiated businesses, or 99.4 percent of the del proyecto, con esta obra Çde gran impact on women, depriving them of programme participants, paid back their envergadura», en la que los términos their traditional rights to and link with the loans in full. figuran traducidos al inglés, se cumple forests while reinforcing a patriarchal This new publication suggests that in con uno de los objetivos fundacionales society model. addition to their regular services, de la SECF, es decir «el estímulo de la With this book we aim at generating microfinance institutions should provide cooperación entre sus miembros». awareness on the issue, as a way of business development counselling and Fuente: Revista Forestal Española, N¡ 38, contributing positively to the struggles support to small enterprises. It notes as septiembre 2005 women undergo to defend the forest and well that there is often a need to break to highlight their positive role in forest social barriers that can discourage rural Proceedings of the International conservation. people from approaching financial Symposium Guadua 2004 institutions for help. The International Symposium Guadua For more information, please contact: Microfinance and forest-based small- 2004 took place at the Technological World Rainforest Movement, scale enterprises also warns against the University of Pereira, Pereira, Colombia, Maldonado 1858, 11200 Montevideo, imposition of artificial ceilings on interest from 27 September to 2 October 2004, Uruguay. Fax: 598 2 410 0985; rates and subsidizing targeted credit and was attended by 250 participants e-mail: [email protected] programmes, since these can distort the from more than 20 countries. The market and make microfinance less symposium covered four main topics: sustainable. silviculture and environmental services; harvesting and post-harvesting For more information, please contact: processes; applications and industrial Sophie Grouwels, Forestry Officer, uses; and institutions and socio- Community-based Enterprise economic frame. Development (CBED), Forestry Department, FAO, Viale delle Terme For more information, please contact: di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]; www.fao.org/forestry/site/25491/en Women, forests and plantations. The gender dimension Forests provide the source and means of survival for millions of people, who find their firewood, medicinal plants, food, fibres, housing materials and a full range of other products. Forests are also vital for the healthy state of our global environment. Although the historical contribution of women to forest conservation has often been made “invisible” – as in many other areas – it

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African Wildlife Foundation Databases www.awf.org COMFORPTS America’s national forests COMFORPTS has recorded 4 100 species in its database. The Video available online. A new documentary film about the many database provides detailed information on 70 parameters, such wonders of national forests and the threats they face is now as morphology, phenology, cultivation details, harvesting, post- available online. This nine-minute DVD is an excellent harvest processing, silviculture requirements and introduction to national forests and is a resource for educators characteristics, types of forest import-export statistics, policy and citizens interested in the environment and the clean water, and legal issues and pests and diseases. With the help of this wildlife and recreation our forests provide. database, users can retrieve exhaustive information on any Real Player Broadband: NTFP-related species based on these parameters. http://real.newmediamill.speedera.net/ramgen/real.newmed www.angelfire.com/ma/MinorForestProducts iamill/ufdc/forestsbb.rm PLANTS database Answers The PLANTS database is maintained by the United States A new search engine. Department of Agriculture National Resources Conservation www.answers.com Service and provides information and generates reports in specialized areas. It provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts and lichens ASKFAO of the United States and its territories. It includes names, plant symbols, checklists, distributional data, species abstracts, AskFAO is a service driven by user information needs, providing characteristics, images, plant links, references, crop answers to queries related to the Organization’s areas of expertise. information and automated tools. Working with FAO offices around the world as well as with our http://plants.usda.gov/index.html partner organizations, it provides a mechanism to communicate Eco earth directly with technical experts in a particular field of interest. The environmental sustainability source. www.fao.org/askfao/home.do?lang=en www.ecoearth.info/

EEA multilingual environmental glossary http://glossary.eea.eu.int/EEAGlossary/ Biodiversity hotspots An informative Web site hosted by Conservation International. FAO facts and figures www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/ A new site from FAO’s Forestry Department. Do you know ... Which countries have the highest forest cover? Which Career.edu countries are the major consumers and producers of forest Job board for the academic and research community. products? How many people depend on drugs derived from www.career.edu/index.php forest plants? How much deforestation contributes to global CERPA (Centre for Research, Planning and Action) greenhouse gas emissions? How many countries have less Information on medicinal plants and herbs. than 10 percent forest cover? The annual deforestation rate in www.herbalcerpa.org the world? How many people are employed in the formal forestry sector worldwide? The total number of mountain Chestnut links people worldwide? What percentage of bioenergy accounts for Contains many links to various aspects of chestnuts. the energy consumed worldwide? Find out the answers to www.utc.edu/Faculty/Hill-Craddock/chestnutlinks.html these questions and many others at: Cost E30 www.fao.org/forestry/site/28679/en An interesting Web site that includes information on NTFPs in FAO’s “historic archives” – 60 years of history Europe. Sixtieth Anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.joensuu.fi/coste30/ASLG_2005.htm of the United Nations. CP Wild – Commercial Products from the Wild In “historic archives” you will find rarely heard statements and Research on indigenous plant domestication and interviews of former FAO Directors-General, Heads of State commercialization in southern Africa. and Government, Nobel Prize winners and other eminent world This Web site aims at providing an information service to personalities who have marked the history of the Organization, people and organizations involved in natural product since its founding in 1945 (Quebec City, Canada), from domestication and commercialization. Franklin D. Roosevelt to Pope John Paul II. www.cpwild.co.za/Index.html www.fao.org/audiocatalogue/index.jsp?category=5&lang=EN

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FAO’s participation Web site photographer. A simple free text search is also available, which This Web site is a place for studying and discussing searches all text in the record. A useful thumbnail feature participation in development. It is available in Arabic, English, enables users to browse the contents rapidly. Photos can be French and Spanish. easily downloaded in high resolution for print and in lower www.fao.org/participation/default.htm resolution for use on the Web. www.fao.org/mediabase/forestry Flora Celtica http://193.62.154.38/celtica/flash/FCBOOK.htm Forestry images Web site A source for forest health, natural resources and silviculture ForCons Co. images. A joint project of the University of Georgia and the Ecotourism in Hungary. USDA Forest Service. Image categories include: forest pests www.forcons.hu (insects, diseases, other damage agents); trees, plants and Herbs from nature stand types (trees, understorey and rangeland plants); www.herbsfromnature.com silvicultural practices; wildlife; and people, places and scenes. www.forestryimages.org Honey health This newly launched Web site extols the various health Photographs of medicinal plants in Chhattisgarh, India benefits of natural honey, detailing its nutritive values and Over 500 photographs based on the work of Pankaj Oudhia in exploring its role as a primary food in traditional diets. Chhattisgarh and its herbal wealth. www.honey-health.com/ http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=pdb&Author=Pankaj%20 Oudhia&AuthorWild=MA Indian herbs and insect images Over 10 000 photographs of herbs and insects taken during Rain forests of the world ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of the Indian state http://rainforestinfo.org.au/background/rainfwld.htm Chhattisgarh are online at: Rain forest portal http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=pdb&Author=pankaj&Th The portal provides rain forest action, news, search and umbnails=Only analysis capabilities. International Alliance Against Hunger www.rainforestportal.org/ www.iaahp.net/ SIAMAZONIA – Sistema de información de la diversidad London wildweb biológica y ambiental de la Amazonía Peruana http://wildweb.london.gov.uk/LW2/Welcome.do Se trata de una red que ofrece amplios recursos informativos científicos y divulgativos, así como medios de comunicación Madagascar – fantastic forests para las personas y organizaciones interesadas en el www.wbur.org/special/madagascar/ conocimiento, la conservación y el uso sostenible de la Mekong world biodiversidad amazónica del Perú. Permite consultar y registrar All the latest information on tropical forest resources and en línea conferencias, publicaciones, así como datos de environmental management in the Mekong region (Myanmar, profesionales, instituciones y proyectos relacionados a la China [Yunnan], Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Amazonía andina. También ofrece herramientas de Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam). información para compartirlas con otros sitios web. www.mekongworld.com/ Sitio web: www.siamazonia.org.pe/

Non-timber forest products in Scotland The human footprint dataset www.forestharvest.org.uk/ www.ciesin.columbia.edu/wild_areas/

Northern Nut Growers Association (NNGA) The “man of the trees” http://icserv.com/nnga/ This site is dedicated to the work of Richard St. Barbe Baker (1889Ð1982). Participatory Natural Resource Management (PNRM) www.manofthetrees.org www.prgaprogram.org. Venerable trees of the earth Photographs http://arbresvenerables.new.fr/

FAO forestry photos database Wild resources The FAO forestry photos database contains more than 1 000 Much information available on NWFPs Ð from Wales to Uganda. forestry-related images searchable by such fields as country, www.wildresources.co.uk/projects_malawi.shtml region, keyword, caption, human and forestry content and

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 90 READERS’ RESPONSE Non-wood or non-timber? ¥ Non-timber forest products-based enterprises I have the deep feeling that there is a profound (JuneÐDecember 2006). misunderstanding over the term WOOD or NON-WOOD. For MFP News. In my opinion you are dealing with NON-TIMBER instead of ¥ Gums and resins for trade (JulyÐSeptember 2006). NON-WOOD. ¥ Pollution-retarding NTFPs (OctoberÐ December 2006). I have met FAO people in Rome in order to underline in ¥ Edible and nonÐedible fatty oils, to avoid their imports which field we are working. In fact we are working over two- (JanuaryÐMarch 2007). thirds of the total wood production in the world but not on ¥ NTFPs for improvement of soil and ecology (AprilÐJune TIMBER PRODUCTS. 2007). We are working on the most valuable part of the trees: THE ¥ Fodder and forage, fibres and flosses (JulyÐSeptember BRANCHES perceived as having no value and assessed by 2007). you as being a non-wood product. ¥ Policies and legal issues on rights and privileges for the Please have a look at my article prepared for the World collection and production of NTFPs from forests Bank. (OctoberÐDecember 2007). (Professeur Gilles Lemieux, Groupe de Coordination sur les For more information, please contact: Bois Raméaux, Département des Sciences du Bois et de la Ms Alka Shiva, Managing Editor, Centre of Minor Forest Forêt, Université Laval, Québec G1K 7P4, Canada. Products For Rural Development and Environmental Fax: +1 418 656 5262; E-mail: [email protected]) Conservation, HIG 2, No. 8B, Indirapuram, GMS Road, PO (Please see Prof. Lemieux’s article on p. 26.) Majra, Dehra Dun 248171, India. E-mail: [email protected] Reply from Dr Wulf Killmann, Director, Forest Products and Economics Division, FAO Agreeably the borderline is sometimes difficult to draw. Comments from our readers However, here are some definitional items. Timber: wood prepared for use in building and carpentry (Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 1999). Non-timber forest products include all products from the forest except timber. That is, they also include wood for wood fuels (ending up in fuelwood and charcoal). Non-wood forest products: the term excludes all products made of wood from the forest, i.e. for carpentry, house and ship building, and wood fuels. About 50 percent of all trees felled worldwide are burnt as wood fuels. Any statistics on non-timber forest products would have to include per definitionem wood fuels, which would totally distort the values of traditional NWFPs such as berries, mushrooms, medicinal plants, fibres, nuts, fruits, gums, latex, leaves, roots and tubers, rattan and bamboo, only to name a “Thanks for your excellent work which helps us constantly to look for few. new ideas and their application in Peru.” (Rainer Schulte, Peru) Therefore, FAO in its description of the subject-matter “The bulletin is always very informative, full of interesting news, decided purposefully for the term non-wood forest products, contacts, etc. – really a great initiative.” (Vera De Cauwer, Namibia) and against non-timber forest products. Wood fuels are dealt with separately by FAO. “Recently I received your excellent information bulletin Non-Wood (Wulf Killmann, Director, Forest Products and Economics News Vol. 12 March 2005. Thank you very much for providing this Division, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, worldwide view on NTFPs to a local practitioner.” (Marc G.A.C. Italy. Fax: (39) 06 5705 5137; e-mail: [email protected]) Smits, Nicaragua)

“The publication is excellent and I am certain that this good work Request for contribution of articles for special issues delivers many benefits to poor people and cultures across the world. COMFORPTS plans to publish two special issues of the Keep up the good work.” (Binai Lama, Bhutan) International Journal of Forest Usufructs Management (half- yearly) during 2006 and of MFP News (quarterly newsletter) “Non-Wood News serves as useful material to our library clients.” during 2006 and 2007 on the following themes. (Remedios E. Abing, Philippines) For the International Journal of Forest Usufructs Management (JFUM).

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 91 READERS’ RESPONSE A selection of comments received through the evaluation The briefness of the contributions is a strength and a weakness exercise (see pp. 69Ð70) (one would not read longer ones, information often not detailed enough for citation, but contact to authors resolves this problem). More should be written on non-wood fibre esp. crops like Kenaf which is environmentally friendly. However a lot has been written on I think the news is extremely useful in the form it is presented other crops which would be useful to other scientists. Good job! and I don’t see any weakness with it but only information that could be utilized for the benefit of rural farmers. The section “special features” and “the publications of interest” are of interest to me. However, there is a lack of quality reference A large amount of information on many different NWFPs, how material, say a research paper on a current topic of global interest. they can be used and marketed and country information. Probably the great difficulty lies in extending this information. Absolutely brilliant publication with information that is hardly anywhere obtainable. Useful both for practical application and as a The articles are good, but some are not complete publications. If reference source for educational and campaign purposes. Thanks! complete publications could be published then it will be excellent. There is insufficient highlight on the impact of NWPFs on Keeps us informed on what is happening on NWFPs. On the livelihoods and on communities. other hand, because of the limitation of space, much information is superficial. An annual copy is too long a gap; some information might lose relevance. It gives very few addresses of donor organizations, something highly needed by the poor subsistence peasant farmers. Little information about NWFP processing technologies, little information about NWFPs of boreal forests. Country compass is useful ... the layout is strong, I have no criticisms other than I wish it would come more than once a year La périodicité est très large et accentue l’information sur la (though I recognize the costs and time involved). recherche médicinale. Too much emphasis on NWFPs in forest ecosystems with Very concise and extremely informative. This publication is quite little attention to those on arid and semi-arid lands. suitable for general community use as well as an educational source. More information needed on medicinal plants in forests and their sustainable extraction models, the conservation of Comprehensive information, global research findings presented understorey plants in forests is not receiving enough attention. in a concise form; sometimes too generalized and lacks focus. Forces: valorisation et diffusion du savoir sur les plantes. It is broad based and seems to strive to present “on the edge” Faiblesses: informations scientifiques sue les plantes présentées. uses vs. traditional uses. Lack of information on economic aspect of NWFPs and the I really like some case studies. But I think it will be very valuable to importance of NWFPs to national/international development. always include information on funding opportunities, trainings, scholarships, internships and so on. Tener la información ordenada por temas: plantas medicinales, utilizadas en cestería, en alimentación, especies vegetales It focuses on a very important field, which has been under- subutilizadas, bioinsecticidas. Orden por continentes y países. estimated for decades; it tries to get feedback from the readers and others in the world. Its weakness is that it remains +or- passive. It carries information not readily available elsewhere but is silent on issues of practical benefits of research outputs. Action research If the Publications of interest part could be thematic, it would be of is meaningless if it cannot change the lives of the deprived. more interest for me. It gives a good overview of all FAO activities related to Produce información valiosa pero es información muy resumida. NWFPs. However, when looking for a specific product, no More emphasis should be laid on actual field projects. alphabetic order of product or country is provided. We would love to see more information on sub-Saharan countries I really enjoy reading Non-Wood News. It is so informative and in Africa. readable and gives useful information. I find it very valuable.

It has lots of good articles from reputable authors/organizations. The column layout is a little bit difficult to read and some articles have no English translation. If many little people, in many little places, do many little Broad up-to-date compilation, short informative articles. It can be things, they can change the face of the earth! difficult to use for topic-focused search. African proverb It covers almost all NWFPs around the globe which is remarkable.

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 13, April 2006 Traditional knowledge of Non-Wood Forest Products © A.Toffoli © Marzot FAO/19160/M. © Mattioli FAO/9991/F. © A.Toffoli © Wagner FAO/17410/H. © Bizzarri FAO/19685/G.

Traditional knowledge of the multiplicity of uses and benefits deriving from NWFPs is passed on from one generation to another. Forest-dependent communities have always recognized the importance of NWFPs in their lives Ð whether as food, shelter or medicine.

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