ISSN 1020-3435 Annon-woodnon-wood information bulletin on Non-Wood Forest Products JULY 2007 15

EDITORIAL

The editorial for this issue has been written by Dr Wulf Killmann, Director of the Forest Products and Industries Division.

More and more information is being made available in the media on all aspects of non-wood forest products. Scientific journals, newspapers, e-zines and Web sites cover their economic value, marketing instruments used, traditional knowledge of their use, the variety of product uses, and biodiversity issues in general. It is, consequently, becoming a real – but exciting – challenge to select the most CONTENTS pertinent news and views from the variety of NWFP articles from all across the globe in order to give you, our readers, a clear idea of trends and research from 3 Guest article the world of NWFPs. % Participatory enterprise models for We believe that this increasing global attention is reflecting the growing NWFP development relevance of both the social and economic importance of NWFPs, as can be seen, for example, from their use in economically important global markets such as the 5 Special features cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries; their value and role in sustainable forest % NWFP use and markets in the management; and their essential contribution to the lives of forest-dependent Amazonian subregion of Bolivia, communities as sources of food security and health care. Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and In this issue of Non-Wood News we have covered a broad spectrum of these the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela facets: from their use in securing livelihood opportunities (e.g. economic benefits • Consumo y comercio de los from bamboo projects and sale of camu camu) to the role of specific products in PFNM en la Subregión Amazónica everyday lives (e.g. Artemesia annua and its use in the fight against malaria; chicle • Bolivia: Jipi japa (Carludovica in the chewing gum industry) and the potential risks to traditional knowledge and palmata) benefit-sharing through biopiracy. We have also highlighted how NWFPs are • Brazil: certified Brazil nut oil helping women – and consequently the well-being of their children – to benefit • Brazil: bamboo project through various livelihood-building small-scale initiatives in Latin America (pine • Colombia: Los PFNM y los bosques products in Honduras), Africa (shea butter in Burkina Faso), Asia (weaving bamboo plantados in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic) and the Near East (medicinal plants in • Ecuador: Small-scale bamboo Israel). We have also highlighted the 2009 International Year of Natural Fibres, an production area where NWFPs can have an important input, particularly at the local level. The • Ecuador: palm fibre (Aphandra two special features in this issue provide coverage of NWFP use and markets in natalia) the Amazonian subregion, and a brief on whether NWFPs can help countries to • Perù: Camu camu fruit exports achieve their MDGs. • Peruvian Brazil nut collectors Starting with this issue, Non-Wood News is including a new feature: a guest • República Bolivariana de Venezuela article. This will be written/authored by a senior scientist and an acknowledged y sus PFNM expert in his/her field. The first guest author is Dr Cherukat Chandrasekharan – the % Can NWFPs help in achieving the founder of both FAO’s NWFP Programme and Non-Wood News – whose article on Millennium Development Goals? participatory enterprise models for NWFP development seeks to open a debate • Eradicate extreme poverty and on this important subject. We look forward to receiving your comments on his hunger (Goal 1) article. § • Promote gender equality and empower women (Goal 3) NON-WOOD NEWS • Reduce child mortality (Goal 4) is compiled and coordinated by Tina Etherington, Forest Products Service of the FAO Forest Products and Industries • Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and Division. For this issue, editing support was provided by Sandra Rivero; language editing by Roberta Mitchell other diseases (Goal 6) and Deliana Fanego; design, graphics and desktop publishing by Claudia Tonini. • Ensure environmental Non-Wood News is open to contributions by readers. Contributions are welcomed in English, French and Spanish and may be edited to fit the appropriate size and focus of the bulletin. sustainability (Goal 7) If you have any material that could be included in the next issue of Non-Wood News for the benefit of other • Develop a global partnership for readers, kindly send it, before 15 October 2007, to: NON-WOOD NEWS – FOIP development (Goal 8) FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy • Conclusions and future steps E-mail: [email protected] www.fao.org/forestry/nwfp/nonwood.htm FAO home page: www.fao.org All Internet links cited were checked on 28 May 2007. Articles express the views of their authors, not necessarily those of FAO. Authors may be contacted directly for their reference sources. The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Non-Wood News 15 is also full of your contributions – we would like to thank the many contributors who have provided insights into NWFPs from countries as diverse as India, Scotland, Cameroon and Saint Lucia. We would also like to thank the many authors who have permitted us to use extracts from their work (on subjects such as medicinal mushrooms, collectible insects and NWFPs of the Pacific Islands), as well as all the readers who have contacted us with comments and suggestions. There have been a number of personnel changes affecting our NWFP Programme in the last six months. Mr Hikojiro Katsuhisa has returned to his home country after three years as Chief of our Forest Products Service. We have also said “arrivederci” to Sven Walter, who worked with the NWFP Programme here in Rome, before taking on the role of Technical Adviser of a regional NWFP project based in Cameroon and who has now taken up a new position at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). On the other hand, we have seen the return of our NWFP Officer, Paul Vantomme, after a two-year secondment to ITTO in Japan. Finally, it is our hope that you will find reflected in this issue of Non-Wood News the sheer variety of NWFPs, the new ideas in the field of NWFP research and the enthusiasm in identifying suitable ways to improve people’s lives through the help of NWFPs.

13 News and Notes Type 2 diabetes Tanzania, United States of America, % Biodiversity and the diets and health • Research into medicinal value of Viet Nam, Zimbabwe. of forest dwellers fungi % Bioprospecting/benefit sharing or • Tree bark molecule may combat 62 Econook biopiracy? malaria % Global report cites progress in • Brazil regains açaí trademark from • Rain forest bark could destroy rare slowing forest losses Japan child cancer % Borneo conservation deal signed • Es hora de registrar los % Non-profit organizations and NGOs % Countdown 2010 conocimientos tradicionales de • Centre for Indian Bamboo % Reserva de la biósfera unirá parques Bolivia para enfrentar a la Resource and Technology (CIBART) nacionales de Chile y Argentina biopiratería • Fundación Zoobreviven, Ecuador % Establishment of a national park in • Hands off our genes, say Pacific • The Finnish Nature-based French Guiana will also enhance islanders Entrepreneurship Association protection in Brazilian Amazonia • China moves to protect traditional % NTFP curriculum development % New fund to conserve the Congo knowledge % NWFP certification Basin • Peru creates online biodiversity % Oleoresins add flavour to food % Scientists count Africa's ecological register % Partenariat pour les forêts du Bassin riches % Birch distillate helps in controlling du Congo agricultural weeds and pests % Rain Forest Silk Cooperative 64 International Action % Chewing gum % Synergistic superfruit: sea buckthorn % FAO, International Year of Forests, • Chewing gum market % Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) and International Year of Natural Fibres, • Chewing gum timeline its risks The Union for Ethical BioTrade • Chicle: how gum works % “Voices from the forest” (UEBT) % Entrepreneurs don't grow on trees % Weavers use dyes of wild flowers to % Female entrepreneurs in the NWFP colour handspun cloth 68 Recent Events world • Israel's Bedouin women turn 25 Products and Markets 69 Forthcoming Events desert plants into skin remedies % Bamboo, Bee products, Brazil nuts, 72 Publications of Interest • Jagriti Forest insects, Ginseng, Medicinal • Using knowledge handed down plants and herbs, Moss, Paper 78 Web Sites from generations to produce mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), 79 Readers’ Response commercial products Pine products, Rattan, Wildlife and • Shea butter sales change African Yacón women’s plight % History of forestry as it developed in 43 Country Compass Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) are goods Central Europe % Angola, Armenia, Belize, Botswana, of biological origin other than wood, derived % Man finds way to grow famed French Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, from forests, other wooded land and trees truffle Cameroon, Chile, China, Cuba, outside forests. Non-timber forest products % Mangrove forests, sea algae and Democratic Republic of the Congo, (NTFPs), another term frequently used to corals help to combat tsunamis Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guyana, India, cover this vast array of animal and plant % Medicinal uses of NWFPs Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, products, also includes small wood and • Medicinal products from forests Jamaica, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, fuelwood. However, these two terms are used • Aussie bee honey – an antibiotic in Paraguay, the Philippines, Romania, synonymously throughout this bulletin. Other the United Kingdom Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, terms, such as “minor”, “secondary” or • Boswellia serrata extract scores Sierra Leone, the Sudan, Uganda, “speciality” forest products, are sometimes well in COX-2 comparison United Arab Emirates, United used to keep original names and/or titles. • Cinnamon may help fight against Kingdom, United Republic of

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 GUEST ARTICLE 3

PARTICIPATORY Nature of institutions of adequate market orientation and ENTERPRISE MODELS With economic development linked more inadequate value addition. %FOR NWFP and more to markets and trade, activities This is changing in some cases: NWFPs DEVELOPMENT have been categorized into sectors for the have re-emerged from relative obscurity, purposes of management and control. and their development has gained some Attributes of NWFPs The overall objective of an institutional momentum. NWFPs are an important natural resource system for specific sectors is to facilitate Occurrence in all types of (primary and that influenced the early progress of development within the framework of secondary) forests; amenability for human society. They are among the earliest defined policies. It covers instruments (in domestication and cultivation; a role in traded products, and earliest of those to be the form of laws, rules and regulations) for conserving biodiversity; an ability to meet domesticated, leading to agricultural translating policy into action, and increasing demand for organic products revolution. For most of recorded history, organizational arrangements for effective and green consumerism; an ability to people have valued the forests not so much implementation of policy instruments. sustain the chemical treasure in plants; a for timber, but for NWFPs. Organizations of a sector can be broadly capacity to support poverty reduction; and As industrial revolution followed categorized as governance organizations improve livelihoods are attributes agricultural revolution, colonial influence (carrying out authority functions) and favouring awareness about NWFPs and expanded in various parts of the world and enterprise organizations (carrying out their re-emergence. cheap synthetic substitutes became development functions). A bright outlook for NWFPs hinges on available, NWFPs lost their primacy and Governance organizations are essential addressing entrenched institutional blind timber came into prominence. NWFPs for providing policy guidance, enforcing spots, with emphasis on research, were collectively categorized as minor instruments and facilitating sectoral technology transfer, skill developments, forest products (MFPs). Arboreal development. Enterprise organizations are improved information, flexible credit abundance gave way to ecological of various types – public, private, non- services and, above all, people’s degradation, a result of excessive logging governmental, participatory, cooperative, participation. and improper land use changes, and so the collaborative, etc. – to suit the situation natural resources of NWFPs also suffered and achieve goals. By nature and purpose, relative depletion. enterprises should be flexible and result- For millions of forest-dependent oriented and vested with full autonomy. indigenous and poor people, NWFPs Authority/governance, in contrast, focuses remained a major source of subsistence. mainly on ensuring rule of law in business The value of this subsistence has been dealings and tends to be process-oriented. estimated at about US$120 billion, globally. Experience has shown that where However, in this role, several NWFPs were government agencies such as forest mainly of local importance. departments implement both enterprise Some experts suggest that the future of and authority functions, they tend to forestry will depend more and more on become inefficient and corrupt and be NWFPs, because of their special attributes destructive of people’s resources. These and environmental friendliness. These functions could be more effectively carried assertions, nevertheless, are not matched out, if they were to be separated. by institutional changes that ensure effective action. Blind spots There are no institutional systems and Innovative enterprise models organizational arrangements specifically NWFP-based enterprises can take useful designed for NWFPs. Relegated to minor lessons from other sectors where status, NWFPs are treated as incidental shortcomings have spurred the emergence appendages to timber-based forestry. In of new innovative institutional models, most forest policies, NWFPs get, at best, a such as autonomous enterprises that mention in passing. Rules and regulations break free of sluggish bureaucratic developed for wood products are applied to operational styles. Some have been NWFPs, often inappropriately. The existing launched by governments while others institutional system in most cases has have been undertaken with the support of consistently failed to achieve the non-governmental organizations and development potentials of NWFPs. In donors. A few have been self-initiated. terms of strengthened and innovative They are characterized by functional and institutions for NWFPs, there are only few financial autonomy. These mechanisms replicable initiatives that can serve as include commodity boards, autonomous models. commissions, public-private partnerships, Apart from the institutional anomalies company-community collaborations, fair “Riches of the forest: food, spices, creafts and resins Asia” and deficiencies, other important trade networks, self-help groups and weaknesses affecting NWFPs include lack cooperatives.

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A few NWFP-based participatory to incite meaningful debate in that regard. enterprises have emerged in the recent (Contributed by: Cherukat past in different parts of the world. Their Chandrasekharan, F1, Althara Nagar, nature and structure vary: most are small, Trivandrum – 695 010, India; self-help entities, such as local e-mail: [email protected]) associations and village cooperatives. They (Mr Chandrasekharan was the founder of are often based on specific products (such FAO’s NWFP Programme and the editor of as cardamom, mushroom, sea buckthorn, Non-Wood News until his retirement in bamboo products, shea butter), and mostly 1995. How appropriate, therefore, that he involved in cooperative marketing. Others should inaugurate a new feature of are medium enterprises formed into Non-Wood News: our “Guest article”.) p cooperative corporations/companies involved in production/processing and “Riches of the forest: for health, life and spirit in Africa” marketing of one or more products. Innovations in developing countries tend Company-farmer/artisan collaboration to be participatory/cooperative or is a form of participatory arrangement. partnership models. These help increase Examples include farmers supplying marketing strength, enhance bargaining medicinal plants to indigenous drug power, eliminate intermediaries, enable companies and large rattan-ware units professional management, conserve serving as a nucleus for collecting and resources, empower people and improve marketing of production from small viability of the enterprise. producers in a locality. The successful Anand Milk Marketing By forming into hierarchic, multitiered Union Limited (AMUL) model for milk systems, participatory ventures can production/processing and marketing in the become progressively efficient and Gujarat state of India is considered by powerful. One such case, exclusively experts as appropriate for NWFP covering NWFPs, is the Minor Forest development, ensuring participation of Produce Cooperative Federation of Madhya stakeholders at all operational levels. Pradesh state in India. Following a three- AMUL was started in 1946 to stop tier pyramidal structure, it is responsible exploitation of milk producers at the hands for resource management, harvesting, of intermediaries. It began with two village trading and development of NWFPs. societies and 247 litres of milk. It expanded The system of Village Forestry and grew into the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Associations (VFAs) and Forestry Marketing Federation by 1973. Following Cooperatives of the Republic of Korea the AMUL model, today, there are 22 state- covers the whole country and deals with level federations in India, with 176 district both wood and NWFPs. The system of VFAs unions, over 100 000 village societies and started with government support in the some 11 million members involved in early 1970s, comprising a hierarchy of production and marketing of a large forestry associations. The system was number of milk products. The main further strengthened in the 1980s by characteristics of the AMUL model are converting the VFAs into self-propelling professional management and leadership, cooperatives of homogenous membership. in-house research, non-acceptance of As can be noted, waves of changes are subsidies, avoidance of external influence sweeping over and altering the overall and member centrality. sociopolitical environment of forestry (and The AMUL concept has been extended to NWFPs). Interacting factors drive these sugar, fish, fibre and other consumable changes. There has been a transition to an products that are produced in large open society, democratic and decentralized quantities, involving significant numbers of institutions and a market economy. And people. Many NWFPs, particularly new and larger markets have opened. biodiesels, mulch, medicinal plants, Strategies for integrated development of bamboo, rattan, resins and essential oils NWFPs need adequate institutional are involved. underpinning with broad-based, willing and The bottom line for effective participation organized participation. is popular sovereignty and decentralization, which will facilitate people to acquire the The issue needs debate freedom and capability to decide on In closing, it is underlined that the intention development initiatives and the power to of this short note is not to suggest carry out these decisions. guidelines for NWFP institutions, but only

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 SPECIAL FEATURES 5

NWFP USE AND MARKETS variaciones a lo largo de los últimos años. En (Cinchona pubescencs), especie que crece IN THE AMAZONIAN la última década se ha verificado una en Bolivia y en Colombia, se extrae como SUBREGION OF BOLIVIA, disminución en la producción en esta región, materia prima una droga contra la malaria % BRAZIL, COLOMBIA, a excepción del Brasil y Bolivia. La mayor (quinino). También en Colombia, la palma ECUADOR, PERU AND THE parte de la producción del Brasil se consume canangucha (Mauritia flexuosa), de cuya BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC internamente (aproximadamente el 70%) y el planta se extrae el aceite de alma OF VENEZUELA 30% restante se comercializa canangucha o moriche, se exporta. Los internacionalmente. Se calcula que en 2002 datos disponibles para este país señalan Consumo y comercio de los Productos las exportaciones han sido de exportaciones de alrededor de Forestales no Madereros (PFNM) en la aproximadamente 10 000 toneladas mientras 110 000 toneladas de aceite de palma en Subregión Amazónica que el consumo interno alcanzó las 20 000 1999, de las cuales 93 000 se vendieron en De acuerdo al Informe de la Subregión toneladas. En Bolivia su comercialización se crudo y el restante como fracciones o Amazónica preparado por la FAO, los efectúa de dos modos con cáscara o incorporadas en productos procesados. El productos forestales no madereros (PFNM) deshidratada, y se exporta en su mayoría. Su valor de las exportaciones se estima son de gran importancia a escala social y consumo interno es bajo mientras que la en 58 millones de dólares. económica para las poblaciones de estos exportación se ha incrementado En Colombia y Venezuela, la palma países (Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador, significativamente en los últimos años. chiqui–chiqui (Leopoldina piassaba) es Perú y Venezuela). En el citado estudio se Algunas publicaciones presentan el Brasil usada para utensilios, artesanía y como evalúa que en los próximos años como el principal exportador mundial. Otras material de construcción. Otro PFNM es el aumentará el interés sobre los mismos fuentes mencionan que Bolivia es el principal bambú (Guadua spp.), ampliamente incluso a escala industrial. exportador de este producto y el Perú se utilizado en la construcción civil, en la Los PFNM que verificarán un mayor encuentra en el tercer lugar. fabricación de muebles y para artesanías incremento en la producción serán el En el Ecuador, los hongos silvestres en el Ecuador, Colombia y Venezuela. En el caucho (Hevea Brasiliensis) y la yerba mate (Boletus spp.) asociados a las plantaciones Ecuador, el uso de este producto se ha (Ilex paraguarensis). La producción de de pino, constituyen un importante PFNM a incrementado, según datos de la Guía caucho en la subregión viene creciendo en nivel nacional. Su aprovechamiento nacional de artesanía. Se han individuado la última década, principalmente a causa comenzó en la década de los ochenta; su 19 talleres artesanales que elaboran del incremento en la producción del Brasil procesamiento industrial (secado, juguetes y otros productos en las (también se elabora en Bolivia, Colombia y fraccionado, empaquetado) inició en 1991. provincias de Azuay y Esmeraldas. En la Perú). Sin embargo se percibe una El achiote (Bixa orellana) constituye otro región de la costa ecuatoriana, el principal competencia por parte de la oferta importante PFNM para Venezuela: se usa consumidor de estos productos es la proveniente de las plantaciones en Malasia como colorante en comidas, se cultiva en construcción civil. por los substitutos sintéticos. La yerba huertos caseros y en plantaciones, y Otros importantes PFNM son las resinas mate es una de las bebidas más populares también se industrializa. Sin embargo, no obtenidas de las plantaciones de pino consumidas en el sur y sudeste del Brasil; existen datos de la producción. (Pinus spp.). Los principales países proviene principalmente de los bosques Las algarrobas, frutos del Prosopis pallida, productores de estos productos son naturales de los estados del sur (Paraná, es un alimento bastante importante en el Venezuela y el Brasil. En la década de los Santa Catarina y Rio Grande do Sul) y en el Perú, aún si se trata de pequeñas cantidades, noventa Venezuela producía oeste del Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul. es importante como alimento para el ganado 7 000 toneladas de resina cruda de Pinus Los productos comestibles más y la producción de algarrobita (café de caribaea. A mediados de esa década, el importantes para esta subregión en algarrobo). El bosque seco de la costa norte Brasil producía aproximadamente de 60 a términos de cantidades son las castañas y de este país es el hábitat natural de esta 65 000 toneladas. el palmito. Estos continuarán a mediano especie (más de 1,3 millones de ha). La tala El estudio menciona la dificultad de plazo, participando a baja escala en el de este árbol está actualmente en veda, pero analizar el comercio de los PFNM y sus comercio internacional; la producción del existe una gran presión social sobre el tendencias a causa de la escasa palmito se concentra principalmente en el mismo, lo que genera con mucha frecuencia disponibilidad de la información estadística Brasil, Bolivia y el Ecuador. Los hongos su tala ilegal para producir leña y carbón. De presentada de manera sistemática. Si se silvestres en el Ecuador, el achiote (Bixa acuerdo al INRENA (Instituto Nacional de considera aisladamente el Brasil, las orellana) en Venezuela y la canangucha Recursos Naturales), la producción total se tendencias de los mismos definen las (Mauritia flexuosa) en Colombia. También estima en 2 millones de toneladas anuales. El siguientes perspectivas para el año 2020: el aceite de copaíba (Copaifera spp.), la uña 60% lo consume el ganado, el 20% se • en lo que concierne al caucho, se de gato (Uncaria tormentosa), el bambú comercializa en agroindustria para producir espera un crecimiento importante de (Guadua spp., Chusquea spp.) mantendrán algarrobita y el 20% restante se pierde. las importaciones, puesto que el su importancia. Estímulos Son muy numerosas las plantas consumo interno crecerá debido al gubernamentales a las exportaciones medicinales obtenidas en los bosques de la aumento de la demanda del mismo por podrían impactar el comercio de estos subregión amazónica. Entre las más parte de la industria automotriz y el productos creándose nichos de mercado y importantes se encuentran: la uña de gato país aún no será autosuficiente; se canales que estimulen su mercadeo. (Uncaria tormentosa) y el aceite de copaíba calcula que para el año 2020 las La producción de castaña de Pará (Copaifera multijuga o Copaifera importaciones de caucho podrían (Bertholletia excelsa), viene sufriendo langsdorffii). Del tronco de cinchona alcanzar las 250 000 toneladas. La

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producción provendrá principalmente harvested from wild stocks. The species is de áreas naturales de la región norte. PARA MAYOR INFORMACIÓN SOBRE LOS rarely cultivated in Bolivia as villagers have Las demás regiones contemplan ESTUDIOS Y POR COPIAS DE LOS MISMOS had limited success because of the low básicamente valores de producción de DIRIGIRSE A: survival rates of the plants; however, caucho natural a partir de áreas Olman Serrano, Oficial forestal superior Ecuadorians have managed to establish plantadas. Servicio de Productos Forestales, productive plantations. • las exportaciones de yerba mate Departamento Forestal, FAO, Viale delle Terme In some cases, jipi japa harvesters, también aumentarán debido al di Caracalla, Roma 00153, Italia mainly men, carry out the weaving. In other incremento de la demanda de los Correo electrónico: [email protected] cases they sell the fibres to artisans who mercados de los países vecinos, se produce the various handicrafts. Most of prevé que en 2020 cerca de these are sold within Bolivia, although the 55 000 toneladas serán orientadas al artisan association in Chapare, in mercado internacional. Se presume un Cochabamba, has been exploring the aumento en la demanda de este export market. It is difficult to estimate the producto, a causa principalmente, de total value of jipi japa production since the su precio competitivo con relación a raw material is incorporated in many otras infusiones de uso similar. different products, which are En síntesis, en esta subregión el commercialized in various ways. At the mercado de los PFNM se viene household level, jipi japa may represent

desarrollando desde hace muchos años a Latin America” anywhere between 15 and 80 percent of the escala informal. Sin embargo se ha total family income. The influencing factors manifestado interés por parte de los include the distance to market, the number actores relacionado con los mismos países of people in the family involved in the jipi como Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú japa trade and whether or not they belong donde se están implementando Iniciativas to one of the associations. “Riches of the forest: fruits, remedies and handicrafts in de Biocomercio (UNCTAD), mediante Carludovica palmata There are two main negative factors programas nacionales y además existen affecting the production of jipi japa herramientas que se proyectan a nivel Bolivia takes its hat off to Jipi japa handicrafts: i) in some areas, jipi japa regional. Se han conformado grupos de (Carludovica palmata) shoots are being harvested more quickly trabajo y estructuras específicas para Jipi japa (Carludovica palmata), a palm-like than the plants can regenerate, reducing establecer estrategias de implementación, species that grows wild in tropical and Bolivia’s wild populations of the plant. tales como las Directrices Mundiales de subtropical forests in Central and South Almost half of the original Bolivian jipi japa Conservación de Plantas Medicinales America, has woven itself deep into the population has already disappeared, largely (OMS/UICN/WWF/TRAFFIC) y el Estándar everyday lives of Bolivian villages. A wide as a result of changing land use patterns; de Recolección Silvestre Sostenible de array of goods is produced from its fine, ii) new associations are being set up with Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas de white fibres – including the famous government or foreign support. Building up BfN/UICN/ WWF/TRAFFIC (ISSC-MAP, Panama hat. the capacity to promote the production of siglas en inglés), ampliamente consultados The Panama hat originated in Ecuador. jipi japa handicrafts without ensuring there y en fase de implementación inicial. Jesuit missionaries introduced the weaving is an adequate consumer demand results También se puede mencionar el Ecuador, techniques used to make hats and baskets in a saturated market and lower prices for como país que ha manifestado gran interés into Bolivia in 1908. Over time, the artisans harvesters and processors. en esta área a escala internacional, expanded their skills in processing and These factors need to be taken into hospedando la sede para América Latina handling jipi japa fibres to include the account to ensure that jipi japa populations de la UICN (Unión Mundial para la manufacturing of wallets, decorative can survive in Bolivia and continue to Naturaleza), y la oficina Regional para figures, purses and various utensils for provide benefits for the harvesters and Latinoamérica y el Caribe del INBAR (Red kitchens and tables. weavers who work with this palm-like plant. Internacional del Bambú y Ratán), ambas Today jipi japa handicrafts are (Source: Case study on Jipi japa fibre, entidades se encuentran ampliamente manufactured by indigenous people in the handicrafts, by Erik Arancibia and Fausto relacionadas con los PFNM, promoviendo lowland communities of northeast Bolivia. López [in Riches of the forest: fruits, programas de desarrollo sostenible de las These remote communities are developing remedies and handicrafts in Latin America, especies que suministran estos productos, stronger relationships with the outside eds C. López, P. Shanley and A.C. Fantini].) facilitando el intercambio y la difusión de world as their manufacturing of jipi japa información y tecnologías sobre las handicrafts expands. As a result, some mismas. artisans are forming collectives to assist Fuente: Informe de la subregión amazónica the commercialization process. ESFAL/SR/1; disponible electrónicamente: Jipi japa plants grow in humid tropical http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/j7353s/j735 and subtropical forests, but they can also 3s00.htm. Aportado por Sandra Inés Rivero, be found growing wild in agricultural fields, Consultora, Departamento Forestal, FAO, on communal lands, along the banks of [email protected] rivers and in ravines. Jipi japa is generally

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Brazil: Baù indigenous land makes its first Colombia: los PFNM y los bosques Ecuador: making a difference for small- sale of certified Brazil nut oil plantados para su producción scale bamboo producers The Baú Indigenous Land enterprise has De acuerdo al Informe Nacional de Like most small-scale farmers in Ecuador, just made its first sale of Forest Colombia se presentan dos casos donde Jhony Moreno relies on diversity – should Stewardship Council (FSC) labelled Brazil plantaciones forestales con manejo one crop fail there is always something to nut oil. Members of the Kayapó tribe especial producen tanto madera como fall back on. Traditionally that has meant closed a deal with the vegetable oil resina (y mediante un proceso industrial cattle, some annual crops, coffee, cacao processing company, Beraca, immediately se elabora colofonia). and bananas. But, with the help of the after receiving FSC label and IBD (organic) En el primer caso se puede mencionar International Network for Bamboo and certification una plantación de 8 000 ha de pino caribe Rattan (INBAR), he has started growing Beraca provides processed raw (Pinus Caribaea) con fines de resinación y Guadua angustifolia bamboo to produce materials to the cosmetics industry, and producción de 500 toneladas/año de split canes and bamboo, which now purchased the entire certified production colofonia, oferta que está siendo provide a secure income for his family (and of the Kayapó, some 750 litres. Beraca consumida totalmente por el mercado local workers who depend upon him), as director, João Matos, said that for forest nacional. the figures below show. products to become increasingly El segundo caso trata de plantaciones incorporated into the cosmetics and de Hevea Brasiliensis para la producción US$ Total Net hygiene industry in general, in addition to de caucho, 5 000 ha en producción y 5 000 per year costs profit the high quality of raw material, there has ha en crecimiento. Bamboo 2 241 1 542 699 to be a guarantee of constant supply. On A pesar de que muchos otros PFNM Milk 1 971 1 971 0 this point, the management plan required llegan al mercado, es difícil encontrar Maize 263 309 -46 for FSC certification includes planning to información sobre valores de producción a Cassava 341 603 392 enable continuous production. escala nacional, localización y prácticas de Bananas 383 392 -9 The Kayapó invited business people to manejo del bosque para lograr un contact them so that, together, they might aprovechamiento sostenible de los After his initial training through INBAR, conduct prospecting as to the economic mismos. Se sabe, sin embargo, que a Mr Moreno went on to develop his own feasibility of other potential raw materials escala social y en el comercio local, improved production techniques, sharing for the industry. (Source: Amazonia.org.br, especialmente para las regiones con his knowledge with other farmers. He now 15 December 2006.) poblaciones autóctonas que viven cerca al markets his own bamboo products and has bosque, estos productos son de gran valor. earned enough in the last 18 months to Brazil: bamboo project in the Vale do Alto Las perspectivas, basadas en la inclusión build a house. His farm has become a Rio das Velhas region de estos productos dentro del Plan centre for demonstrations, training The Centro de ecología humana (Centre of Nacional de Desarrollo Forestal para ser workshops and exchange opportunities Human Ecology) seeks to establish a trabajados dentro del Subprograma de between farmers and bamboo experts. He sustainable development project for the Vale Manejo y Aprovechamiento del Bosque has also begun to advise other do Alto Rio das Velhas region in Brazil by Natural, indican que para el año 2020, este communities on managing their own using bamboo to decontaminate the river. sector estará más estructurado y definido. bamboo stands to produce split canes. This project will be executed in the Fuente: Informe Nacional de Colombia (Source: In partnership for a better world municipalities of Jaboticatubas and Lagoa ESFAL/N/8, disponible electrónicamente: – strategy to the year 2015. 2006. Beijing, Santa in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and will www.fao.org/docrep/007/j4192s/j4192s00.htm China, INBAR.) propose developing sustainable use methodologies in adjacent areas. The project Ecuador: palm fibre (Aphandra natalia) – will serve as a model for other regions. its management and benefits Project objectives include introducing In the 1970s, the weak agriculture-based bamboo as a decontaminator in order to family economy that affected the region of protect rivers of the state of Minas Gerais, Sevilla de Oro motivated the migration of and promoting bamboo as a sustainable many families to the Ecuadorian Amazon, product of high value for architecture, to a small village called Chinimbimi, where engineering and furniture construction. they bought land with the idea of (Source: Eco-Index Monthly Update, establishing cattle farms. As most of the February 2007.) farms still had a high percentage of primary forest, one of the first activities to FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: generate a cash income was the extraction Sonia Araujo Penna and Antonio Ernesto of the valuable timber as part of the Gomes Carneiro, Project Directors, process of clearing the forest to establish Centro de Ecología Humana, pastures. Rua Prof. Antonio Aleixo, 330/1102,30180150 – Farmers then started to extract and Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. “Riches of the forest: food, spices, creafts and resins Asia” manage the non-timber forest resource, E-mail: [email protected]; palm fibre, produced from the leaves of www.fazendadasminhocas.com.br Aphandra natalia, a native palm of the

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forests originally exploited for its timber. It Demand for the product is largely a El origen de los productos es diverso, was known that in a nearby village, palm result of its high vitamin C content, which pero la tendencia que domina es la fibre was flown out to Guayaquil to make is 50 times more than that of oranges. recolección en bosques naturales, brooms. When the palm fibre was valued as In 2007 exports of US$3 million are matorrales, árboles y arbustos aislados, a resource that could be produced in the expected. (Source: FreshPlaza, the vegetación aledaña a cauces de ríos y long term (production starts after ten Netherlands, 2 March 2007.) lagunas, y en menor grado, bosques years), the owners of the farms started to plantados y otras áreas dedicadas a la manage the palm, sowing seeds to increase producción forestal. Los productos its density on the farms to ensure elaborados también son muy diversos, continuous production of the fibre in the destacándose la cestería, tejidos, figuras future. Farmers also left palms that had religiosas e históricas, bateas, tazas, grown from natural regeneration when platos, arreglos florales, tallas en madera, clearing the understorey of the forest. útiles de trabajo, juguetes e instrumentos Over the years the farmers established a musicales. La información sobre especies production system including pastureland usadas en la elaboración de las artesanías

Latin America” combined with a few dispersed trees of es bastante escasa, pero los trabajos non-commercial value and palms that are realizados indican que se utiliza una amplia left standing and managed by cutting two to gama de vegetales que comprende árboles, four leaves to harvest their fibre while arbustos, gramíneas, palmas bejucos y leaving at least five leaves to guarantee the Myrciaria dubia lianas. survival and next production cycle of fibre “Riches of the forest: fruits, remedies and handicrafts in En Venezuela el uso del bambú y el de after six months. Peruvian Brazil nut collectors take control especies similares, es poco difundido, pero Currently, within 0.5 km from the centre of their future en los últimos años el encarecimiento de of Chinimbimi, where the palm is mainly In Peru, recent laws have required that los costos de fabricación de muebles con concentrated, 16 colonist family farmers anyone harvesting and selling Brazil nuts maderas tradicionales, ha popularizado el own an average of 40 ha. For them, the must obtain a Non-Timber Forest Product uso de estas especies. La Guadua (Guadua extraction of palm fibre is a continuous Concession Contract. To obtain a spp.) y Guafa (especie de la familia de source of cash income (on average each concession, Brazil nut collectors must Bambuseae) está en el orden de 564 940 family receives a monthly net income of develop and comply with a forest unidades y 124 550 unidades por año, US$482 from the sale of approximately 14 management plan, which regulates the respectivamente. quintals of fibre). This level of production is harvest, collection and transport of the También se menciona la producción de obtained by harvesting about 700 palms per nuts. sustancias aromáticas, provenientes de month from an area of around 1.5 ha, In Madre de Dios, 335 families saw an plantaciones de sarrapia (Dipteryx odorata) employing local labour from the village. opportunity in these new laws to take establecidas con el objeto de aprovechar el The low cost of the initial investment in control of their future. They requested titles fruto para la extracción de cumarina, la terms of input and labour required to to their land so that they could obtain cual es una materia prima fundamental maintain the palm and the continuous concessions. The families then grouped para la industria de la perfumería. Las production of the fibre are determining themselves into associations, according to comunidades campesinas de la Reserva factors in converting the palm into a pillar the size of the concession plot sought. Now Forestal El Caura desarrollaron of the family economy for the majority of they sell Brazil nuts directly to exporters plantaciones de esta especie con una the inhabitants of Chinimbimi over the past and are no longer dependent on the prices superficie y antigüedad no registradas. Se 20 years, relegating cattle to second place. that local brokers offer. (Source: Field estima que son varios miles de hectáreas (Source: ForLive Highlights, 3, February guide to the future. Four ways for plantadas hace unos 70 años. El mercado 2007.) communities to think ahead. 2006. K. Evans de la cumarina está dominado por et al. (www.asb.cgiar.org/ma/scenarios/)) transacciones internacionales donde es Peru: Camu camu fruit exports increased fundamental garantizar una calidad y flujo by 134.5 percent La República Bolivariana de Venezuela y constantes. Al no cumplir estas Peruvian exports of the camu camu fruit sus PFNM condiciones, los productores de El Caura (Myrciaria dubia), which is marketed as a En los últimos años en varias zonas de este dejaron de ser competitivos, además, la health food, increased by 134.5 percent in país, según el Informe Nacional de cumarina actualmente tiene competidores 2006. Exports totalled US$2.126 million, Venezuela, se ha observado un marcado de origen industrial. Además este recurso compared with US$906.585 in 2005. desarrollo en la elaboración de productos puede ser aprovechable de manera The product is for sale mostly in provenientes del bosque, tal es el caso de la sostenida, existe experiencia, tradición y la processed forms, creating added value. utilización de madera de pequeñas madera se puede usar en la construcción The most important market for the fruit dimensiones y de los PFNM como hojas, naval, durmientes de ferrocarril y from the Amazon jungle was Japan, with frutos, semillas, lianas, bejucos, fibras y ebanistería de alta calidad. 80 percent of the total, followed by the hierbas, entre otros, para la producción de Fuente: Informe Nacional de Venezuela United States of America (12 percent), the artesanías. Esto constituye una fuente de ESFAL/N/12, disponible electrónicamente: Netherlands (4 percent), Canada (1 ingresos de importancia local, así como http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/j5484s/j5484 percent) and Hong Kong (1 percent). también una fuente generadora de empleos. s07.htm#P1490_62004

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CAN NWFPS HELP resources. Ironically, NWFPs have been lack of access to market information since IN ACHIEVING considered to be minor products compared they tend to live in remote areas. The poor %THE MILLENNIUM with other forest resources. However, it will are more likely to suffer from such negative DEVELOPMENT GOALS? be shown that NWFPs can play a significant scenarios, but NWFPs can mean the role in contributing to achieving the goals, difference between life and death when The United Nations Millennium although there are challenges. This policy eradicating hunger is concerned, which is Development Goals (MDGs) are common brief will ultimately advocate a synergistic the second part of this goal. objectives that provide a framework to approach to achieving the goals where Currently 852 million people suffer from meet the basic needs and rights of millions several goals are combined into one effort. hunger because of poverty and lack of of people in the developing world. There are Investing in NWFPs through careful access to food. It is clear that NWFPs alone eight goals with 18 targets and over 40 planning may help to achieve several goals cannot prevent millions from being hungry. indicators that help to monitor and achieve simultaneously. However, in times of emergencies and the goals. seasonal shortfalls of agricultural Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger products, NWFPs can be a source of food The Millennium Development Goals (Goal 1) security and offer an alternative means of The target of this goal is to halve the preventing hunger, in addition to being a Goal 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger proportion of people who earn less than a supplementary source of food. NWFPs Goal 2. Achieve universal primary education dollar a day. Selling forest products is such as bushmeat, leaves, wild flowers, Goal 3.Promote gender equality and known to reduce extreme levels of poverty. fruits, wild roots and tubers can provide empower women It has been estimated that 12.9 million rich sources of energy, which are especially Goal 4.Reduce child mortality people are employed in the industrial important in preventing hunger and Goal 5.Improve maternal health forestry sector and twice as many in the reducing vulnerability. Goal 6.Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other informal forestry sector, suggesting that diseases forest products could help to achieve this Goal 7.Ensure environmental sustainability goal. Although NWFPs are not usually the Goal 8.Develop a global partnership for main source of income for harvesters, they development play a crucial role in preventing worsening (Source: www.undp.org/mdga) poverty by creating safety nets. This role should not be underestimated. Especially in times of need, harvesting NWFPs still In 2000, the Millennium Declaration was remains a popular option for many poor agreed upon by world leaders to aim to forest-dependent people because it achieve the MDGs by 2015. The objective of requires low levels of skill and there are this policy brief is to explore whether it is few barriers to entry into the subsector. It is possible for forest resources, particularly also a relatively easy source of income for non-wood forest products (NWFPs), to help those without access to capital or credit to to achieve the MDGs. invest in other more lucrative income- There are over 3.4 billion ha of forests on earning opportunities. Moreover, NWFPs which 1.6 billion people in the developing can be safety nets during seasonal world depend directly or indirectly on forest shortfalls and emergency periods. Nevertheless, before investing in NWFPs it is important to be aware of the challenges that they bring, which may create poverty traps. ONLINE ATLAS OF THE MILLENNIUM There are three reasons why NWFPs Food security and nutrition can be DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS) may be poverty traps rather than safety sustained by many wild plants and nets and may be considered to have anti- animals, which often play a critical role The World Bank has launched a Web poor elements. The first regards the for the poorest groups, particularly site (http://devdata.worldbank.org/ economics of NWFPs, which generally elicit during times of drought or food atlas-mdg/) that translates data on low returns since the density of available insecurity. The South African some of the world’s development NWFPs is low, thus meaning that one has Millennium Ecosystem Assessment challenges into maps designed for a lay to travel far to collect a handful of certain estimates, for example, that the value audience. The maps are derived from NWFPs, making harvesting costs high and of day-to-day wild resource the Bank’s World Development returns low. Second, access to markets is consumption is around US$800 million Indicators database, and depict minimal, either because of poor per annum. progress towards meeting the MDGs. infrastructure or because markets are too (Source: IIED Briefing Paper, Dilys Roe, (Source: Earth Negotiations Bulletin, 19 far away, preventing the sale of what has Ivan Bond, 2007. www.iied.org/pubs/ April 2007.) been collected. Third, harvesters may display.php?o=11070IIED) receive a very small portion of returns because of exploitive market chains and

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Promote gender equality and empower niacin-rich Adansonia digitata and seeds of vitamins and minerals needed to improve women (Goal 3) Parkia sp. NWFPs act as safety nets in human immunity to diseases. This goal aims to target elimination of vulnerable times and could help to prevent One of the targets of this goal is to halt gender disparity in primary and secondary child mortality by not only being a source of and reverse the incidence of malaria, which education. Monitoring the goal includes food, but also by preventing malnutrition will be monitored by death rates resulting measuring the ratio of girls to boys in and strengthening the body’s defence from malaria and the proportion of the different levels of education and the share of system to some extent. population in malaria-prone areas using women in wage employment in non- malaria treatment. More than 50 percent of agricultural sectors. The target could be the world’s population is exposed to malaria, expanded to include promoting which kills 1.1 to 2.7 million people per year, empowerment of women by measuring their MORINGA TO ASSIST MALNOURISHED mostly women and children. Yet medicinal access to harvesting NWFPs and the level of CHILDREN IN GHANA plants can help to cure these debilitating financial empowerment they can achieve. The Adventist Development and Relief diseases. Today, antimalarial research is Many women are involved in harvesting Agency (ADRA) Ghana, is embarking on focused on the medicinal plant Artemisia NWFPs for commercial purposes, a programme to assist 5 000 annua L., which could be three times more especially because of the low entry malnourished children in 58 communities effective than quinine. (See page 31 for more thresholds. NWFPs can be collected near in the central region to improve their information on Artemesia annua.) women’s homes so that they can combine health conditions. ADRA is assisting the Finding the cure for HIV/AIDS, however, making a small but significant income communities to grow the Moringa is an ongoing process. The target in while managing their household oleifera plant, which has been found to relation to this goal is to halt and reverse responsibilities. Women are also involved in contain high nutritious and medicinal the spread of HIV/AIDS by monitoring the organized small enterprises where income properties and it has appealed to the HIV prevalence among pregnant women that they earn is often reinvested for family communities to use it in the preparation and the ratio of AIDS orphans who attend needs such as food, clothing and schooling. of their food. According to ADRA's school. In sub-Saharan Africa, where 25 It is the commercial aspects of NWFPs that Winneba area Field Project Officer, the million people are affected with HIV, it has could help women become more financially 12-month programme would cover been predicted that more and more will empowered and diversify the sources of malnourished children between the ages become further dependent on forest household income, leading to indirect of six and 59 months. (Source: Joy resources, such as NWFPs for food and impacts on education. Online, Ghana, 12 March 2007.) income, as agricultural productivity (See pages 16-18 for information on female decreases and poverty increases as a entrepreneurs.) result of poor health. Dependency on medicinal plants to cure the side effects of Reduce child mortality (Goal 4) HIV/AIDS will also increase the potential to Currently 11 million children under the age cure HIV/AIDS through medicinal plants of five die every year. NWFPs in terms of that are still being researched. forest food are sources of rich nutrients that In addition to HIV/AIDS and malaria, there can act as a means of reducing illness and are other diseases that can potentially be mortality among children. They can provide cured by medicinal plants. For example, 1.6 essential nutrients, especially for those who million deaths result from unclean water are poor and live in remote areas, away from and 3 900 children die every day from alternative sources of food. preventable waterborne diseases. These

Although the contribution of forest foods “Family nutrition guide” diseases could be treated by the seeds of to the household diet varies depending on Moringa sp., which can clarify turbid water, the context, NWFPs such as stems, roots resulting in a 98–99 percent elimination of and tubers can provide starch to the diet. For indicator bacteria. Moringa is a low-cost instance, forest foods such as the oil-rich water treatment technology that helps to seeds of Geoffroea decorticans and the Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other decrease exposure to waterborne diseases protein-rich leaves of baobab can help diseases (Goal 6) and is a form of safe drinking-water. reduce protein-energy malnutrition that can Medicinal plants have been used for The fruits of Balanites aegyptiaca and lead to reduced growth and susceptibility to centuries to treat illnesses. Many people Swartzia madagascarensis contain infection. Vitamin A deficiency, which can still rely on them for health care, especially saponins that kill snails that carry cause death, can be prevented through the in rural areas where access to clinics is waterborne fleas. NWFPs such as Moringa, leaves of Pterocarpus sp. and bee larvae. difficult. The World Health Organization Balanites aegyptiaca and S. Iron deficiency, which particularly affects states that globally 80 percent of people madagascarensis can help target Goal 7, women and children, can be prevented still depend on medicinal plants for health which calls for access to safe and improved through eating wild animals or insects, such care. Although the efficacy of some drinking-water. as tree ants, as well as mushrooms. Niacin medicinal plants is yet to be proved, some Finally, tuberculosis, which kills 2 million deficiency, which can cause diarrhoea that have demonstrated high concentrations of people every year, of which 12 percent are can lead to death among children, can be chemicals that are needed for modern related to HIV-positive cases, could be prevented through forest fruits and leaves of drugs, as well as high concentrations of treated with the medicinal plant Hyposis sp.

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relation to NWFPs is the proportion of land studies to obtain information on the covered by forests and the ratio of area condition of the setting with more detailed THE ROLE OF MORINGA OLEIFERA IN protected to maintain biological diversity. studies analysing issues of well-being, REACHING THE MDGS IN NIGERIA Many NWFPs are found in forested areas equity and risks involved in using NWFPs. and therefore forest resources should be A water filter, which uses the local plant harvested in a sustainable manner. The Develop a global partnership for Moringa oleifera, has been developed environmental impact of extracting NWFPs development (Goal 8) by the non-governmental organization is dependent on the species, the parts One of the targets of this goal is to develop (NGO) Rural Africa Water Development harvested and the relationship between an open, rule-based, predictable and non- Project (RAWDP) to help purify water plants and animals in an ecosystem. Forest discriminatory trading system that includes for domestic use in several communities and biodiversity sustainability can be aspects of good governance, development (both rural and urban) in the Niger ensured through conducting resource and poverty reduction. The second target, delta area of Nigeria. Moringa oleifera, inventories. Growth and yield models can which relates to addressing special needs which grows widely in several parts of also help to determine sustainable to least developed countries that takes into the country, is known in the Yoruba harvesting levels. Such biometrics are account tariff and quota-free access for language as ewe ile; gawara in Fulani; necessary to help maintain species, avoid least developed countries’ exports, is also baga-ruwar maka in Hausa; while the overharvesting and plan and prioritize applicable, especially since NWFPs face Ibos call it odudu oyibo. harvesting of NWFPs. both tariff and non-tariff barriers in The project involves the production Environmental sustainability is also linked international markets. Tariffs, safety of sand water filters and the use of with economic and social sustainability. A regulations, quotas and technical natural coagulative properties in the sudden demand for a product and the standards are the most common barriers powdered seeds of the Moringa promise of short-term gains and poor placed on the south by the north. However, oleifera tree to purify water for use by environmental information could lead to the developing countries of the south also poor households. The Project extinction of certain species. Therefore, impose barriers, such as tariffs that are Coordinator of RAWDP believes that before supplying species to meet market four times higher than those in developed the filter technology developed by the demand and ensure their sustainability, countries, which restrict export trade in organization is key to achieving the subsector market analysis could be used. order to raise revenue for the government. water MDGs in Nigeria. He says, “We For instance, a market analysis and There are also various international have about 63 million Nigerians development plan could be used to assess trade agreements that could impose without access to clean water”. He what potential customers want to buy and restrictions and also promote opportunities believes that the Nigerian Government then decide how to proceed to producing, such as the World Trade Organization. With should encourage the massive processing, promoting and distributing the regard to non-tariff measures, species cultivation of Moringa trees by all product. It is a good tool to assess potential protection and health and safety households and the empowerment of beneficiaries, partners, human resources, regulations can be imposed. For instance, people to produce the Mor Sands physical infrastructure and communication the Convention on International Trade in Water Filters. “Everybody should plant networks in order that producers and Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna a Moringa tree in their compound, so consumers can benefit from NWFPs through and Flora regulates the trade of threatened that when it grows, its fruits can be an efficient and ecologically less harmful plants and animals. The Convention on used to filter unclean water.” way of marketing such resources. Various Biological Diversity (CBD) focuses on The Moringa tree can be planted economic analyses can also be conducted biodiversity conservation while promoting anywhere, it grows wild and has the before deciding to harvest NWFPs such as sharing of benefits from the use of genetic benefit of stopping erosion. It has profit, cost and revenue analysis. resources. In order to ensure health and fibrous roots and leaves an antibiotic Environmental sustainability is also safety regulations, phytosanitary effect on the soil. Its bark and roots dependent upon the relationship between regulations are placed on exporting also have medicinal properties. (Source: different actors with different interests. countries. And finally, bans and boycotts This Day, Nigeria, 10 April 2007.) Various social impact assessments can can also play a restrictive role. help determine not only what resources are used by whom, but also how people relate to one another that suggest how economic benefits are distributed among households, Ensure environmental sustainability (Goal 7) for instance. Understanding land tenure, This goal relates to the protection of the for example, can help determine who are resource base, without which it may not be able to benefit from what types of possible to reach the other goals through resources and, thereby, assessment of the the use of NWFPs. The goal suggests the type and extent to which a resource can be need to integrate principles of sustainable extracted. The relationship between people

development into country policies and and resources serves as a window to “Family nutrition guide” reverse the loss of natural resources. understanding environmental There are several indicators for the goal sustainability. Social impact assessments and target but the most pertinent one in could be carried out in the form of baseline

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Links between non-wood forest products and Millennium Development Goals and in what manner. However, MDG no. Goal Positive NWFP/MDG links environmental sustainability must also be linked with economic and social 1 Eradicate extreme poverty Safety nets to prevent extreme sustainability. and hunger poverty and hunger There is a great deal of potential in 3 Promote gender equality Financial empowerment of women using NWFPs to target almost all the and empower women MDGs. By using a cross-sectoral policy 4 Reduce child mortality Nutritional intake from edible NWFPs approach, it is more likely that many goals 6 Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and Medicinal plants could be cures; will be achieved simultaneously, if other diseases NWFPs could be easy and fast sources of carefully planned. nutrition and income Achieving the MDGs through NWFPs will 7 Ensure environmental sustainability Possible to assess sustainability be a challenge, but not an impossible one. (Source: Policy brief researched and 8 Develop a global partnership Development of international for development NWFP market written by M. Chaudhury while working as a volunteer with FAO’s NWFP Programme.)

Conclusions and future steps A cross-sectoral policy approach will FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: The MDGs that have been addressed are help target several goals at the same time. Dr Moushumi Chaudhury, PO Box 6012, inextricably linked. There is more to gain With this approach, certain goals may have Gulshan Post Office, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh. from synergistic efforts to achieve the greater impact than others through the E-mail: [email protected]; goals so that they are not treated use of NWFPs. Using NWFPs to help www.millenniumindicators.un.org p individually and competitively. Therefore, achieve the MDGs should be prioritized as the most important policy follows. recommendation is to develop cross- • Eradicating poverty will have a positive sectoral policies. For instance, developing impact on the other goals. By the harvesting and processing of a major conducting market research and NWFP not only has the potential to help connecting local and international harvesters move away from a poverty trap markets, marginal groups, particularly situation (Goal 1), but also to increase women, could have access to income- incomes from a product with a strong local earning opportunities. Finding and international market. If efforts are resources to sell would be extremely made to improve an NWFP through beneficial as incomes could be building global partnerships (Goal 7), reinvested into other goals such as incomes could potentially rise while education and better access to ensuring environmental sustainability nutrition and health. (Goal 8) through certification programmes. • Another objective to be prioritized for Secure resource access could allow multiple goals to be achieved is the children to have nutritious edible NWFPs financial empowerment of women. If to prevent hunger and disease (Goals 1 and financial resources and marketing 4). If women could gain access to income- skills were to be transferred to women earning opportunities (Goal 3), they would as a form of empowerment, poverty be able not only to escape from extreme and hunger would decrease since poverty (Goal 1) but also to reinvest their studies have shown that women tend incomes and, for example, send their to reinvest their income to improve children to school (Goal 2) and improve the their families’ living standards through family diet to lower child mortality (Goal 4). better nutrition and education, Finally, in order to combat diseases such especially targeting children. Investing as malaria and HIV/AIDS, a sustainable in women would also decrease the resource base is needed because NWFPs, impact on families who lose their male such as medicinal plants, could be a breadwinner to illnesses such as source of direct or indirect treatment, HIV/AIDS. especially if their efficacy is proven. In • The third objective, of equal addition to protecting the resource base importance to the above, is (Goal 7), it is crucial to invest in women’s environmental sustainability. If natural income-earning opportunities to prevent resources are destroyed, none of the increasing poverty and hunger (Goals 1 other goals can be achieved through “Riches of the forest: for health, life and spirit in Africa” and 3), especially if the women’s husbands NWFPs. Ensuring environmental are ill or have died from HIV/AIDS, thus sustainability involves obtaining eliminating the possibility of earning an biometric information to determine to income. what extent an NWFP can be harvested

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through forest-based agricultural characterizes scientific perspectives production of cereals (such as maize), roots stands in contrast with traditional concepts “Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) and tubers (such as cassava and yams) or of health that recognize the therapeutic consist of goods of biological origin bananas. Similarly, traditional cultivation and sustaining values of food more other than wood, derived from forests, systems drawing on agrobiodiversity can holistically. other wooded land and trees outside make adequate food available in spite of The widespread use of roots, barks and forests.” potential intermittent and seasonal other forest plant parts as medicines «Les produits forestiers non ligneux shortages of many forest foods. Thus forest appears to offer public health benefits, but sont des biens d’origine biologique food resources can provide a valuable these are difficult to validate scientifically. autres que le bois, dérivés des forêts, safety net when there is a shortage of food Ethnobotanical studies in tropical forest des autres terres boisées, et des arbres crops. Undoubtedly forest biodiversity is areas typically document knowledge of hors forêts.» the basis of nutritional sufficiency for some hundreds of species within local «Productos forestales no madereros populations. Forest products such as the communities and the widespread use of son los bienes de origen biológico fruits of Mauritia vinifera and other plants in primary health care. Much of the distintos de la madera derivados de los Brazilian palms rich in provitamin A (beta- recorded data on the use of medicinal bosques, de otras tierras boscosas y de carotene and other carotenoids), are plants are anecdotal and idiosyncratic, and los árboles fuera de los bosques.» recognized as exceptional nutrient sources. their specific contribution to the health of (FAO’s working definition) However, the nutrient composition of most individuals cannot be effectively evaluated wild species and minor crops has been without controlled investigations. poorly studied. Ethnopharmacological research, including Links between food and health are clinical studies, demonstrates the efficacy increasingly understood in terms of the of many traditional remedies while failing BIODIVERSITY AND THE functional benefits provided by to substantiate the pharmacological value % DIETS AND HEALTH OF phytochemicals, including numerous of many others. Long-term epidemiological FOREST DWELLERS carotenoids and phenolics, apart from their studies would be needed to confirm the value as essential nutrients. Stimulants of contribution of specific remedies, Most societies recognize that food, immunity and antioxidant, glycaemic and phytomedicines or foods to the health of medicine and health are interrelated. Food lipidaemic agents can moderate populations. Even these remain inadequate is typically associated with cultural identity communicable and non-communicable to measure the efficacy and contributions and social well-being. Indigenous peoples’ diseases such as diabetes, cancer and of traditional healing practices to physical foods form part of rich knowledge systems. cardiovascular illness. Guava, for example, and mental health. Traditional food systems typically draw on is rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which Nonetheless, for forest-based societies local biodiversity and are based on local has recognized anticancer properties. that draw on traditional knowledge for production and management of land and Many nuts have a high content of specific most of their subsistence needs, the use of specific environments. oils such as omega-3 fatty acids (walnuts) a diversity of resources can be expected to Ethnobiological literature documents and mono-unsaturated fatty acids contribute to health. Although many the historical and current importance of an (almonds, macadamias, pistachios, traditional subsistence systems depend on array of resources consumed by hazelnuts) that reduce the risk of one or more staples such as cassava, sago, communities living in and around the cardiovascular and other diseases. Argan rice or maize, these diets are kept diverse world’s forests. It also demonstrates the nuts (Argania spinosa) from the and balanced through small but richness of the traditional knowledge of southwestern part of Morocco offer similar complementary amounts of animal-source indigenous and local communities related benefits, but many forest species with foods including birds, fish, insects and to the gathering and hunting of plant and commercial potential have not been molluscs, as well as sauces, condiments, animal foods and the medicinal value of characterized for their specific fatty acid snacks and beverages obtained from forest species. From a wide range of composition. The leaves of many forest plants. (Source: Unasylva, 57(224): 34–36.) ecosystems, some 7 000 of the earth’s species are rich sources of xanthophylls plant species have been documented as that contribute to optimal eye function. gathered or grown for food, and thousands Examples include leaves of Gnetum spp. more have medicinal properties. and Adansonia digitata (baobab), which are From a nutritional perspective, forest widely eaten in sub-Saharan Africa, and environments offer ample sources of Cnidoscolus acontifolius, which is locally animal (vertebrate and invertebrate) important as a vegetable in Central protein and fat, complemented by plant- America. derived carbohydrates from fruits and While these kinds of functional tubers and they provide diverse options for properties of foods are seldom recognized obtaining a balance of essential vitamins by local communities without the benefit of and minerals from leafy vegetables, fruits, scientific analyses, people often attribute nuts and other plant parts. Although many value in treating or preventing disease to forest types have scant wild sources of particular foods. Indeed the distinction carbohydrates, this lack can be overcome between food and medicine that Adansonia digitata

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BIOPROSPECTING/ grupos étnicos, los cuales poseen all. While fair compensation for exploiting %BENEFIT SHARING identidades culturales diversas y varias indigenous knowledge can be important, OR BIOPIRACY? formas de relación con el territorio y la there are other issues at stake, says biodiversidad. En términos biológicos, Ratuva. “It's not only a matter of money,” Brazil regains açaí trademark from Japan Bolivia es un país megadiverso.Existen he says. “There are certain aspects of the Açaí once again belongs to Brazil. This más de 14 mil especies catalogadas sólo en culture which a lot of communities think typical fruit from Amazonia was registered plantas vasculares, es decir plantas cannot be bought or sold.” He says that in Japan in 2003 as a trademark of the K.K. superiores y no se sabe cuántas de éstas recognition of local people's world view Eyela Corporation. Early this month, the plantas tienen relación cultural con must be part of the process in working out Genetic Heritage Department of the poblaciones humanas. any patent or bioprospecting agreements. Ministry of the Environment stated that the Fuente: Bolpress, La Paz, 27 de febrero Pacific genes and life patents can be açaí trademark had been cancelled by 2007. downloaded from: www.earthcall.org/en/ order of the Japan Patent Office, the agency publications/index.html (Source: ABC responsible for trademarks in Japan. The Science Online, 20 March 2007.) decision is not final – the company still has 30 days in which it can file an appeal. If the China moves to protect traditional company fails to counterclaim the knowledge trademark, the case is closed. Legislators in southwest China's Guizhou The Government has produced a long list province are mulling a regulation aimed at of 3 000 scientific names of plants of protecting property rights for traditional Brazilian biodiversity, together with their knowledge, especially that relating to common names, which swells the list to biological resources. 5 000 names, and has distributed it to For centuries the Miao ethnic group in trademark registrars throughout the world southwestern China extracted herbal in order to prevent another case like this remedies to combat colds, coughs and one appearing. (Source: O Estado de São pneumonia from a type of grass called

Paulo, 21 February 2007.) “Riches of the forest: for health, life and spirit in Africa” guanyin cao. But their failure to patent their traditional knowledge has seen them Es hora de registrar los conocimientos Hands off our genes, say Pacific islanders deprived of the chance to profit from it, said tradicionales de Bolivia para enfrentar Pacific islanders are demanding the power An Shouhai, vice-head of the Guizhou a la biopiratería to restrict patenting of their human, plant provincial bureau of intellectual property El Servicio Nacional de Propiedad and animal genes, even if they run foul of rights. The case of the Miao is an example of Intelectual (SENAPI) se ha propuesto international patent laws. A new book biopiracy, said An. A foreign company pre- sistematizar y registrar los conocimientos documents 16 “acrimonious” encounters empted the Miao by patenting the remedies tradicionales, las expresiones del folklore, between scientific researchers and derived from guanyin cao and is now making los ritos y rituales e inclusive la artesanía indigenous communities and calls for a fortune from it. boliviana con el fin de proteger estos Pacific states to take a united approach to The forthcoming regulation is an effort to aportes históricos de las comunidades gaining control over such patents in the fight against biopiracy. China currently has indígenas que corren el riesgo de region. no laws and regulations to protect traditional fragmentarse, desaparecer o hasta The book, Pacific genes and life patents, knowledge or species such as guanyin cao. sucumbir ante la biopiratería. is published by the international (Source: Xinhua [China], 3 March 2007.) En su milenaria convivencia con sus indigenous activist group Call of the Earth hábitats, los pueblos indígenas y campesinos and the United Nations University in Tokyo. Peru creates online biodiversity register han ido desarrollado experiencias Coeditor of the book, Aroha Mead of the Peru has created an online system with full sostenibles de manejo de los recursos Victoria University of Wellington in New public access to regulate biodiversity naturales, y sobre todo han aprendido a dar Zealand, says that lack of regulation and research. The measure should ensure varios usos a las especies de animales y knowledge about the latest genetic Peru's authority over its native genetic vegetales. Los conocimientos tradicionales technologies and intellectual patent law heritage, according to a press release from están estrechamente vinculados a la noción has made the region a major target for the National Institute of Natural Resources de territorio. commercial gene hunters. The book says a (INRENA), which will run the system. El consultor de la Organización Mundial major problem is that communities INRENA is already working on de Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI) Javier involved in research often do not give implementing the system, which should be Corro fue contratado por el SENAPI para informed consent. completely operational in two months. It realizar un diagnóstico sobre la protección Scientific research and patenting may includes a database showing in real time the de este tipo de conocimientos en Bolivia offend deeply held cultural values, says national and international research being con el objetivo de crear, a mediano y largo coeditor Dr Steven Ratuva, of the University done with genetic resources native to Peru. plazo, una Unidad de Registro de of the South Pacific in Fiji. He says that The system will include a register of Conocimientos Tradicionales. patents on genes in medicinal plants researchers who have applied for a permit Se trata de una titánica labor tomando conflict with the traditional view that these to work in protected sites, forests and en cuenta que en Bolivia habitan más de 30 plants are common property, available for wildlife habitats. Both local and

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international researchers will be asked to settlers made a chewing gum from spruce provide a research proposal and a letter of sap and beeswax. authority from their supporting institution. In 1848, John B. Curtis made and sold the If the application is accepted, a permit will first commercial chewing gum called the be automatically issued within two weeks. State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum. In 1850, INRENA will work with the relevant Curtis started selling flavoured paraffin authorities to decide what information will gums that became more popular than be requested from researchers. This spruce gums. On 28 December 1869, system will enable the tracking of scientific William Finley Semple became the first collection activities both inside and outside person to patent a chewing gum – US protected areas. And by centralizing patent no. 98 304. information about research on genetic In 1871, Thomas Adams patented a resources, it should also allow authorities machine for the manufacture of gum. In 1880, to prioritize proposed research. may actually benefit in one way or another. John Colgan invented a way to make chewing Brazil announced a similar system The chemical alternatives of birch distillate gum taste better for a longer period of time earlier this month. (Source: SciDev.Net, 22 are much more harmful, for example, for while being chewed. By 1888, an Adams' March 2007.) water insects and plants, as well as for chewing gum called Tutti-Frutti became the fish. It is harmless for humans. first to be sold in a vending machine. (Source: It will take about three years to analyse http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventi BIRCH DISTILLATE the composition of birch distillate and to ons/a/gum.htm) %HELPS IN CONTROLLING register it as a pesticide will take a few AGRICULTURAL WEEDS more years. Only after registration can it be Chewing gum in prehistoric times AND PESTS marketed as a pesticide. (Source: Hannes Mäntyranta, forest.fi, 10 January 2007.) It is quite difficult to imagine that chewing MTT Agrifood Research Finland is studying gum is one of the oldest types of sweet in the possibilities of distillate made of birch the world. Archaeologists have actually in controlling agricultural weeds and pests. % CHEWING GUM found evidence that prehistoric men and Originally birch distillate was a by- women used to chew on tree resin product in charcoal production. The first Chewing gum market because of its flavour. This was more than idea of using the distillate in controlling Gum is big business – and it is getting a thousand years ago. It was also pests was found in national traditions. For bigger. The global chewing and bubble gum discovered that many cultures chewed on Charcoal Finland, birch distillate is no market is now worth around UK£10 billion, some form of gum. The ancient Greeks longer only a by-product but is a very good according to Cadbury Schweppes’s director called tree resin mastiche and chewed it product for preventing the smell of of global gum. to clean their teeth and freshen their compost. Moreover, painting a paddock It is growing at 8 percent per year – breath. (Source: Business Portal 24 [press fence with birch distillate stops horses from double the rate of the sweets market and release], 30 March 2007.) gnawing the fence. Farmers who have significantly higher than chocolate’s trouble with elks have found it useful to 5 percent. In most countries, sales are moisten wood pellets with birch distillate surging, driven by gum’s popularity as a Chicle: how gum works and hang them from the branches of trees. preferable alternative to high-calorie Americans spend something like US$2 However, it is not possible to claim publicly snacks and cigarettes, as well as improved billion a year on gum. The average that elks or other animals can be controlled gum recipes and packaging. American munches more than a pound with birch distillate, because its actual That is why Cadbury, which entered the (0.45 kg) of it every year. composition is not known. This is what MTT gum business after buying Adams, the The original chewing gum is a natural Agrifood Research Finland plans to discover. American confectionery group, for product. It is made from a rubbery The amount of birch distillate produced £2.7 billion in 2003, is so keen to expand its compound called chicle that comes from in connection with charcoal production is chewing gum activities. This month it the sapodilla tree. A cut into its bark not negligible: 1 000 litres of distillate from entered the United Kingdom with the produces a rubbery sap, which is the base 20 m3 of birch used. MTT Agrifood launch of Trident, taking the fight to for natural chewing gum. In the same way Research Finland is working on the best Wrigley, the market leader. (Source: Times that one could chew on a rubber band all ways of using birch distillate. Judging by Online, 2 April 2007.) day long without it disappearing, you can the tests it has made, both in greenhouses chew on chicle all day long. Chicle is a and on open fields, birch distillate has a Chewing gum timeline natural rubber. wide scope. It destroys weeds found with The ancient Greeks chewed mastiche – a In the late 1800s, people discovered that carrots with no detriment to the carrot. It chewing gum made from the resin of the you can flavour chicle. You take a chunk of also repels pests, such as molluscs, mastic tree. The ancient Mayans chewed chicle, heat it up a bit to melt it, and then gastropods and snails. chicle which is the sap from the sapodilla start mixing sugar and flavours into it. There are almost no negative effects tree. North American Indians chewed the The only problem with chicle is that found in birch distillate. Living organisms in sap from spruce trees and passed the habit there is not enough of it to go around. There the soil are not harmed by it, but instead along to the settlers. Early American are not nearly enough sapodilla trees to

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supply the world with gum base. Today just work with forest communities and learn how provide them with the awareness and about every piece of chewing gum on the they are making use of available forest knowledge needed to continue providing market contains an artificial gum base products. Using a participatory learning communities with the necessary support. instead of chicle. The gum base is just like process, detailed surveys of local forest Once pilot projects have been established, any other plastic or synthetic rubber in use resources are conducted, studies of local FAO meets with policy-makers and planners today. The goal is to create a tasteless, and regional markets are undertaken and to talk about larger structural and legal artificial rubber that has the same kind of new product, manufacturing and marketing bottlenecks that inhibit small-scale forest temperature profile and consistency as opportunities are identified. At the same enterprise development, with a view to natural chicle. (Source: HowStuffWorks. time, the communities draw up effecting reforms. com [in Belleville News-Democrat, United management plans for the sustainable use (Source: FAO Newsroom, 13 February 2007.) States of America], 27 March 2007.) of the targeted natural resources and develop business plans for pilot enterprises, FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: which run from harvesting, production and Sophie Grouwels, Forestry Officer, Community- ENTREPRENEURS processing to marketing. based Enterprise Development (CBED), %DON'T GROW ON TREES FAO recently collaborated with the Forest Policy Service, Forestry Department, Government of the Lao People's Democratic FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Entrepreneurs don't grow on trees – but Republic to implement a CBED project in Italy. Fax: (39) 06 570 55514; with a little help from FAO, poor families that country, where 41 percent of the e-mail: [email protected]; around the world are starting their own national territory is covered by forests and 80 www.fao.org/forestry/site/35689/en small forest businesses. percent of the population live in rural areas. An innovative new approach from FAO is Six pilot projects were established in the helping poor people around the world to turn poorest part of the country, where annual trees into cash income, without felling trees. household incomes average from US$200 to “It's not just timber companies that benefit $800. The project’s results so far have been from forests – about 1.6 billion people extremely encouraging. In Ban Lack village, worldwide depend on them for all or part of where a grassroots cooperative was already their livelihoods,” says Sophie Grouwels of engaged in manufacturing rattan table and FAO's Forestry Department. “And they often chair sets, project participants learned new do so in ways that don't always involve designs and bettered their production cutting down trees, but through harvesting techniques in order to improve product of renewable, non-wood forest products.” quality and lower production costs. Now they Fruits, nuts, herbs and spices, resins, are earning 20 percent more on each set that gums, fibres – all these non-wood forest they sell, and are earning more thanks to a products provide poor families around the new roadside sales point. A group of women world with food, nutrition and income. in the nearby Ban Nathong village have “Riches of the forest: for health, life and spirit in Africa” Indeed, some 80 percent of the population identified a new market for mushrooms, of developing countries use such products established a growing house, made FEMALE in one way or another to meet health and connections with retailers and boosted their %ENTREPRENEURS IN nutritional needs. monthly incomes by US$108. THE NWFP WORLD “We believe that people could do even All in all, ten community-level businesses more with these renewable resources in employing 239 people were established. Israel's Bedouin women turn desert order to fight hunger and poverty,” says Increases in the incomes of participating plants into skin remedies Grouwels. “Perhaps there are more households ranged from US$5 to $70 per The Bedouin town of Tel Sheva in the Negev efficient ways to harvest them. Maybe they month – 15 to 50 percent more than they desert was founded in 1968 as part of a could be processed into a product that sells were making before. At the same time, small government project to settle Bedouins in for more in local markets, or even village development funds were established permanent communities. Unemployment marketed overseas.” using the profits as a way to provide locals among the town's 30 000 inhabitants is That is why FAO's Forestry Department with access to the credit needed to create running high and there is little urban or established its Community-based Tree and new or scale-up existing operations. industrial infrastructure. So why has this Forest Enterprise Development (CBED) Grouwels hopes that these ten pilot projects settlement been attracting so many Programme with funding from the will be the inspiration for many more. visitors? The reason is a new project to help Norwegian Government. The project helps Helping forest communities to help Bedouin women turn native plants and poor communities set up and sustain small themselves is only part of the solution, flowers into skin remedies. businesses while giving them incentives to according to Grouwels. Governments need to Set up two years ago, Asala Desert manage and protect their resource base make a more explicit link between Nature is nearing its commercial launch, better, allowing them to tap the wealth of antipoverty efforts, forest resource with a range of unique skin care products nearby forest resources without depleting management and economic development based on traditional Bedouin herbal lore, them. programmes. This is why FAO's CBED due to reach the Israeli market in the next In CBED projects, FAO teams up with project brings national and local officials into four to six months. Sales to Europe will government extension agents and NGOs to the process early on, to educate them and begin hopefully next year.

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The Asala project was founded when the to NWFPs. (Contributed by: Mamta local community centre in Tel Sheva Chandar, Director, Jagriti, # 341, Ward 12, approached the Center for Jewish-Arab Shishamati, Kullu 175101, HP, India. Economic Development (CJAED), a non- Tel./fax: 91-1902-226537. profit organization founded in 1988 to E-mail: [email protected]; promote economic cooperation between [email protected]; Israel's Jews and Arabs, with the idea of www.jagritikullu.org) setting up a training programme for women using desert plants found in the Negev. Using knowledge handed down from The CJAED's Women's Empowerment generations to produce commercial Unit trained women from scratch, teaching products them everything they might need to know in Discorea deltoidea Knowledge and skills handed down from order to run a successful business in the generation to generation have found a new field. To learn more about the plants and encouraged to plant these trees in their lease of life in the production of marketable their role in Bedouin life, the women marginal lands with a view to boosting goods to provide much-needed cash for local interviewed their mothers, grandmothers production of wild or semi-wild fruits. producers. and other elderly female relatives. To In addition, the organization is growing During the Committee on Forestry strengthen this folk knowledge, the women nurseries of medicinal plants that are (COFO), which took place at FAO also underwent a training programme in threatened in the wild, such as Picrorhiza headquarters from 13 to 16 March 2007, FAO medicinal plants. kurrooa, Dioscorea deltoidea, aconites and distributed folders and other materials Though the group plans eventually to valerians of two species. made by villagers in the Lao People's create a line of medicinal, nutritional and We feel that women's economic Democratic Republic and Guatemala using skin care products, they decided to focus at situations can be vastly improved through local handicrafts. first on skin care. “If you live in the Negev systematic conservation and value addition Weaving bamboo to produce mats is a desert, the conditions are very harsh on traditional knowledge in the Lao People's your skin and you have to look after it,” Democratic Republic, handed down from explains Kiram Baloum, the director of the generation to generation by women. It is a Women's Unit. “That's their niche.” AFRICAN WOMEN'S valuable tangible national heritage that the Originally the women of Asala planned to DEVELOPMENT FUND government is making efforts to preserve. build their own laboratory, but they Tapping into this knowledge, FAO asked discovered it was going to be too expensive. The African Women's Development the villagers of Ban Lak 62 to produce Instead they contacted Hlavin, an Fund (AWDF) funds local, national, folders for COFO made of bamboo sheets. international cosmetics manufacturer and subregional and regional organizations The initiative is part of an FAO project exporter, which agreed to let Asala use its in Africa working towards women's launched in 2004 to help local communities laboratories in Ra'anana. Hlavin carried out empowerment. It is an institutional develop businesses and market their a feasibility study of its own, which showed capacity-building and programme products to obtain greater profit for a promising market for Asala products in development fund, which aims to help artisans themselves. Thongdeuane Europe. build a culture of learning and Keomany, who has studied bamboo The goal now is for the women to grow partnerships within the African handicrafts for more than ten years, taught the plants and condense them into a women's movement. In addition to the women in the village of Ban Lak 62 the formula of either olive oil or alcohol. Hlavin awarding grants, the AWDF attempts basics of bamboo weaving – a tradition that will take these formulas and turn them into to strengthen the organizational was in danger of being lost. She then a range of products that Asala will then capacities of its grantees. It funds work helped the women to produce not only market under its own name. in five thematic areas: women's human simple items but also more complex Most of the women involved in the rights; political participation; peace products of a quality that would be good project are married with children and all building; health and reproductive enough to meet international market have the support of their husbands. rights; and HIV/AIDS economic requirements. (Source: Israel 21C, 19 February 2007.) empowerment. The AWDF gives grants At the same time, FAO has helped the in three cycles every year. Applications women to establish links with national and Jagriti can be sent in at any time. regional markets to buy the products. The Jagriti is a community-based women's result has been that the weavers have been organization in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE able to increase their incomes from 40 to 50 India. It consists of over 900 poor hill women CONTACT: percent. Another positive outcome is that the organized into savings and credit groups. The African Women's Development Fund, villagers have started to pay more attention One of the areas of activity and interest is 25 Yiyiwa Street, Abelenkpe, PMB CT 89, to how they manage bamboo as a valuable value addition to the fruits of wild apricot, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana. Fax: + 233 21 natural resource on a sustainable basis. peach and walnut. The organization is now 782502; e-mail: [email protected] or Symbolically, a woven mat is synonymous making cold pressed oil from the kernels of [email protected]; www.awdf.org to a “council” in pre-Columbian Maya these wild species. The women members culture, where dignitaries discussed public are engaged in this process and are matters while squatting on a woven mat.

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Similarly, FAO involved a local village in For as long as anyone can remember, HISTORY OF FORESTRY Guatemala in the production of cords for African women have been using butter %AS IT DEVELOPED IN building passes for participants attending made from the seed found inside the shea CENTRAL EUROPE COFO using local skills, with the help of nut for cooking, healing and moisturizing Maya Republic, a local NGO. skin and hair. Rich in vitamins A, E and F, For the first time, FAO has displayed a Hand weaving, using waist looms, is a all antiwrinkle, moisturizing and skin historical collection of rare forestry books traditional practice of Mayan women in regeneration agents, the seed also dating back to the eighteenth century that Guatemala. Originally, this was done to contains latex, which is good for skin provide a snapshot in time of the state of create fine traditional cloth. However, the elasticity, as well as steroids for muscles forest research as it first developed in beauty, high quality of the textile and and it protects against the sun. Central Europe and evolved through the tourism have helped to diversify and open Promoted by cosmetics brands such as beginning of the twentieth century. markets for products made using this L’Oréal, the Body Shop and L’Occitane, the Acquired from the International Center of ancient technique. For the production of the popularity of shea butter products has Silviculture (CIS), the first permanent cords, 80 women from the village of San increased considerably over the years, with international forestry organization founded in Antonio Aguacalientes worked in their spare Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso as the top Berlin in 1939, the collection is the first ever time. The colours used to make the cords producers. For Burkina Faso, shea butter is attempt to document worldwide all came from natural ingredients found in the the second export item after cotton. publications related to forestry by scientists. woods: green and blue were extracted from “Women in villages across the country The goal of the library was to establish tree bark, fruits, leaves and herbs; and red, harvest the nuts,” Kassoum Soudre, the annual updated bibliographies of forest- orange and brown were extracted from an finance officer for the country’s Project related literature from European countries. insect that lives in a local cactus. Karité, said. “We try to organize them in With a considerable number of valuable Beyond their use at this international groups, provide them with equipment or books, mostly in German, dating back to the committee meeting, the cords are being credits and help them improve production.” eighteenth century, the collection offers a marketed as a new product introduced to unique glimpse into the beginnings of the local market to enhance further the forestry as a science as it first developed in preservation and use of Mayan traditional Central Europe. knowledge and culture. (Source: FAO The collection is also special in that it Forestry Newsroom, 5 March 2007.) survived the Second World War. Scientists made arduous efforts to protect it from the Shea butter sales change African women’s war by asking extraterritorial rights for the plight library and the protection of the Swedish spirit in Africa” Little do buyers of cosmetics containing embassy. In 1944, with the assistance of the shea butter realize that sales of this age- centre’s Secretary General, scientists old beauty-boosting nut are helping legions themselves drove and moved the books in “Riches of the forest: for health, life and of African women to feed their children and lorries at their own risk, from Berlin to send them to school. In the Ghounghin women’s self-help Salzburg. When fighting seemed imminent in Off a dirt track in the shanty town of cooperative, the nuts, once shaken off the Salzburg in 1945, the scientists moved the Gounghin, on the edge of the capital of trees and dried in the sun, are pounded in books again to a castle, a mine and some to Burkina Faso, Evelyne Kabole and Honorine electric grinders to separate the seeds Ramsau in Austria, to keep them protected. Ilboudo haul heavy buckets of water and from the shells. They are then ground into a Most of the collection therefore remained knead shea paste in large plastic basins. paste. Bent in two, women workers beat intact throughout the war. Eventually in 1951, Both are widows with six mouths to feed. the paste by hand for 20 minutes until it at the end of the war, the collection was They belong to the Songtaab-Yalgre becomes butter. Once separated, it is transferred to the FAO premises in Rome, Association, which in the language of the heated, filtered, cooled and either sold as which succeeded the CIS. local Mossi people means “help each other”. butter or made into soaps and creams. The collection is significant for its Set up in 1990 to teach women to read Most of the work is done by hand; profits historical and scientific value. It includes and write, the association is now dedicated are shared and the association is run by the books authored by renowned scientists who to shea butter production. It has 1 174 women themselves. With no intermediaries established forestry as a science, such as members, 60 of whom live in Gounghin and involved, domestic and foreign sales Humboldt, Brehm, Cotta, Hartig, Pfeil, the others in villages outside the capital comply with fair trade conditions. Pressler and Brandis. It also covers botany, Ouagadougou. The initiative is in line with the tenets zoology, silviculture, growth and yield, and Shea butter, commonly known as karité, upheld on International Women’s Day, forest engineering. derives from a fruit that grows on the shea celebrated each year on 8 March. In “No other such collection exists in any nut tree (Butyrospermum parkii) found only developing countries the day has focused other library worldwide,” said Elizabeth in Africa’s dry Sahel belt from Cape Verde to notably on empowering women to take part Johann, an expert in forestry history, who Chad. The tall sacred trees scattered around in the economic as well as the political life reviewed and assessed the collection and villages cannot be planted. They grow alone, of their countries. (Source: The Peninsula organized the exhibit. “It demonstrates that bearing fruit only after 25 years and then online, Qatar, 7 March 2007.) (See page 36 sustainable forest management dates back only once every three seasons, but their for information on female entrepreneurs in to the eighteenth century and that lifespan is about two hundred years. Honduras.) international collaboration within the

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 NEWS AND NOTES 19

scientific community continued even in times along the coast) function as a natural of war and national disagreements.” (Source: shield in lowering the intensity of sea tides, FAO Forestry Newsroom, 5 March 2007.) as well as providing a variety of economic uses. Sea algae and coral reefs also play an important role in averting the severity of MAN FINDS WAY TO GROW natural disasters. These mangroves, sea %FAMED FRENCH TRUFFLE algae and coral reefs are valuable non- timber forest resources (NTFRs) occurring The legendary French Périgord truffle along the seashore. (Tuber melanosporum) has found its way to Mangrove forests have a symbiotic East Tennessee (United States of America), relationship with all creatures. Mangrove the first in the state. Thomas Michaels, a plant species have multiple economic uses botanist with a Ph.D. and a plant pathologist, and based on these the tree species yield has figured out how to grow the famed fungi very useful industrial timber, wood fuel and in the tree root system of hazel nut and oak charcoal of high calorific value. Most of the trees. He has harvested his first crop. tree and shrub species are also sources of Knoxville chefs were his first customers, NTFRs, such as edible fruits and leaves, paying about $800 per pound (0.45 kg), indigenous medicines, tannin, seed fatty Cinchona calisaya which is cheap considering the world oils, thatching materials and sedges market price is more than $2 000 per pound. fencing material, fibres from palms and The Perigord truffle, also known as the grasses, honey, fodder and manure. In from rosy periwinkle (Catharanthus Black Diamond, is hard to grow, requiring addition to these uses and the fact that they roseus); treatments for enlarged prostate the right soil, climate and tree root for can provide protective walls against tidal glands from Prunus africana; forskolin, colonizing. T. melanosporum varies in size waves, they act as another conservation which has a variety of medicinal uses, from from a pea to a chicken egg. It will only grow mechanism for ecological balance. the root of Coleus forskohlii; medicines for in loose, humid, sun-drenched soil and It is therefore essential to conserve treating diabetes from Dioscorea needs cool wet nights, where its mycelium these NTFRs. A list of plant species that dumetorum and Harungana vismia; and (tiny hair-like filaments) nestle and find occur naturally in and around the sea is several medicines based on leaves of the nourishment in tree roots. available from the author to help scientists succulents of the Mesembryanthemaceae Michaels says his harvesting season to propagate them sustainably, manage family. Some of these products are now (January to end February) has just ended. By and harvest NTFRs for the uses given synthesized, but others are still collected March, the odd-looking, knobbly, coal-black above, avoid their extinction through from the wild. The economic value of mushrooms have faded and are in their tree scientific and environmentally sound traditional medicines is considerable, with root homes. harvesting practices and replenish the reports that the bark of Prunus africana The smelly but celestial-tasting fungi dwindling resources to obtain multiple alone is worth US$220 million annually for were once prevalent in southern France and uses. (Contributed by: Ms Alka Shiva, the pharmaceutical industry. were harvested in tonnes. Today, the yield is President and Managing Director, Centre Traditional health care systems are down to 10–50 tonnes per year worldwide. of Minor Forest Products (COMFORPTS), based on significant local knowledge of Michaels planted his trees in 2000, HIG – 2, No. 8, Indirapuram, GMS Road, medicinal plants in all major tropical areas. starting with plants that were about 16 PO Majra, Dehra Dun – 248 171, India. These systems are important, particularly inches (40.6 cm) tall. The hazel nuts are now E-mail : [email protected]; where formal health care services are 10–12 feet (approximately 3–3.6 m) tall, and http://www.angelfire.com/ma/MinorForest absent. The market for traditional the soil around them bubbles with birth. Products) medicines is large and expanding, and According to Michaels, a good orchard can much of it is in the hands of women, produce maybe 50 pounds (22.7 kg) per acre particularly that involving less (0.4 ha). A normal yield, he says, is 10–20 MEDICINAL USES commercially valuable medicinal plants. pounds (approximately 4.5– 9.0 kg) per acre. %OF NWFPS There is also growing scientific evidence of (Source: Knoxville News Sentinel [United the efficacy of some of these widely used States of America], 25 March 2007.) Medicinal products from forests traditional remedies. Many forest plants and animals produce At the same time, medicinal plants are poisons, fungicides, antibiotics and other threatened globally. Some of the threats MANGROVE FORESTS, biologically active compounds as defence include slow growth patterns of desirable SEA ALGAE AND mechanisms, and many of these have species, loss of traditional mechanisms % CORALS HELP TO medicinal uses. Compounds that have that contributed to sustainable use and COMBAT TSUNAMIS common medicinal uses such as cola nuts, competing uses of the same species, in caffeine, chocolate, chilli peppers and tandem with growing commercialization All the coastal regions in the Pacific, cocaine are found in forest areas. Many and global markets. Certification of Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are western pharmaceutical products derive medicinal plants and better forest vulnerable to a tsunami disaster. from tropical forest species, e.g. quinine management techniques offer two possible Mangroves (the vegetation found in and from Cinchona spp.; cancer-treating drugs partial solutions.

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 20 NEWS AND NOTES

Pharmaceutical companies have Two types of cinnamon are used in food: If successful, this could become the first sometimes been charged with reaping Cinnamomum verum, which is used in single treatment for the metabolic unacceptably large benefits from forest many sweet baked goods and syndrome. (Source: The Age [Australia], peoples’ knowledge, given the widespread Cinnamomum cassia, which is a stronger 7 February 2007.) (See page 60 for poverty in forested areas. Attempts to spice used in foods. There is no clear information on medicinal fungi in Alaska.) establish collaboration between the answer to which cinnamon can help fight pharmaceutical industry and local high blood sugar levels, cholesterol, Type 2 Tree bark molecule may combat malaria communities in bioprospecting have had diabetes or even heart disease. There is no A compound derived from tree bark has mixed results. (Source: Unasylva, 57[224]: 7.) true answer if cinnamon at all can help potential as a preventive treatment for with these problems, but Cullen says things malaria, according to a study published in the Aussie bee honey – an antibiotic in the look promising. (Source: Daily Vidette journal PLoS Medicine. The treatment United Kingdom [Illinois, United States of America], 7 March targets the early stages of malaria infection, A British hospital is using honey from 2007.) which would make it difficult for the parasite Australian bees to combat superbug to develop the kind of drug resistance that Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus hampers conventional malaria treatment aureus (MRSA), a bacteria that is resistant programmes. to conventional antibiotics. The James Scientists have isolated a new molecule, Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough tazopsine, from bark collected in has been using honey from a colony of bees Madagascar's eastern rain forest. They found only found in Queensland to clean infected that N-cyclopentyl-tazopsine, a less toxic wounds, along with dressings that contain compound derived from the molecule, was gum extracted from seaweed. The honey effective against early liver-stage malaria seals the injury and the seaweed extract parasites in animal tests. However, the draws and absorbs the harmful bacteria. compound is ineffective once infection has (Source: Ninemsn [Australia], 27 February reached the red blood cells.

2007.) Cinnamomum cassia Tazopsine comes from the stem bark of the plant Strychnopsis thouarsii and is the Boswellia serrata extract scores well in Research into medicinal value of fungi sole ingredient in a traditional tea used as a COX-2 comparison Scientists at the University of Western treatment for malaria infection. The authors Boswellia serrata extract performed as well Sydney, Australia, are working to see of the study hope that variants of tazopsine- as a selective COX-2 inhibitor in a controlled whether the medicinal fungi Ganoderma related molecules can be tested to find one of clinical study to assess its effect on relieving lucidum can reduce high blood pressure, low toxicity, suitable for clinical trials. osteoarthritis pain, researchers report in the glucose and cholesterol. When coupled with A resurgence of malaria since the 1980s, February issue of the Indian Journal of insulin resistance, these conditions bring combined with a shortage of conventional Pharmacology, 39(1): 27-29. about metabolic syndrome, a precursor to drugs, has forced many Madagascans to rely Boswellia serrata has a long history of Type 2 diabetes which affects an increasing on medicines from more than 200 plants to use in Ayurvedic medicine, popular in India, number of Australians. Also known as reishi, fight the disease. This has triggered scientific and its gum resin is reputed to have anti- G. lucidum has been used as a cure for a interest, as Madagascar's long isolation from infiammatory, antiarthritic and analgesic wide range of diseases for 2 000 years. neighbouring countries has resulted in a properties. (Source: NutraIngredients- Cultivation has increased over the last unique mix of plants and animals. usa.com [France], 20 March 2007.) 30 years, and preliminary animal and Tests on chimpanzees are due to begin human pilot studies seem to suggest that it this year in Gabon, while tests on Rhesus Cinnamon may help fight against Type 2 can have a positive effect on blood sugar monkeys will be carried out in Thailand diabetes levels, cholesterol levels and blood fats. before the end of the year. (Source: PLoS Research studies have shown that The mushroom – an inedible fungi Medicine, 2 January 2007 [in SciDev.Net cinnamon has been linked to lower blood typically the size of a bread and butter plate Weekly Update].) sugar and total cholesterol levels. The – contains about 200 active chemical research has focused on people with Type 2 compounds, but researchers believe that a diabetes. The main ingredient in cinnamon group called the polysaccharides are the that helps people with this diabetes is most effective. Traditional users believe it proanthocyanidin. “For people who have is most potent when taken in combination Type 2 diabetes, insulin doesn't seem to be with another medicinal mushroom called getting enough sugar into the cells and this Cordyceps sinensis. is where cinnamon comes in. Cinnamon The researchers will put this theory to helps the cells absorb more sugar,” said the test when they enlist 170 people with Robert Cullen, assistant professor of food metabolic syndrome symptoms for a four- nutrition and dietetics in Family and month trial. Participants will have either Consumer Sciences, who has been capsules of powdered reishi alone, a monitoring research studies such as these combination of the two mushrooms, or a for many years. placebo capsule.

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 NEWS AND NOTES 21

Rain forest bark could destroy rare child state and district level bamboo tree conservation, community education, cancer organizations and enterprises in a environmental management, volunteer The bark of a rain forest tree could destroy federating mode. It also provides project projects, community ecotourism and a rare childhood cancer, scientists have development and implementation, scientific research on the flora and fauna of found. technical consultancy and turnkey services the region. The South American Lapacho colorado on all aspects of bamboo sector In addition to managing the three reserves, contains a natural plant product that development in collaboration with its the foundation is currently developing shrinks eye tumours by causing cancerous partners. management plans for the areas surrounding cells to die. Laboratory tests show that the CIBART’s main area of focus is to all three cloud forest reserves, reforesting compound, called beta-lapachone, works achieve livelihood development, ecological Alto Choco and conducting environmental at low doses, making it an ideal treatment security and economic development education in the surrounding communities. for child patients with retinoblastoma, a through the sustainable use of bamboo and malignant tumour of the retina. rattan. Its primary focus is to benefit poor FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: The uncommon disease accounts for rural communities. Fundación Zoobreviven, 6 de Diciembre N32-36 about 3 percent of cancers in children and Currently, CIBART has four community- y Whymper, Quito, Ecuador, South America. remains fatal in the developing world owned organizations in the states of E-mail: [email protected]; although it is one of the most curable Tripura, Manipur, Maharashtra (Konkan www.zoobreviven.org/ cancers in developed countries. But one area) and Himachal Pradesh that are not problem that exists with the traditional for profit companies. Within each state, the The Finnish Nature-based approach of radiotherapy is the association local organizations set up by CIBART have Entrepreneurship Association of long-term ill health and even death in extension linkages in each village, backed The Finnish some cases. up by field technical resource centres at the Nature-based Researchers at California University in subdistrict level. (Contributed by: Manu Entrepreneurship the United States of America found that Mayank, Chief Executive Officer, I-4, Association was beta-lapachone was effective in inhibiting Jangpura – B, New Delhi – 110014, India. founded in 2001. the growth and spread of retinoblastoma Fax: +91-11-24374802; www.cibart.org.) It is a non- cells and actively induced their destruction. governmental Their findings, published in the medical national journal Eye, are consistent with those from organization formed studies of the effect of the product in other by entrepreneurs and development human cancers, including breast, colon and organizations. The association collects lung tumours. together actors in nature-based L. colorado or red lapacho, so called entrepreneurship for cross-sectoral because of its scarlet flowers, grows in the cooperation (nature tourism, handicrafts warmer parts of South America such as and food products) in order to integrate Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay and entrepreneurship, education, development Bolivia. It was commonly used by the activities and research in the sector. There medicine people of the Indian tribes long are approximately 300 entrepreneurs and before the advent of the Spanish in the New 100 expert organizations in the sector at World. The natives use the wood to make the moment. bows for archery. (Source: national news in One of the main interests of the Life Style Extra [United Kingdom], 16 association has been to increase the March 2007.) Fundación Zoobreviven, Ecuador ecologically friendly business culture, since Fundación Zoobreviven is a private the sustainable use of nature is one of the Ecuadorian, non-profit organization main values and marketing arguments in NON-PROFIT created in 1997 and recognized by the the sector. The association has been a %ORGANIZATIONS Ecuadorian Ministry for the Environment. partner in several project activities, both AND NGOS Its objective is to conserve the national and international. All of its biodiversity of Ecuador through responsible activities are based on close cooperation Centre for Indian Bamboo Resource and use of natural resources, scientific between entrepreneurs and other actors. Technology (CIBART) research, environmental education, CIBART is a non-profit networked wildlife, plant and tree conservation and FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: organization dedicated to the development of development of economic alternatives for Katri Kranni (chair of the association), The the bamboo sector in India. Its establishment local communities. Finnish Nature-based Entrepreneurship was facilitated by INBAR (the International Three reserves are managed in northern Association, Kampusranta 9 60320, Seinäjoki, Network for Bamboo and Rattan). Ecuador, including the 2 500-ha Alto Choco Finland. Fax: +358 (0)6 421 3301; CIBART serves as a catalyst for the Reserve and the nearby 7 500-ha Chontal e-mail: [email protected];www. bamboo industry in India, undertaking Reserve, both in the Choco bioregion. The luontoyrittaja.net. (See page 15 of Non-Wood various collaborative livelihood work is to preserve these important News 14 for more information on nature-based development projects. It brings together environments through wildlife, plant and entrepreneurship.)

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 22 NEWS AND NOTES

NTFP CURRICULUM At the moment, given the fact that NWFPs up. India has an advantage in its proximity to %DEVELOPMENT have only been able to be PEFC certified spice farms, with Kochi the hub of oleoresin since November 2006, there are very few activity, according to Synthite Industry Dr Eric T. Jones of the Institute for Culture examples among the PEFC accredited Chemicals, which accounts for nearly half of and Ecology (IFCAE) is offering an online schemes, even though the potential is high. the Indian oleoresin and spice oil extract course on non-timber forest products These examples include: exports. culture and management through Oregon • Cork – certified in Spain and Portugal In the last fiscal year, India exported 6 225 State University (United States of America). • Essential oil – certified in Italy tonnes of oleoresins and spice oils, worth The course is geared to upper division • Honey, chestnut and berries: soon to be Rs500 crore. According to spice board students as well as professionals certified in a certified Italian forest figures, within threequarters of this period, interested in training on NTFPs. • Truffles and mushrooms: soon to be 5 010 tonnes worth Rs402 crore were International participants are encouraged. certified in already certified forests of shipped out and the industry is sure to The course is taught twice a year in the Italy, France and Spain improve even more. spring and autumn. In addition to readings, • Animal meat – there are plans for this to High costs in the West have forced the videos, and engaging online discussions be certified in Italy and Spain (and industry there to outsource from India and participants conduct a project identifying possibly other countries) where there flavour houses across the globe look to the NTFPs in their local community. Results of are hunting plans and fenced forests country to source their products. The these projects will be made available PEFC's aim is to ensure that the world's industry’s major breakthrough came in the through the IFCAE Web site. forests are managed sustainably and that mid-1980s with the development of their functions are protected for present oleoresin paprika, followed by oleoresin FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: and future generations. chilli. The list of oleoresins from spices Eric T. Jones, Institute for Culture and Ecology, PEFC certified timber, non-wood and includes turmeric, celery, ginger, nutmeg, PO Box 6688, Portland, Oregon 97228-6688, paper products are an independently mace, cumin, fennel, mustard, garlic, United States of America. verified assurance to consumers and coriander, cassia/cinnamon, clove and E-mail: [email protected]; www.ifcae.org/ companies that they are buying forest Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary. projects/osuntfpcourse/index.html products from sustainably managed Some products such as light pepper forests. By choosing PEFC, buyers can help berries, not available in India, have forced combat illegal logging. the industry to import from Viet Nam. While %NWFP CERTIFICATION PEFC's role as an independent, non- earlier Sri Lanka was the main source for profit NGO is to secure that the same high the pepper, the shift to Viet Nam was due to The harvest of standards are applied by all its endorsed the price advantage. NWFPs plays an certification systems globally and thus by Vanilla is the latest entrant to the industry important role in forest managers, paper and timber with the development of a nature-identical the sustainable companies and their external certifiers. vanillin oleoresin. Oleoresins from management of (Contributed by: Antonio Brunori, PEFC cassia/cinnamon are being consumed by the community Council ASBL, 2ème étage, 17 Rue des beverage industry and mustard oleoresin is agriculture and Girondins, Merl-Hollerich, L – 1626 another item that is making big inroads into forest resources Luxembourg. Fax: +352 26 25 92 58; e-mail: the global market. worldwide. NWFPs [email protected]; www.pefc.org) (See page 52 The process of isolating the active present many new challenges and for information on NWFP certification in principle has helped in the manufacture of opportunities in certification because of Nepal.) lutin from marigold flowers as a colouring their wide range of management practices agent. (Source: Financial Express [India], 25 and difficulties in monitoring harvest and February 2007.) processing. OLEORESINS ADD The PEFC Council (Programme for the % FLAVOUR TO FOOD Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) issued a technical document with From mere extraction, the Rs500 crore specifications for the origin for the purposes oleoresin industry has now gone beyond of the PEFC label and declarations for diversifying into nutraceuticals and NWFPs. This document is Appendix 8 to the cosmaceuticals to enter the dietary standard that rules the traceability of supplement area, becoming a producer of certified products, from forest to the market food ingredients in savoury and sweet (Annex 4 to PEFC Council Technical flavour items. The industry is now turning Document). The document is normative into a one-stop food and flavour solution. when the organization establishes a chain of India accounts for 70 percent of world custody for the certification of NWFPs in oleoresin production with competition from order to use the PEFC logo and/or China, the United States of America, Sri declarations on NWFPs. The appendix was Lanka, South Africa and Latin American approved by the PEFC Council General countries. Brazil, India and China are the Assembly on 27 October 2006. market leaders, with South Africa catching Zingiber officinalis

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 NEWS AND NOTES 23

PARTENARIAT POUR heals radiation burns, reduces scarring, % LES FORÊTS DU BASSIN heals or improves psoriasis and a host of DU CONGO other skin conditions and, taken internally, has been proved to improve heart health Le Partenariat pour les forêts du Bassin du and gastrointestinal disorders. Congo (PFBC) est une association The leaves, high in vitamins, minerals, regroupant une trentaine d’organisations proteins and other natural anti- gouvernementales et non inflammatory compounds, can be dried for gouvernementales. Il a été créé en tea, powdered as an ingredient in soaps and septembre 2002, lors du Sommet mondial creams, and steeped to make a soothing sur le développement durable rinse for irritated skin. Studies are ongoing (Johannesburg, Afrique du Sud). to determine the healing and nutritive Le PFBC a pour objectifs d'améliorer la possibilities of sea buckthorn bark. communication entre ses membres et la All told, this superfruit, known to ease coordination entre leurs projets, and soften scar tissue and arteriosclerosis, programmes et politiques afin de reduce inflammation and cell death and promouvoir une gestion durable des forêts reverse burn damage, has over 191 known

du Bassin du Congo et d'améliorer la “Riches of the forest: fruits, remedies and handicrafts in Latin America” bioactive compounds for topical and qualité de vie des habitants de la région. internal applications. (Contribution de: Christophe Besacier, SYNERGISTIC While Asia and Europe have used sea Conseiller régional forêt environnement %SUPERFRUIT: buckthorn commercially for several Afrique centrale, Ministère français des SEA BUCKTHORN decades, the industry is new in North affaires etrangères, Gabon; courriel: America. The health and supplement [email protected]; Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), industries are just starting to pay attention [email protected]; www.cbfp.org) named a “superfruit” for its robust (and draw attention) to this plant. (Source: nutritional properties, is poised to outrun Press release, SBT Sea buckthorn many other functional foods. It has recently International Inc., 16 April 2007.) RAIN FOREST SILK been rated second of ten potential % COOPERATIVE superfruits, based upon four criteria including nutrient density and potential for TEA TREE OIL (MELALEUCA The Rain Forest Silk CooperativeTM is a disease impact (www.berrydoctor.com). %ALTERNIFOLIA) AND ITS newly organized consortium of four In studying the superfood and superfruit RISKS producers of wild silk products on four phenomena, nutritional science is continents: India, Indonesia, Madagascar recognizing that nature is capable of Tea tree oil, an ingredient found in many and Namibia. It produces high-quality silk providing, in such varied single foods as beauty products, has been named unsafe textiles, yarns and decorative objects from wheatgrass juice, garlic, blueberries and by the European Union (EU) and could be wild silk cocoons. Each member of the now sea buckthorn, a foodborne banned after research discovered that it cooperative uses a unique species of silk inoculation against ill-health that may cause skin irritation and reduce the moth to make the products. laboratories cannot match. effectiveness of antibiotics. The cooperative’s products come from While the nourishing and healing Regular usage of tea tree oil, which is impoverished rural farmers, and primarily properties of sea buckthorn are relatively sometimes used undiluted to help get rid of women. Its long-term goal is to provide new to the West, they have been well spots, acne and insect bites, could increase new means of income generation while known in the East for hundreds of years. the user's risk of contracting superbug implementing enterprises that focus on Almost the entire plant is suitable for infections such as methicillin-resistant maintaining native forests instead of consumption and topical application. The Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according cutting them down. fruit pulp, rich in such antioxidants as to research claims. Tea tree oil makes Current members of the cooperative vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and these infections more resistant to include: Appropriate Technology India numerous flavonoids (complementary antibiotics. In addition, the EU has warned (atindia); the Royal Silk Project of micronutrients that work in concert with against using tea tree oil undiluted, as even Indonesia; the Kalahari Wild Silk, Namibia; more familiar vitamins), plus the rare and small doses can cause skin rashes. the Ny Tanintsika silk project in valuable palmitoleic acid (known to support However, it has said that beauty products Madagascar; and Conservation through wound healing and cell health), can be such as shampoo, which use the oil in Poverty Alleviation International (CPALI). pressed for juice, freeze dried and minute quantities, are safe. The Rain Forest Silk Cooperative is a packaged as a supplement, and The EU said it may ban the oil from being member of the Fair Trade Federation. incorporated into topical skin preparations. used in the undiluted form later this year if The fruit oil can be extracted separately manufacturers fail to convince EU FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: and taken internally or externally. scientists that it is safe for human use. The Rain Forest Silk Cooperative, 221 Lincoln Oil from the seeds is high in several fatty (Source: Pharmaceutical Business Review Road, Lincoln, MA 01773, United States of America. acids, including omegas 3 and 6 in a critical [United States of America], 19 February www.rainforestsilk.org/index.html 1:1 ratio; applied topically, the seed oil 2007.)

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 24 NEWS AND NOTES

“VOICES FROM synthetic fibres do not respond well to the %THE FOREST” dye. VOICES FROM THE FOREST Jharna, a producer of natural colours, NEWSLETTER said that saris and other fabrics coloured in palash-based dyes are not only lasting and Voices from the forest is the bulletin of good-looking but also safe to use. the NTFP Exchange Programme for Although the process of preparing dye South and Southeast Asia. Now from palash is quite lengthy, the weavers of published twice yearly, it highlights Sambalpuri textiles in the Sonepur district activities and pressing issues related to now use it as it is more economical NTFPs in the region. It is available in compared with chemical dyes. print and online from: The palash tree has many uses. The http://ntfp.org/sub.php?gosub=info- dried flowers are used as a diuretic. The vftf&iid= gum obtained from the tree contains tannin A recent film available from the NTFP and is used in the treatment of diarrhoea. Exchange Programme “Voices from the Locals say that the seeds have deworming forest –balancing forest use and properties. The wood of the tree is soft and conservation in Southeast Asia” provides durable and is used for making boats. introductory material to the lesser-known FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: According to one local, “All the parts of this group of NTFPs, stressing the interrelations Ms Aloisa Zamora-Santos, Information tree are useful. Its seeds, flowers and even of land rights, traditional management of Management Officer, Non-Timber Forest the stems have medicinal value. If only this resources and marketing of these various Products Exchange Programme for South was better known, then we could conserve forest-derived products. and Southeast Asia, 92-A Masikap Extension, it and grow more to make it a trading The film captures the stories of Barangay Central, Diliman, commodity to sell to other states.” (Source: indigenous peoples living in or near tropical Quezon City 1101, the Philippines. DailyIndia.com [United States of America], forests in Southeast Asia, and their Fax: +63 2 4262757; 28 March 2007.) p dependence on NTFPs for their survival. e-mail: [email protected]; www.ntfp.org Through their voices as well as of some of (See page 26 for information on another DVD their supporters, we can share in their from the NTFP Exchange Programme.) dreams and aspirations, together with their fears as the rapidly changing world poses new challenges to their indigenous WEAVERS USE DYES lifestyles. OF WILD FLOWERS TO We are offered a rare insight into: %COLOUR HANDSPUN • the nomadic Penan people’s reliance on CLOTH sago palm in the face of threats from a large logging company (Malaysia); The palash flower (Butea monosperma), • traditional and sustainable harvesting, known as the “flame of the forest”, production and marketing of wild honey remained unnoticed until Orissa’s Sonepur in Danau Sentarum (Indonesia); district farmers discovered its commercial • the Ikalahan tribe’s struggle to protect value: locals found these flowers with their their traditional forest by transforming red petals to be an ideal source to prepare fruits of the forest into jams and jellies dye for colouring fabrics. for the high-end niche market (the Sambalpuri saris from western Orissa, Philippines); bed sheets and mats dyed with the colours • the Higaonon tribe’s indigenous fabric, of palash flowers have become extremely the hinabol, tied to traditional popular and are in great demand. management of abaca (manila hemp) In Birmaharajpur, Orissa, people collect and the fast-disappearing art of hinabol these odourless flowers that grow in weaving (the Philippines); and abundance in the countryside and earn • the crucial market links provided by the their livelihoods by selling them to Upland Marketing Foundation and the weavers. Children also help in flower CustomMade Crafts Center, and their collecting. “Palash blossoms in the chaitra tireless efforts at aiding local (spring season). We give them to the communities to develop marketable weavers and get two to five rupees per kg,” handicrafts and food products. said one flower collector. He that plants trees loves others (Produced by: Riak Bumi, Telapak and the The flowers are dried (since palash is a besides himself. NTFP Exchange Programme for South and seasonal flower it is dried for use all year English proverb Southeast Asia, 2005. DVD [43 minutes]. round) and the colours are extracted to dye Available in English and Khmer.) cotton, silk cloths and natural fibres;

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS 25

% BAMBOO Bamboo rice Hard-pressed tribals in Kerala's Wayanad Botanists Identify new species of North distict (India) are making a bountiful American bamboo harvest of bamboo rice, a forest produce Two Iowa State University botanists and their much in demand for its medicinal value and colleague at the University of North Carolina as an ingredient in ethnic cuisine. have discovered a new species of North With large stretches of the blossoming American bamboo in the hills of Appalachia. plant shedding its paddy-like seeds, tribal It is the third known native species of the families gather in bamboo groves with hardy grass. The other two were discovered brooms, baskets and sacks to collect the more than 200 years ago. rice, which was a little supplementary Lynn Clark, Iowa State professor of income this year. A local Scheduled Tribe ecology, evolution and organismal biology, Cooperative Society is buying bamboo rice, and Ph.D. student Jimmy Triplett study brought mostly by the Paniya and Naika bamboo diversity and evolution. They first tribes in the Noolpuzha range of the heard about “hill cane” from a botanist at the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. University of North Carolina. Although the The gruel made of bamboo rice mixed %BEE PRODUCTS plant was known to the people in the area, its with herbs is prescribed for arthritis and distinctiveness was not recognized. rheumatic complaints in indigenous New study of Spanish varieties of honey Hill cane differs from the other two native medicine. The tribal cuisine has several According to a new study of Spanish North American bamboo species –commonly delicacies made of bamboo rice and wild varieties, honeydew honey has even higher known as switch cane and river cane – in an honey, with which the rural poor survived in levels of disease-fighting antioxidants than important way. It drops its leaves in autumn. times of famine. the honey that bees make from nectar. “That's why it was recognized locally as being Grown in groves, bamboo has a lifespan But all honey, regardless of its origins, is different,” Clark said. “It's pretty uncommon of 12 to 36 years. The plants blossom only good for you, experts say. In recent years, for bamboos to drop their leaves.” once in their life time and perish after honey has gained a reputation as a health Clark should know. She's an shedding rice, leaving it for new shoots to food, especially in the light of research internationally recognized bamboo expert. come up from the stump. Local botanists suggesting that it has germ-fighting She had previously discovered 74 new say that the types of bamboo mostly found powers and is high in antioxidants and species of bamboo. Her 75th species in Wayanad are Bambusa and chemicals that appear to block certain discovery has been named Arundinaria Dendrocalamus strictus, but several other types of cell damage caused by molecules appalachiana. varieties also grow in the area. called free radicals. There are 1 400 known species of bamboo. A family can collect 20 to 30 kg of In 2004, researchers in the United States Of these, about 900 are tropical and 500 are bamboo rice a day. The cooperative buys it of America found that antioxidant levels temperate. The bamboos of North America for Rs10/kg, but private buyers offer higher rose in people who ate between four and are found in the eastern and southeastern prices. The rice is winnowed, husked and ten tablespoons of honey per day, United States, from New Jersey south to packed by the cooperative before being depending on their weight. It was not clear Florida and west to Texas. Giant cane sold. at the time, however, which varieties of (Arundinaria gigantea) occurs in low woods Bamboo blossoming also attracts tourists honey harboured the most antioxidants. and along riverbanks. Switch cane as vast areas of dark and shady forest turn In the new study, researchers looked at (Arundinaria tecta) is found in non-alluvial aglow with yellowish flowers. (Source: The 36 varieties of Spanish honey in two groups, swamps, moist pine areas, live oak woods Hindu [India], 25 February 2007.) clover honey, made by bees from the nectar and along sandy margins of streams. “The of flower blossoms and honeydew honey, United States’ native bamboo has been a very Hong Kong skyscrapers made of bamboo made by bees from a sweet, sticky important plant ecologically,” says Clark. Hong Kong's skyscrapers proudly dot its substance secreted by insects such as “And there's recent interest in using it for shores, giving the island its glossy, modern aphids that live off plants. Honeydew honey revegetation projects because it is native and image. Yet the structures, which are being is only produced in a few parts of the world has been used for habitat by so many built higher and faster every day, owe their and is considered a delicacy in certain different animals, especially birds.” identities to one of the oldest construction regions. Clark and Triplett began looking at the materials in history – bamboo. The researchers performed tests on the North American bamboos as part of a larger Advances in engineering and honeys and reported their findings in the collaboration with botanists worldwide to construction have not been able to outdate February issue of the Journal of the develop an evolutionary family tree of bamboo, a tried and successful material Science of Food and Agriculture. According bamboo species. They are using modern DNA used to construct buildings in China for to the results, honeydew honeys had higher sequencing technologies together with more than a thousand years. Light and levels of antioxidants in general. The traditional plant taxonomy, which involve cheap bamboo, mostly from southern researchers also report that Spanish observation and description of a plant's form, China, helps Hong Kong's builders sheathe honeydew honeys tend to be darker and anatomy, ecology and other characteristics. entire buildings in a matter of weeks and is more acidic than clover varieties. (Source: Iowa State University [in Science constantly in high demand. (Source: Study coauthor Rosa Ana Perez, a Daily], 13 March 2007.) NDTV.com [India], 23 February 2007.) researcher with the Instituto Madrileño de

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Investigación y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y manuka honey, honeydew honey can be Alimentario in Madrid, said honeydew used in cooking or dribbled on pancakes or PROPOLIS honey from outside of Spain should also fruit. (Source: Pottstown Mercury [United show similar signs of higher levels of States of America], 5 February 2007.) Propolis is the sticky glue used by antioxidants. Honeydew honey is relatively honey bees. It is usually coloured dark rare in the United States. brown, although it may also be yellow, Perez said, however, that honey is not a green, grey or red. Plants are literally miracle food: “I don't think that a foodstuff rooted to the spot where they grow. on its own could allow the improvement of PROFITING FROM This means that threatened by an the health of anyone, or even prevent some HONEY BEES enemy, they cannot get away. They disease.” (Source: HealthDay News, therefore protect themselves with Washington Post [United States of This engaging film looks into the chemical defence systems, which America], 22 February 2007.) traditional and sustainable honey include toxins, bitter tastes and harvesting methods of the communities stinging repellents. Tender buds Rare New Zealand honey leads to sweet living around Danau Sentarum in West provide tasty snacks for insects unless importing business Kalimantan, Indonesia, one of Southeast defended, and plants often protect The buzz about manuka honey has to do Asia's largest wetlands. their buds with sticky gums. When a with its health benefits, not its flavourful The communities harvest honey from tree is wounded it secretes resin properties in recipes. The antibacterial- wild honey bees (Apis dorsata) from the around the wound as the first stage of rich honey is produced by bees during the colonies that make the wetlands their the healing process. few weeks a year that New Zealand‘s home. Harvesting up to 25 tonnes of People have great benefit from manuka bushes are in bloom and is touted honey yearly, forest honey is a these powerful plant chemicals and as a remedy for everything from skin significant source of income. many medicines and drugs are derived conditions to digestive disorders. The traditional tikung method is from the plants. Propolis is antibiotic – Known in parts of Europe, New Zealand widely used for honey harvesting in the it has been proved to kill bacteria and and Australia, the product is virtually area. Since there are few tall trees, there are many claims for its medicinal unknown in the United States of America, people facilitate conducive nesting properties. but Fiona Nelson wants to change all that. conditions for the bees by attaching A bee collects propolis by biting off In October, Nelson opened Wedderspoon rafters or tikung to trees. A tikung takes scraps of plant resin with its mandibles Organic, an importing company that is about an hour to prepare and a family and packs them into the corbiculae bringing the honey to the country. She can have tens, or even hundreds of (pollen baskets) on its hind legs. Each currently imports and sells two products. them, whose ownership is passed on of these can carry about 10 mg of Both are stamped with the National from generation to generation. propolis. Because of its stickiness, Organic Program of the United States Also described is the periau, or gathering propolis is a slow business: it Department of Agriculture (USDA). traditional regulations for the use and can take an hour to fill both baskets. Manuka Honey Active 16+ is equivalent management of forest honey. Back at the hive, unloading can take to 16 percent antiseptic solution, according The film aims to underscore how another hour. Propolis is only collected to a testing method developed by the supporting traditional methods of when the temperature is above 18°C. University of Waikato in New Zealand. management are highly effective in Bees use propolis in a variety of ways, People take a spoonful of active manuka ensuring the sustainability of honey in such as keeping their homes dry, cosy honey for such gastrointestinal disorders the area. (Produced by: Riak Bumi, and hygienic. as acid reflux, oesophagus ulcer, Telapak and NTFP Exchange Programme It is not possible to define propolis heartburn, upset stomach, stomach ulcer for South and Southeast Asia, 2005. DVD any more than it is possible to define and irritable bowel syndrome. It is also [25 minutes]. In Bahasa Indonesia with honey – it all depends on what is touted for external use for wound care, English subtitles.) available for the bees. In general, burns, diabetic leg and foot ulcers, propolis consists of resins, waxes, bedsores and post-operative scar healing. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE volatile oils and pollen, as well as Nelson said the honey has no expiry date CONTACT: vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals because it is organic and does not need Ms Aloisa Zamora-Santos, Information such as flavonoids. The problem for refrigeration. Unlike processed honey Management Officer, Non-Timber Forest people marketing propolis bought for cooking, it does not crystallize. Products Exchange Programme for South commercially is to obtain a The other product, Autumn Forest and Southeast Asia, 92-A Masikap standardized product. Honeydew Honey, is derived from the sap of Extension, Barangay Central, Diliman, Depending on quality, the world beech trees. It was named by the Maoris, Quezon City 1101, the Philippines. price of propolis is currently around the indigenous people of New Zealand, for Fax: +63 2 4262757; e-mail: US$50/kg. the golden colour of the beech sap in the [email protected]; www.ntfp.org. (Source: Bees for Development, March morning light. Honeydew honey contains (See page 24 for information on another 2007.) complex sugars in greater levels than DVD produced by the Programme.) average floral honeys. It is more readily available than manuka honey but, unlike

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Beekeepers in Australia enjoy massive However, at the end of 2006, the projected that subsidies would potentially honey harvest governor of the large state of Para exacerbate deforestation because farmers Tasmanian beekeepers have reaped a announced a protected reserve of 16.4 would earn more cash from the Brazil nuts massive honey harvest from the state's million ha of forest, with the aim of creating and then reinvest it by clearing forest for native leatherwood trees. The trees, which a huge conservation corridor through the the more lucrative activity of cattle raising. mainly grow in the state's western rain northern Amazon. And in the state over (Source: Field guide to the future. Four forests, produce a unique flavoured honey Para's northern border, Amapa, small ways for communities to think ahead. 2006. for export and domestic markets. Yields communities are taking the Brazil nut to K. Evans et al.; www.asb.cgiar.org/ma/ this year are expected to be 30 to 40 generate income from the rain forest scenarios/) percent above average. Beekeepers believe without destroying it. “We needed to create the exceptionally warm February weather organizations in the region in order to has made the difference. (Source: ABC strengthen local production,” said Ajama Online [Australia], 8 March 2007.) da Silva Mendes, from the Amapa state department of industry, commerce and minerals. “So the government gave some % BRAZIL NUTS incentives to create cooperatives, together with the communities.” Brazil nuts' path to preservation Brazil nut gatherers and their families Help is at hand for the Amazon rain forest are now able to maintain decent and Brazil's poverty-stricken rural people, livelihoods. And small-scale factories have courtesy of the country's famous native nut. been set up to produce Brazil nut biscuits Brazil nuts are a valuable food source and oil, broadening the range of products with a huge market in Europe and North available for export, meaning that there is a America: up to 7 000 tonnes of unshelled better way for people to obtain a fair price Brazil nuts as an alternative energy nuts and 20 000 tonnes of shelled nuts are for their valuable resource. source shipped every year. And because the trees But there are further problems. A study conducted by the National that supply the nuts grow wild, they offer a Subsidized production in Bolivia is Research Institute of Amazonia (INPA) way for communities to make a living from challenging Brazil's dominance in the demonstrated that waste material from the forest without destroying it, something market. And when, in 2004, the European Brazil nuts can be used by industry and that is now being put to use in the country. Union found that Brazil nuts with shells on commerce. The material can be used to “This is a real financial resource for had traces of aflatoxins, which can cause generate energy both in its natural state as communities,” says Dr Rafael Salomao, who liver cancer, strong regulations were put in well as in the form of subproducts, for works at the Museu Goeldi, one of the most place regarding the nuts. While the example, charcoal, charcoal bricks (pieces important centres for the study of the American limit on aflatoxin levels in Brazil of small charcoal compressed into blocks), Amazon. “A tree which is over 400 years old nuts is 15 parts per billion, the European tar (bio-oil) and gases. can provide for generations and generations.” limit is just four parts per billion. This has The study, a result of the project, “Brazil Brazil nuts are considered to be one of damaged Brazil nut exporters. (Source: nut fruit: potential use as a source of raw the most valuable products to be harvested BBC News, 28 January 2007.) material for energy grid in the State of from undisturbed rain forests. The nuts, Amazonas”, was prepared by INPA known to Brazilians as Castanha do para, Modelling Brazil nut subsidies and technician, Paulo Roberto Guedes Moura, grow uniquely in the Amazon basin. They incentives with guidance provided by the Coordinating are hazardous to collect: each hard outer Over the last decade, settlers have moved Office for Forest Products Research shell weighs over 1 kg. However, they offer to Brazil’s western Acre state and put (CPPF/INPA). an alternative to the way that many areas of significant pressure on the Amazon forests. The study showed that this waste Brazil are trying to develop, by clearing the Most settlers are clearing land for cattle material has potential for use as firewood forest to create areas suitable for grazing pasture. However, half of the farm families in thermal plants, boilers, pottery works, cattle or growing products such as soya. maintain part of their farm as forest in etc. In the form of a subproduct (charcoal For many years, this has meant the order to harvest Brazil nuts. Some policy- and bricks), the waste can be used by the destruction of Brazil nut trees, even after makers have suggested subsidizing Brazil steel industry in making pig (raw) iron. they became officially protected. But nuts to provide incentives to maintain more Moura clarified that during his forests are burned to clear the land and the forest cover. comparative analyses of basic density of Brazil nut tree is very sensitive to fire. After ASB (alternatives to slash and burn) the waste material with other timber three years, the trees are dead. What is researchers used a specially developed species, Brazil nut acts as if it were dense worse for Brazil nut collectors is that once bioeconomic model that explored the wood. In his opinion, the tar is especially the trees have been destroyed, there is interactions of labour, capital and land interesting as it is a sort of wood-based little chance of getting them back. allocation over a 25-year period under bio-oil to generate energy, or for cooking Attempts to replace them have been largely various market and price scenarios. When since it adds taste to smoked products. unsuccessful. Saplings will not grow in they doubled the price of Brazil nuts in the Additionally, the oil can be used in the shade and they take up to 15 years to begin model, they found that the deforestation composition of paving materials and to producing nuts. rate would not decrease. In fact, they increase the durability of wood products. “It

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is highly valuable on the consumer The collected market,” he stressed. Given the fact that the more conspicuous The study was conducted to show that species of insects tend to be well value can be added to waste material that documented, contemporary scientific would otherwise be discarded. Moura said collectors are often focused on obscure that there will be a lack of raw material to taxonomic groups of small but species-rich supply industry and commerce, as in 2004 groups that may be useful as bioindicators. alone, the state of Amazonas produced Amateur collectors, however, still seek some 9 000 tonnes of Brazil nuts. This specimens that are large or beautiful in would generate roughly 18 000 tonnes of terms of colour, shape, texture or other waste material. (Source: Jornal da Ciência, things, with the highest prices going for 24 January 2007 [in Amazon News].) (See those specimens that are rare and in mint page 7 for information on certified Brazil condition. The dead stock insect trade alone nut oil.) runs into tens of millions of dollars annually. The humid tropics of Southeast Asia and South America are generally the most %FOREST INSECTS species-rich areas and thus the most significant suppliers of collectible insects in Eating worms and protecting parks Collectible forest insects the world. However, the United Republic of In an effort to ensure that mopane worms There are basically three reasons why Tanzania not only has many indifferent (Imbrassia belina), in the Uukwaluudhi people collect insects: for subsistence, for genera of insects, but also some specifically Conservancy of Namibia are not professional purposes or purely as a or largely African representatives, including overharvested but utilized in a sustainable recreational hobby. Although collecting is some of extraordinary size and beauty. As manner, the Uukwaluudhi Traditional occasionally broad-based, it is most often elsewhere in the tropics, the more humid Authority (UTA) has set up regulations focused on specific groups of insects sought parts and mountains may be the most governing the harvesting of these worms in for their utilitarian, scientific, ornamental rewarding areas in terms of collectibles, but their forests. or other benefits. the drier woodlands and semi-deserts also Before people start harvesting mopane yield some remarkable specimens. worms, says Veikko Iishila, the Headman of The collectors Amateur collectors everywhere are most Likokola district in the Uukwaluudhi area, a Subsistence. Some traditional cultures in strongly attracted to Lepidoptera and meeting is held to inform the people that Africa and elsewhere depend on Coleoptera, but several other orders include the worms are mature and can be hunting/gathering to some extent, including highly sought-after specimens. (Source: harvested. Each harvester has to have the collecting of insects and their products Springer/Kluwer Academic Publishers, written permission from the UTA or from for food, medicinal purposes, as a source of Forest Entomology in East Africa: Forest other relevant authorities at a fee. Mopane arrow poison, as fish and bird bait, and Insects of Tanzania. 2006. Chapter 9, Forest- harvesting time is usually from March to occasionally for ornamentation (jewellery, based insect industries. H.G. Schabel. (With April. This helps to make sure that forests textiles). kind permission of Springer Science and are not overharvested and that immature Professional. The two distinct categories of Business Media.). worms are not collected. individuals who make a living collecting Iishila said money levied from mopane insects are professional entomologists (who FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: collectors is put into the UTA under the study insects for scientific reasons) and Prof. H. Schabel, 7976 Co I, Custer, WI 54423, chairmanship of King Taapopi and is used commercial collectors (who collect or breed United States of America. to solve community problems. insects on behalf of others or who act as E-mail: [email protected] Mopane worms are large caterpillars intermediaries in the trade of live or dead (See page 59 for information on insect-based that feed on the leaves of the mopane tree insects and their products). Live insect industries in the United Republic of Tanzania.) in southern Africa. They are high in fat and exhibits (butterfly houses or insect zoos) are protein, have a gritty texture and a slightly a relatively new but dynamic development in meaty taste when fried; they are the commercialization of insects. considered a delicacy by many people in Amateur. Insect hobbyists come in three Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South varieties: the aestheticist, the naturalist and Africa. the trophy hunter. Most entomological The Uukwaluudhi Conservancy was hobbyists are attracted to insects for their established through the Community-Based ornamental qualities, while some aspire to Natural Resource Management owning the biggest, most bizarre or rarest programme of the Ministry of Environment specimens available. Some collectors are and Tourism, which enables people to willing to pay thousands of dollars for certain manage and benefit from the natural outstanding specimens. In Japan, for resources in their environment in a instance, where some long-living beetles are sustainable way. (Source: The Namibian, 15 very popular as pets, one trophy stag beetle February 2007.) sold for US$20 000 in the mid-1990s.

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Because demand and competition for kroto have increased in recent years, some areas COLLECTIBLES: BUTTERFLY RANCHING and the are being overharvested and as a result IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA marketing of collectors are finding fewer larvae. To fill the insects their baskets they work on a much shorter The ranching for collectibles started in produced since rotation of host trees, which in turn affects Papua New Guinea, a country that 1974. the ability of the ant populations to recover. considers insects a “national resource” In 1995, over 800 villagers in Papua With less intense harvesting, the ants and in its constitution specifies insect New Guinea supplied stock to IFTA, normally rebuild and recoup quite quickly. conservation as a national objective. In whose staff fills orders from collectors As kroto can only be kept fresh for two 1966, seven rare and magnificent worldwide (especially Japan, Germany days, traders often transport boxes into the birdwing butterflies, Ornithoptera spp. and the United States of America), city on a daily basis. Because of increased (Papilionidae), were declared protected while the profits (less 25 percent for demand and economic necessity, local and a year later the world’s largest administrative costs) return to the traders may take 10–30 kg a day to the butterfly, O. alexandrae Roth, was villagers. market. They also take some dried kroto, proclaimed legally endangered. In 1968, At present, a pair of a certain species which is produced by collectors and can be a law banned the taking of any of the of Ornithoptera, such as O. priamus and kept for six months, but it sells at half the seven species of birdwings threatened O. goliath supremus f. titan, may be price of fresh supplies. with extinction. With these steps, Papua worth up to $300, but some collectors The rapid deterioration of the fresh New Guinea tried to stop unscrupulous have paid thousands for outstanding produce and the need for immediate bioprospectors who had opportunistically specimens. transport represent the biggest hurdles in exploited the country’s spectacular insect Serious butterfly ranchers in Papua marketing kroto. During the high season, fauna with little if any benefit for the New Guinea can earn US$2 500–5 000 traders pay collectors US$1.20–1.40 per kg rightful owners of these resources. per year in a country where the per and then sell to merchants at US$1.60–1.70 In the meantime, most of the capita income is around US$50/year. per kg, leaving little profit after transport formerly threatened birdwings and Villagers that earn revenue from insects costs. The Jakarta markets sell around 100 other spectacular and sought-after are said to have shown a strong kg of kroto a day at US$3.50–5.00 per kg, insects of Papua New Guinea have tendency to conserve forests, making the merchants the main become available through legal trade. demonstrating the potential of such beneficiaries in the kroto trade. To make This was made possibly by the enterprises to foster ecologically more money, some collectors sell their daily establishment of several wildlife sensitive economic development. harvests directly to small retailers, who are management areas, the development of (Source: Springer/Kluwer Academic often willing to pay more for fresh kroto. butterfly ranching for export as part of Publishers, Forest Entomology in East For many collectors, kroto represents an the country’s rural development Africa: Forest Insects of Tanzania. 2006. important or principal source of income and programme and involvement of an Chapter 9, Forest-based insect industries. is regarded as one of the few ways that poor Insect Farming and Trading Agency H.G. Schabel. (With kind permission of people can earn money from a free (IFTA), which has assured quality control Springer Science and Business Media.). resource. Collectors use the money for subsistence needs or to save for harder times. Farmers often collect the resource as well, as a way of earning some extra money Kroto ant larvae and pupae: the bird food nests in trees. The ants can invade almost in between the two rice harvesting seasons. delicacy any type of tree but tend to prefer fruit trees, (Source: Case study on “Kroto, ant larvae “Kroto” is the Javanese name given to a such as the jackfruit or mango. A given and pupae”, by Nicolas Césard and Irdez combination of larvae and pupae from the colony may occupy various nests in a single Azhar [in Riches of the forest: food, spices, Asian weaver ant (mainly Oecophylla tree or even several trees. Located in one of crafts and resins of Asia, eds C. López and P. smaragdina). This mixture is well known to the highest nests is the queen, whose eggs Shanley].) Indonesian bird lovers and local fishers, with are distributed to the other colony sites (Please see page 44 for information on snail the ant larvae being popular as a fishing bait nearby. Weaver ants’ nests are among the farming in Cameroon.) and also as a dietary supplement to improve most complex of ant nests, with the the performance of songbirds. Bird fanciers Oecophylla species using the well developed treat their favourite pets with the protein- silk glands of their larvae to weave together Lac – Corrigendum and vitamin-rich kroto when preparing them a nest of living leaves – hence their name. The authors of the article “Cultivation of NTFPs to challenge other birds in singing Throughout the year, kroto is harvested as the best measure of poverty eradication of competitions. and sold on the islands of Java and Sumatra. poor tribal cultivators – A case study of lac Weaver ants are found from India to Collecting kroto is a solitary job, which cultivation” printed on pages 28–29 of Non- Australia and throughout the Indonesian begins with the identification of host trees. Wood News 14 should have read: Dr S.P. archipelago, within a wide range of habitats During the dry season, the resource is less Bhardwaj (Principal Scientist) and Dr S.D. including coastal areas, secondary forests abundant but during the wet season the Sharma (Director), Indian Agricultural Statistics and plantations. They are well known for rice-like smaller larvae are more common, Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India. being aggressive predators and for building of a better quality and more highly valued.

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GINSENG Panax species), and labelling rules now (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha) based on % prohibit it from being marketed under the indigenous knowledge of these plants’ Ginseng genome library established in name “ginseng”. medicinal and healing properties. China Cultivated ginseng is the farm-grown Considering the global trade in MAPs – After years of study, Liu Shuying and her version, which requires shade arbours, now a US$60 billion industry and still team at the Institute of Applied Chemistry chemical pesticides and fungicides, and growing, especially with the increasing under the Chinese Academy of Sciences intense labour. For generations it was demand worldwide for herbal medicines – have established the first ginseng genome primarily cultivated in Wisconsin (United the potential of MAPs to provide relief from library in China. Including holographic States of America), but it is now widely poverty in South Asia, where 40 percent of material and genetic data, this library is grown in China and on farms around the the world’s poor reside, is tremendous, if it another step forward in the modernization world. can be tapped. of traditional Chinese medicine. Simulated-wild ginseng is a fairly new, However, issues of sustainable Jilin province in northeast China middle category (although experts harvesting – the need to balance the push- currently produces 80 percent of all maintain than thousands of years ago, and-pull factors of commercial demand on ginseng in China and 60 percent of ginseng Koreans grew simulated-wild ginseng in the one hand and conservation of these available on the world market. (Source: forests). valuable plants and their contribution to People's Daily Online, 15 March 2007.) Promoted as an ecologically sustainable biodiversity on the other; the need for alternative to cultivated ginseng, greater value addition at the community simulated-wild plants grow from seeds level and for stronger farmer-industry sown by people in forest conditions that collaboration to realize this; the need for mimic the habitat of wild ginseng. commercial cultivation of important Simulated-wild ginseng is mainly limited to species, as well as for more research areas where ginseng also grows wild – in about the plants and more information the United States of America, in forests including market information and east of the Mississippi River – and it is strategies together with a more supportive raised with no or very few chemicals and policy in the region must be addressed. little tilling. Markets in Asia have been slow Given the increasing value of MAPs, both to acknowledge this as a separate in terms of primary health care and as a category; simulated-wild roots are easily critical source of livelihoods and income mistaken for wild roots and command a for the rural poor in the region, the higher price than cultivated ones. (Source: International Centre for Integrated Ginseng Ginseng, the divine root. The curious Mountain Development (ICIMOD) with history of the plant that captivated the support from the Common Fund for A note on ginseng terms world, by David A. Taylor.) Commodities (CFC), the Netherlands, is Wild ginseng refers to the plant as it grows (Please see page 77 for more information implementing a four-year, US$1.68 million in its native forest, with no help from on this book.) project “Medicinal Plants and Herbs: people. Wild ginseng commands the Developing Sustainable Supply Chain and highest price and is limited to the plant’s Enhancing Rural Livelihoods in the Eastern native range. American ginseng (Panax MEDICINAL PLANTS Himalayas” in three countries, Nepal, quinquefolius) is found in the mountains %AND HERBS Bangladesh and Bhutan, with India east of the Mississippi River, although it providing technical expertise. ICIMOD’s does grow in patches as far west as Medicinal and aromatic plants: the way Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Programme Nebraska. Wild Asian ginseng (Panax out of poverty? in Asia (MAPPA) is the project’s ginseng) is found only in northeastern About 20 000 tonnes of medicinal and implementing agency, with FAO’s China, the Republic of Korea, the aromatic plants (MAPs) worth US$18–20 Intergovernmental Subgroup on Tropical Democratic Republic of Korea and parts of million are traded every year in Nepal Fruits providing a supervisory role. Siberia. alone, and about 90 percent are harvested The project’s overall objective is to Other ginseng relatives are Panax in an uncontrolled fashion by landless, conserve natural resources, reduce poverty notoginseng, found in China as “san chi” or resource-poor mountain farmers for whom and improve livelihoods for mountain “tien chi” ginseng; Panax japonicum, or the harvest and trade in medicinal plants communities of the Himalayan region Japanese ginseng found only in Japan; and constitute their only form of cash income. through the sustainable development and Panax trifolium, known as dwarf ginseng. The situation is similar in Bangladesh, utilization of high-value, low-volume There is a less documented basis for these Bhutan, India and other countries of South MAPs. plants than for the main two ginseng Asia, and 90 percent of the plants from A three-day inception workshop in April species, and they are not nearly so Nepal are exported to India in raw form. launched the project. Participants included valuable. Eleutherococcus senticosus, The greater Himalayan region, in fact, representatives from nodal agencies (focal sometimes called Siberian ginseng, is not a has the comparative advantage of being point organizations for the project in each true ginseng, but a relative in the same home to many MAPs found only there. The country), research and academic institutes, plant family; it has almost no ginsenosides region also has various well-developed non-governmental organizations (NGOs) (the active chemical compounds in the practices in traditional medicines and the private sector. During the

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workshop, ICIMOD and experts from India Artemisia annua: WHO publishes manufacturers to determine the actual shared the latest trends and organic guidelines on cultivating an essential market demand for the plant. Recent practices in MAP cultivation and plant used in antimalaria medicines experience in some countries has shown processing as well as emerging value The World Health Organization (WHO) today that overproduction not only wastes money supply chain practices. publishes guidelines for the cultivation and and time, but it can also have a negative Partners in each country are collection of Artemisia annua L., a Chinese effect on the plant's future yield. Second, implementing the project. In Bangladesh traditional medicinal plant which is the they must ensure the availability of the the nodal agency is the Ministry of source of artemisinin, used to produce the technical skills and expertise needed to Commerce, with the Bangladesh Neem most effective medicines for malaria. The extract artemisinin from dried leaves. Foundation and the Development of guidelines will contribute to improving the The WHO monograph also aims to Biotechnology and Environmental quality of Artemisia annua L. to develop provide a model for countries and Conservation Centre as implementing artemisinin-based medicines further, and researchers to develop further partners. In Bhutan the project will be help ensure a sustainable supply to meet monographs on good agricultural and implemented by the Ministry of market demand. collection practices for other medicinal Agriculture, while the Ministry of Forests Artemisia annua L., used in Chinese plants, and promote the sustainable use of and Soil Conservation is the nodal agency traditional medicine for centuries, is today the plant as part of the larger aim of in Nepal, with the Herbs and Non-Timber considered part of the solution where protecting the wild resources of medicinal Forest Products Coordination Committee, malaria has become resistant to other plants. (Source: World Health Organization, Nepal working with partners to implement medicines. Artemisinin-based combination 12 March 2007.) the project in western Nepal. therapies (ACTs) have been recommended by WHO since 2001 in all countries where Global standard set for wild medicinal FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: falciparum malaria – the most resistant plant harvesting Dr RBS Rawat, Regional Programme form of the disease – is endemic. Since A new standard to promote sustainable Coordinator, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants then, the world market for products management and trade of wild medicinal Programme in Asia (MAPPA), ARID/ICIMOD, containing artemisinin derivatives has and aromatic plants was launched on International Centre for Integrated Mountain grown rapidly. However, not all artemisinin Friday in Nuremberg at Biofach, the World Development, ICIMOD, Khumaltar, PO Box 3226, meets the required standards to produce Organic Trade Fair. The standard is needed Kathmandu, Nepal. E-mail: [email protected] quality medicines, making it all the more to ensure plants used in medicine and urgent to promote best practices in the cosmetics are not overexploited. cultivation and collection of the raw About 15 000 species or 21 percent of all material used to make the combination medicinal and aromatic plant species are therapy. at risk, according to the report by the MOUNTAIN MEDICINAL PLANTS About 40 percent of the world's Medicinal Plant Specialist Group of the population is at risk of contracting malaria World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) Species Medicinal plants are one of the most which is resistant to other medicines. Of Survival Commission that sets forth the valuable resources at high altitudes. the 76 countries needing artemisinin- new standard. For example, 1 748 species from the based treatment today, 69 have adopted the More than 400 000 tonnes of medicinal Indian Himalayas are used for local WHO recommendation to use this therapy. and aromatic plants are traded every year, medicinal treatment or for trade, The availability of these treatments still and about 80 percent of these species are involving the pharmaceutical industry. falls short of what is needed. Of an harvested from the wild. Roughly a third grow in the subalpine estimated 600 million people needing ACTs Almost 70 000 species are involved, or alpine zone. Cultivation of medicinal worldwide, only about 82 million are many of them in danger of overexploitation plants instead of harvesting wild receiving the treatment through public or extinction through overharvesting and plants, which often causes local sector distribution systems (which habitat loss. In India, for instance, 319 extinction of highly priced medicinal constitute 90 percent of antimalarial medicinal plants are listed as threatened species, and local processing instead of distribution in developing countries). by IUCN. exporting raw material, are two The WHO monograph on good In Ecuador, one of the best known strategies that can ensure the agricultural and collection practices for medical herbs in the world, cascarilla sustainable use of medicinal plants and Artemisia annua L. provides a detailed Cinchona pubescens – the original source increase the incomes of mountain description of the cultivation and collection of the antimalarial drug quinine – may be dwellers. (Source: Flyer, International techniques and measures required for a threatened as a result of overexploitation, Mountain Day 2006, FAO.) harvest to meet quality requirements. The according to the World Wide Fund for information is based on research data and Nature (WWF). Today the herb is used to the practical experience of several treat a variety of ailments, from upset countries where successful cultivation stomachs to immune system problems. practices have led to a high yield of good In Eastern Europe, unsustainable quality Artemisia annua L. collection of the wild herb pheasant's eye, The authors of the guidelines caution Adonis vernalis, used to treat cardiac governments on two fronts. First, they ailments, has led to declines throughout must ensure that farmers work with the plant's range, says WWF, and today the

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species is protected from collection in major boon in cultivating medicinal and commercial crops (such as safed musli and many countries. aromatic plants (MAPs), which are on high ashwagandha), increase in labour costs, In the United States of America, large demand in the international as well as the little enthusiasm for processing and value quantities of American ginseng, Panax national market. The Government, semi- addition techniques and other marketing quinquefolius and goldenseal, Hydrastis government, NGOs, private industries and problems, farmers are rapidly decreasing canadensis, are collected in the wild. even individuals were largely attracted the area under MAP cultivation. The cases Although much of the ginseng exported from because of the high cost of raw materials of of failures in cultivation and marketing of the United States is now cultivated, enough species such as safed musli (Chlorophytum selected species are more than successful collection of the wild plant occurs that trade borivillianum), sarpgandha (Rauvolfia cases in the study area. This situation in the species is now regulated. Both ginseng serpentina), lemon grass (Cymbopogon needs special attention from government, and goldenseal are listed in Appendix II of martinii), stevia (Stevia rebundiana) and traders and the industry. the Convention on International Trade in coleus (Coleus forskohlii). The survey of the study area clearly Endangered Species of Wild Flora and The state and central government indicates that the cultivation of selected Fauna, which allows trade in these plants launched a massive campaign to promote species is not remunerative for small only through a permitting system. large-scale cultivation of some 20 to 30 landholding farmers. Overall, the false hopes About 90 percent of the ginseng species by giving subsidies and loans to given by planting material suppliers, exported from the United States each year farmers. The basic aim of the campaign is to consultants and the industry, along with goes to countries in East Asia. The United conserve medicinal plants from the forest, farmers’ own mistakes in cultivation and States imports hundreds of thousands of increase rural employment and income and processing, have led the small farmers of the tonnes of many different herbs each year to also increase exports. Because of the Malwa region to start reducing the cultivation support its US$3 billion market. decreasing availability of raw material from area even further. (Source: extracted from Following extensive consultation with the forest and the Coleus forskohlii high the executive summary of a project report plant experts and the herbal products costs of planting material and raw products, submitted to the Indian Institute of Forest industry, the International Standard for several companies and progressive farmers Management (IIFM), Bhopal, Madhya Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and have started large-scale cultivation of Pradesh, India in October 2006 by Dr Manish Aromatic Plants, ISSC-MAP, was drawn up highlighted species. As a result there is a Mishra and Dr P C Kotwal.) by the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group. The scarcity of planting material, crop suitability, German Federal Agency for Nature market and proper management. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Conservation was involved in the consultation Therefore, in the last decade or so the THE CONTRIBUTOR: together with WWF-Germany, and the area under medicinal crop cultivation has Dr Manish Mishra, Faculty of Ecosystem wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, greatly increased because of the attractive Management, IIFM, Nehru Nagar, Bhopal, plus industry associations, companies, and remunerative market prices in both the Madhya Pradesh, India. Pin: 262003. certifiers and community-based NGOs. international and national markets. However, E-mail: [email protected]; The standard is based on six principles – more recently, through lack of market www.iifmnmpbmis.org/ maintaining medicinal and aromatic plant demand, low prices, high planting material resources in the wild, preventing negative and production costs, increasing labour environmental impacts, legal compliance, costs, less local and Industrial consumption, respecting customary rights, applying and more production, the market for these responsible management practices and commercially cultivated medicinal plants has applying responsible business practices. crashed. As a result, small-scale farmers Traditional Medicinals, a Californian failed to sell their produce (wet) in the local herbal medicine company, is testing the market: the cost of the raw or wet product application of the new standard to the dropped considerably and there were no collection of bearberry, a shrub whose buyers. Hence, some farmers left the leaves are used to treat the kidney, bladder cultivation or sold their produce at bargain and urinary tract. prices in the local market. To view the Medicinal Plant Specialist A recent report examines the various Rauvolfia serpentina Group paper that sets forth the complete causes of success and failures in the standard, please visit: cultivation of ashwagandha, safed musli, %MOSS www.floraweb.de/ proxy/floraweb/MAP- asaria, coleus and stevia plants in the pro/Standard_Version1_0.pdf Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh state. For Masses of moss (Source: Environment News Service [United several reasons, the market for the much Moss has been harvested in Scotland, the States of America], 20 February 2007.) sought after wonder crop safed musli has United Kingdom, for thousands of years and drastically crashed in the last one to two still is, although until recently very little was Assessment of success and failures in years. It has been flooded by the cultivated known about it outside harvesting circles. A cultivation, processing and marketing of medicinal crop and there were no buyers recent four-month study investigated moss medicinal plants in the Malwa region, for the raw material produced particularly harvesting in the country, involving contact Central India by small-scale farmers of the region. with 308 harvesters, traders, landowners, During the last decade India, particularly The study reveals that because of bryologists (moss experts) and informants Madhya Pradesh state, has observed a market saturation (overproduction) of on the illegal trade. The study comes at a

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time of increasing interest in NTFPs from the to a wealth of mosses however and those annually and 125 jobs. Landowners charging Forestry Commission Scotland, private growing in non-native conifer plantations permit fees make on average very little landowners, community woodland groups offer opportunities for harvesters, either for money from moss harvesting but welcome and conservation bodies alike. personal use or commercial sale. the diversification of land activities. Today moss is harvested for use in the The study found that moss harvesting One-third of all landowners contacted floristry and horticultural trades and does occur throughout Scotland and on a had experience of moss harvesting in their represents a worldwide commodity (see variety of scales; from large-scale forests, although large-scale harvesting is article on moss harvesting in the Pacific commercial harvesting enterprises to concentrated in the expansive forests in the Northwest, Non-Wood News 13). In individual florists and garden centres south of the country. Cases of illegal moss Scotland, 70 percent of florists and 60 supplying their own needs, to individuals harvesting from peat bogs do occur and percent of garden centres trade in moss, harvesting for personal or charitable these cause concern over the sustainability although the majority of these import their purposes. As much illegal harvesting, i.e. and legality of the practice, thus damaging supplies from wholesalers in England or the without landowner permission, is thought to the industries’ reputation. However, most Netherlands, who in turn source most of occur as legal harvesting. Estimations put harvesting concentrates on just four their moss from across the European Union the total value of the harvest and trade of genera, Pleurozium, Polytrichum, (EU). Given its wet climate, Scotland is home Scottish-grown moss at UK£0.5 million Pseudoscleropodium and Sphagnum, the

MOSS GATHERING IN THE UNITED the resource is formed. If the end goal is through hoops, but never lifting a finger STATES OF AMERICA moss conservation, maybe efforts should to help him the way they do other first target the widespread destruction of stakeholders. However, he might be The following e-mail exchange of March moss habitat that occurs from clearcut persuaded to collect some data if he were 2007 presents interesting points of view on logging, mountain top removal for coal, offered money and training to do so. That moss harvesting guidelines. freeway construction, housing would be the sort of positive step that developments, etc. I suspect the impact could bring people like Kurt into discussions Proposal from JeriLynn E. Peck from harvesting is nothing compared with like these. It would send a message to him A number of us have been asked to pull these other activities. that he is not viewed negatively by together some draft guidelines for the Harvesters have no power and so an management and science, but actually is commercial harvest of mosses for attack on their livelihoods by science will seen as someone with important skills and discussion and distribution among the only push them more underground. How knowledge to contribute. members of the International Association do we as scientists and managers protect I mean no disrespect to the research you of Bryologists (IAB) at the annual meeting the good harvesters that are trying to have done, every little bit helps. However, this summer, with the ultimate intent of make some money while also trying to in reality we have so little information on providing IAB-approved general harvest understand and safeguard their moss moss it seems premature and guidelines. We are just starting to think patches? presumptuous to create guidelines for how about this, so I wanted to throw out to What would be great is to figure out a to harvest moss before we really investigate anyone who might wish to provide some way for a much greater number of what harvesters are doing. input the opportunity to provide some harvesters to be brought into the What if we tabled that idea and instead guidance on developing the guidelines! knowledge-sharing fold. I have yet to see worked to do the following three things. Specifically, any advice/documents/ Web a single scientific study that has • Submitted grants for serious in-depth links referring to existing guidelines for interviewed and documented the ethnobotantical research on moss moss or similar NTFPs or to the process of techniques and tools of harvesters and harvesting culture, knowledge and developing workable guidelines would then tested them. Instead, what so often technology/techniques. help ensure that we think about seems to happen is a harvester gets busted • Developed a strategy for educating everything that we should. (JeriLynn E. “poaching” moss and the pictures end up land managers about conservation (e.g. Peck, Research Fellow, 207 Forest Resources in the newspaper. Fear then spreads to all less damage to moss from logging). Building, Penn State, University Park, PA of us, scientists and managers included, • Worked to promote opportunities for 16802, United States of America; that harvesting equals resource harvester involvement in knowledge http://silv.cas.psu.edu/jp.htm; destruction. generation, such as data collection. www.strengthinperspective.com/JPmoss) My friend Kurt is just one of many good (Eric T. Jones, Ph.D., Environmental Response/proposal from Eric Jones people out there harvesting who could be Anthropologist, Institute for Culture and I suppose the creation of harvesting a great resource, but there is no way he or Ecology, (501c3), PO Box 6688, Portland, guidelines could be a positive step towards other harvesters are going to participate Oregon 97228-6688, United States of moss conservation, but so often these sorts in the process the way things are now. He America. E-mail: [email protected]; of efforts seem to do more to disrupt doesn't speak science, doesn't have extra www.ifcae.org) harvesting patterns, such as the way in time or money and he resents (Minor edits have been made for which local knowledge about stewarding management for making him jump clarification purposes only.)

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harvested species of which are all wound dressing that is said to have saved making the native bark cloth known as tapa. considered common and widespread. The thousands of lives during the First World The plant also has other less important uses. knowledge and practice of sustainable War. It is also used as a potting material Fruit. The sweetish fruits are edible, harvesting techniques among large-scale and soil conditioner. although where only male clones are harvesters were also found to be high. However, sphagnum’s potential as a present, such as in the Pacific Basin, no fruit Although conifer plantations are subject to NTFP should be limited to small-scale is formed. cyclical disturbances during felling development, as extensive harvesting is Leaf vegetable. In Indonesia, the steamed operations and, as such, moss harvesting leading to the destruction of many natural young leaves are eaten. pales into ecological insignificance, bogs, a delicate ecosystem that takes Medicinal. In Hawai‘i, the slimy sap was used bryologists recommend that places such as centuries to develop. (Source: Our Life, as a laxative and the ash of burnt tapa was streams, springs and rock outcrops where Medicine Path: Non-Timber Forest used for treating thrush. In Samoa, an rare mosses may be found should be Products of the Boreal. Taiga Rescue infusion of the crushed leaves is sometimes avoided during harvesting. Network fact sheet.) taken as a potion for treating stomach pains To conclude, market opportunities exist and ill-defined abdominal pains. The leaf, for Scottish-grown moss to replace current bark and fruit are used medicinally in Viet imports from elsewhere in the EU. Despite PAPER MULBERRY Nam, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic the ecological sensitivity demonstrated by %(BROUSSONETIA and Cambodia. many harvesters, concerns over the PAPYRIFERA) Animal fodder. The leaves are fed to pigs in sustainability of harvesting must be Viet Nam, the Lao People’s Democratic addressed in order to build confidence in the Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) Republic and Cambodia and to silkworms in industry. A code of conduct for moss is native to Japan and Taiwan Province of China. harvesting in Scotland is currently being China and is an ancient introduction across Fuelwood. After removing the bark for tapa, developed and is hugely welcomed as a way the Pacific as far east as Hawai‘i. Although the stems can be used for kindling. to promote this NTFP-based industry, for the tree is fertile in its native range, the Fibre/clothing. The inner bark has been which Scotland has great potential. plants carried into the Pacific were all male used for centuries in Southeast Asia for For a copy of the full report on which this clones, transported and planted as paper and textiles. The bark is traditionally article is based and for more information on rootstock or stems. Thus, the female plants used in Polynesia to make tapa. the code of conduct, please visit: with flowers and fruit are absent. The finest and most delicate tapa in www.forestharvest.org.uk The tree reaches a height of 12 m or Polynesia was made in Hawai‘i. Nowadays, (Contributed by: Sam Staddon, Institute of more if allowed to grow, but in practice it is however, tapa making in the Pacific is Geography, University of Edinburgh, usually harvested at a much shorter height limited to Tonga and Fiji and, to a lesser Edinburgh EH8 9QP, United Kingdom. when the stems are about 2.5 cm in E-mail: [email protected] diameter and 3–4 m tall. The tree was very important in traditional Polynesian culture, as its bark supplied one of the most THE MAKING OF TAPA CLOTH important materials in ancient Polynesia, tapa cloth. The bark is stripped from the cut stems Today, the tree has disappeared from by making a lengthwise incision across most of its traditional range and is the stem and pulling it off intact to cultivated to any extent only in Tonga, Fiji obtain a single long strip. The inner and Samoa. It is important in these places bark, or bast, is then separated from the because it is a major source of handicraft outer bark, and any green matter income in the form of finished tapa cloth. remaining on the bast is removed using Although it is no longer used in Polynesia scrapers; the bast is then washed to for clothing, in Tonga and Samoa tapa cloth remove the slimy sap. The strips are is still worn during ceremonial occasions pounded on a wooden anvil using a Sphagnum sp. such as festivals or dances. It does not last square beater made of a hard wood. very long when worn as everyday clothing. Two or three of the strips are then Sphagnum moss (Sphagnum sp.) The tree is grown in plantations and felted together by the pounding, helped Sphagnum moss has long been used for its home gardens on islands where tapa cloth by the stickiness of the bark. Several of medicinal properties. The entire plant is is still made. It can tolerate a wide range of the resulting sheets are often pounded antiseptic and a tar extracted from the environmental extremes and even does together in layers to increase the decaying moss is particularly valuable as well in temperate climates (its native thickness or to cover over thin spots or an external treatment for a variety of skin habitat). Since only the male clones are holes in the individual sheets. A bit of diseases, including eczema and psoriasis. present in Polynesia, the tree has no paste in the sprinkling water is usually Yet it is the plant’s incredible absorptive potential for becoming invasive. used at this point. These white tapas are properties that have made their mark on then painted or, as in Hawai‘i, printed modern field medicine. When thoroughly Uses and products with decorative designs. dried, sphagnum is able to absorb 16 times The most significant part of the paper its weight of water, making it an excellent mulberry is its strong, fibrous bark used in

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extent, Samoa, and the tree and the art are windows, boats and furniture). Farmers Compatible extraction: wood and resin nearly forgotten everywhere else. also use the unprocessed round wooden Pine trees are ready for resin extraction Tannin/dye. Charcoal from the wood makes poles for building houses. The resin is used around the same time they reach a sufficient one of the best permanent black inks for as an industrial component to make diameter for timber logging – upwards of 20 tapa designs. products such as colophony (processed cm. However, the felling of trees generally Rope/cordage/string. The bark fibre can be resin) and turpentine, which are in high takes place two to four years after the resin is used to make rough cordage, as can the demand for the production of paints, tapped, to ensure a good harvest of both roots. varnishes, adhesives and disinfectants. products: resin and pine logs. Ceremonial/religious importance. The bark Most of Cuba's pine resin is exported to Resin tapping involves producing a central cloth is used ceremonially in Tonga, Fiji and several countries including Mexico, India wound in the trunk, at a height of around 1.6 Samoa. In Hawai‘i, tapa was important in and Spain. One tonne of crude resin has a m above the ground, along with additional, burial wrapping and other funerary market value of around US$350, tripling in small wounds called picas, which point customs. value once it is distilled. downwards in a V-shape. To prepare the tree (Source: extracted from Traditional Trees Pine trees in Cuba have a long history of for tapping, a section of trunk, at a width of of Pacific Islands, ed. Craig R. Elevitch. use, stretching from precolonial times up to around 65 cm, is debarked. This is the 2006. Full text available for downloading the present day. Pinus caribaea is part of the surface area that resin will be extracted from from: http://www.traditionaltree.org) natural vegetation of Cuba and is distributed over the next 40 to 44 weeks, using a mainly across Pinar del Río. This province is technique that allows the tree to continue FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT home to approximately 100 000 ha of pine living and growing until its timber is THE AUTHORS BELOW: trees, 70 percent of which are plantation harvested. W. Arthur Whistler, Isle Botanica, 2814 Kalawao based. Here, nearly 200 families are actively To stimulate the flow of resin a central St, Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822, United States of involved in the collection of pine resin. At wound is cut, below which a metallic funnel is America; http://www.Islebotanica.com present, the average Cuban monthly wage is hung, leading to a collection pot. Connected and Craig R. Elevitch, Permanent Agriculture 250 pesos, but resin extractors can earn to the central wound, several picas are then Resources, PO Box 428, Holualoa, almost three times this amount. One tonne made, each about 5 mm in depth and 10 mm Hawai‘i 96725, United States of America. of resin fetches around 663 pesos and, on in length. An additional incision is made each E-mail: [email protected] average, an extractor can produce 1.5 to 2 week to maintain the resin flow. Once the tonnes per month. resin channels are accessed, the thick, sticky In Cuba, industrial resin processing resin slowly exudes from the trunk for up to began in the mid-1980s. In the 17 years 25 hours. This is collected and deposited into between 1985 and 2002, a total of 12 500 200 kg tanks or cans, which are transported tonnes was produced – 80 percent of which to plant processors or export companies. A were exported. In the first year of single Pinus caribaea tree can yield about 4 production the output was around 70 kg of resin per year, which is equivalent to tonnes, increasing to almost 1 200 in 1989. around 2 tonnes of resin per ha. Each However, following the country's economic extractor is responsible for a production area

resins of Asia” crisis in 1990, the annual output of 6 to 10 ha (containing 2 000 to 5 000 pine plummeted to less than 200 tonnes. trees) – from which they collect between 15 In recent years research efforts have and 30 tonnes of resin annually. focused on the processing of resin products All resin extractors are linked with the Broussonetia papyrifera “Riches of the forest: food, spices, creafts and for export, using nationally developed State Forestry Company, which establishes technologies. As a result, production levels the payment system, and the Cuban Forest %PINE PRODUCTS have rapidly risen. In Pinar del Río, Commission keeps them informed about raw approximately 1 200 tonnes of resin have material prices, trade conditions and product Pine resin: turpentine, paints and varnish been produced per year since 2000 and the commercialization. The present from Cuban trees forecast is for production to increase to management of pine trees and resin Turpentine is one of the products around 5 000 tonnes per year. The extraction includes the application of manufactured from the thick, translucent establishment of several factories has appropriate technologies and a focus on the pine resin extracted from tall coniferous helped to boost the volume being processed. conservation of pines – guaranteeing ongoing pine trees. Different Pinus species can be The fluctuations of resin production and wood and resin production. The extractors found growing naturally in various parts of the development of new processing benefit through stable employment and the the world, including Europe and Asia. technology are part of Cuba's recent use of techniques that ensure a high quality Species such as Pinus radiata are also economic and political history. Through the resin. If such conditions are maintained, this grown within plantations in many countries, efforts of its citizens, and through all bodes well for a sustainable future for the given the well-developed market for pine government support and research, Cuba industry. (Source: case study on pine resin, by products and the versatility of the timber. has managed to make its intensive Ynocente Betancourt Figueras and Maria In Cuba, Pinus caribaea (known as “male agricultural and industrial activities more Josefa Villalba Fonte [in Riches of the forest: pine”) is used for both its timber and resin. sustainable both socially and fruits, remedies and handicrafts in Latin The processed pine wood is used for a wide environmentally. The pine resin industry is America, eds C. López, P. Shanley and A.C. variety of construction purposes (doors, one such example. Fantini].)

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especialmente a nivel local que participan en la validación del marco jurídico forestal PINE RESIN PRODUCTION y del PRONAFOR (Programa Nacional forestal), llevando a cabo procesos locales The following is a reply from FAO’s NWFP Programme to a de carácter piloto de los cuales surjan reader in Fiji regarding an inquiry on pine resin production. propuestas para su mejoramiento y Regarding general information about pine resin (tapping dinámicas participativas para su techniques, markets, etc.), I am pleased to invite you to browse our implementación. El FNPP, Apoyo a la online publication on pine tapping (Gum naval stores: turpentine and Operacionalización del Marco Jurídico rosin from pine resin, www.fao.org/docrep/v6460e/ v6460e00.htm). The techniques Forestal y del Programa Nacional Forestal described are still valid, although the market information is a bit outdated. Since its trabaja en Honduras desde enero de 2005 publication, China has reinforced its dominant place in the global rosin market. en tres áreas pilotos: Villa San Antonio, Here is the reply to your two specific questions MAMUCA y Gualaco. 1. To collect and export raw pine resin ... which are the best markets for export? En la comunidad de Protección, Villa de First, raw pine resin is not a commodity for international trade. It needs to be San Antonio, a unos 50 km al oeste de la refined locally, from which rosin is an exportable raw material. Investment costs for capital, Tegucigalpa, un grupo de mujeres setting up a resin refinery are relatively low (see estimate in the above publication). fueron capacitadas para elaborar artesanías Please check also the species of pines available for tapping, as not all pine species con acículas de pino a través del Proyecto are fully suitable to yield marketable resins (rosin from some pine species commands FNPP. La Villa de San Antonio, es una much higher prices). In addition, please be aware that tapping pines is damaging to comunidad forestal, enclavada en un bosque their stems and that the wood from tapped pines sells at lower prices (so there will de pino y tiene organizada una cooperativa be an economic trade-off to be calculated between extra income from tapping pines que se dedica al aprovechamiento de la versus selling the wood at a lower price). madera, a la extracción de resina de pino y The best markets to look for from Fiji for the rosin would be China (that cannot además poseen un pequeño aserradero y get enough of it for its fast-growing chemical industries), but also Japan, the una carpintería, estas labores son realizadas Republic of Korea or nearby New Zealand and Australia. The rosin market is very por los hombres. competitive, so production “costs” would have to be very low in order to be able to Alrededor de 20 mujeres de la comunidad sell at a profit. se capacitaron en noviembre pasado para 2. To manufacture resin-based products ... what are the best products, which fetch elaborar artesanías utilizando las hojas de high returns? pino, las cuales son «cosechadas» después Raw pine resin can be refined into (solid) rosin (which is the most common resin- que los árboles son derribados para based product and maybe the best suitable product in your case). It is exported in aprovechar la madera; la capacitación duró barrels. Eventually the capture of the volatile substances during the refinery process un par de semanas, al final de las cuales el can also be envisaged, but this requires substantial higher investment. Rosin is a raw ingenio humano y la imaginación se ponen a material for the chemical industries (e.g. paint, varnishes, prints, flavours and prueba, porque las personas comenzaron a fragrances). elaborar diferentes objetos, para adorno o For Fiji, my suggestion would be to go into the “tourist-curious” type of products para uso práctico de los hogares. Ésta es una and produce from the rosin an oil-based “aromatherapy type of fragrance substance” actividad innovadora en la zona y en las sold in small glass flasks to tourists at a high prices. áreas que trabaja el FNPP, utilizando (Please contact us at the address on the first page for a hard copy of the publication productos forestales no madereros, por mentioned.) ejemplo las acículas, que durante años se quemaban en la época de incendios forestales. Esta actividad es realizada por mujeres de todas las edades que han estado Pine bark extract shows promise for body of research reporting the antidiabetic siempre al margen de las actividades slowing sugar uptake effects of the pine bark extract, productivas que genera el bosque. Esta Extracts from French maritime pine bark Pycnogenol. actividad significa ingresos para los hogares. may inhibit an enzyme linked to glucose The product is extracted from the bark of Además, la capacitación para su aprendizaje absorption 190 times more than a synthetic the maritime pine that grows on the fue realizada por mujeres de otra medication, says new research from southern coast of France and is currently comunidad, las cuales no formaban parte del Germany that could offer significant used in over 400 dietary supplements, proyecto, lo cual evidencia la solidaridad benefits for diabetics if the results can be multivitamins and health products. entre grupos de mujeres. translated from the laboratory to humans. (Source: NutraIngredients-usa.com Además de los beneficios indirectos que The results of the new study, published [France], 9 February 2007.) aportan para la protección del bosque, el online in the Elsevier journal Diabetes beneficio directo es que los ingresos Research and Clinical Practice Mujeres elaboran artesanías con acículas monetarios aumentaron sustancialmente en (“Oligomeric procyanidins of French de pino en Honduras las familias que se dedican a esta labor, ya maritime pine bark extract [Pycnogenol] El Programa de Cooperación entre la FAO y que una pieza la pueden vender en alrededor effectively inhibit alpha-glucosidase”, by A. los Países Bajos (FNPP, siglas en inglés), de $15, producto de dos días de trabajo. Ésta Schafer and P. Hogger), add to a growing brinda una oportunidad a diversos actores, es una actividad temporal puesto que el

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grupo necesita apoyo en el proceso de develop a processing plant. This project will For example, turpentine can be obtained mercadeo. probably be funded in 2007. (Source: Sierra from the oleoresins of all pine species, A pesar de que Honduras tiene más de Madre Alliance [SMA] Update, March 2007.) although trees from warmer areas generally dos millones de ha de bosques de pino, son give higher yields, making the process more muy pocas las comunidades que poseen esta FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: economically viable. The pitch that can also experiencia de aprovechamiento de las Sierra Madre Alliance, PO Box 40474, be extracted from these resins can be used acículas del pino. Tucson, AZ 85717, United States of America. for waterproofing and as a wood Aportado por Renán Mairena, FNPP Fax: 011 52 614 412-0420; preservative. Honduras, [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]; Certain species are also edible and can be www.sierramadrealliance.org/index.shtml used for medicinal purposes. For example, in PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN, DIRIGIRSE A: the northeastern Russian Federation Pinus Agenda Forestal Hondureña Pine nut production in the Kozac region of pumilla (dwarf Siberian pine) produces Col Palmira, Avenida República del Perú, Turkey edible pine nuts and the inner bark of Pinus costado norte del Parque Benito Juárez, Some 27 percent of stone pine (Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine), which ranges across casa No. 402, Tegucigalpa, Honduras pinea) forests in Turkey are located in the northern Europe and well into the Russian Correo electrónico: [email protected] 16 villages of the Kozac region. They boreal, has been ground up and used to www.agendaforestalhn.org/noticias207.htm produce about 1 000 of the 1 300 tonnes of make bread in times of famine. the country’s annual yield of pine nuts, 80 In terms of medicinal uses, Pinus percent of which are exported. Of the 18 sylvestris is also valued for its antiseptic 600 ha of stone pines in the area, 16 500 ha properties and its positive effects on the are on private land, 1 400 ha belong to respiratory system; its essential oil is often villages and 700 ha are private plantations used in aromatherapy. (Source: Our Life, in state forests. Medicine Path: Non-Timber Forest Products Rising revenues from pine nuts have of the Boreal. Taiga Rescue Network fact encouraged people to convert vineyards, fruit sheet.) gardens and degraded coppice lands into stone pine stands. Higher incomes have allowed them to invest in agriculture, Pine nut harvesting in Mexico horticulture and animal husbandry, thereby Every seven years, hundreds of tonnes of diversifying their economic base as well as piñon nuts are wild harvested in the Sierra. that of the region. Because stone pine forests These pink nuts bring the highest value on make good grazing lands, integrated land the global market – 800 pesos per kg in use became more common. Manure Mexico. fertilizes the soil and the trees’ large canopy The problem is that thousands of protects grass from the sun so that it stays harvesters from all over Chihuahua descend green longer and develops better. The areas America” on the ejidos (communal land) on the are opened to animals only when trees reach eastern foothills of the Sierra, most notably a certain age so that no damage occurs. Balleza, to harvest this natural production. Because selling pine nuts has increased The local people also harvest, but receive incomes and employment levels, the Kozac nothing from outside harvesters. The region has experienced significant changes Tarahumara and mestizos (people of mixed in socio-economic conditions: health blood) in the region want to control services and infrastructure have improved, “Riches of the forest: fruits, remedies and handicrafts in Latin production and develop value-added education has increased, etc. These benefits enterprises such as shelling, packaging, have created a unity not seen in other parts and the production of chocolates, sweets of the country and fostered the development % RATTAN and other products with pine nuts. of business cooperatives that not only have Piñon pines produce large quantities of increased bargaining power but also created Halting the rapid disappearance of the nuts every seven years. In their shells, the jobs. (Source: extracted from Better forestry, world’s rattan resources nuts store for years, so a community can less poverty: a practitioner’s guide. FAO Unlike bamboo, which is quite widely store the harvest and have products on a Forestry Paper 149. 2006. Rome. ISBN 92-5- cultivated because of its versatility and sustainable level for five or six years. 105550-5; www.fao.org/docrep/ importance in trade, most of the rattan Smaller intermittent harvests could also 009/a0645e/a0645e00.HTM) people use is collected from the wild. But, sustain production during off years. apart from timber, rattan is now one of the With support from Sierra Madre Pine products from boreal forests most economically important products Alliance, agronomist Nora Jacques has A large number of pine species are found from the moist tropical forests of Asia and helped a group in Ejido Baquiriachi to throughout the boreal forest and many of West Africa. Overharvesting is becoming a organize, evaluate the feasibility of the these species make a significant serious threat – both to the survival of project and develop proposals to purchase contribution to the local economy, beyond rattan populations and the livelihoods of 10 tonnes of nuts from harvesters and to the obvious harvesting of timber. the people who depend on them.

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However, despite their economic and resources. What we do know is that rattan’s Drying and sometimes sulphur social significance, there are hardly any forest habitats are shrinking while demand fumigation follow oil curing. Drying is reliable data on rattan resources. Rattan is and extraction rates are increasing. determined complete by weight, colour and part of the forest undergrowth so it is not The International Network for Bamboo the pitch of the sound made when a cane is picked up by the remote sensing and Rattan (INBAR) aims to increase rapped on the ground. Drying is crucial to techniques used in routine forest awareness of the threats to rattan quality. Sulphur fumigation kills insect inventories. It is, therefore, hard to evaluate resources as a first step in promoting their larvae and enhances colour. the true state of the world’s rattan sustainable management and use. At the Bringing rattan to market is not thought same time methods of gathering basic to create significant environmental damage information should be developed as to how or danger to workers. Undesirable canes much rattan remains and where it is, and to can cause litter and monetary waste. Care RATTAN encourage organizations to go out and must be taken in using hand tools and collect such information. Sustainable personal protective equipment is a wise Rattans are spiny, climbing palms. Some management and harvesting methods choice to protect the respiratory system. 600 species grow in the tropical forests must also be developed and show how they Rattan resources can be renewable. of Asia and Africa, with around 50 can be applied in natural rain and monsoon Research is critical to the ecosystem and the traded commercially. Unlike bamboo, forests and assist in developing and people who work in the industry. Cultivation rattan does not regrow rapidly and is demonstrating ways of growing rattan in efforts have seen small successes but seldom sustainably managed. plantations. (Source: In partnership for a deforestation threatens rattan’s natural Overexploitation and loss of habitat better world – strategy to the year 2015. habitats. Rattan’s value protects trees from have led to a dramatic reduction in the 2006. INBAR, Beijing, China.) cutting as it supports families. (Contributed resource over the last 50 years. by: Rebecca Arrington, Side Porch Ind., LLC, Rattan is used locally for bridges, 2705 W. Buno Rd, Milford, Mi 48380, United netting and baskets. Most is gathered by States of America; e-mail: [email protected]) villagers and forest dwellers and in some (Please see page 52 for information on places communities have developed participatory rattan management in Nepal.) advanced management systems, such as the rattan gardens in Kalimantan, Indonesia. % WILDLIFE Commercially, rattan is mainly used spirit in Africa” to make furniture and craft goods for export. Rattan collection is often

separated from manufacture so the “Riches of the forest: for health, life and poorest people do not benefit from the People obtain more than 20 percent of value of the finished product. But Rattan: from harvest to market their protein from wild meat and fish in products can be made by small craft Rattan is a valuable palm family NTFP 62 developing countries. People in the industries to increase local incomes providing income for villagers who harvest it Congo Basin alone consume more than significantly. For example, collectors in for sale and use it in handicrafts. 1 million tonnes of wild meat yearly Ghana who send rattan poles to From harvest to market, the rattan (equivalent to 4 million cattle), while commercial factories earn about US$45 business is laborious. Villagers harvest on people in the Amazon Basin consume per month, while furniture makers can foot. Using simple hand tools, they scale huge 67 000 to 164 000 tonnes per year. Wild earn up to US$250 per month simply trees and cut the vines. Skill is required to forest-dwelling animals represent a from producing items for local sale. make accurate cuts while keeping watch for mixed blessing, however, with raids on Product quality and design are two ants and wasps nesting in the spiky crops counterbalancing ease of hunting. of the most important factors protection of the vine’s outer covering. (Source: Unasylva, 57(224): 5–6.) influencing marketability. Export of Processing soon follows harvest. rattan products can make important Methods vary between regions, but one goal contributions to national incomes. is shared: producing smooth, even- China, Indonesia, Malaysia and the coloured, blemish-free, pliable cane. How wildlife can better contribute to Philippines exported an estimated Oil curing or deglazing consists of placing livelihoods and poverty reduction US$1.68 billion worth of rattan and the canes in boiling diesel oil solutions. Wild animals historically have been a major rattan products in 2004. Some countries, Curing removes moisture, reduces fungal source of food, clothing, weapons, medicine such as Indonesia, have introduced attacks, improves colour and increases and rituals, although intensive use is export controls on rattan poles and pliability. declining because wildlife populations are semi-processed rattan with the aim of In some regions workers place canes in decreasing. As an important component of protecting resources and boosting local mud solutions and heat them over a fire forests, the sustainable management of manufacturing, but the effects on local before rubbing the surface clean. This wildlife requires a range of integrated and global trade appear to be mixed. method is seen in Indonesia, while in Papua approaches if lasting solutions to the supply New Guinea water washing is followed by a crisis in many poor rural areas are to be fine steel and kerosene scrubbing. found (see Box).

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encompass several villages. As a result, Rhinos and elephants targeted by poachers hunters generally do not feel a sense of in southern Africa CREATING INCENTIVES FOR stewardship, preferring instead to capture as Rhinos and elephants are being increasingly CONSERVATION many animals as possible before others targeted by poachers for the rhino horn and deplete the stocks. In addition, the equipment ivory trades, while smaller mammals such The World Wide Fund for Nature is simple (bows and arrows, guns and traps), as antelope are being tracked for bushmeat, (WWF) is working with a village on the hunting fits in well with the farming cycle in according to Animal Rights Africa (ARA). In edge of the rain forest in southeast terms of labour needs and dried meat is easy its Consuming wild life: the illegal Cameroon to regulate the commercial to transport to market because it is light. exploitation of wild animals in South Africa, hunting of bushmeat. With new roads Illegal harvest and trade. Bushmeat is Zimbabwe and Zambia report, the group opened for logging, local hunters and often harvested for meat, as well as for notes that the illegal killing of wild animals, outside poachers were selling their trophies, by using explosives, wire traps and using guns, snares, poison or hunting dogs, catch to passing truck drivers for more other unlawful methods. Drivers of logging falls into three categories: traffickers, often money than they could earn from trucks then illicitly move the carcasses to operating as part of international criminal other activities. Collaborative efforts urban markets. These activities involve networks, trade meat, ivory and rhino horn with the Ministry of Environment and thousands of people and are spread over on local and international markets; poor Forests to stop such trading failed immense areas, many of which are remote people kill game for food and to sell parts as because it was impossible to patrol the and inaccessible. Efforts to regulate hunting souvenirs or to traditional healers; and, large number of trucks travelling on and trade with the intention of benefiting poor finally, wealthy individuals hunt animals in the numerous roads. people can have quite the opposite effect. protected areas for their trophy value. Given the incentive to keep wildlife Given clear indications that current levels While data on the subject are fragmented, abundant for foreign hunters who pay of wildlife harvesting are unsustainable in figures obtained by ARA show significant large sums of money for trophies, the many places, finding solutions requires amounts of poaching, often targeting villagers and WWF worked out a building national and local capacity, reserves. At least 70 rhinos have been killed scheme by which residents hunted only clarifying rights, adopting participatory in South Africa's famous Kruger National for their own needs in return for the approaches to decision-making, using local Park in the past six years. In Zimbabwe, the community receiving a portion of the knowledge and skills, and integrating rhino population in three parks has dropped licence fees that foreigners were bushmeat issues into broader strategies to sharply, ARA said, quoting figures from the charged. These revenues paid for improve livelihoods. Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. The improvements such as equipment for Field practitioners can address issues group also cited media reports of 28 schools. The logging concessionaire also related to the sustainable use of wildlife by elephants killed in two national parks in agreed to improve operations, provide first learning about the local hunters, the Zimbabwe since October 2006. jobs for local people and allow them to trade in bushmeat and the links to In Zambia, the trade in illegal bushmeat access forest products for their own livelihoods. On the basis of this information, was seen to be brisk with 12 tonnes of meat consumption. To help restrict hunting, they can then suggest to village leaders and seized in the country in 2006. company trucks bring frozen meat back other authorities ways to maintain Several countries, including Zimbabwe, from the cities to feed workers. sustainable hunting levels. (Source: have complained that the ban on elephant extracted from Better forestry, less poverty: products proposed by Kenya and Mali will a practitioner’s guide. FAO Forestry Paper seriously affect hunting. The proposal is to 149. 2006. Rome. ISBN 92-5-105550-5; be discussed at a conference of the Although gaps in information make it www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0645e/a0645e00. Convention on International Trade and difficult to determine the extent to which HTM) Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and bushmeat can alleviate poverty and improve Flora (CITES) in the Netherlands in June. livelihoods, evidence shows that poor people FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: (Source: Monsters and Critics [United obtain a significant portion of their protein Dr René Czudek, Forestry Officer (Wildlife and Kingdom], 2 April 2007.) from this source, particularly in lean seasons. Protected Area Management), FOMC, They also earn income from the sale of any Forestry Department, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Nature & Faune surplus catch. While hunting wild animals is Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy. Fax: +39 06 570 Nature & Faune is an international unlikely to be a major route out of poverty, if 55137; e-mail: [email protected] bilingual (English and French) publication regulated and sustainable it can diversify of the FAO Regional Office for Africa. Its livelihood options and provide a stepping aim is to disseminate information stone for landless people to start a small (scientific and technical knowledge) and business or have money to invest elsewhere. promote the exchange of experiences on Open access. Despite the value of wildlife, protected area management and bushmeat as a source of high-quality protein the sustainable use and conservation of and income, access is not tightly controlled in natural resources in Africa. most cases. Individuals or entities generally The current issue deals with the theme do not own the resource per se so that local of human/wildlife conflicts. use or management rights are not well Subscription is free; just send an e-mail defined, especially over large areas that to [email protected]. Alternatively, the

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magazine can be downloaded from the Department of Agriculture-approved bushmeat as a source of protein. A Nature & Faune Web site at the address trade.” Brashares said his team of significant portion of bushmeat from below. volunteers have seen markets openly tropical forests consists of primates. While selling the banned meat. The black market local farmers and subsistence hunters are FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: is especially lucrative in the Bay Area, consumers and increasingly traders, Ms Lonneke Bakker, Assistant Editor, Nature & including San Francisco and San José. wealthier households also consume Faune, FAO Regional Office for Africa, Forestry Brashares says anyone who wants it can considerable amounts of bushmeat. Departmental Group, PO Box GP 1628, Accra, find bushmeat. (Source: CBS 5 [San Rural populations in the Brazilian Ghana. Fax: (+233-21) 7010943; Francisco, United States of America], 21 Amazon alone are estimated to consume e-mail: [email protected] or March 2007.) between 2.2 and 5.4 million primates per [email protected]; www.fao.org/world/ year. Because of their slow reproductive regional/raf/workprog/forestry/magazine_en.htm rate and low population densities many primate species cannot sustain this immense offtake. Hunting of large and medium-sized Neotropical primates occurs FUNDING FOR WILDLIFE PROJECTS at a rate that poses an extreme threat to their long-term survival. Although current SITA Trust’s Enriching Nature hunting levels are lower in some areas, this Programme is providing funds for does not necessarily indicate a decreased wildlife projects. Funding is available to threat. Instead, these numbers may reflect support species and habitats that have overexploitation in the past that has led to been identified as a priority by the generally low population numbers. The Biodiversity Action Planning process. increasing commercialization of bushmeat hunting, modern hunting techniques and FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE equipment, expanding infrastructure and CONTACT: The Neotropical bushmeat crisis growing human populations, combined The Barn, Brinkmarsh Lane, Falfield, South The devastating effects of the bushmeat with serious habitat degradation and Gloucestershire GL12 8PT, United Kingdom. trade on wild primates in Central and West fragmentation, further exacerbate the Fax: +44 1454 269090; Africa are well recognized. In contrast, the situation. e-mail: [email protected]; largely uncontrolled hunting of primates in Whereas the extent of habitat http://www.sitatrust.org.uk/apply/nature Central and South America has received destruction in the Neotropics is widely little attention. As in Africa, the acknowledged, the serious impact of convergence of large-scale deforestation, hunting is often ignored. However, the increasing commercial hunting and the hunting of primates for food, rather than Illegal bushmeat trade growing in the capture of live animals have had habitat loss is predicted to pose the most United States of America devastating effects on Neotropical serious threat to the survival of large The illegal import of African bushmeat is a primates and many species may be pushed primates in Central and South America growing trade. Federal agents are to the brink of extinction. within the next two decades. As in Africa, confiscating thousands of animals Drawing on almost 200 primarily habitat fragmentation and hunting are including African rats, bats and great ape scientific publications, Going to pot. The synergistic, causing newly accessed forest parts smuggled into the country. Tourists Neotropical bushmeat crisis and its impact regions to become available to hunters. bringing in bushmeat in suitcases are being on primate populations comprehensively Data from hunted areas in many caught at airports at least once a week. reviews the scale of primate use across 22 different Amazonian sites show that large Boxloads of illegal cargoes of bushmeat Central and South American countries. In primate biomass has dropped by up to 93.5 have been discovered. There is a thriving doing so, the authors demonstrate that percent, in comparison with areas where black market and the authorities say that it current levels of offtake are unsustainable hunting is absent. The impact of this is a dangerous one. Bushmeat is a cultural across most Neotropical primates' range reduction goes beyond the effects on food preference for African expatriates in and that effective conservation measures primate species. There is a domino effect the United States. But government are urgently required. In at least 16 of the on the forest ecosystem as a whole. scientists say bushmeat carries potentially 22 Neotropical nations examined, hunting Primates are important seed dispersers. deadly diseases that have already spread for bushmeat poses a critical threat to Highly mobile woolly and spider monkeys from animals to humans. primate populations. There is a paucity of feed on fruits, and woolly monkeys in University of California, Berkeley Wildlife data for the remaining five countries particular consume the fruit of over 200 Ecology Professor Justin Brashares says (Argentina, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua different woody plants. The removal of health is not the only issue. He is worried and Uruguay). However, this does of course these species therefore significantly affects that whole species are now in danger of not imply a paucity of problems. One the ability of plants to disperse their seeds extinction. “I don't condone it at all,” he country, Chile, does not have any primates and changes the dominance relationship said, “but many people who are selling it, at all. between tree species. In the medium term and eating it, would like to see some Approximately eight million people in this leads to changes in forest composition, legalized trade. A United States South America regularly consume structure and biodiversity.

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The hunting of Neotropical primates Decline in selected animal populations outlined in this report illustrates how a Species Initial Year Current Decline traditional way of life has become population population (%) biologically devastating. There are no easy answers to this dilemma, and any Bonobo (pygmy chimpanzee) 100 000 1984 5 000 95.0 Asian elephant 200 000 1900 40 000 80.0 resolution of this continent-wide African elephant 10 000 000 1900 500 000 95.0 conservation crisis depends on genuine Tibetan antelope 1 000 000 1900 75 000 92.5 commitment from all stakeholders. Preventing the disappearance of many primate species in the Neotropics requires There are success stories of the revival suspending chilli pepper-impregnated urgent national and international action. To of overexploited wild animal populations. In cloths on ropes surrounding agricultural protect national biodiversity and the 1969, all 23 species of crocodilians were fields, a technique used successfully in an integrity of their forests, range states are threatened or had declining populations. FAO project in Ghana to deter elephants therefore encouraged to prohibit primate Today, one-third of crocodilians can sustain from raiding crops. At present, the most hunting and strengthen the a regulated commercial harvest, and only reasonable approach to managing the implementation and enforcement of four species are critically endangered. In conflict is to implement short-term binding protection measures. (Source: many cases, well-managed, CITES- mitigation strategies jointly with long-term extracted from the Executive Summary, approved ranching programmes produce preventive measures. Going to pot. The Neotropical bushmeat sustainably harvested hides for the A challenge for policy-makers is to crisis and its impact on primate international market, garnering the balance conservation of wildlife resources populations. 2007. Care for the Wild support of industry and governments, while with the livelihood requirements of local International, Kingsfold, United Kingdom helping supplant illicit trade. Similar populations in all regions. (Source: State of and Pro Wildlife, Munich, Germany. programmes in regulating the trade in wool the World’s Forests [SOFO] 2007, FAO.) Download from: www.careforthewild.com/ products from South America’s vicuña have files/Bushmeatreport1206_singlepages.pdf resulted in similar successes. By the (Please see page 56 for information on the 1960s, vicuña populations had been bushmeat trade in Sierra Leone.) reduced to 5 000 animals, less than 1 percent of historical populations, but Wildlife management conservation and management have Among the multiple threats to wildlife, two restored their numbers to 160 000. Today, of the most immediate and direct are the illegal global trade in wildlife is second unsustainable hunting and trading in only to narcotics and is valued at almost wildlife and wildlife products, and US$5 billion. human/wildlife conflict. Because of human population growth, In many parts of Africa, commercial trade the accompanying growth of human in bushmeat for consumption is probably the settlements and the consequent reduction The impact of acorn crops on deer hunting single most important cause of the decline of wildlife habitat, conflicts between in the United States of America of wildlife populations, ranging from insects, humans and wildlife are occurring more Deer hunters around Pocahontas say that birds and turtles to primates, antelopes, and more frequently around the world. In many of the trees are withering and their elephants and hippopotamuses. It was Africa, where many people depend directly vegetation is dead. Thanks to a cold snap estimated that in the Congo Basin alone, the on natural resources for their livelihoods, that hit Northeast Arkansas last week annual offtake of bushmeat is about wildlife species such as crocodiles, much of spring’s green has now turned to 5 million tonnes, but a recent, detailed study elephants, hippopotamuses and lions raid brown. Avid hunters know the threat this of bushmeat offtake in the moist forests of crops, injure or kill livestock, invade human could have on wildlife: not having an acorn Cameroon and Nigeria, which documented settlements and cause damage to personal crop will make it hard for deer and turkeys an average offtake of 346 kg per km2, belongings, and can even injure and kill to make it through the winter. suggests a much lower offtake of up to people. As a result, local people are Acorns produced by many of these 1 million tonnes for the Congo Basin. increasingly hostile to wildlife and local withering trees provide vital nutrients for However, this lower estimate gives little communities do not cooperate with animals such as deer. “Acorns are the cause for comfort, because it is still far in conservation authorities. The result is staple for wildlife. They count on the nut excess of a sustainable level, given the increased instances of poaching and other crop every year. You have lean years, but I inherently low production of animal biomass illegal activities. don't think there's ever been a year where in tropical forests. The causes of human/wildlife conflict you have zero,” said one hunter. He says Meat from wild animals is not only an will not be eliminated in the near future the true effects of this cold snap on plant African issue (see Table). The meat from and it can be expected that conflict will only vegetation probably will not be seen until freshwater turtles is consumed in huge increase in frequency and intensity. There later in the year, when the deer hunting volumes in East Asia, despite the fact that is, therefore, an urgent need to find ways to season begins. “In order for the does to 75 percent of the 90 species found in Asia manage this conflict. A range of produce good fawns for the spring, they are are considered threatened, and 18 of these approaches are being tried, including going to need some fat preserves. That's are critically endangered. natural and artificial barriers, such as what the acorns do for the deer.”

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The problems with vegetation will not sequía así como temperaturas altas y hojas), teniendo otras alternativas de affect the current turkey season, but mínimas de 4-5 ºC. Para producir raíces industrialización tales como: hojuelas, hunters will see the effects on the deer comestibles necesita suelos profundos, jarabe y pasas. Numerosos estudios hunting season which begins in October. ricos y bien drenados. En el Perú se cultiva demuestran la presencia de altas (Source: KAIT [Arkansas, United States of actualmente desde el norte hasta el sur del concentraciones de oligofructanos en las America], 14 April 2007.) país. raíces, fundamento importante para Pertenece a la Familia Asteraceae considerar a esta especie como fuente de (Compositae), es una planta perenne que azúcar natural para el control de la puede medir hasta 2,5 m de altura, con diabetes. hojas laminares simples palmatinervias de Aportado por el Ing. M. Abozaglo, color verde con abundante pubescencia en Madrid, España el haz y en el envés, tallo exhuberante cilíndrico, piloso y hueco, de color verde. PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN, DIRIGIRSE A: Flores visibles a partir de los 4–5 meses M. Abozaglo C/ Santa Eduvigis Nº 5, después de la plantación, de color amarillo 1ºB 28042 Madrid, España o anaranjado, inflorescencia racimosa de Correo elecrónico: [email protected] tipo cabezuela en capítulo con un promedio y Mr J.L: de Pedro. ETS Ingenieros de Montes de 10 flores por planta, con 5 sépalos por Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, España flor. Posee dos tipos de raíces: fibrosas y de Correo electrónico: [email protected] p reserva, raíz tuberosa. Las raíces fibrosas son muy delgadas y su función principal es la fijación de la planta al suelo y la

Smallanthus sonchifolius absorción de agua y nutrientes. Las raíces de reserva son engrosadas, fusiformes, ovadas, existen diferentes formas % YACÓN hortícolas, tales como la blanca, anaranjada y morada. Entre las labores El Yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius) en más importantes para su cultivo está la Perú propagación exclusivamente asexual, El Yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius) es una encontrándose seis formas: 1) por especie conocida principalmente en el porciones de cepa; 2) por brotes enraizados Perú y en los últimos años ha tomado en la cepa; 3) por estacas; 4) por nudos importancia económica. Fue domesticada y individuales; 5) por tallos enteros y 6) in cultivada utilizando su raíz tuberosa como vitro, siendo las más usadas las dos alimento fresco, de sabor dulce, primeras. refrescante y con propiedades El período vegetativo varía entre 8 y 9 antidiabéticas. Esto se confirma a través de meses dependiendo del ecotipo y lugar de los restos arqueológicos (cerámica, textiles siembra, se puede cultivar todo el año, y restos de raíces) de las culturas Nazca pero se restringe básicamente a la época (500 aC.-700 dC), Paracas (1500–500 aC y de lluvias (octubre a diciembre). La Mochica (500 aC–700 dC), de la costa pubescencia de las hojas evita que los peruana, así como la cultura Candelaria insectos se alimenten y transmitan plagas del noroeste argentino, entre otras. y enfermedades importantes. Del vocablo quechua llaqón (su agua), El rendimiento de raíces varía entre 20 y también conocida en Aimara como aricoma 50 tm/ha y es considerado un producto o jicoma, es originaria de la vertiente perecedero después de cosechado. El oriental de los Andes y valles interandinos, precio en campo es de 0,13 euros/kg principalmente en Perú. Es común (S/ 0,50 nuevos soles), pudiendo llegar a los encontrarla en los huertos familiares y mercados de Lima a 0,38 euros/kg alrededor de los campos o en asociación (S/1,50 nuevos soles). Las hojas también con otras especies tales como maíz (Zea son comercializadas, principalmente para mays) y frijol (Phaseolus vulgaris); sin forraje y para la elaboración de tisanas. embargo posee un amplio rango de El Yacón se cultiva también en Nueva distribución, desde Venezuela hasta Zelandia, Japón, República Checa, China, Argentina, extendiéndose su cultivo a Corea, Estados Unidos, Brasil, Paraguay y zonas agroecológicas tropicales altas. Su Taiwán. Es en el Japón donde radica su hábitat natural varía entre los 1000-2500 m mayor estudio y comercio. de altitud. Requiere humedad en las Como elaboración de productos primeras etapas de crecimiento, pero derivados de esta especie podemos “Riches of the forest: fruits, remedies and handicrafts in Latin America” después puede soportar períodos de mencionar refrescos, miel y tisanas (de

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%ANGOLA in the area. “Since logging began, the with Guatemala. The park includes 16 temperature has risen and these precious miles (approximately 25.7 km) of Caribbean German NGO for dissemination of natural plants began withering in the sunlight. Now coastline and contains 14 ecosystem types medicine they can only grow in the upper or including undisturbed mangrove, the only At a recent seminar on natural medicine, the transalpine layer of the forest. And people, comfre palm forest (comfre palm is a NGO German Agrarian Action has suggested in their turn, keep picking them.” rough, hairy perennial herb, not a tree; its the practice and dissemination of natural The result of all this is that in the formerly roots contain tannin and are used widely in medicine in Angola with a view to facilitating forested areas of Vanadzor, precious plants herbal medicine and treatments in Belize) people’s access to primary medical are being replaced by herbaceous plants, and the only known lowland sphagnum assistance. According to the NGO’s which are gradually turning the forest areas moss bog, also known as bog moss and representative in the country, natural into a transalpine zone in which the found in wet boggy soil, growing in clumps. medicine is a good alternative for countries temperature is continuously rising. The moss is permeated with capillary cells such as Angola, mainly in the rural areas, Favourable conditions for grass have been that retain water and is used in potted where many people have no access to created and wild horseradish, trefoil and plants and, in some countries, also as a primary health care, nor access to drugs that coltsfoot have overtaken the former forests dressing for wounds in Central America. are often costly and unattainable by many. He and, growing rapidly, prevent any other tree The park is home to 226 species of birds, 24 said the natural medicine is advantageous, or plant seeds that end up here from taking species of mammals, 22 species of reptiles because it can be manufactured in all root. (Source: Hetq Online [Yerevan, and 46 species of butterflies. communities, is cheaper and everyone can Armenia], 8 January 2007.) In 2003 the Government of Belize signed produce a garden for medicinal plants. an agreement with the Sarstoon/Temash An Angolan physician, João Baptista Two organizations sign memorandum of Institute for Indigenous Management Nsende, explained that the African Union cooperation for biodiversity protection (SATIIM) giving it authority to manage the has an interministerial commission that The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) park and for the last four years SATIIM has addresses the continent’s pharmocopy and Armenia and Armenian Public Relations been taking care of the park and making Angola, as a member country, must adopt a Association (APRA) signed a memorandum sure environmental laws are obeyed. position on the matter and regulate the use of cooperation on 10 April 2007. SATIIM represents five Ketchi Maya and of medicinal plants. He explained that in The office public relations department Garifuna indigenous communities in the Angola there are about 30 000 medicinal says the memorandum attaches area and is internationally recognized as an plants with which a large variety of importance to the protection of Armenian organization with legal powers to enforce diseases can be treated, mainly those most biodiversity and the sustainable use of the law. (Source: The Reporter [Belize], 5 frequent such as malaria, diarrhoea and natural resources. The cooperation aims to January 2007.) respiratory infections. react quickly and provide accurate (Please see page 34 for more information The seminar participants analysed about information for decision-makers and the on sphagnum moss.) 60 medicinal plants from the tropics, their public. WWF Director Karen Manvelyan therapeutic effects and dosage and learned raised the hope that “cooperation with how to prepare some medicines and APRA will step up public education in ointments from plants. (Source: environmental protection as well as attract AngolaPress [Angola], 26 February 2007.) public attention to biodiversity risks”. (Source: Panorama.am, 11 April 2007 via CENN Weekly Digest, 13 April 2007.) %ARMENIA The forest is receding %BELIZE Precious plants are nearing extinction in the forest area surrounding Vanadzor. IACHR Commission says the Government Agricultural scientist Lilia Bayramyan has of Belize must protect the indigenous identified such medicinal herbs and wild people of Toledo

plants as nettle, thyme, mint, cat thyme, By permitting oil exploration on indigenous Hoodia gordonii motherwort, Solomon's seal and St John's lands in the Sarstoon/Temash National wort. Her observations in and around Park in the Toledo district, the Government Vanadzor's central bazaar last spring of Belize is violating treaty obligations and %BOTSWANA revealed that about 4 tonnes of herbs and a 2004 ruling by the Inter-American wild plants were collected and sold each Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Hoodia gordonii – a rare medicinal hope day during that period. “If this trend This is the official view of the Tshabong. Some Bokspits residents call this continues, the reserves of precious plants environmental group Global Response. plant seboka while others know it as will be exhausted in two years,” Lilia The Sarstoon/Temash National Park is tlhokabotshwaro. Outsiders have named it Bayramyan concludes. Belize’s second largest national park, bushman’s hat and Queen of the Namib, In addition to this ruthless collection of encompassing an area of 41 000 acres among others. Scientifically, however, the herbs, her studies also suggest that the (approximately 16 592 ha) of pristine forest wild plant is known as Hoodia gordonii and is plants are endangered above all by logging and coastline along the southern border reputed to have medicinal properties.

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Found in the Bokspits region, the plant is %BRUNEI DARUSSALAM for protected areas are filed. The now being grown commercially to benefit amendments are a result of Bulgaria’s the communities of southern Kgalagadi Firms and groups invited to propose commitments to the European where it grows wild. Local Khoisan projects to tap nation's forests Commission, thus meeting the communities, however, have long known Private companies and groups are welcome requirements of ecological network, about the special medicinal value of the to propose projects to the Ministry of Natura 2000. (Source: FOCUS News [Sofia, plant and have chewed its succulent stems Industry and Primary Resources and its Bulgaria], 15 March 2007.) to suppress hunger. Forestry Department to develop Duncan Basima of the Department of pharmaceutical and even cosmetic Bulgaria produces 8 000 tonnes of honey, Forestry and Range Resources said the products derived from the country's rich half of which is exported plant was in high demand internationally rain forest resources. More than half the honey produced in and that they have decided to cultivate it “Tropical rain forests in Brunei Bulgaria is exported to other countries, domestically to benefit communities where Darussalam are very rich. We want to mainly in the European Union, the it grows wild. The plant species they have explore ways to make use of the richness of chairman of Sofia’s Bulgarian Apiarist cultivated contains the active ingredient our resources, not only for timber but also Union announced at an apiculture seminar. P.57 which suppresses hunger. for non-timber resources,” Mahmud Yussof, Bulgaria produces an average of He said his department started a Acting Deputy-Director of the department 6 000–8 000 tonnes of honey, 4,000–5 000 communal cultivation project in Bokspits to said in an interview, noting that 78 percent of tonnes of which are exported. Bulgarian generate income for residents and create the country is covered in thick rain forest honey consumption is very low: 150–200 national capacity in Hoodia cultivation. Four teeming with valuable plants that can be g/person/year. communities in the Bokspits area have used for medicine. “Brunei Darussalam Bulgarian apiarists have some clashes been mobilized and trained to cultivate the definitely has the potential to create a with legislation amendments, which plant. The project, funded by the African market in this area. We have very rich imposed tax levying on their production. Development Fund for two years in forests here where there are local medicinal (Source: FOCUS News [Sofia, Bulgaria], 5 cooperation with Veld Products Research & and herbal plants. One such type of tree is April 2007.) Development, will help reduce poverty in called gaharu, a local species that can the arid Bokspits area and communities produce fragrance. Thailand and the Middle will be able to earn a living from the plants. East have already ventured into this.” % CAMEROON However, Bokspits residents will have to Conservation of the rain forest to wait until 2009 to harvest their first crop of develop these types of economic activities From a taboo to a delicacy: the evolution of medicinal plants as they only started the is apparent through Brunei Darussalam's eating snail meat in the Bakossi landscape project in October last year. involvement in the Heart of Borneo project area The General Manager of Veld Products during the signing of the Heart of Borneo Within the last two decades, the eating of Research and Development said Declaration earlier this week. (Source: snail meat has not only moved from being a multinational pharmaceutical companies BruDirect.com [Brunei Darussalam], 15 sociocultural taboo among the people who were interested in the plant, which grows February 2007.) inhabit the Bakossi landscape area in wild in Namibia, South Africa and (Please see page 62 for more information Cameroon, but has evolved to represent an Botswana. He said the Hoodia gordonii on the Heart of Borneo project.) important protein food and one of the key project was still in the cultivation stage and income sources for many households. that his organization was trying to train Many snail species are eaten in the area, communities on how to conserve and but the most popular is Achatina achatina, harvest the plant for commercial use. He mostly found in the forest zones of said that he was trying to encourage people Cameroon. to plant Hoodia gordonii in their own plots Situated in the southwest and littoral since there is not much in the bush that provinces of Cameroon, the Bakossi could be used for commercial purposes. It landscape area harbours three key takes three to four years for the plant to be montane forest sites: Kupe, Bakossi and ready for harvest. Muanenguba, renowned for their South African scientists have been significant biodiversity and sociocultural testing Hoodia gordonii and they discovered values. These forests cover an area of that the plant contained a previously about 900 km2 featuring among unknown molecule that replicates the %BULGARIA Cameroon’s most important montane effect glucose has on nerve cells in the forests with an exceptional level of brain, fooling the body into thinking it is Parliament approves Biodiversity Bill on endemism and biological diversity. Richer full. The appetite suppressant properties of first reading in plant species diversity than the adjacent Hoodia gordonii have now been developed The Bulgarian Parliament approved its Mount Cameroon, with 2 435 species, it is and Hoodia products are marketed in many Biodiversity Bill on first reading. The bill the richest rain forest site in Central and Western countries where obesity is a stipulates that the Ecological Assessment West Africa, and home to many primates. problem. (Source: Botswana, 27 March and Environmental Impact Assessment are The local population of over 150 000 people 2007.) to be enforced when investment proposals continues to depend on the resources of

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these forests for their livelihoods and (covered with a bucket) for sale, laid eggs, products. A full sachet of 250 g is sold at income (via hunting, farming, tourism and which eventually hatched to produce 500 CFA francs (about US$1). Up to March drinking-water). The forests are also the juvenile snails. From this experience, he 2007, CADEV made an average profit of icon of the cultural and spiritual heritage of built a box, in which he transferred the 35 000 CFA francs (US$63) from processed the Bakossi (the dominant tribe of the eggs and the hatched snails. An American snail sales monthly, excluding the sale of area). This unique biodiversity and Peace corps volunteer who was working in other related snail components such as sociocultural values, however, are the area advised him to contact WWF empty snail shells used for calcium threatened by overhunting, agricultural Cameroon on his findings. production. It is worth noting that most of encroachment and illegal logging. Support given to him by WWF not only the snail farming CBOs in the area sell their As recently as 20 years ago, people in the helped him to realize the status of PAPCIG, live snails to the CADEV transformation Bakossi landscape area still perceived but enabled PAPCIG to benefit from some unit, where they receive the full cost of their snails in general as inedible. This material, technical and financial support live snails on the spot and are given stigmatization went on in the area for that helped erect a 10 000 capacity bonuses at the end of each quarter. another decade until the Bakossi verified contemporary snail farm in Tombel, which Like the locally produced natural honey that other Cameroonians in bigger towns has not only served as an income- that is known to generate an annual income such as Kumba and Mamfe actually loved generating farm for the group and the of 4 400 000 CFA francs (US$8.000) for one of eating snails. Then in the mid-1970s employment of some unemployed youth, the beekeeping CBOs in the area, snail sales traders came from Kumba to buy snails. but has also been of significant assistance are gradually also becoming a real income The snails actually brought in income even to research. provider although it is hard to find anyone for non-snail eating Bakossi households, depending exclusively on snail farming and significantly subsidizing livelihoods. The sales for survival. The activity is most often snails were more valuable than many secondary, given that farming forms the thought. Then medical advice started mainstay of the people in the area. But its pointing at snails as an important and contribution to the socio-economic cheap source of protein and consequently development of households in the Bakossi some Bakossi slowly began to develop landscape area cannot be underestimated. relatively sociable attitudes towards them. The direct implication of snail farming as At this point, hunting to raise income was an income provider to many Bakossi more popular than hunting to eat. Having embedded itself as meat by households and its indirect impact on As snail hunting and sales gained virtue of its taste, cooked snails are today biodiversity conservation, by virtue of its ground owing to the increasing market, sold in different parts of the Bakossi land, alternative force for bushmeat, makes it there was a glaring upshot on their on streets and in hotels, etc. The meat, lucid for WWF-CFP to support the activity. availability. Snails that were once easily especially when spiced with pepper and Today, snail consumption has not only seen near people’s homes started other spices from the forest, serves as a evolved to gain the status of a delicacy in becoming rare. Snail hunting was real appetizer for beer consumers and also the Bakossi culture, but serves as a commonly done at night (in low as an important alternative for commonly satisfactory alternative source of meat temperatures) especially by children, who consumed meat (cattle, goats, chickens, among a significant part of the population. carried with them flashlights and lamps. etc.), bushmeat and fish. There is also a considerable drop in the It was still uncommon, however, to find Having recognized poverty as one of the hunting of snails in the wild, in favour of Bakossi people who consumed snails key causes of forest and species reduction in farming them. publicly. Slowly and steadily, however, the the area, WWF Coastal Forests Program However, snail farmers are concerned taboos associated with snail eating started (WWF-CFP), embarked on lending its about both the incessant attacks by fading away and some Bakossi started support to PAPCIG, as one of the approaches predators (black flies, reptiles, rats, ants, finding it normal to eat snails in public. for increasing snail availability in the local etc.) on the snail farms and other Consequently, the market for snails in the market, and managing the pressure (mostly important constraining factors including area further expanded and the hunting rate from snail hunters) on snails in the wild. saturation of the local snail market. More increased. Over 15 community-based organizations support is critical to help in predator As people in the area became (CBOs) exist today in the area benefiting management and the marketing of snails. increasingly familiar with snail hunting, from WWF-CFP’s organizational, human International market networks that can more and more lessons were learned and (capacity development), financial and boost snail farmers’ economic power are basic scientific discoveries made and physical (material) support. unknown. A positive start would be to carry developed. After returning from snail The CBOs are not only supplying live out studies on the snail international market hunting, some hunters either ate all their snails but some have evolved to network and demand. The National catch or ate and reserved some for sale, transformation levels. Like beekeeping in Association of Snail Farmers in Cameroon while others sold them all. It was through the area, a transformation and sales unit (NASFARM), founded in 2006, is poised to do this process that a certain Enuge (where the quality of snails is controlled, this, but given its infancy, certainly needs Augustine, today President of the local they are packaged in sachets and preserved help for this to be realized. (Contributed by: snail farming NGO Progressive All Purpose in deep freezers for sale) was set up by Ngwene Theophilus Nseme, WWF-Coastal Common Initiative Group (PAPCIG) realized Community Action for Development Forests Program, PO Box 1169, Bota-Limbe, that the snails his children had reserved (CADEV) in 2006, hence adding value to their Cameroon. E-mail: [email protected])

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%CHILE the production and distribution of Chinese herbs, veterinary medicines and one of the Adaptación de especies de bambú de world's leading producers of all natural, clima templado en Chile zero-calorie stevia in China, announced El Instituto Forestal, INFOR, realizó el 25 de today that it has completed construction of abril en la ciudad de Valdivia un Seminario its new stevia manufacturing facilities. de lanzamiento del proyecto «Adaptación These new facilities are capable of de especies de bambú de clima templado producing an additional 300 tonnes of en Chile», seleccionado en el XIII Concurso premium stevia per year, increasing annual Nacional del Fondo de Fomento al bulk production by approximately US$15 Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico Las orquídeas son fuentes de bienes y million. FONDEF del Conicyt. servicios que van desde valores estéticos The new facilities will use proprietary El proyecto tiene como objetivo general expresados a nivel del paisaje, hasta valores technology developed by SUWN to process adaptar especies exóticas de bambú de económicos asociados a determinados the seeds of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, clima templado para uso industrial, desde productos exportables, tanto como flor enabling the company to produce the la Región Metropolitana hasta la undécima cortada, como en maceta. En este marco, la highest-grade stevia in the industry. The región, incluyendo la Isla de Pascua. Esta Fundación para la Innovación Agraria (FIA) company anticipates that this additional especie es considerada como una de las ha apoyado de manera permanente el production will be marketed to the que experimenta mayor tasa de desarrollo de la biotecnología agropecuaria pharmaceutical industry in China, Japan crecimiento dentro de los vegetales, y sirve al prestar ayuda, tanto financiera como and the Republic of Korea as well as to como forraje, alimento, producción de técnica, en dos Proyectos de Domesticación other countries such as Singapore, pasta y papel, protección de riberas y ríos, y Mejoramiento Genético de Orquídeas Malaysia, Thailand and India. (Source: artesanías, muebles, construcción y Silvestres del Género Chloraea. NPIcenter [press release], 9 January 2007.) textiles, entre otros. Con esos dos proyectos de investigación La adaptación y plantación industrial de se persigue, además de poner fin a su estas especies en Chile será una nueva disminución acelerada, obtener un producto %CUBA fuente de ingresos para los pequeños y original, renovado y atractivo, con alto valor medianos agricultores, debido a la entrega agregado, que compita ventajosamente en Quality honey produced in Sancti Spiritus de materias primas industriales y su el mercado internacional. Honey is once more ratified as one of the utilización directa, ya sea en construcción, Has sido un trabajo multifacético, main exports in the Cuban central province tutores, cercos, fabricación de muebles, pionero, exigente, prologado y apasionante, of Sancti Spiritus, where over 500 tonnes of alimento, entre otros. Además, uno de los lo que permitirá, gracias al esfuerzo y the product have been sold to date, beneficios de esta especie, es que puede perseverancia de un puñado de especially to European countries. The ser cosechada anualmente, a diferencia de investigadores y al apoyo constante del processing plant in this territory, which las rotaciones forestales tradicionales. Gobierno de Chile, a través de un receives the honey from Pinar del Rio up to Fuente: Informativo Forestal Diario de organismo del Ministerio de Agricultura, Camaguey province, was able to increase INFOR, miércoles 11 de abril de 2007. junto al resguardo de estas especies production above scheduled plans. únicas, diversificar la opción como país (Source: Escambray [Cuba], 28 March Orquídeas silvestres ancestrales emergente en la producción de flores 2007.) El bosque chileno y su campiña, aunque bulbosas. contienen menos especies en total que los Para posicionarlas, tanto en nuestro Camagüey boosts bamboo plantations bosques tropicales, constituyen una medio como en el extranjero, es importante The reforestation plan in the eastern reserva mundial de biodiversidad, dado el que a las orquídeas terrestres, ahora province of Camagüey is devoting special alto grado de endemismos locales. Entre cultivadas, se les reconozca la identidad de attention to boosting bamboo plantations los descendientes de estos antiguos linajes su prolongado endemismo, como un valor since bamboo has disappeared from more únicos en el planeta, se cuentan las histórico-cultural, designándolas flores than 600 ha over the last five years; 70 ha orquídeas terrestres chilenas. emblemáticas de la celebración del have been planted, approximately half of En los escasos fragmentos de bosque Bicentenario de la República, que está that planned last year. In 2007, the sowing nativo que aún subsisten en Chile, hay próximo a cumplirse. programme includes 40 ha. algunas áreas donde surgen las orquídeas Fuente: Extraído de un articulo de Enrique The Forest State Service branch office in silvestres, que aún conservan una Matthei Jensen, Ejecutor Proyectos FIA in Camagüey said that the bamboo condición prístina. Por ello, conocer y Revista Chile Forestal, Año 2006, N° 321. reforestation has tackled certain problems. conservar estas plantas endémicas Most of the plantations are located near amenazadas no es sólo una carrera contra livestock water sources and the plant’s el tiempo, sino un objetivo importante en la %CHINA leaves are used as food for the cattle. It is protección de nuestra flora herbácea. Esta also a raw material widely used in the riqueza florística, con altos niveles de Chinese company doubles stevia construction of furniture and fences and in exclusividad, ha sido reconocida por la production capacity the pharmaceutical and paper industry. comunidad científica internacional como Qufo, China. Sunwin International (Source: Radio Cadena Agramonet [Cuba], un hotspot de biodiversidad. Neutraceuticals, Inc. (SUWN), a leader in 19 March 2007.)

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC participate in such training, earns only 1 000 attended the workshop on promoting the %OF THE CONGO birr/month. sustainable development of the bamboo Ethiopia processes abundant bamboo industry in the country. Greenpeace spotlights rain forest damage resources, covering 1 million ha and Some large enterprises in Ethiopia have The environmental group Greenpeace called accounting for 67 percent of the total bamboo also begun to invest in the bamboo industry, for urgent action on Wednesday to prevent groves in Africa. However, for a long time including an Ethiopia-United States joint illegal logging in the rain forests of the bamboo production was very low with venture that has invested in bamboo groves Democratic Republic of the Congo, accusing bamboo processing remaining at the primary covering 400 000 ha. It has signed international companies there of “causing stage with low added value. China has a agreements with three large Indian paper social chaos and wreaking environmental developed bamboo industry with much mills to supply bamboo pulp, worth US$130 havoc”. experience in bamboo growing and million within three years. Meanwhile, a In a report that accused the World Bank of processing. As a member of the International Chinese mining enterprise plans to invest in failing to stem the problem of illegal logging, Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), making paper from bamboo. (Source: Greenpeace said over 15 million ha China actively participates in and promotes Chinafrica, February 2007, Vol. 2, No. 2; (37 million acres) of rain forest had been South-South cooperation. While developing www.chinafrica.cn) granted to the logging industry since a its own bamboo industry, it also renders moratorium was agreed by the Government financial and technological support to other FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: in May 2002. The group’s report, “Carving up developing countries, helping them utilize Fu Jinhe, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, the Congo”, also accused international their bamboo resources and train their own International Network for Bamboo and Rattan logging companies of deception and experts. (INBAR), 8 Fu Tong Dong Da Jie, Wang Jing area, intimidation to obtain timber. In 2005–2006, the Chinese Government Chao Yang district, Beijing 100102, China. Of the 60 million people in the country cooperated with INBAR to hold two training Fax: +86-10-6470 2166; e-mail: [email protected]; about 40 million depend upon the rain forests courses for bamboo industry development in http://www.inbar.int to provide essential food, medicine and other Ethiopia, training 97 bamboo growing and NTFPs along with energy and building processing technicians. In 2006, a total of 23 Ethiopian Biodiversity Conservation materials. And the forests are critical for the Ethiopians attended the bamboo processing Institute striving to utilize and conserve survival of wildlife, including gorillas, course. Chinese experts started their medicinal plants chimpanzees and bonobos, the report said. courses from scratch – from selecting the The Ethiopian Biodiversity Conservation Meanwhile, the World Bank has bamboo, making bamboo strips, bamboo Institute announced that it has been acknowledged that over the last three years dyes and creating moulds to weave new undertaking, through its Medicinal Herbs no money whatsoever has been paid in taxes types of small bamboo baskets, bags, Care and Sustainable Conservation project, by logging companies to local communities lampshades and curtains. They also various activities to enable the community to provide essential services such as schools introduced the Ethiopians to a new method of to utilize medicinal plants that could be and hospitals. cutting several bamboo pieces into strips of cultivated in backyards and conserve those “This leaves these people not only without the same width at one time. found in the field with over 16.2 million birr. the forest that provided their food, shelter In addition, Chinese experts have helped Ethiopia produces 56 000 tonnes of and medicine, but without the benefits they hold two workshops in Ethiopia on bamboo medicinal herbs annually, 87 percent of had been promised,“ Greenpeace said. development with more than 160 which grow in the forest while people The Democratic Republic of the Congo has participants. The Beijing Summit of the cultivate the remaining 13 percent in their the second-largest primal tropical forest in Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) backyards, said project coordinator Dr Fasil the world with 86 million ha (212 million also provided a new opportunity for China to Kibebew. The medicinal herbs will bring in acres) of which 60 million ha (148 million cooperate with Ethiopia in bamboo revenue that covers 8 percent of the annual acres) are potentially exploitable for logging. development. In December 2006, a Chinese budget and will also cover 42 percent of the (Source: Sapa-AFP in Citizen [South Africa], economic and trade delegation, tasked with Government's expenditure for the 12 April 2007.) following up on FOCAC, went to Ethiopia and procurement of medicines. Currently, medicinal herbs have a US$62 billion transaction in the international market, he %ETHIOPIA said, further stating that efforts are under way to enable the country to obtain a share Tapping into bamboo of the market. A training class held by Chinese experts As part of efforts to utilize the herbs by changed the life of one impoverished farmer processing them in factories, Addis Ababa in a bamboo-growing village 300 km from University has succeeded in preparing an Addis Ababa. In 2005, Solomon Gessesse anti-tapeworm for animals with a 93 participated in a bamboo-processing class in percent reliability. Addis Ababa and later established a bamboo Field gene banks have been established factory there, hiring 13 workers. His monthly in Wondo-Genet and Goba to preserve the income now exceeds 12 000 birr. In contrast, plants and 300 medicinal plants in Wondo- another bamboo-processing facility nearby Genet and 247 medicinal plants in Goba are

with five employees, whose owner did not “Riches of the forest: for health, life and spirit in Africa” under protection. These plants that should

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be preserved in their origins are under challenges to the sustainability of the plant. GUYANA protection and care in Bale National Park, Not only have the palms become % Adele, Workiti and Goba forests, Dr Fasil threatened by overharvesting, but the Guyana: United Kingdom High said, adding that the institute is supporting workers who collect them have been Commission donates money to GMTCS the local community to utilize the plants. venturing further into the forest, often The British High Commission recently The project has distributed improved collecting other threatened plants and made monetary donations to a social stoves among the community to deter them seeds as they go. Since the establishment welfare and sustainable development from using the plants for firewood. It has of the standards in July 2005, the society. According to a press release, the also multiplied over 1.3 million seedlings community of Uaxactún together with British High Commissioner presented and distributed them to the community to nearby Carmelita have sent one shipment cheques to the Help and Shelter and the be planted in their backyards. (Source: The of sustainably harvested xate per week to Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society Ethiopian Herald, 4 March 2007.) Continental Floral Greens of San Antonio, (GMTCS). Texas, United States of America. These The money donated to GTMCS is the third shipments represent an income of more part in a project aimed at building capacity % GUATEMALA than US$100 000 per year for the for the indigenous people of northwest impoverished communities, more than half Guyana to assist them to manage their Ornamental greens from the Maya of which goes directly to the xate collectors. natural resources effectively and to Biosphere Reserve: the Rainforest The Rainforest Alliance explains that undertake a preliminary assessment of Alliance’s Certified Xate Initiative before linking up with Continental Floral certification for local organic NTFPs. Villagers in the Guatemalan community of Greens, harvesters sold their xate to According to the press release, the project Uaxactún subsist primarily on income intermediaries for a much lower price. started last July and has resulted in NTFPs earned from the collection of NTFPs, such Most of the leaves had defects, so they from the area being sold in the local markets. as fruits, gum, resin and xate, an ended up in exporters’ dumps. The Additionally, six persons were trained as tour ornamental palm leaf. Their forest home, Rainforest Alliance has encouraged xate guides and a map of the area's natural once a major Mayan city, lies within the collectors to cut only quality leaves and resources has been drawn. (Source: confines of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, leave more fronds on the palm, which Stabroek News [Guyana], 3 April 2007.) the largest protected area in Mesoamerica. permits faster regeneration. They now sell In addition to hundreds of Mayan ruins, the their leaves for twice as much as they did 5.2 million acre (2.1 million ha) reserve previously. %INDIA boasts an astounding diversity of plant and In addition, according to the animal life. Management and Conservation Jharkhand to upgrade sericulture In recent years, land clearing and forest Organization (OMYC), which manages the production fires have been destroying the forest community’s forest concession in the Maya To upgrade silk production in Jharkhand, expanse at an accelerating pace. Which is Biosphere Reserve, women who until the Central Silk Board (CSB) and state why the Rainforest Alliance, an recently had no cash income now earn industry department has initiated a joint international conservation organization, between US$6 and $7 per day harvesting, venture project of a perspective plan for has been working with Uaxactún villagers selecting and packaging xate for export. sericulture development with an and others to create an incentive for the investment of Rs151 crore. Jharkhand at protection of their forest home. In addition FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: present produces 100 tonnes of raw silk to certifying Uaxactún for sustainable Rainforest Alliance, 665 Broadway, and targets to reach 350 tonnes within the timber harvesting, the Rainforest Alliance, Suite 500, New York, NY 10012-2331, next six years. The state produces tasar, in collaboration with the community, has United States of America. mulberry and eri silk, with the regions of established guidelines for the sustainable Fax: +1-212/677-2187; West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan harvest of the xate palm, also known as e-mail: [email protected]; and Santhal Pargana serving as breeding chico (Chamaedorea spp.). Thirty million www.rainforest-alliance.org grounds for cocoon cultivators. xate fronds are delivered each year to the In this venture, the Government plans to United States of America and Canada for undertake infrastructure development, Palm Sunday services. Xate exports plantation activities, training and value contribute over 1 million dollars annually to addition of raw silk projects in the current the Guatemalan economy and in the Selva fiscal year. The Ranchi-based Central Tasar Maya, where nearly 50 percent of the Research and Training Institute would help population has no formal education, wild in the project by providing services of xate harvesting generates about 10 000 training, research and development and jobs, especially for women. technology transfer to farmers. When only a few leaves are removed At the moment sericulture is being from the plant at a time, the fronds are carried out on plant species such as arjuna, allowed to regenerate. However, the saal, asan and the mulberry tree but the increased demand for xate combined with Government’s focus would be on non- an absence of standards and management mulberry production. (Source: practices, have resulted in serious Chamaedorea spp. Fibre2fashion.com [India], 5 April 2007.)

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Trade figures on gums and resins

Gums and resins 2002–2003 2003–2004 2004–2005 2005–2006 (tonnes) (tonnes) (tonnes) (tonnes) Exports Imports Exports Imports Exports Imports Exports Imports Gum arabic (Acacia nilotica) 86.31 7 341.24 101.85 8 172.15 168.78 12 730.93 1.39 14 825.84 Asian gum 285.33 75.01 359.84 49.89 66.4 7 – – African gum (Acacia senegal) 129.31 22 13.21 – 6.51 – 1.44 – Assafoetida (Ferula asafoetida) 473.91 514.23 744.21 902.12 731.63 985.1 1 269.42 528.52 Benjamin ras 1.2 118.5 0.38 26.47 – 34.6 – 60.09 Benjamin cowrie 1.84 – – – – – – 40 Karaya gum (Indian tragacanth) (Sterculia urens) 1 119.83 – 429.69 3 773.1 1 0.65 10.82 Acacia gum – – – – – – – – Mastic gum (Pistacia lentiscus) 0.64 4.72 1.24 1.86 0.45 5.01 – – Other natural gum 645.53 777.73 761.17 453.36 459.44 195.75 206.51 48.68 Other gum resin 968.7 148.67 582.48 121.22 139.29 176.37 29.37 – Guar gum refined split (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) 41 337.02 – 38 072.3 473 48 738.47 0.33 14 951.54 16.22 Guar gum treated and pulverized 69 513.86 – 77 797.59 0.25 76 298.65 0.3 134 190.53 69.55 Guar meal 1 097.46 6.37 4 691.36 – 4 611.34 4.6 3 146.54 – Copal (Agathis spp.) 49.66 1 593.93 0.65 1 188.52 – 1 540.77 – – Dammar Batu 0.22 4 206.35 14.13 5 221.77 2 9 477.63 – – Other resins 69.52 147.04 8 611.44 470.46 2 832.82 1 507.29 – – Myrrh (Commiphora spp.) – 12.2 11.86 23.45 11.7 13.82 0.08 12.82 Olibanum or frankincense (Boswellia serrata) 6.5 16.25 7.98 1 12.08 7 – 4.22 Natural resin enamels – 0.715 – – – – – – Balsam of Tolu (Myroxylon balsamum) 0.01 68.56 – – – – – – Pepper oleoresins 1 043.8 0.5 – – – – – – Turmeric oleoresins 235.9 1.42 – – – – – – Cardamom oleoresins 2.45 – – – – – – – Celery seed oleoresins (Apium graveolens) 324.77 – – – – – – – Nutmeg oleoresins 178.38 0.01 – – – – – – Oleoresins of spices, nes 77.32 – – – – – – 0.25 Other balsams/oleoresins 349.08 133.69 770.51 10 497.04 877.77 5 822.78 549.8 3 809.6 Agar agar w/w modified 15.48 30.83 24.93 43.44 20.01 67.46 3 146.54 – Other mucilage thickeners w/n modified, derived from locust beans or locust bean seeds 242.16 2.7 420.42 33.39 1 224.68 43.12 – 3.6 Total gums and resins 118 256.192 15 222.665 133 417.24 27 682.39 136 975.12 32 620.86 157 493.81 19 430.21 Source: Monthly Statistics of Foreign Trade of India, Vols I and II, Export and Import, 2007. Directorate-General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Government of India, Kolkata.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: natural tropical forests is a challenging approach involving local forest-dependent Ms Alka Shiva, President and Managing Director, task because these forests constitute a user communities seems to be an Centre of Minor Forest Products (COMFORPTS), common property resource and local inevitable tool for sustainable management HIG - 2, No. 8, Indirapuram, GMS Road, people have the right of free access to and in situ conservation of valuable PO Majra, Dehra Dun- 248 171, India. collect NTFPs. Owing to increased indigenous forest resources. E-mail: [email protected]; commercial utilization of forest resources, Keeping this as the main objective, the www.angelfire.com/ma/MinorForestProducts local user communities are encouraged to Madhya Pradesh State Forest Research overexploit forest products, ignoring the Institute, Jabalpur, India has taken the lead Determination of sustainable harvesting traditional practices of sustainable to determine the sustainable harvesting limits of commercially important NTFPs in harvesting of utilizable resources from limits of overexploited NTFPs in natural natural tropical forests of Madhya natural forests. In the prevailing forest forests, employing an integrated Pradesh management system, extraction of NTFPs participatory approach in the tribal- The conservation of commercially is not at all sustainable, either in ecological dominated tropical forests of Madhya important forest resources in state-owned or in socio-economic terms. A participatory Pradesh under a research project

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sponsored by the Council of Scientific and capabilities of local user communities (as talk about taking the cottage industry to Industrial Research, New Delhi, key stakeholders) at the grassroots level global levels. (Source: Hindustan Times Government of India. for the sustainable use of forest resources [India], 11 April 2007.) In this project, eight site-specific is the only viable tool for the conservation commercially important NTFP species, and sustainable management of forest Boost to bamboo cultivation Chlorophytum tuberosum, Curculigo resources in natural forest ecosystems of The Department of Agriculture and orchioides, Dioscorea daemona, Curcuma the country. Cooperation has launched a programme on angustifolia, Bauhinia vahlii, Plumbago The present study is a part of the project a National Bamboo Mission in India from zeylanica, Asparagus racemosus and “Determination of sustainable harvesting 2006 to 2007 to enhance the production and Embelia robusta were selected to determine limits of utilizable forest resources in productivity of bamboo. The mission aims sustainable harvesting limits in natural tribal-dominated natural tropical forests of at i) promoting the growth of the bamboo forest ecosystems. An innovative experiment Madhya Pradesh”. (Contributed by: Dr R.K. sector through an area- based regionally was designed with various treatments based Pandey (Senior Scientist and Head) and Dr differentiated strategy; ii) increasing the on different harvesting intensities, i.e. (Mrs) Satvant Kaur Saini (Research coverage of the area under bamboo in 1 control (no harvesting), T (20 percent), T2 Associate), Ecology and Environment potential areas, with improved varieties to

(40 percent), T3 (60 percent) and T4 (80 Division, State Forest Research Institute, enhance yields; iii) promoting marketing of percent), where underground plant parts Jabalpur, pin: 482008, Madhya Pradesh, bamboo and bamboo-based handicrafts; iv) (roots/ rhizomes/ tubers) are harvested. In India. E-mail: [email protected] or establishing convergence and synergy the case of Bauhinia vahlii, however, the [email protected]) among stakeholders for the development of leaves of which are harvested, an additional bamboo; v) promoting, developing and treatment, i.e. T (100 percent extraction) was disseminating technologies through a undertaken. All the treatments were done in seamless blend of traditional wisdom and five replications. Regeneration capacity of modern scientific knowledge; and vi) the species was estimated for all the generating employment opportunities for treatments with five replications by using a skilled and unskilled persons, especially regeneration index method. youth. The results of the experiment were quite The proposed bamboo plantation alarming, particularly for Chlorophytum activities under the mission would tuberosum, Dioscorea daemona and generate about 50.4 million workdays. In Asparagus racemosus, which allowed the nursery sector, total estimated harvesting of only 18, 38 and 32 percent of employment to be generated every year will plants respectively to maintain be around 9.7 lakh workdays. Besides this, sustainability in natural forest conditions. there will be employment generation in However, other species, i.e. Curculigo both skilled and unskilled segments in the orchioides (75 percent), Curcuma handicraft sector. Curcuma tumeric angustifolia (60 percent), Plumbago The proposed scheme is environment zeylanica (60 percent) and Embelia robusta Jaipur's lac industry is booming friendly and economically viable in nature. (80 percent) showed comparatively higher The lac industry began in the eighteenth The project proposals submitted by the state sustainable harvesting limits. Bauhinia century in the narrow lanes of Jaipur's old governments for financial assistance under vahlii, which contributes substantially city. Today, it is a booming business with its the mission during 2006 to2007 are under (Rs5 000–7 000/family) to the annual products finding their way to places as far consideration by the Department of income of forest-dependent communities, away as Europe. Agriculture and Cooperation. was found to be in a very precarious In recent years, the industry has At present, bamboo is being cultivated in condition because of repeated successfully broken away from its traditional 89 575 km in the country. (Source: Press overexploitation of its leaves. Almost all the image of making bangles to produce Information Bureau (press release) [New plants were found to have lost their exquisite jewellery and gift items. Today, Delhi, India], 12 March 2007.) flowering, fruiting and leaf growth vigour. over 5 000 families in Jaipur are involved in Leaves of this species are in high demand the industry. Jaipur alone accounts for for making plates and cups and are annual exports worth Rs700–800 million. harvested twice in a year in summer as Several local artisans have even been well as in winter. The bark of the stem of awarded for their contribution and creative this species is also used for making rope. innovations. Yet these artisans have to toil Findings of the experiment have suggested hard and long in difficult conditions to give that 70 and 80 percent of harvesting in shape to their designs. “We have to work on summer and winter can be permissible to hot furnaces where lac is melted. Working of Asia” maintain leaf-sprouting vigour of the plant conditions are very harsh, especially during in natural forest ecosystems, both in summer,” said one manufacturer of lac qualitative and quantitative terms. items. It has been established from the study But the artisans seem to forget about that the development of skills and their hardships when they proudly begin to “Riches of the forest: food, spices, crafts and resins

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%INDONESIA west and 40 km north to south, and expected yield of 73 000 tonnes of represents about 6 percent of remaining medicinal herbs. The Ministry plans to find Indonesia's paradise lost – and regained lowland rain forest in Sumatra. It is two the proper farm lands for herbs, train its The United Kingdom’s Royal Society for the degrees south of the equator and experts and producers, and cooperate with Protection of Birds (RSPB) is enlarging its conservationists hope that its humid standards institutes to produce quality vision and is moving into tropical bird conditions will hasten regeneration. medicinal herbs. (Source: MehrNews.com/ conservation in a serious way as part of a Furthermore, the ecosystem restoration [Iran], 13 April 2007.) partnership that is seeking to save one of decree means other private management the world's greatest wildlife hotspots. With bodies can also apply to restore forests in its sister organization in Indonesia and Indonesia. %JAMAICA BirdLife International, the RSPB has The RSPB is about to launch a United secured a long-lasting management Kingdom fundraising campaign for Allspice: high demand for pimento concession on a stretch of lowland rain Harapan with a target of UK£2 million over Pimento, or allspice as it is known forest in Sumatra which has more breeding the next 12 months. Similar campaigns are internationally, is currently impacting the bird species than the whole of the United beginning in other European countries and culinary world. It is one of the main Kingdom. Japan. The initiative has already received ingredients in jerk seasonings and mixed The Harapan rain forest hosts at least significant financial support from the spices. 267 types of birds and may hold more than European Commission and Conservation The growing demand for the product, not 300. It is also home to a striking range of International's Global Conservation Fund. only for local consumption, but for use animal species, as well as the world's In the long term, the RSPB, Burung overseas and in the hospitality industry, has richest and most diverse flora. Yet for all its Indonesia and BirdLife International plan to opened up a niche market that is expected to natural treasures, the forest has been establish a trust fund of UK£9 million. be very profitable for local farmers. placed under dire threat by the pressures Annual interest payments from the fund The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands is of illegal logging and conversion to timber will cover the forest's management costs. reporting that the pimento industry is and palm oil plantations, which have (Source: The Independent [United earning an estimated US$5 million reduced the Sumatran rain forest to a Kingdom], 3 April 2007.) annually from exports of whole berries, fraction – less than 5 percent – of its former leaf, berry oils, liqueurs and other value- 16 million ha. added products. There is also an increasing Up to now, sites earmarked for timber demand for pimento berries to satisfy the production or plantation crops in Indonesia expansion of the jerk market. could be used for nothing else. But the With the sudden interest in the product, ecosystem restoration decree, which was there are certain guidelines and introduced by the Indonesian Ministry of procedures that must be followed to get the Forestry, permits the management of forests product from its natural state to acceptable to obtain benefits labelled “ecosystem standards for export. (Source: Jamaica services”. These include storing carbon, Gleaner [Jamaica], 15 February 2007. controls on pollution and protection for wildlife, all of which, says the partnership, will help nearby human communities. %KENYA Directly benefiting will be the 150-strong Batin Sembilan tribe, a nomadic people Kenyan President prohibits trade in that will continue to harvest rubber, honey, sandalwood fruits and rattan for its own use. “With Kenyan President Kibaki has made the intact forest remaining, they will have the highly priced sandalwood tree a protected choice of maintaining their traditional species for a period of five years, lifestyles,” said Sukianto Lusli, executive- representing a ban on trade. According to director of Burung Indonesia. “They will ISLAMIC REPUBLIC the announcement, the ban on the also have the option of becoming wildlife %OF IRAN sandalwood tree‘s exploitation and trade is monitors or forest wardens, as will other effective from 14 February this year, people in the local area.” There will be The Republic is to improve medicinal herb meaning that there will be no cutting or other jobs for the Harapan community as cultivation in 2007 trading of the species and those caught forest guides, in nursery management and The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Agriculture trading in the products will be prosecuted. the preparation of land. Field staff are Jihad Ministry will put the medicinal herbs The species, also known as Osyris being recruited now and the site will comprehensive plan into practice for the lanceolata, is threatened with extinction eventually be managed by a team of about next five years to develop the output, said because of indiscriminate exploitation and 80 people. The development of a research the Ministry’s Ornamental Plants and illegal trade. station and ecotourism are long-term Medicinal Herbs Office. The species can fetch between Sh1 million possibilities. One of the plan’s goals is to export and Sh3 million depending on its age. Harapan is the Indonesian word for medicinal herbs. To this end, almost (Source: SomaliNet [United States of hope. The forest stretches 35 km east to 58–60 000 ha are under cultivation, with an America], 6 April 2007.)

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% MALI local villagers and a powerful incentive for them to conserve their forests. However, the Une expérience de promotion de PFNL à villagers typically sell their goods to Tominian exploitive medicinal herb traders, who L’ONG nationale Sahel Eco a bénéficié d’un encourage them to harvest as much as they financement de la FAO à travers le can, while paying them poorly for their mécanisme d’appui à la foresterie du Mali et products. Once a plant supply runs out, the TREE AID, une ONG britannique pour la traders move on, leaving the villagers who mise en ?uvre d’un projet dénommé Projet have depleted their only source of livelihood de promotion des entreprises forestières without much recourse. villageoises (EFV). D’une durée initiale de In January 2005, the Rainforest Alliance trois ans (septembre 2005-septembre awarded Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) 2007), le projet a accompagné 160 certification to the Federation of Community Ecotourism in the Lembus forest exploitants forestiers, essentiellement des Forest Users, Nepal (FECOFUN), whose What started as a community concept on femmes, à la création de 14 entreprises members harvest their forest botanicals in a ecotourism is now a regional story on good autour de trois produits à savoir le miel, le responsible way, ensuring the long-term community conservation practice. When fruit de tamarinier et les amandes de karité. availability of their natural resources and the people of Koibatek approached Ce projet s’appuie sur une approche maintaining the health of the forests. They Volunteerforafrica (VFA) to help them come particulière appelée ADM (Analyse et then sell their wild-crafted ingredients to up with a management concept for the développement de marché). the international natural products industry. Lembus forest, little did they know that this Avec un chiffre d’affaires de plusieurs The villagers' certified essential oils and would hatch into a project that would millions par entreprise, les bénéficiaires ont handmade papers are now available in the change their lives, at least in so far as pris des mesures pour la bonne gestion des United States of America and the United forest management and culture exposure ressources dans la forêt appelée DUWA dont Kingdom. are concerned. leur vie dépend. Parmi ces mesures on peut Walter Smith, lead auditor and senior With funding from the Netherlands citer, la redynamisation des comités de technical specialist for the Rainforest Committee for the World Conservation surveillance de la forêt chargés de veiller Alliance forestry programme, conducted the Union (IUCN), the community, through sur le respect des règles consensuelles de annual Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) technical advice from VFA's Sustainable gestion. Les entrepreneurs ont tissé des audit of FECOFUN, the group certificate Natural Resources Management alliances stratégiques avec les caisses holder for the community forest user Programme, have established an d’épargne sur place pour faciliter l’accès au groups. This involved the need to revisit the Ecotourism and Cultural Centre, which has crédit et avec des partenaires commerciaux forests to make sure that they are still being the following advantages. comme l’ULPK (Union locale des harvested and managed in compliance with Income. The Ecotourism site is providing an productrices de karité) de Dioîla pour FSC standards. This audit is particularly income to community members, which faciliter l’écoulement de leur produit. Ils difficult because there are no roads leading include a youth group and a women’s produisent et commercialisent les amandes, directly to each certified forest. group, operating the site. Membership le beurre, le fruit de tamarinier et le miel. The head of one community group visited comes from people living around the forest Tous ces groupes évoluent au sein d’une was an indigenous Thami man who took the and income derived means that the people association coopérative appelée Farakunna, audit group to the Rainforest Alliance are able to benefit directly from the forest composée de 22 villages, qui tire l’essentiel certified handmade paper factory. It is not a by improving their living standards. It also de leur revenu de la forêt. (Contribution de: factory in the usual sense. Several men and makes them believe in the conservation of Bakary Diarma, Coordonnateur du projet women (mostly women) are boiling plant the forest. EFV/Sahel Eco, BP 04 Tominian; courriel: cuttings and scraping bark for making Forest conservation and/or sustainable [email protected]) paper. The bark is going to a use. With ecotourism, the people now have Japanese/Nepali company that sells it to some knowledge on the importance of Japan for use in manufacturing Japanese forest and wetland conservation. % NEPAL currency. This community group (like others Education and information. The Ecotourism in the certified pool) gives first priority for site is serving as an education point for the Improving village life in Nepal jobs to the poorest community members. community on the virtues of the Every year in Nepal's Himalaya highlands, (Source: Rainforest Matters, Rainforest environment and shows them why they villagers gather thousands of tonnes of Alliance, March 2007.) really need to protect the Lembus forest, medicinal plants from the wild, and pack now and for the future. and dry them to sell to traders for export. Community development from Culture. The Ecotourism site is designed in The sale of these plants, oils and resins, or participatory rattan management a traditional way, using traditional non-timber forest products (NTFPs), Nine species of two genera of rattan are materials. This is enhancing a local provides much-needed income to local recorded in Nepal. Among them, Calamus understanding and preservation of Tugen communities in Nepal, who also rely on the tenuis, Calamus acanthospathus and cultural values. (Source: Web site of plants for food, medicines and fuel. Calamus inermis are protected, mostly in VolunteerforAfrica, The sale of these NTFPs represents a the Community Forest of Nepal. Calamus www.volunteerforafrica.org/) potential long-term source of income for tenuis is a small rattan, which is native to

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the Terai region of Nepal. Some of the The total area of this community forest is species of rattan, however, are indigenous 298.5 ha, including 170 ha of Calamus to Nepal. Because of an indifferent approach tenuis and benefits 5 352 inhabitants (892 by foresters, their management has been households). The food supply situation neglected in both the natural forests and shows that 16 percent of households' sacred groves. The need to manage rattan in production can support only three months, the natural forests has been recognized 6 percent for three to six months, 20 since 1994, when research work on rattan percent for six to nine months, 10 percent was pioneered. Calamus tenuis is the most for nine to12 months and 48 percent for distributed in natural forests, community more than a year. forests and some private lands. A recent case study focused on the Sati The concept of community forestry Karnali Community Forest User Group evolved in the 1990s in Nepal. The 1993 (SKCFUG). It was handed over to Forest Act and the 1995 Forest Regulation, communities in 1994 and in 1996 the Rattan which aimed to empower the community Management Plan (RMP) was prepared. forest user groups, are the main legal After implementing the RMP, production of instruments that govern the functioning of rattan has increased by 15 percent, where “Riches of the forest: for health, life and spirit in Africa” community forest in Nepal. According to income earning was 25 percent in each forest policy, any part of the state forest can subsequent year, and the rattan forest has be handed over to the local communities fully revived. The present average growing who have access to and have been using the stock of cane is 19 840 stems per ha with patch of the forest over a long period of annual production of 6 to 8 tonnes of cane % NIGERIA time. The community has full authority to (dry weight) per ha. CFUG auctions rattan make decisions on the issues of forest on a weight basis at a minimum rate of Raffia and barkcloth weaving and palm management and utilization, as well as fund Rs30 (US$0.40) per kg. They make about wine management. It gets all revenues from the Nrs210 000 (US$3 000) per ha annually, The weaving of raffia in Akwa Ibom is a forest and is supposed to spend the income which gives about 3.5 million rupees (about small-scale industry that has adapted well to on forestry and local development activities. US$45,000) per year. For example, in 2002, modern demands. In a village in Abak, the The community participatory forestry SKCFUG earned a total of Nrs4 657 970, out weaving was and is still a craft conducted by approach has been successful in managing of which Nrs3 871 402 (83.1 percent) were boys to produce money for clothing, forests, including biodiversity. from rattan alone. education and so on. Rattan is an important NTFP in Nepal. Rattan is managed utilizing indigenous Raffia threads, ndam, consist of the outer Calamus tenuis is an endemic and widely knowledge for regulating access, utilization skin peeled from fronds of the raffia palm, distributed species throughout the lowland and distribution of benefits in the knotted together in a continuous length. At areas of the country. Rattan has been locally community. first, the threads are green in colour, but they used for various domestic purposes but The case study concluded the following. dry to a light brown. Formerly, vegetable dyes largely as basketry and furniture. In the • Community forestry in Nepal has were used, but now modern dyes are past, rattan was seriously degraded as a boosted NTFPs (such as rattan) as a employed to make coloured threads for result of lack of conservation initiatives, major income-generating source and weaving. The weaving technology is improper management and unscientific participatory management practice is extremely simple. A slanting loom, akpara non-sustainable harvesting, immature one of the successful methods to ekpat, made of lengths of palm midrib is collection and overexploitation by the manage rattan and other forest used, alongside other weaving tools such as farmers and habitat destruction in most products in Nepal. a hardwood beater or sword, awat ekpat; a part of the country. It is estimated that more • SKCFUG has contributed significantly shuttle, okop ekpat; a heddle, nisong ekpat, than 60 percent (roughly 10 000 ha) of to social development, such as health, made from two lengths of palm midrib bark natural rattan forests have vanished forever. education, agriculture, rural finance and raffia threads. Despite these negative figures, the recent and capacity building. Products of raffia weaving include lengths community forestry programmes have • The diversification of rattan species to of cloth used for wrapping headloads, brought a positive change in the develop enterprises and value addition making garri sacks, covering mattresses and conservation and management of forest works are challenges ahead of seats of the deckchair type. The major resources, including the management of SKCFUG. product is the raffia bag used by hunters and NTFPs such as rattan. Currently, six • Degraded rattan forest can be restored farmers for game and farm produce. In the Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), through participatory management and past, raffia cloth was used as clothing and, to three protected areas (national parks and use of community funds for forest and this day, special wrappers with striped wildlife reserves), three religious groups, social development work. patterns are worn on ceremonial occasions three institutions (schools and herbal (Contributed by: Chhote Lal Chowdhary, by chiefs and dancers. farms) and some private farmers are Canadian Center for International Studies Barkcloth is a non-textile fabric made contributing to conserving rattan in Nepal. and Cooperation (CECI Nepal), PO Box from the bark of a tree. In the forest region of The Sati Karnali community forest is 2959, Kathmandu, Nepal. E-mail: southeastern Nigeria, barkcloth was the located in the far western Terai of Nepal. [email protected]) normal apparel used for wrapping precious

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objects, such as skin-covered masks and for %PARAGUAY La zona histórica fue reconstruida en storage. The use of barkcloth declined 1973 y restaurada en el año 1998, consta de drastically as soon as imported cotton Ecoturismo en el Parque Nacional Ybycuí un museo histórico y cultural que permite became available. Today, it only survives in a El Parque Nacional Ybycuí posee una rica interpretar a través de las piezas few ceremonial contexts. calidad paisajística, con exuberantes conservadas la tecnología de la época y el One of the central features of traditional arroyos y saltos que le proporcionan una ingenio humano desarrollado para la and ceremonial life in the southeastern part cualidad ambiental única, para uso elaboración de los primeros elementos of Nigeria is the drinking of palm wine; in turístico. Fue designado como Parque metálicos en el Paraguay. fact, no social event of any importance is Nacional en el año 1973 y cuenta con una A dos kilómetros de la entrada, por truly complete without it. The communal extensión de 5000 hectáreas. Se encuentra camino de tierra, se llega hasta el área drinking of palm wine is an overt act of ubicado a 150 km de Asunción, en el recreativa del parque, donde se puede fellowship and expresses a stranger’s good Departamento de Paraguari. realizar senderismo, recorriendo los cuatro intent. El Plan de Ecoturismo del Parque ofrece senderos y los saltos de agua, como el The Ibibio tap their wine from the raffia al visitante varias opciones para disfrutar de Mbocaruzú, Yryvucuá y Karaimi o travesía palm (Raphia spp.) while elsewhere the oil su estadía, ya que existe una superficie por agua en el Arroyo Corrientes. palm (Elaeis guinness) is exploited. A boscosa que protege la rica fuente de agua Aportado por Maura Isabel Díaz Lezcano, bamboo ladder is used to climb the tree and dulce. Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal, a flat-ended chisel-like knife, enuon, is El parque se subdivide en zonas de Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de employed to cut the male inflorescence manejo: de uso extensivo, histórica, de uso Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, stalk. The wine is collected in a special especial, de recuperación, primitiva y Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, tapping pot but in the case of the oil palm, primitiva intangible, se puede encontrar una España. “up wine” is obtained by using a climbing descripción de los posibles usos de cada Correo electrónico: [email protected] rope to climb the tree, and the incision is zona en el centro de visitantes que se halla made in the inflorescence with a curved ubicado en la zona de uso intensivo (área knife. “Down wine” is obtained by felling the recreativa). %THE PHILIPPINES tree and tying a container to the top end after La vegetación boscosa y los cerros all the leaves have been removed. ofrecen un paisaje variado. Los senderos Upland dwellers tapped to manage forest Everywhere, wine is collected twice daily, existentes dentro del bosque permiten resources in the morning and in the evening. The wine apreciar la vida silvestre del lugar y conocer The country's forests are home to 22 may be consumed fresh from the tree, or on a las especies de animales y plantas million Filipinos. Among the Philippines' the first, second or third day after tapping. características de la región. El visitante poorest, these upland dwellers have been The rate of fermentation is so rapid that by encuentra aquí espacios para el descanso, partly blamed for the depletion of the forest the second day, the drink is fairly intoxicating deportes al aire libre y la posibilidad de resources. Lately, however, several and by the third day it is sour and of disfrutar de la belleza de sus arroyos y government and non-government groups, considerable potency. The people of Obudu cascadas. including the Department of Science and in the Cross River state developed Conserva gran parte de la flora de la Technology's Forest Products Research techniques of storing and increasing the Ecorregión Selva Central, presentando and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI), alcoholic content of palm wine, but ejemplares representativos en vías de have begun to look at these communities, elsewhere, wine older than three days is extinción. Entre las especies vegetales se no longer as an ecological nuisance but as distilled into spirits – ufofop or kaikai, which encuentran helechos gigantes, palmeras, a potent force in forest rehabilitation and are also commonly used in traditional cactus, tunas, bromelias, cañas, orquídeas, protection. ceremonies. camalotes, entre otros. A step towards this direction was the Biologists and nutritionists also talk of the Se presentan algunos afloramientos de project funded by the Japan-based nutritional value of palm wine. The natural rocas correspondientes al grupo de la International Tropical Timber Organization drink, they say, contains a lot of yeast and cordillera de Caacupé, formaciones (ITTO) where FPRDI researchers surveyed minerals rich in vitamins that nourish the Paraguari, Cerro Hú y Tobatí, constituidas and trained forest dwellers in the provinces body and helps it to relax. (Source: Akwa por areniscas sedimentarias formadas en el of Aurora, Western Samar, Surigao del Sur Ibom state [Nigeria], 6 February 2007.) silúrico, hace aproximadamente 400 and Palawan. millones de años. They documented the communities' A la entrada del parque se encuentra la economic activities, especially how they primera fundición de hierro del Paraguay y collect, process and market NWFPs such de Sudamérica, conocida con el nombre de as rattan, vines, bamboo, erect palms, «La Rosada», construida entre los años honey and almaciga resin. “After surveying 1850 y 1854 bajo el gobierno de Don Carlos ten settlements in these provinces, we Antonio López. Sus hornos proveían la found that forest communities, many of materia prima para la construcción de which consist of indigenous people, embarcaciones y maquinarias. La Rosada depended on forest products as a major funcionó hasta 1868, año en fue destruida source of income,” says project leader por las tropas uruguayas y brasileñas Arnaldo Mosteiro. “They were diligent and durante la Guerra de la Triple Alianza. creative, producing all sorts of handicrafts

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– mats, hats, fans, bags, brooms, house In the European context, Romania United Nations Educational, Scientific and decors – from every available raw material. stands out because of the high biodiversity Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Ignorance, however, stifles their of its forestry ecosystem, especially Heritage Site, awarded to the Baikal productivity and jeopardizes their raw riverside coppices, plain and hill mixed watershed, Bystrinsky Park and Central material base. For instance, farmers used foliage forests, beech and resinous mixed Sikhote Alin, may not guarantee their future very crude methods to tap resin from forests, natural spruce fir forests under the conservation. almaciga trees. In the process, the trees aspect of genetic diversity, placing The positive and negative effects of are maimed and ultimately killed.” Romania in the top echelon of European tourism are a controversial issue. One group “Over the years, FPRDI has trained countries. (Source: People's Daily Online that seems to be benefiting from it is the upland dwellers on the wise use of non- [Beijing, China], 10 January 2007.) Eveny people, an indigenous community in wood forest resources. We have shared the Bystrinsky natural park of Kamchatka, a technologies that would improve their veritable ecotourist’s paradise that is now product quality and productivity, as well as gaining popularity as a destination for livelihood skills that would lessen their cultural tourism. dependence on the forest,” said FPRDI Originally reindeer herders and people Director Florence P. Soriano. “Last year, for who revere the larch tree, the Eveny people instance, DOST conducted a project that have always had an intimate connection with taught B'laan tribal women in South the taiga and tundra. For the last three years Cotabato and NPA rebel returnees in they have been organizing ethnocultural Samar to make handmade paper and tourism in their community. Ecotourists live handmade paper novelty items.“ %RUSSIAN FEDERATION in the traditional way of the Eveny people “The FPRDI-ITTO survey alerts us that and are taught handicrafts such as birch we need to link up with all concerned Ecotourism in the Russian Far East bark carving and skin tanning. (Source: groups so that we can give these The 1990s brought an increase in extracted from an article by Stephan Nielsen communities the best business support ecotourism activities in the Russian Far East and Anatoly Lebedev in Taiganews, 57, and environmental education that we can. (RFE) after growing interest in the region Winter 2006.) We have no other choice. If we are serious from the global environmental movement (Please also see page 62 of Non-Wood in saving our forests, we have to be serious and greater international demand for News 13. in empowering the people who live in adventure tourism. Ecotourists were them,” Soriano concluded. (Source: Sun attracted to the RFE by the Siberian tiger, Growing market for wild fungi and berries Star [The Philippines], 15 February 2007.) rare plants, wild salmon rivers, vast intact Russian companies actively develop forests and a unique marine environment. harvesting and processing of wild fungi Ecotourism brought a means of (chanterelles, boletus), berries (cranberries, %ROMANIA conservation and subsistence to a region lingonberries, bilberries) and nuts (cedar that was heavily dependent on resource nuts). The profitability of this business in the Romanian forestry sector to receive funds extraction. Local communities and Russian Federation exceeds 15 percent, and of over one billion euros indigenous groups also benefited from the in the case of export to the EU countries, 100 The Romanian forestry sector will receive increase in tourism by building percent. In contrast to cultivated fungi and over one billion euros (about US$1.30 accommodation and developing their own berries, wild ones do not require billion) of European funds from 2007 to ecotourism activities. For the indigenous expenditures for cultivation, they enjoy high 2013, the Ministry of Agriculture said on people of Udege, living in the forests by the demand in the West, and do not need large Tuesday. Once the 2007–2013 National Bikin and Samarga rivers, revenue from initial investments. Since there are no Rural Development Plan is approved by the Japanese ecotourists provided essential official statistical data on the volume of the European Commission, Romania will financial support for a period when they market for wild fungi, berries and nuts in the receive rural development funds worth were dependent on hunting and fishing. country, it can only be estimated at a 8.022 billion euros (about US$10.43 billion), But ecotourism is not synonymous with hundred million dollars. with about one billion euros of this to be conservation. Some Zapovednik (Russian According to data provided by the agency earmarked for the forestry sector. state nature reserve) managers have been of Tomsk province development (ARTOT), The money will be used by Romania for compelled by the Government to set up market capacity in this region only accounts staff training, the improvement of the unsustainable ecotourism activities in for 138 000 tonnes per year (US$370 million forest's economic value, the increase of the restricted zones, jeopardizing some of the in 2005). Besides the Tomsk province, forestry products' added value, Russian Federation’s most valuable natural production and processing of wild fruits, infrastructure, and planting forests on farm areas such as the Geizer’s Valley in fungi and nuts are significant in other and non-farm land. Kamchatka and the Marine Preserve in Siberian territories and northern regions of Starting in 1956, Romania was the only Primorye. Tourist pressure and industrial the country. The harvesting season lasts country in the world whose forests had ten- interests in these regions have led to a usually from June through October. During year management programmes and they series of lengthy court cases, public the season more than 30 intermediaries are were entirely planned according to a unitary discussions and environmental protests involved in buying wild products from design; the Romanian school of forest from Lake Baikal to the Kamchatka pickers and the Tomsk food company AMK, planning was internationally recognized. peninsula. Even the conservation status of a which controls more than 50 percent of the

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palm native to Saint Lucia and its leaves • greater productivity of leaves in the dry are used to make crafts and brooms. season in blocks where there was less Success in latanyé development was exposure to light. achieved by: The results suggest that using a • latanyé being identified as both harvesting intensity of 40 percent of leaves ecologically vulnerable and as a plant per plant present in the dry season and 50 used to maintain the livelihoods of percent in the wet season, would result in rural communities; the optimum and sustainable production of • carrying out research and latanyé leaves. documentation of the appropriate and Apart from research on the appropriate successful methods to: propagate the silvicultural and agronomic practices, the species, establish cultivated latanyé project also examined the economic plantations and sustainably harvest aspects of production. The Forestry latanyé leaves; and Department determined the cost of • collaboration among agencies that production to establish one acre impact on the latanyé plant and broom (approximately 0.4 ha) of a latanyé plantation production. and, in collaboration with the Corporate local markets and even has its own forest A socio-economic study by Lyndon John Planning Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, land specially for harvesting fungi, berries in 2001 detailed the vulnerable nature of the determined that the production of latanyé and nuts. latanyé broom industry in which there was a leaves and sale of latanyé brooms was The company exports several thousand high demand for latanyé brooms, an economically feasible. There was also tonnes of edible boletus, chanterelles and overharvesting of latanyé leaves and a collaboration with other government cranberries per year to Italy and Sweden. consequent scarcity or unavailability of services such as the Extension Service, Some companies export raw products and leaves. Latanyé brooms are bought locally Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Planning, salted or boiled chanterelles, but also more and are also sold elsewhere, including in Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards, latanyé advanced quick-frozen products. According Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, plant and broom producers and exporters, to the President of the Ledovo Group, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, United and NGOs for product development and cultivated and wild fungi sectors are not States Virgin Islands and Saint Martin. exploration of markets for the sale of competitors. One of the major issues in the However, the scarcity of leaves resulted in latanyé brooms. The Forestry Department wild fungi sector is the instability of supply the reduction of the quantity and the quality and the Extension Service provided potted which strongly depends on climatic of brooms produced. latanyé plants and technical assistance to conditions and the ecological situation. To ensure conservation of the latanyé latanyé farmers that resulted in the Consumption of fungi in the Russian plant, the Forestry Department and latanyé successful establishment of 34 plantations Federation is a national tradition and farmers used wildlings to establish plots on of pure and mixed plots of latanyé on therefore this market has prospects for government and private holdings. There farmers’ holdings. The average size of a considerable increase, but only if were also experimental trials to germinate plantation was 1 acre (0.4 ha). commercial cultivation on the industrial the latanyé seeds. But these two strategies All of the above-mentioned organizations scale develops. Then, possibly, the cultivated were costly. Research at the Forestry are part of the Latanyé Task Force. The plan analogues of wild fungi could extrude those Department in 2002 determined a of work related to latanyé broom production growing wild. In the majority of European pregerminative method that gave 90 to 100 is guided by the mandate of this task force. countries, the United States of America, percent germination. This method also (Contributed by: Donatian Gustave, Forest Australia, Japan and China such fungi are no reduced the time for germination of seeds Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and longer collected and buyers do not see a and resulted in the production of a greater Fisheries, Saint Lucia. E-mail: large difference between wild and cultivated number of plants with uniform age and less [email protected]) products. The same has already occurred mortality. (The project report is available from FAO’s with blueberries, which are cultivated on a Another experiment was carried out NWFP home page under “Readers’ large scale in Europe, North and South (from September 2004 to September 2005) Research”.) America and Australia, or cranberries, to determine the optimum harvesting commercially grown in the United States of regime of latanyé leaves in a plantation. America, whereas most cranberries used Every four months, four treatments of 30, %SIERRA LEONE for processing in Europe come from Russian 40, 50 and 60 percent removal of leaves were forests. (Source: FreshPlaza [the undertaken in three blocks using the Tiwai Island and the threat of the Netherlands], 29 January 2007.) experimental design of randomized bushmeat trade complete blocks. The results indicated that: The humanitarian dilemma created in • there was a clear trend with higher Sierra Leone and Liberia over the last 15 %SAINT LUCIA removal of leaves leading to fewer years has resulted in refugees and forced leaves remaining; migrations. The subsequent crippling of The latanyé project: development of the • greater productivity of leaves in the domestic agricultural supplies and the latanyé broom industry in Saint Lucia rainy season in blocks where there was limited access to food provided by aid Latanyé (Coccothrinax barbadensis) is a greater exposure to light; and organizations have meant that refugees

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and internally displaced persons have had about the project's benefits pose serious to rely on wildlife as an alternative and challenges. supplementary food source. Protected Poaching is still prevalent on the island areas tend to be the most heavily affected, and its eradication is one of the greatest because animals there become easy challenges facing Tiwai. The community targets for poachers, and park guards are recognizes this as a problem with relevant either victimized or forced to flee for their community meetings identifying the own lives. predicament of bushmeat hunting on Tiwai, Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary, a but the way forward is unclear. Poaching community-based ecotourism project in ultimately presents a serious threat to the the south of Sierra Leone has certainly felt island’s future as a sanctuary. It is this pinch. Since research and ecotourism endangered as an ecotourist destination, activities began on Tiwai in 1982, until the as visitors hearing gunshots often report outbreak of the civil war in 1991, virtually negative experiences, which can lead to no hunting of any kind occurred and in bad press and ultimately ruin Tiwai’s Gum arabic January 1987 the island became a legal reputation as an idyllic retreat for future Two years later, what began as a small game sanctuary in which all hunting was tourists. International research on the humanitarian project is giving birth to an prohibited. During the war, financial island, which was recently restarted in industry. “I almost accidentally fell into a support to Tiwai was terminated and the January 2007, is also easily undermined by product called gum arabic,” says Tennant. island was inaccessible to researchers. the prevalence of hunting. Ultimately, “We exported it through the south of the Local staff and village communities primates need to be alive and unafraid of Sudan and we were the first people to do so.” suffered tremendously and several people humans, to be considered useful research Gum arabic is the hardened tree sap that lost their lives. At the end of the war, the subjects. bleeds out of acacia trees. It is in countless potential for increased threats to International researchers have been ordinary products – sweetening candies, biodiversity nationwide was greater than recognized as the most financially coating aspirins and prolonging the fizz in ever, especially for areas like Tiwai. profitable visitors to Tiwai and without their soft drinks. It is so prized that the United The manifestation of peace in Sierra presence the project will struggle to States of America still imports gum, Leone could, eventually, lead to survive in future. Tiwai, through tourism despite economic sanctions against the sustainable development or to an and research, has the potential to raise Sudan since 1997. For thousands of years, intensification of unsustainable resource great revenue for its surrounding Arab traders from the more developed exploitation, such as bushmeat hunting by communities, but hunting on the island north have taken the product to the world large numbers of displaced refugees and could well undermine this. Thus, the few market, hence the name gum arabic. The host communities who have had their who are currently poaching on Tiwai are northern Sudan exports 70 to 90 percent of livelihoods undermined. In the immediate doing so at the expense of the greater the world's supply through the partly state- wake of the war, Tiwai ultimately became community. If the issue of poaching is not owned Gum Arabic Company. exposed to intensive anthropogenic addressed properly, it may undermine the But according to the Ministry of Export activities such as trapping and hunting for whole project. A one-of-a-kind ecosystem and Trade in the south, 80 percent of that bushmeat and habitat destruction for could be lost and the communities that dried resin actually comes from the south agricultural services. In addition, intensive surround Tiwai could ultimately lose a where the trees are abundant even though poaching was carried out on the island unique livelihood opportunity. (Source: the southern Sudanese have seen little during the civil conflict. extracted from an article by Paul Munro, benefit. The Environmental Foundation for Africa Environmental Foundation for Africa [in Consequently, Tennant began touring (EFA) first became aware of poaching Africa News], 27 February 2007.) the parched countryside, meeting with problems on the island during field visits in business people, politicians, traders and 2000. Since then, EFA staff members have farmers. His idea caught on – that shipping worked with the two chiefdoms bordering %THE SUDAN gum out of the south to improve the life of the island to revive hopes for restoration of the southern Sudanese could be more than the wildlife sanctuary. Following Road to prosperity is paved with gum just a dream. community meetings, the chiefs of both Throughout its history, the Sudan has been Tennant raised money in Canada, chiefdoms imposed a ban on all hunting racked by fighting and instability, largely invested a lot of his own and set up the first activities on the island and formed an because of ethnic divides between its gum company in the southern Sudan, interim project committee to mobilize Arabic north and African south. A stipulating that future profits would fund restoration efforts. The rapid resumption of successful Canadian land developer, David humanitarian projects. A year and a half ecotourism and of wildlife and ecological Tennant, first travelled to the region in later, the gum company delivered its first studies, prompted by EFA, has helped to January 2005, just after the south signed shipment – 37 tonnes of certified gum – to discourage unsustainable activities and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with buyers in Dubai. Tennant calls the has started to generate a much needed the northern government of Khartoum. He achievement a miracle. “Before the peace cash flow to benefit local people. However, was looking for a way to create economic agreement, the issue of gum was even as community support grows for the activity, train people and invest profits back something that was a dream,” says Moses project, day-to-day needs and expectations into the community. Kuch, Deputy Director for External Trade,

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Supply and Commerce. “We never realized %UGANDA United Arab Emirates, some of which are that we could develop it and own it.” endangered species. This month, on his third trip to Juba, Uganda honey gets EU nod The commemorative stamps are meant Tennant returned as a special adviser to Uganda’s honey has been selected to be the to highlight the biodiversity of the Emirates the Ministry of Trade. Talk has turned to African flag carrier to the European Union and raise awareness among the public on border restrictions, certification, quality (EU) market, the Uganda Export the need to preserve flora and fauna control, farming cooperatives and Promotions Board’s executive director, endangered by the degradation of their nurseries, as well as training, education Florence Kata, has said. “Uganda is habitats, overgrazing and shrinkage of and conservation at the local level. Millions required to supply 60 tonnes of Ambar vegetation. of dollars have started flowing from the (Gold) honey. The consignment is to be One set of stamps features most Government and national bank to open up launched in London in May,” Kata said. She widespread wild plants, while other two other gum-rich areas. added that the honey would get to sets portray desert reptiles and gazelles, Another priority is setting the record supermarkets through a network of buyers respectively. (Source: Dubai City Guide straight on where so much of the best gum across Europe. [United Arab Emirates], February 2007.) in the world actually comes from. There is “However, after the launch, we want the even a new name. The Government now buyers to be assured of constant supply for calls it gum Africa. But in a country where the next three years, during which we disputes over resources spark bloody should be able to gain experience and conflict, it is a regional initiative that might intellectual ability of supplying to larger not go over so well in the north. The markets,” she said. southern Sudanese officials say that is not “The international price for honey is U stopping them. “Indeed it will be an sh1 600. The firm proposed to offer U sh1 economic blow to the people of the north 800 at the farmgate level and will only but it's our right. The gum is being collect honey that is more than 500 kg. produced in our territory and we need to However, the prices are all still being think of how we can best manage our negotiated,” Kata said. (Source: New Vision Myrica gale resources.” [Kampala], 15 March 2007.) But how to convince major buyers such as Coca-Cola to switch suppliers? A Aloe vera farmers to get Ush1 billion plant %UNITED KINGDOM chemical engineer, who accompanied The Uganda Commercial Aloe Vera Tennant to the southern Sudan, says it Farmers Association and a United States Myrica gale makes a comeback comes down to quality. “The gum that's firm have raised US$600 000 (about Ush1 The Vikings used it as a stimulant before coming out of the southern Sudan has a billion) to put up a processing plant. The going into battle, the Celts used it to flavour reputation of low quality because it has plant will process the multimedicinal plant their beer and Scottish Highland housewives never been regulated, there's no grading into various health products – cosmetics, used it as an insect repellent. Now bog system, and most of it is smuggled out toothpaste, health drinks – and the myrtle (Myrica gale), or sweet gale as it is through neighbouring countries,” says the residues will be turned into animal feeds. also known, is experiencing a new lease of University of Western Ontario's Mohammed Ali Sessanga, the project director, life in a range of natural products. Rahbari. “I think we should be able to put explained that the plant would help The pharmaceutical giant Boots has spent together quality control systems and farmers sustain the export market, adding UK£700 000 researching the use of bog educate the farmers and buyers at the local that the machinery was acquired through a myrtle, which could have an important role in markets of what exactly we need to ensure long-term loan. Aloe vera has not been the Scottish Highland economy. So far, the we don't turn buyers away from this gum.” processed in Uganda before. Sessanga said essential oil of sweet gale in the firm's new Last month, Tennant sent Rahbari and a the machine has the capacity to crush 60 sensitive skincare products has all been team from the gum company into the rural 144 acres (approximately 24 339 ha) of aloe harvested from wild outcrops of Scottish bog southern Sudan to show harvesters exactly vera per month. Uganda's aloe vera area is myrtle. Highland Natural Products, Boots' what they are looking for – larger chunks, 912 acres (approximately 369.07 ha), which research partner in the project, has started free from tree bark and other resin. means that farmers should produce more work on developing cultivated areas of bog The establishment of a gum industry in of the crop. (Source: New Vision [Kampala], myrtle. The plant occurs naturally in the the south is already improving working 14 February 2007.) Highlands but it may be possible to establish conditions and is a far cry from the past. plantations in the Highlands, Aberdeenshire Dealing with the gum company and the Borders. guarantees better prices. It also gives % UNITED ARAB EMIRATES The potential demand for sweet gale oil harvesters a sense of ownership and could result in 500 new jobs and be worth freedom. Aside from Tennant and Rahbari, New postage stamps on biodiversity in the UK£2 million a year to the rural economy by all the company's top employees are young United Arab Emirates issued 2016. southern Sudanese, including one Emirates Post, in association with However, the people behind the research Sudanese-Canadian. (Source: extracted from Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), into the uses of bog myrtle believe the an article by Andrea Huncar, The Hamilton has issued three sets of postage stamps, Scottish Executive should be doing more to Spectator [Canada], 10 March 2007.) illustrating the flora and fauna of the support research into commercial cultivation

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of the plant. Unless more is done, they warn, bamboo and manufacture various products entomophagy developed a negative image the chance for a new Highland boom could for sale so as to support themselves in large segments of the general public, be squandered, with companies looking to financially. Mkumba George, a teacher at the although the practice survives in various countries such as Poland to develop school, said that currently more than 60 parts of rural Tanzania. But even in areas cultivation of the crop. The research director young people have been trained, 40 of whom where insect feasting is accepted, certain of Highland Natural Products said: “The are female. Ten of these have formed a groups of insects appreciated as nutritious main problem in Scotland is there is no policy working group which operates in locations at and delicious elsewhere in the world may for developing non-food crops, whereas there Kimara, Mwenge and Ubungo, on the be completely ignored, probably for no is a policy in England and Wales. There does outskirts of the city. better reason than traditional oversight, not seem to be much idea of how important George explained that they are promoting cultural taboos or readily available protein these things can be to the rural economy.” the theme that bamboos constitute money alternatives. The country could easily revive Both Boots and Highland Natural Products that grows, which they are using to coopt what may have been Africa’s strongest have spent thousands of pounds testing the youth into the project. He said that they get apiculture tradition and a potentially antibacterial qualities of bog myrtle oil and raw materials mainly from Kigoma and substantial national industry that is at making sure it is suitable for use on sensitive Mbeya. He pointed out that given the stiff present functioning far below its potential. skins. They say there is a need for competition in the current business Although sericulture and collectibles do government support if the crop is to be environment, youth can cope successfully not have strong traditional roots in the cultivated with commercial success. only if they are well organized economically Republic, they are now being promoted as By 2016 Boots expects to need 10 tonnes and make high-quality, appealing products potentially rewarding, small-scale of bog myrtle oil a year. The harvested area for sale on the domestic and overseas economic ventures. Silk production may be covers 50 ha, but this will need to rise to markets. most feasible in conjunction with artisan 2 900 ha by 2016. The project would also reduce enterprises or export to West Africa, where The shrub, which grows on rocky, boggy deforestation in the country, since people traditional demand was strong but local ground, can be grown on land which is also would use bamboo instead of cutting down supplies have recently declined through used for woodland and grazing. One hectare trees wantonly for making furniture, and deforestation. Given the country’s of ground can yield 1 kg of oil. Funding for other activities. extraordinary biodiversity and wealth of growers in the initial stages of cultivation is George said appreciable success had showy often endemic species of insects, also important and would ensure that the been recorded in marketing their products their exploitation as a renewable resource plant could go commercial in years rather locally, but they were unable to meet for a growing international market of than decades. external demand because of lack of specimen collectors has barely begun, but According to a research associate at the sufficient capital. He said one of the surest must also be regulated to assure Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, bog myrtle ways out of the problem was securing loans, sustainability. (Source: Springer/Kluwer is a wonder herb that is firmly planted in to place them on a sound financial footing. Academic Publishers, Forest Entomology Scotland's history of medicinal plant use. (Source: Sunday Observer, 11 March 2007 in East Africa: Forest Insects of Tanzania. People have used it to treat ulcers, intestinal [in IPP Media, United Republic of Tanzania].) 2006. Chapter 9, Forest-based insect worms and aching muscles. It is even used industries. H.G. Schabel. (With kind as an alternative to hops in beer. “This project Insect-based industries permission of Springer Science and is a wonderful renaissance for bog myrtle, While the value of considering insects as Business Media.). which I'm sure will be welcomed by “mini-game” or “mini-livestock” may not Scotland's hill farmers.” be immediately obvious, the analogy is FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: An interim report, commissioned by the compelling. As a forest-based wildlife Prof. H. Schabel, 7976 Co I, Custer, WI 54423, Scottish Executive last year to study the resource, certain insects can be managed United States of America. benefits of sweet gale cultivation, found that like other animals and have economic E-mail: [email protected] it could generate investment of UK£4.8 potential at least at the subsistence level, if million at the farm level and create up to 460 not at higher commercial scales. jobs. The Scottish Executive said that Four insect-based industries are of UNITED STATES farmers who applied for funding with a interest in the United Republic of Tanzania: %OF AMERICA satisfactory business plan would stand a • the use of insects for human or animal good chance of receiving support. (Source: food (entomophagy) Maine law defines “pure maple syrup” The Scotsman, 5 February 2007.) • beekeeping (apiculture) As Maine's maple sugar season wound down, • silk production (sericulture); and Governor John Baldacci signed legislation to • trade in collectible insects. clarify the legal definition of “pure maple THE UNITED REPUBLIC Entomophagy and apiculture were of syrup” to help consumers decide whether % OF TANZANIA great traditional importance to certain they are getting the real thing. Tanzanian communities, but cultural The new law sets standards on how much Bamboo a potential saviour of poor children alienation from time-honoured rituals and sugar must be in syrup in order for it to be The Dar-es-Salaam-based Bamboo Training excessive, non-sustainable rates of considered pure. It took effect immediately School has embarked on an operation to extraction have led to declining upon the governor's signature on Monday. train street kids and disadvantaged children dependence on them over the last century. The bill was advanced by the Maine Maple from the city and upcountry on how to knit During the colonial and modern age, Producers. The Maine Farm Bureau said the

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new standard helps to protect Maine's maple Forest Resource Center [CFRC] Weekly this link, it is incumbent upon government syrup industry. Summary, 12 April 2007.) agencies that wish to promote harvesting of Maple sugar producers say that if there is these products to consult thoroughly with too much sugar in syrup, it can crystallize Medicinal fungi in Alaska Native Americans about such plans. At the shortly after sale. The new law helps to Other than consumption as food, forest fungi very least, tribes can define areas that should ensure that when someone buys “pure are also used medicinally. Medicinal fungi not be harvested for certain species, and this maple syrup”, that's what they are getting. found in Alaska are mostly perennial conks of information should be kept confidential. Vermont, the nation's No. 1 maple syrup wood-decay fungi that typically fruit on Another issue that government agencies producer, has rules similar to Maine's new infected mature trees. need to address with regard to using this standard. Maine is the nation's second- Although published documentation of the resource is the likelihood that maintaining largest maple syrup producer. (Source: consumption of edible fungi by native peoples endemic populations of these fungi in various BusinessWeek [United States of America], 4 of the Pacific Northwest remains sparse, places will allow for more genetic diversity April 2007.) some woody conks have reportedly been required to isolate strains with superior used for medicinal and spiritual purposes. medicinal properties for subsequent Are ramps under threat? Less well documented in Western propagation. Proper compensation to native Demand for ramps from celebrity chefs, literature, woody sporocarps of other wood peoples for bioprospecting on their avant-garde restaurateurs and avid foodies decay fungi might be valued for medicinal or traditional lands is a very salient issue, as has some experts worried for the future of spiritual purposes by Native Americans major pharmaceutical companies may some the pungent wild leeks grown in the hills of because such use is common among day wish to produce compounds derived from Appalachia. aboriginal societies throughout the Northern cultivating these species. “[Ramps are] becoming harder to find in Hemisphere and stretches back in time prior In southeast and south-central Alaska, at many areas because they’ve become so to written history. For instance, a strong tea least 12 species of wood decay fungi have popular,” said Jeanine Davis, an associate of the “chew ash fungus” (Phellinus [Fomes] varied potential for commercial harvesting professor of horticulture at North Carolina igniarius) was used by the Yupik for as medicinal fungi: Fomes fomentarius, State University. Davis said the increase in constipation and stomach troubles and, Fomitopsis officinalis, Ganoderma popularity over the years means that chic although birch fungus (Phellinus tremulae) applanatum, G. oregonense, G. tsugae, big city eateries and their adventurous chefs that grows on trembling aspen is not Hericium abietis, Inonotus obliquus, are vying for the bulbs but “very few people reported to have medicinal value, its ashes Phellinus igniarius, P. tremulae, Piptoporus are producing them commercially”. are mixed with tobacco or snuff. betulinus, Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes Ramps look much like a spring onion or a It is clear that the original inhabitants of versicolor. Another, Schizophyllum commune scallion, with flat green leaves protruding our continent should not be expected to (split gill polypore) is the most common and from a white onion-like bulb. Their flavour divulge sensitive information regarding the widely distributed mushroom in the world. It and smell, which is said to linger on the use of native flora and mycota in their grows on the stems, branches, stumps and breath and skin for days after being eaten, is spiritual traditions. When evidence exists of logs of hardwood species. It is mentioned powerful and garlic-like. A group in Chicago recently hosted a US$65-a-plate ramp dinner, considerably higher than the $6 to $10 dinners found in Fomes fomentarius. The “tinder conk” has one of the most ancient documented histories most parts of West Virginia every spring. of use, both for starting fires and as a valued medicinal. It is one of the fungi found in The ramp plant takes three years to the pouch of the 5 300-year-old “Ice Man” of the Italian/Swiss Alps. It grows on birch and mature to the stage where it is edible, and fir (Abies sp.) trees throughout the Northern Hemisphere. two more years before it begins bearing Hericium abietis. The “conifer coral fungus” not only has medicinal properties, but is a seed for reproduction. Although ramps are delicious and safe edible mushroom. It must be collected, handled and preserved like harvested in the spring, the plants are not other fleshy mushrooms because it is not a woody conk, although it is often found mature enough to produce seeds for growing on the boles of snags. It is not common and is difficult to propagate artificially replanting until autumn. Many foragers who in growth chambers, but it is one of the few edible mushrooms that decay conifers. It find ramps growing wild in March or April do therefore has potential in southeast Alaska for inoculating hemlock stands where it not return to sow new seeds in September would be convenient to collect. or October, Davis said. Pleurotus ostreatus. The “oyster mushroom,” like Hericium abietis, is a premier edible The owner of one of the few ramp farms mushroom with medicinal properties. It grows on alder, aspen, cottonwood and birch, in the country, Ramp Farm Specialties in often fruiting in large flushes for some years after the tree has died. As with Hericium Richwood, says that areas off the main and all flesh fungi, it is perishable and must either be sold quickly or preserved soon after roads are pretty well dug up, but ramps are harvest (commonly by drying). still abundant in the mountains. Her 50-acre Trametes versicolor: The “turkey tail” is a common, globally distributed fungus with (20.23 ha) farm supplies ramps to potent anticancer properties. It grows in dense overlapping clusters on the stems and individuals and restaurants all across the branches of many hardwood species. Cultivated to extract pharmacologically active country. The state Department of compounds, wild strains exhibit aggressive growth in artificial culture, hence the species Agriculture said that ramps are still might be a target for bioprospecting. abundant in the eastern and northeastern parts of the state. (Source: AP in Community

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will raise between VND200 000 (US$12) and Wild plant foods are still being consumed VND500 000 (US$30). Around 40 species of in Zimbabwe and in most parts of Africa medicinal plants have completely vanished despite the threats of urbanization, and at least ten more are on the verge of environmental degradation, loss of extinction. If this trend continues, there will indigenous knowledge regarding their be no more herbs left to sell. identification, preparation and preservation Traders, however, are more concerned and other factors. about feeding their families than worrying The university project will involve about the future of these herbs. One identifying wild and famine plant foods, their medicine dealer says his family always goes preparation and preservation, nutrient here, not because of its potential value as an into the jungle when the plants are ready to analysis, and cataloguing and documenting NTFP, but by way of caution. In their heat- be picked. On a good day, his family can earn other uses of wild plant foods to enhance sterilized form they have documented more than enough money to eat and live livelihood security. According to Dr medicinal properties but harvesting and comfortably for months. Muchuweti, commercial crops pose a threat marketing wild material could be hazardous. The director of Hoang Lien Son National of genetic erosion to indigenous food plants. They have been shown capable of producing Park admits this is a major problem in the Reduced exploitation of wild and famine plant lung and brain infections (mycoses) when area; it is difficult to stop dealers because foods is very unfortunate as some local foods large concentrations of spores or fragments there are not enough forest officials to police may have better nutritional value than of the fungus are inhaled. the more than 10 000 households living in or commercial ones. For example, muchakata Most of the fungi occur on one or several around the park. or muhacha (Parinari curatellifolia), a specific host tree species. Their collection is Stricter penalties are being requested to medium to large evergreen tree which therefore limited to areas where these trees curb the uncontrolled trade of these plants to produces yellow-brown fruits (hacha) from grow. protect them for future generations. (Source: May to November can be used to prepare Among these fungi, the woody conks can Viet Nam News [Viet Nam], 16 April 2007.) “Mukandabota”, a kind of porridge. be harvested at any time of the year because Communities dotted around Zimbabwe they are slow growing and persist for many are rich in information pertaining to various years. The edible wood decay fungi with %ZIMBABWE aspects of how wild plant fruits, vegetables medicinal value (Hericium and Pleurotus) and tubers can be identified, prepared and fruit predominantly during the warmer Promotion of wild plant foods preserved. Wild fruits and berries found in months of spring and summer. They must not The University of Zimbabwe has started a Zimbabwe include checheni, chechete, only be harvested in season, but preferably project to promote wild plant foods, which nhunguru, matamba, mapfura, maroro, when they are fresh and at their peak of can contribute substantially to household masau, matohwe, nhengeni, tsambatsi, development. Sustainable harvest levels have food and livelihood security for communities umqokolo and many others that can, among not been analysed for any of these fungi, but dotted around the country. other things, contribute to the prevention of their abundance and resistance to harvest The project, which is being carried out in cardiovascular diseases. Wild vegetables pressures are related to the prevalence of the Buhera district of the Manicaland include a variety of okra types – derere their habitat, namely, the host tree species. province, is coordinated by Dr Maud mowa, derere hosi, derere njeje, derere (Source: extracted from D.A. Pilz, S.J.Smith, Muchuweti of the Department of nama and other vegetables such as bupwe, J. Schoreder and J.R. Freed. 2006. Non- Biochemistry and a team of other experts in chipondamasvinya, nyevhe and many others. timber forest product opportunities in the field of food, nutrition and family and Tubers include chinyembanyemba, garidye, Alaska. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-671. biological science. The Kellogg Foundation chifumuro, madhumbe, mufarinya, tsenza, Portland, Oregon, United States Department funded the project through a grant. tsangadzi and numerous others that have of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific “We want to create more awareness about both medicinal and nutritional values. Northwest Research Station. 79 pp.) the value of indigenous wild plant foods and Such foods form an integral part of the promote their effective utilization,” Dr daily diets of many poor rural households. Muchuweti said. “Wild plant foods are Wild foods are a source of important %VIET NAM effective as a survival strategy. We are vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that identifying plant foods that are traditionally complement the staple crops eaten by many Medicinal herbs vanish in Son La used by people in Buhera. We are of the more vulnerable people, including Medicinal plants, once prevalent on Hoang documenting how the foods are prepared and children and the elderly. Lien Son Mountain in Son La province, are preserved as well as their nutritional The importance of a wide range of wild facing extinction because of uncontrolled content.” plant species – including roots and tubers, harvesting by traders, according to experts. This is a major milestone in the leafy vegetables and fruits – needs to be Most of the plants are being sold to China, development of cultural information that will documented in a botanical database for from where about 60 percent of the herbs provide an authoritative look at many future generations. were originally imported. neglected food sources that can contribute to The university project is also documenting The plants are popular because they can food security, agricultural diversification and an assortment of wild edible mushrooms, be sold for hundreds of thousands of dong. income generation. It puts Zimbabwe on a edible grass and seeds from communities in Even a small amount of Coptis sinensis, firm footing in line with the Convention on Buhera. (Source: The Herald [Harare], 7 Panax pseudo ginseng or Ngu Diep ginseng Biological Diversity. February 2007.) p

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GLOBAL REPORT CITES accounts for about 16 percent of the total (ROfE), Boulevard Louis Schmidt 64, 1040 %PROGRESS IN SLOWING global forest area, lost over 9 percent of its Brussels, Belgium. Fax: +32 2 732 94 99; FOREST LOSSES forests between 1990 and 2005. Latin e-mail: [email protected]; America and the Caribbean, with over 47 http://www.countdown2010.net/ A number of regions in the world are percent of the world’s forests saw an reversing centuries of deforestation and increase in the annual net loss between are now showing an increase in forest area, 2000 and 2005, from 0.46 to 0.51 percent. RESERVA DE LA according to FAO's State of the World’s Europe and North America showed net BIÓSFERA UNIRÁ Forests report. The report underlines the increases in forest area over the reporting %PARQUES NACIONALES positive effects of economic prosperity and period. (Source: FAO Newsroom, 13 March DE CHILE Y ARGENTINA careful forest management in saving 2007.) forests, noting that over 100 countries have La nueva y primera Reserva de la Biósfera established national forest programmes. Transfronteriza, «Bosques Templados Global forest cover amounts to just BORNEO CONSERVATION Lluviosos de Los Andes Australes», unirá under 4 billion ha, covering about 30 %DEAL SIGNED parques nacionales de Argentina y Chile, percent of the world’s land area. From 1990 con una superficie superior a 4 millones de to 2005, the world lost 3 percent of its total A tri-nation deal has been signed to protect hectáreas y permitirá conservar y forest area, an average decrease of some 200 000 km2 of rain forest on the island of preservar de mejor forma bosques nativos 0.2 percent per year, according to FAO data. Borneo. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei no intervenidos. From 2000 to 2005, 57 countries Darussalam have pledged to protect the Así lo destacó el Ministro de Agricultura, reported an increase in forest area, and 83 area, known as the “Heart of Borneo”. Àlvaro Rojas, quien junto al Intendente de reported a decrease. However, the net The area is considered one of the most la Región de Los Lagos, Jaime Bertín, y la forest loss remains at 7.3 million ha per important sites of biodiversity in the world, directora ejecutiva de la Corporación year or 20 000 ha per day, equivalent to an home to thousands of species. It is Nacional Forestal (Conaf), Catalina Bau, area twice the size of Paris. threatened by plantation and logging firmarán este documento en que se solicita Ten countries account for 80 percent of companies, as well as farmers, and oficialmente a la Unesco, por parte de the world’s primary forests, of which researchers say half of the original forest Chile, la creación de esta reserva. Indonesia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and has already been lost. Uno de los aspectos más relevantes para Brazil saw the highest losses in primary The agreement, known as the Heart of Rojas es que organizaciones forest in the five years from 2000 to 2005. Borneo Declaration, aims to put an end to internacionales como la World Wildlife In Asia and the Pacific, net forest area this, and protect an area prized by Fund, The World Bank y The World increased in that same period, reversing the conservationists. (Source: BBC News, 12 Resources Institute, han identificado los downward trend of the preceding decades. February 2007.) bosques templados lluviosos de The increase was mainly in East Asia, where Sudamérica entre las 200 regiones del large investments in forest plantations in planeta que deben ser resguardadas por su China were high enough to offset high rates contribución única a la biodiversidad of deforestation in other areas. The net loss mundial. of forest area actually accelerated in Por su parte, Bau explicó que la Southeast Asia between 2000 and 2005. biodiversidad inserta en esta nueva reserva Rapid economic growth may help to de la biósfera, cuenta con familias create the conditions for sustainable forest endémicas de plantas y animales, entre los management, the report said. Forest que se cuentan especialmente las especies institutions in the region are getting stronger arbóreas más longevas del mundo, como el in a number of countries, and the trend alerce y la araucaria, y entre los animales, towards more participatory decision-making como el marsupial más primitivo del continues. On the other hand, illegal logging %COUNTDOWN 2010 planeta, el monito del monte. is increasing in some countries. Forest fires Fuente: El Mercurio, 28/3/07 en INFOR, 29 may increase in severity if the global climate Countdown 2010 is a powerful network of de marzo de 2007. continues to become warmer. active partners working together towards Forests are obtaining political support and the 2010 biodiversity target. Each partner commitment at the highest levels in Africa. commits efforts to tackle the causes of ESTABLISHMENT OF A Latin American countries have formed biodiversity loss. The Secretariat – hosted by NATIONAL PARK IN networks to fight fires, to increase the the World Conservation Union (IUCN) – FRENCH GUIANA WILL effectiveness of protected area management facilitates and encourages action, promotes %ALSO ENHANCE and to improve watershed management. the importance of the 2010 biodiversity PROTECTION IN These measures are expected to improve target and assesses progress towards 2010. BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA forest management in the two regions. Africa and Latin America and the FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Fifteen years after the process was begun, Caribbean are currently the two regions Countdown 2010 Secretariat, IUCN – The World on 28 February, a decree established the with the highest losses. Africa, which Conservation Union, Regional Office for Europe Amazonian Park of Guiana, in French

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Guiana. With almost 2 million ha under full The money will form the basis of a new are equally expected to size up the protection and surrounded by a sustainable Congo Basin rain forest conservation fund, milestone covered in research on African development zone of nearly 1.3 million ha, to be set up under the aegis of the ten flora, vegetation of African plant habitats, the area is the largest French conservation African countries surrounding the great database of African plants and the unit and it will become part of the complex wilderness, which at 700 000 square miles evolution of the African Plants Initiative formed by the Tumucumaque Mountains (1 812 992 km2) in extent is twice the size of (API) project. National Park in Amapá, and two state- France, but is increasingly threatened with Meeting under the theme: Systematics protected areas in Pará, established in development. and Conservation of African Plants, the November last year: the Maicuru Biological The United Kingdom has persuaded Yaoundé congress offers yet another Reserve and the Grão-Pará Ecological Professor Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan opportunity for scientists to exchange Station. environmental campaigner and 2004 Nobel views and research on conserving Africa's “In all, a little over 11 million ha of Peace Price winner, and Canada's former rich biodiversity which is being seriously contiguous Amazonian lands will be under Prime Minister, Paul Martin, a long- threatened by human activities. According full protection, becoming the largest standing advocate for debt relief and for to the Minister of Scientific Research and contiguous fully protected area of tropical African leadership in development, to Innovation, Madeleine Tchuinte, human forest on Earth,” commemorated the oversee the fund's establishment and threats to plant existence have increased Secretary-General of WWF-Brasil, Denise advise on its governance and financial during the past few years. This, she said, Hamú. management, ensuring that it has strong has instilled fear in Africans who one day These three Brazilian full protection African ownership and supports the needs see their plants disappear. Quite conservation units and the recently of the Congo Basin countries. disturbing, moreover, is the fact that the established national park are also part of “Fifty million local people rely on the majority of these plants have not been an even larger mosaic, formed by 14 other tropical rain forest of the Congo Basin for named. full protection conservation units and 20 food, shelter and their livelihoods, while In addition to plants that human beings sustainable use conservation units, with an the world relies on it, and other rain cultivate for food, millions of plants remain additional 15 indigenous lands. This forests, as an ecological handbrake on our in the wild, which have economic, cultural immense contiguous area spans roughly rapidly changing climate,” said the and medicinal values. “Many remain to be 48.6 million ha, most of it (nearly 45 million International Development Secretary, discovered,” Mrs Tchuinte said. ha) in Brazil, plus the part in French Guiana Hilary Benn. “But deforestation is a serious The congress is a living example of (a little over 3.5 million ha) and in Suriname problem with nearly 6 000 square miles North-South Cooperation. The AETFAT (almost 100 000 ha). The mosaic extends (15 540 km2) being destroyed every year.” today counts more than 1 000 members from Pará to the state of Amazonas and The aim is to ensure that local people's drawn from international institutions, from there to Roraima. livelihoods and rights are protected while notably national herbariums and In addition to hindering the advance of helping them to manage the forest better specialized research institutions. (Source: illegal gold mining, protecting a large area and find livelihoods consistent with forest Cameroon Tribune [Yaoundé], 27 February of forest represents an important conservation. 2007.) p contribution in the struggle against The new fund will strengthen the work of deforestation, one of the main activities the donors who are already active in the responsible for global warming. It is also region, including Belgium, Canada, France, important for the conservation of rare Germany and the United States of America, ecosystems, maintenance of ecological and it will open a channel for new donors to equilibrium and the survival of endangered add their support. (Source: Belfast species that require extensive territories. Telegraph [United Kingdom], 22 March (Source: WWF-Brasil, 28 February 2007.) 2007.)

NEW FUND TO CONSERVE SCIENTISTS COUNT %THE CONGO BASIN AFRICA'S ECOLOGICAL % RICHES The United Kingdom is to give UK£50 million towards helping to save the second- Scientists from 43 African and European largest rain forest in the world, the Congo countries began meeting in Yaoundé Basin in Central Africa. yesterday at the 18th Congress of the In one of the Budget's most eyecatching Association for the Taxonomic Study of the and unusual items, the Chancellor Gordon Flora of Tropical Africa, better known by its Brown announced an £800m French abbreviation, AETFAT. Among the Environmental Transformation Fund, to issues to be handled by participants are help developing countries cope with those related to the taxonomy of African environmental changes such as global plants and fungi, the phytogeography of warming; the Congo forest will be the African plants, ethnobotany and the recipient of the first major grant. conservation of African plants. Scientists

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FAO site/6406/en. Before its submission to the % Executive Secretariat of the Central Africa COFO Forestry Commission (COMIFAC), the draft FORESTRY DEPARTMENT will be discussed and validated during a The 18th session of the FAO Committee subregional workshop in the second half of on Forestry (COFO18) may be recorded 2007. FAO Committee on Forestry in the annals of history as one of its Furthermore, in collaboration with the The Committee on Forestry (COFO) is the most successful forest-related meetings. World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the most important of the FAO Forestry The meeting was superbly organized, respective governments, the project Statutory Bodies. The biennial sessions of disciplined but broadly participatory organized national workshops in the COFO (held at FAO headquarters in Rome, and accommodating, richly informative Central African Republic, Gabon and the Italy) bring together heads of forest and always running on time. Delegates Republic of the Congo in order to identify services and other senior government found the massive exchange of national priorities to develop the NWFP officials to identify emerging policy and information gratifying. sector. technical issues, to seek solutions and to FAO, on the other hand, was pleased Together with the various workshop and advise FAO and others on appropriate to receive considerable concrete meeting reports, recent additions to the action. Other international organizations guidance from delegations in crafting project’s Web site (all available for and, increasingly, non-governmental its future action programme. On the last downloading) include information notes groups participate in COFO. day, some veteran participants and reports on various ongoing studies, The 18th session of COFO – with the described COFO18 as the most such as the following. theme “Weaving knowledge into substantive forest policy meeting in • Perspectives of certification of NWFPs development” – took place from 13 to 16 years. This analysis will examine the in Central Africa. March 2007. internal dynamics of COFO18 and • Sustainable exploitation of non-wood interpret them against the global resources. context within which the meeting took • Impact of timber harvesting in forest WEAVING KNOWLEDGE INTO place. (Source: Earth Negotiations concessions on non-wood resources DEVELOPMENT Bulletin, http://www.iisd.ca/fao/cof18/) and its users in the Congo Basin (to be Information – disseminating knowledge published by FAO as Forest Harvesting Networking – sharing knowledge Case Study No. 23). Fora – exchanging knowledge Upcoming Web publications include the Analysis – furthering knowledge FAO IN THE FIELD following. Capacity building – strengthening • A study on the commercialization of knowledge NWFPs in Central Africa. Technical support – transferring Development of the NWFP sector in • An overview of policies relevant to the knowledge Central Africa NWFP sector in Central Africa. Traditional knowledge – using knowledge FAO contributes to the development of the • A study on the consumption of Irvingia NWFP sector in Central Africa through its sp. and Ricinodendron heudelotti in regional project “Enhancing Food Security Yaoundé and Libreville. The final report plus all COFO through Non-wood Forest Products in • An overview of the national presentations are available from FAO’s Central Africa” (GCP/RAF/398/GER). In its bibliographies on NWFPs in the six forestry home page at the following address: second year of implementation, the project, Central African countries covered by www.fao.org/forestry/site/37836/en which is funded by the German Government, the project (Cameroon, Gabon, is analysing the legal framework in order to Equatorial Guinea, Central African ensure that forestry laws promote the Republic, Democratic Republic of the sustainable management and use of NWFPs Congo and the Republic of the Congo). in Central Africa. The appropriate inclusion Activities foreseen for the near future of NWFPs in forestry laws is an important include the elaboration of a strategy for the precondition to promote sustainable forest development of the NWFP sector in the management, allowing local populations to Republic of the Congo; the improvement of enhance their well-being and develop the the system to collect NWFP-related largely informal but economically important statistics in Cameroon; the creation of a market for NWFPs. directory of entrepreneurs involved in the The project, therefore, facilitates the trade of NWFPs in the Central African elaboration of a subregional model law Republic and the Democratic Republic of promoting the sustainable management of the Congo; and the analysis of the impact of NWFPs. An interdisciplinary working group timber harvesting in forest concessions on on this matter has been established, to non-wood resources and its users in Gabon elaborate a first draft of the law, which will and Equatorial Guinea. be made available for comments on the Building on this ongoing project, FAO’s project’s Web site at www.fao.org/forestry/ project activities in the Congo Basin have

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recently been broadened through the industry uses it to bind tablets and as a "The local response was overwhelming. implementation of a new three-year project suspending and emulsifying agent in The people benefiting from the project entitled “Strengthening Capacities of Small creams and lotions. This NWFP is an were both surprised and pleased with what and Medium Enterprises in the NWFP important component of inks used in the they saw and earned," said Michel sector in Central Africa”. The new project press industry. Gums and resins are Malagnoux, an FAO forest expert aims at developing market chains of therefore important sources of revenue for responsible for the project. NWFPs, some of which are traded in large people in this region, who are usually the Based on the success of the pilot project, volumes across borders. The project is poorest and most vulnerable to hunger and FAO plans to expand it to other Acacia- funded by the European Commission and malnutrition. growing countries. (Source: FAO has been initiated in close collaboration Newsroom, 5 March 2007.) with the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), the Center for FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Michel Malagnoux, Forestry Officer and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). (Arid Zone and Fuelwood Production), Forest (Contributed by: Daniel Knoop and Sven Conservation Service, Forestry Department, Walter, project CP/RAF/398/GER, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Cameroon.) 00153 Rome, Italy. Fax: +39 06 57 05 51 37; e-mail: [email protected] FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Mr D. Knoop.Associate Professional Officer, c/o FAO Representation in Cameroon, INTERNATIONAL PO Box 281, Yaoundé, Cameroon. Tel. : +237 535 %YEAR OF FORESTS 63 48, / +237 220 24 72; Fax : +237 220 48 11; Acacia flower e-mail: [email protected] On 20 December 2006, the General Despite the tree's economic and Assembly of the United Nations adopted a Killing two birds with one stone: environmental importance, the farmers in resolution declaring 2011 as the transferring knowledge to fight poverty the region still use traditional production International Year of Forests. The and land degradation methods. As a result, they cannot produce International Year of Forests will raise With help from FAO, farmers in six sub- gum and resin of a quality high enough to awareness that the world’s forests are an Saharan countries have been able to sell on international markets at a desirable integral part of global sustainable increase their income from the sale of gums price. The production and commerce of the development, providing crucial economic, and resins and to restore degraded land. gum and resin had not evolved sufficiently sociocultural and environmental benefits. In Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, the Niger, at the local level. It will promote global action for the Senegal and the Sudan, FAO launched a In order to plant more of the species, FAO sustainable management, conservation three-year pilot project in 2003 with intervened and first tested new methods of and development of all types of forests, financial support from the Italian harvesting rainwater in this water-scarce including trees outside forests. Government to help local farmers to region. It also trained about 56 000 To celebrate the year, activities will be restore degraded land by planting native producers of gum arabic and resin on ways organized to foster knowledge exchange on acacias that produce gums and resins, to improve their production to meet practical strategies to promote sustainable which are important products for Sahelian international market standards. The forest management and reverse people's livelihoods. Organization helped the farmers develop deforestation and forest degradation. To For their adaptation to poor soils and new markets and encouraged producing help facilitate organization of these arid and semi-arid climates, Acacia sp. are countries to cooperate and organize activities, governments are encouraged to common and important trees in this region, themselves, to prevent international buyers create national committees and designate where land degradation is a serious from setting the producers in competition focal points in their respective countries, problem. The trees are important fighters against one another and reducing prices. To joining hands with regional and against the advancement of deserts, the guarantee a stable supply of the goods, FAO international organizations and civil society tree tops intercept wind and rain drops, and supported the establishment of warehouses organizations. The United Nations Forum the root systems are effective in reducing to store unsold gums and resins. on Forests (UNFF) Secretariat has been land erosion. In addition, they restore soil As a result, more than 13 000 ha of tasked as the focal point for the fertility as they fix nitrogen and are an degraded land have been restored. This has implementation of the International Year of important source of fodder. improved animal feeding and reduced Forests. At the same time, Acacia trees produce conflicts between farmers and shepherds. This is the second time that forests will gum arabic, which is a valuable natural The mixed cropping of Acacia trees with have their own “international year”. The product for a large range of industries, tomatoes, sesame and beans has boosted first was in 1985. (Source: Unasylva, including the food and pharmaceutical the growth of them all. The sale of gum and 225[57].) industries. In the food industry, the gum is resin overseas has brought in much- used to thicken, stabilize and emulsify food needed cash to the region and helped the FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE WEB SITE and drinks. It is also used in diet products farmers diversify and increase their FOR THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FORESTS: against obesity. The pharmaceutical sources of income. www.un.org/esa/forests/2011/2011.html

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INTERNATIONAL YEAR natural fibre industries, among whom there begin planning activities for 2009. FAO has %OF NATURAL FIBRES had been no contact prior to the beginning of the role of leading and coordinating but this process. The success of the International cannot undertake to plan and implement The United Nations General Assembly, on 20 Year of Natural Fibres will depend on a activities on various fibres in individual December 2006, declared 2009 the strong international partnership of all the countries. Where appropriate, you may wish International Year of Natural Fibres. In doing natural fibre industries. to talk to people in nearby areas, and to so it invited FAO to facilitate the observance The objectives of the International Year people interested in other natural fibres, of the year, in collaboration with suggested by the steering committee are: perhaps to form a local committee in your governments, regional and international • to raise awareness and stimulate country or region. Plan for yourselves how organizations, non-governmental demand for natural fibres; you will work to promote natural fibres and organizations, the private sector and • to encourage appropriate policy to help meet the objectives listed above for relevant organizations of the UN system. responses from governments to the the International Year of Natural Fibres. Some progress in making initial problems faced by natural fibre FAO needs funding for its activities in preparations had already been made in the industries; preparing and disseminating information, lead-up to this declaration, and more has • to foster an effective and enduring preparing global-level activities and been made in the period since then. international partnership among the coordinating. A budget of around US$2.5 An informal International Steering various natural fibre industries; and million has been proposed for the period Committee has met several times. It has • to promote the efficiency and through to early 2010. This money needs to formulated objectives for the year, and has sustainability of the natural fibre come from donations from national overseen the preparation of a industries. governments or from industry communications plan to guide activities organizations. through to the end of 2009. Most important, What comes next Most urgently, we have an immediate perhaps, it has brought together For the various natural fibre organizations need for a relatively small amount international representatives of the various and groups around the world, it is time to (US$100 000 to $200 000) for initial partnership-building and communication activities such as establishing a Web site and preparing a brochure. So far, this money has not been forthcoming; if you are able to NATURAL FIBRES help potential donors (government or industry) decide to contribute to the What are natural fibres? International Year of Natural Fibres you Natural fibres are produced from animals or plants. Animal fibres are largely those that could be making a major contribution to its cover mammals such as sheep, goats and rabbits, but include also the cocoon of the success. (Source: International Year of silkworm. Vegetable fibres are derived from the stem, leaf or seed of various plants. Natural Fibres 2009, Newsletter No. 1.) Close to 30 million tonnes of natural fibres are produced annually in the world, of which cotton is dominant with 20 million tonnes, and wool and jute each around 2 to 3 FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: million tonnes, followed by a number of others. Brian Moir, Senior Economist (Trade), FAO, What are natural fibres used for? Trade and Markets Division (EST), Natural fibres form an important component of clothing, upholstery and other textiles Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome, 00153, Italy. for consumers, and many of them also have industrial uses in packaging, papermaking E-mail: [email protected]; and in composite materials with many uses, including cars. www.fao.org/es/esc/en/20953/22215/highlight_ Why are natural fibres important? 108451en.html Apart from their importance to the consumer and in their various industrial uses, natural fibres are an important source of income for the farmers who produce them. In some cases they are produced on large farms in developed countries, but in many THE UNION FOR ETHICAL developing and least developed countries proceeds from the sale and export of natural %BIOTRADE (UEBT) fibres contribute significantly to the income and food security of poor farmers and workers in the fibre industries. For some developing countries natural fibres are of Natural ingredients businesses receive a major economic importance, for example, cotton in some West African countries, jute BioTrade boost through this Union. in Bangladesh and sisal in the United Republic of Tanzania. In other cases these fibres Natural products are becoming big are of less significance at the national level but are of major local importance, as in the business. High street stores are lined with case of jute in West Bengal (India) and sisal in northeast Brazil. every imaginable natural cream, lotion or Why an International Year of Natural Fibres? supplement that promise anything from Since the 1960s, the use of synthetic fibres has increased, and natural fibres have lost a skin rejuvenation to reducing inflammation. lot of their market share. The main objective of the International Year of Natural Fibres The truth is that what is available to the is to raise the profile of these fibres and to emphasize their value to consumers while consumer actually represents only a helping to sustain the incomes of farmers. Promoting measures to improve the fraction of the plant species that the efficiency and sustainability of production is also an important aspect of the year. world’s biodiversity has to offer. Even for natural ingredients that have been harvested for centuries, research is still

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ongoing to bring them to the market and special attention is being given to ensure product traceability along the supply chain. CASE STUDY: BOROJÓ But the drive behind this niche market is coming from consumers who are looking Borojó (Borojoa patinoi Cuatr.) is a new plant that has become attractive to the natural for fresh, new products, as well as ingredients industry. Traditionally, the species is part of the staple diet of Afro- becoming increasingly aware of the impact Colombian and indigenous communities in the Colombian Pacific rain forests. It is used their choices are having on the to make juice, pulp, marmalade, ice cream and jelly. It is also used as a preservative to environment and the social conditions of embalm corpses, and is considered a good healing agent and energizer. Raw plant those involved in production. These material from the Borojó fresh fruit’s hydrated pulp is used traditionally as a natural intangible qualities are adding value to ingredient. Because it is rich in essential amino-acids and triterpenes, it has various biodiversity-based goods and services that applications in the cosmetic and nutraceutical industries. show tremendous potential for growth in Further research on the fruit reveals that the product could be used as a natural the future. ingredient in the preparation of shampoo, hair conditioners, facial masks, body creams, Natural ingredients, in fact, provide fragrances and ointments. So, the future looks bright for the plant, but further studies important inputs to the pharmaceutical, are needed. cosmetics and food industries. These Ecoflora Ltda, Phitother, Labfarve and Laboratorios Medick are four companies in industries are always looking out for new Colombia that supply Borojó extracts, having incorporated BioTrade principles and and innovative natural ingredients that can criteria into their business practices – minimum requirements established for BioTrade be used in their end products. What is activities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the equitable important to these industries is that the sharing of benefits derived from the resource. source is sustainable and, increasingly, As requirements of quality standards and traceability become increasingly higher in that certain ethical practices have been international markets, companies dealing in natural ingredients are realizing the need implemented along the value chain. for strict production practices in order to guarantee a sustainable supply to secure Conventions like the one on Biological business deals. Management plans for Borojó, developed at company level, are Diversity (CBD) have laid down clear therefore all-important to the importing companies that want to be able to see clearly objectives for the conservation and that certain practices have been implemented from the beginning of the chain, backing sustainable use of biodiversity and the their own claims of sustainable use. equitable sharing of benefits for those who Borojó is a tree species of 3–5m in height, belonging to the Rubiaceae family. Its use this resource. This is where BioTrade origin is in tropical America, and it grows mainly in the Colombian Pacific plains – a has drawn the attention of the market by biodiversity hotspot better known as Chocó. offering goods and services derived from native biodiversity under the criteria of NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 environmental, social and economic sustainability. Nevertheless, many small organizations from different sectors of The UEBT will be a solution that meets BioTrade enterprises from biodiversity-rich society around the globe that are working the current needs of the private sector (developing) countries have a hard time in the field of native biodiversity. The UEBT involved in BioTrade activities, and will play implementing the rather complicated and will offer its members a broad range of an important role in raising the awareness costly processes. Many need guidance, services that promote, facilitate and of related issues among the general public. business development support and market recognize their contributions to biodiversity outreach expertise. conservation and sustainable development. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Through the UEBT verification framework Rik Kutsch Lojenga, Union for Ethical BioTrade, for natural ingredients, members will also c/o United Nations Conference on Trade and be able to verify their claims that their Development (UNCTAD), Palais des Nations, BioTrade refers to those activities of business practices are in line with BioTrade 1211 Genève 10, Switzerland. Fax: +41 22 917 collection, production, transformation principles and criteria, which have been 0247; e-mail: [email protected]; www.uebt.ch p and commercialization of goods and developed in the spirit of the CBD. services derived from native biodiversity under the criteria of environmental, social and economic sustainability. The Union for Ethical BioTrade provides the private sector with a robust framework with which to contribute to In response to the private sector call for the objectives of the CBD, back further guidance on integrating the CBD Corporate Social Responsibility claims objectives into their business models, the and receive much needed expertise in Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) has been international market access and business launched. As a private sector-driven development. initiative, the UEBT is a membership-based association that will bring together 68 RECENT EVENTS

TRADITION TO Conservation Union (IUCN) hosted this % TECHNOLOGY FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: NTFP conference. CONFERENCE The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), NTFPs play an important role in the SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, 1333 H St., NW, Suite 300, East Tower, livelihoods of the rural poor, as a source of CANADA Washington, DC 20005, United States of food, medicine, construction materials and 10–13 MAY 2007 America. Fax: +1 202 789 7279; e-mail: income. It has been estimated that there [email protected] or [email protected]; are more than 60 million highly forest- The Tradition to Technology Conference www.ecotourismglobalconference.org/ dependent people in Latin America, West was a joint effort between the Natural Africa and Southeast Asia, with an Health Products Research Society of additional 400 to 500 million people directly Canada and the Canadian Herb, Spice and SHARING INDIGENOUS dependent on these natural products. Natural Health Products Coalition. The WISDOM: AN Access to forest resources helps rural conference also included a significant non- %INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE households diversify their livelihood base timber forest resources component ON SUSTAINABLE and reduce their exposure to risk. Earnings supported by Royal Roads University. DEVELOPMENT from forest products are often important as The focus of the conference was on the GREEN BAY, WI, UNITED STATES a complement to other income. Very large tools, techniques and technology that OF AMERICA numbers of households generate some of support this industry and its R&D 11–15 JUNE 2007 their income from selling forest products, community. A wide range of topics were often when farm production is not enough covered, from the traditional use of Indigenous peoples all over the world are to guarantee self-sufficiency all year medicinal plants and non-timber forest steadily confronted with outside pressures round. Income from forest products is often resources to some of the most sophisticated of having both their land and cultures used to purchase seeds, hire labour for tools and techniques available to advance assimilated into the dominant cultural cultivation or generate working capital for the science that supports the industry. context. There is currently an acute need to trading activities. For the poorest explore successful models of sustainable households, NTFPs can play a critical role FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: development that allow for the preservation in providing both food and income. Dr Alister Muir, Conference Co-Chair, of indigenous lands, sovereignty and While there is growing appreciation of Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, 107 Science culture, while also allowing for the the importance of NTFPs for rural Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X2, Canada. integration of economic development, households, especially of the very poor, Fax +1(306) 956 7247; institutional capacity-building and there are concerns about the potential e-mail: [email protected]; technological advancement. impact of NTFP collection on biodiversity. www.saskherbspice.org/tradition_to_technology This conference was designed to bring A number of critical questions were together scholars and practitioners who are explored during the conference. committed to the concepts of sustainable • Under what conditions can NTFPs, GLOBAL ECOTOURISM development. This year the conference both plants and animals, be % CONFERENCE 2007 focused on the natural environment sustainably harvested? OSLO, NORWAY foundational element in the Menominee • Can on-farm production of NTFPs 14–16 MAY 2007 model of sustainable development. result in improved biodiversity conservation? The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: • Does commercialization of NTFPs Ecotourism Norway and the United Nations Dr William Van Lopik, Sustainable Development result in overharvesting? Environment Programme (UNEP) organized Institute, College of Menominee Nation, • What is needed for markets to be pro- this inaugural Global Ecotourism PO Box 1179, Keshena, WI 54135, United States poor? Conference, which TIES – in partnership with of America. Fax: +1-715-799-5951; • Are attempts to develop NTFPs for a national or regional ecotourism association e-mail: [email protected]; poverty alleviation really reaching the – will be organizing every five years. www.sharingindigenouswisdom.org poorest of the poor? As the first major global conference on • To what extent are these attempts ecotourism since the UN’s International impacting biodiversity conservation? Year of Ecotourism in 2002, the Global THE ROLE OF Ecotourism Conference 2007 reviewed the NON-TIMBER FOREST FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: achievements in the ecotourism field and PRODUCTS (NTFPS) IN Sarah Webster, World Conservation Union (IUCN), assessed challenges facing the industry. % POVERTY ALLEVIATION Villa 44/4 Van Bao Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Viet The conference brought together AND BIODIVERSITY Nam. Fax: (84) 4 7261561; e-mail: national and regional ecotourism CONSERVATION [email protected]; or Dr Pham Duc Chien, associations and networks from around the HANOI, VIET NAM Head of the International Cooperation Division, world, together with other interested 11–15 JUNE 2007 Forest Science Institute of Viet Nam, organizations and individuals, to discuss Dong Ngac, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Viet Nam. common issues and to help strengthen the The Viet Nam NTFP Project Phase II, the Fax: (84) 4 8389722; e-mail: [email protected] p collective voice of the ecotourism Ministry of Agriculture and Rural community. Development (MARD) and the World

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INTERNATIONAL THE FIRST REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE CONFERENCE ON CONFERENCE ON % ON TRADITIONAL ARABIC POVERTY REDUCTION %BIODIVERSITY AND AND ISLAMIC MEDICINE %AND FORESTS: TENURE, THE SUSTAINABLE AMMAN, JORDAN MARKET AND POLICY MANAGEMENT OF 8–10 AUGUST 2007 REFORMS NATURAL RESOURCES BANGKOK, THAILAND KIGALI, RWANDA The Traditional Arabic and Islamic 3–7 SEPTEMBER, 2007 23–24 JULY 2007 Medicine Conference (TAIM) aims to revive the important aspect of our identity and to This conference is being organized by the The Government of Rwanda looks forward establish it as a notable area of research on Regional Community Forestry Training to welcoming participants to the first the same level as other practices of Center for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC), in international research conference on traditional medicine. collaboration with other Rights and biodiversity conservation and sustainable The conference will include the Resources Initiative partners, and many natural resource management in Rwanda. traditional uses of these herbs, agricultural other organizations and donors that are Bringing together both leading national and research, pharmaceutical and biological concerned about poverty and forest issues. international conservation and natural remedies based on this culture as well as It is well established that areas with high resource management professionals, the medicinal products and marketing. rates of poverty and forest areas often conference will provide a forum for the coincide and there is much interest in exchange of research findings and ideas FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: exploring ways of using forest resources in focusing on the importance of knowledge- Ms Razan A. Zuayter, APN, PO Box 811815, ways that benefit the poor, while sustaining based approaches for the long-term Amman 11181, Jordan. Fax: +962 6 5699777; the resource base. There is increasing conservation of biodiversity. e-mail: [email protected] or evidence though that the potential of Rwanda hosts a wealth of biodiversity [email protected]; forests to contribute to poverty reduction is and natural resources. Many endangered www.arabic-islamic-medicine.com only being partially realized. There is also fauna and flora are part of transboundary growing recognition that this will continue ecosystems; threatened wetland networks to be the case unless critical issues are and highland forests are important addressed such as the need for greater catchments for the Nile and Congo rivers. tenure security, market reform and other This gives a truly international dimension supportive changes in policy to improve to conservation and natural resource access to resources and markets by the management in the country. poor. The conference will cover ecosystem This conference aims to support health – particularly the correlation discussion and exchange on the critical between ecosystem, human, domestic factors surrounding forests and poverty animal and wildlife health – as well as and current efforts to reduce poverty economics, tourism, conservation and through forest management and use. It will communities. The conference is being strengthen existing, and help build new, organized under the themes: conservation strategic networks of key stakeholders to biology, which will focus on the biology, advance tenure, market and policy reforms behaviour and ecological processes of in support of poverty reduction. threatened species and their habitats; and 2007 INTERNATIONAL sustainable management of natural % CONFERENCE ON FOREST FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: resources, which will discuss the results of AND WOODLAND HISTORY RECOFTC, PO Box 1111, Kasetsart University, biological, economic and social research in THESSALONIKI, GREECE Bangkok 10903, Thailand. Fax: (66-2) 561-4880, sustainable management of natural 3–7 SEPTEMBER 2007 562-0960; e-mail: conference(at)recoftc.org; resources. http://conference.recoftc.org The success of the conference will be a This conference is open to all researchers cornerstone in the use of research interested in trees, woodlands, forests and information to inform and develop sound their cultural, social and economic values. policies and practices towards biodiversity conservation and natural resource FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE management in Rwanda. CONFERENCE WEB SITE: www.uec.ac.uk/geography/woodlandculturesco FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: nference.php or contact: Dr Eirini Saratsi, e- Janet Kayitesi, Ministry of Science, mail: [email protected]; Prof. Charles Technology and Research in President’s Office, Watkins, e-mail: Kigali, Rwanda. Fax: (+250) 59062081; [email protected]; or Assoc. e-mail: [email protected]; Pro.f Achilles Gerasimidis, e-mail: www.rwandagateway.org/conference/ [email protected]/anthropology/ “Riches of the forest: for health, life and spirit in Africa”

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• study opportunities to promote the • Mushroom nutraceuticals development of NTFPs and forest • Fungal physiology, biochemistry and services that can improve the genetics economic attractiveness of • Mycotechnology and mushroom maintaining the forest resource base; cultivation and • Mycoremediation • make recommendations on policy and • Medicinal mushroom species other measures to promote the • Ethnomycology, folk medicine and sustainable production of NTFPs and homeopathy. the sustainable provision of forest services. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: The ITTO conference will address these IMMC4, Department for Wood Science and issues through keynote presentations and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of panel discussions. Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Participants will include decision- Slovenia. Fax: +38614235035; e-mail:

“Riches of the forest: food, spices, crafts and resins Asia” makers and experts from governments, [email protected]; http://www.immc4.si/ companies and cooperatives, industry associations, local communities and INTERNATIONAL international and non-governmental INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO organizations. The conference will be open CONGRESS: A GLOBAL PROMOTE THE to all interested participants. %VISION OF FORESTRY %DEVELOPMENT OF IN THE TWENTY-FIRST NON-TIMBER FOREST FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: CENTURY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ITTO Secretariat, Forest Industry Division, TORONTO, CANADA BEIJING, CHINA International Tropical Timber Organization, 30 SEPTEMBER – 3 OCTOBER 2007 19–21 SEPTEMBER 2007 International Organizations Center, 5th Floor, Pacifico-Yokohama 1-1-1, Minato-Mirai, The congress discussions will be organized The conference is being sponsored by the Nishi-ku, Yokohama, 220-0012 Japan. under the following three themes: i) Global International Tropical Timber Organization Fax: +81 45 223 1111; e-mail: [email protected]; challenges, responsibilities and leadership (ITTO), with the support of the Ministry of www.itto.or.jp/live/PageDisplayHandler?id=320 in forestry; ii) Frontiers of science and a Commerce and the State Forestry 6&pageId=223 healthy and diverse forest environment (the Administration of China. It is being forest environment, its diversity and organized by ITTO and the Chinese productivity, and scientific challenges, and Academy of Forestry in technical human health and the forest); and iii) collaboration with the International Centre Cultures, markets and sustainable for Bamboo and Rattan (ICBR), the societies. International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), FAO and the UN FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Conference on Trade and Development Prof. Shashi Kant, Chair, Organizing Committee, (UNCTAD). Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, For decades, NTFPs and services have Canada. E-mail: [email protected]; generated high expectations because of /www.forestry.utoronto.ca/centennial/int_cong their potential to combine forest ress.htm management and conservation with 4TH INTERNATIONAL income generation. Efforts to increase the %MEDICINAL MUSHROOM role of NTFPs by improving the CONFERENCE THE FUTURE OF FORESTS management, conservation and marketing LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA %IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC: of NTFPs and forest services are under way 23–27 SEPTEMBER 2007 OUTLOOK FOR 2020 in many parts of the world. However, CHIANG MAI, THAILAND progress has often been less than hoped The International Medicinal Mushroom 16–18 OCTOBER 2007 for and expected. Conference (IMMC4) will provide a creative There is an urgent need to consolidate and informative event for mycologists and Recent and unprecedented economic and lessons learned among ITTO members all those who are interested in studying and social change in the Asia-Pacific region has including on how best to encourage more discussing the most current research on significantly altered the way forests are private investment in the sector. the biological properties of mushrooms in regarded and used. It is in The conference will: the following fields. acknowledgement of a new kind of society- • bring producers, traders and • Systematics, taxonomy, distribution, forest dynamic in the region that the Asia- consumers together to share ecology and fungal culture collections Pacific Forestry Commission, in experiences in promoting NTFPs in • Medicinal value and pharmacology of partnership with member countries and domestic and international trade; mushroom active compounds other international organizations, is

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conducting the second Asia-Pacific aromatic plants in health care and environmental sustainability. Forestry Sector Outlook Study (APFSOS II). • Safety and efficacy of phytomedicines Participants will be invited to share and This major international conference is and phytocosmetics discuss reasons for success and failure of being organized to strengthen the • Isolation and characterization of diverse approaches to promote consultative and capacity-building bioactive substances from medicinal underutilized plants. processes of APFSOS II by bringing and aromatic plants The abstract submission deadline is 15 together diverse stakeholders and • Nanotechnology in pharmaceutical, August 2007. expertise to provide broader perspectives phytocosmetics and natural products The symposium has been co-convened on emerging changes, probable scenarios by the International Centre for and their implications for forests and FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Underutilised Crops (ICUC); the Global forestry in the region. Dr Thaneeya Chetiyanukornkul, Secretariat, Facilitation Unit for Underutilized Species The conference will provide International Centre, UNISERV, Chiang Mai (GFU); the World Vegetable Center opportunities to present selected voluntary University, 239 Huay Keaw Road, Chiang Mai (AVRDC); the Global Horticulture Initiative papers. The main discussion areas and 50200, Thailand. Fax: + (66-53) 94-2890; (GlobalHort); Bioversity International; Plant subjects on which to present voluntary e-mail: [email protected]; www.gosmap3- Resources of Tropical Africa (PROTA); and papers will include: cmu.co.nr the International Society for Horticultural • the current situation of forests and Science (ISHS). forestry in the Asia-Pacific region; • societal transition in the region and FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: probable scenarios for forests and Dr Hannah Jaenicke, Director, International forestry; Centre for Underutilised Crops, • impacts of globalization on forests and 127 Sunil Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka. forestry in the region; Fax: +94-11-2786854; • challenges in balancing e-mail: [email protected]; environmental, economic and social www.icuc-iwmi.org/Symposium2008/ p needs; • policy, institutional and technological adaptation for the twenty-first century.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Patrick Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO Regional Officer for Asia and the Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. Fax: + 66 2 697 4445; e-mail: INTERNATIONAL [email protected] SYMPOSIUM ON (Please see page 61 of Non-Wood News 14 for UNDERUTILIZED PLANTS more information on APFSOS II.) % FOR FOOD, NUTRITION, INCOME AND SUSTAINABLE 3RD GLOBAL SUMMIT DEVELOPMENT % ON MEDICINAL AND ARUSHA, UNITED REPUBLIC AROMATIC PLANTS OF TANZANIA 3–7 MARCH 2008 CHIANG MAI, THAILAND 21–24 NOVEMBER 2007 This five-day Symposium is being organized Medicinal plants in many forms have been under the auspices of the International used since ancient times in traditional Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), medicine and for health care. Aromatic recognizing the need to provide a global plants and their products, particularly forum for exchange and debate on issues essential oils, are also becoming more related to the promotion of underutilized important. Traditional medicine is, at the plants. The symposium is an activity of the present time, accepted as an alternative for newly formed ISHS working group on or used in conjunction with Western medical underutilized plant genetic resources (PG3) practice in many countries. and will be a joint event of the ISHS The theme of the Summit will be Commission Plant Genetic Resources and “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Health Section Tropical and Subtropical Fruits. The creation of a thousand forests Care” with the emphasis on the following The symposium will be organized around is in one acorn. subtopics. four main areas of importance for Ralph Waldo Emerson • Cultivation and quality standardization underutilized plants: food security, • Sustainable role of medicinal and nutrition and health, income generation

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Benedick, S., Hill, J.K., Mustaffa, N., Chey, Chaubey, O.P., Shukla, P.K. & Jyoti Singh. V.K., Maryati, M., Searle, J.B., 2006. Conservation status of wild Schilthuizen, M. & Hamer, K.C. 2006. medicinal plants in Satpura plateau of Impacts of rain forest fragmentation on Madhya Pradesh. I. Abrus precatorius L., butterflies in northern Borneo: species Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd, Acacia richness, turnover and the value of small concinna (Willd) DC, Acanthospermum fragments. J. Appl. Ecol., 43(5): 967–977. hispidum DC and Achyranthes aspera L. Vaniki-Sandesh, 30(1): 24–27. Bhattacharyya, R., Bhattacharyya, S. & Chaudhuri, S. 2006. Conservation and Cocks, M.L. 2006. Biocultural diversity: documentation of the medicinal plant Moving beyond the realm of resources of India. Biodivers. Conserv., “indigenous” and “local” people. Human 15(8): 2705–2717. Ecology, 34(2): 185–200.

BirdLife International. 2006. Livelihoods Cocks, M.L., Bangay, L., Wiersum, K.F. & and the environment at Important Bird Dold, A.P. 2006. Seeing the wood for the Areas: listening to local voices. trees: the role of woody resources for Alamgir, M., Misbahuzzaman, K., Hoque, Cambridge, United Kingdom. the construction of gender specific A.T.M.R & Masum, K.M. 2006. Role of Download from: www.birdlife.org/news/ household cultural artefacts in non- non-wood forest products based cottage news/2007/01/listening_to_local_voices traditional communities in the Eastern industry in the livelihood of forest _IBAs.pdf Cape, South Africa. Environment, encroachers in Bangladesh. Development and Sustainability, 8: International Journal of Forest Bista, S. & Webb, E.L. 2006. Collection and 519–533. Usufructs Management, 7(1): 59–66. marketing of non-timber forest products in the far western hills of Nepal. Environ. Cocks, M.L. & Dold, A.P. 2006. Albrecht, M.A. & McCarthy, B.C. 2006. Conserv., 33(3): 244–255. Conservation of biocultural diversity: the Comparative analysis of goldenseal role of medicinal plants in Xhosa culture. (Hydrastis canadensis L.) population Blundell, A.G. & Mascia, M.B. 2006. Data on Journal of Ethnobiology, 26(1): 60–80. regrowth following human harvest: wildlife trade. Conserv. Biol., 20(3): implications for conservation. Am. Midl. 598–599. Colchester, M. et al. 2006. Justice in the Nat., 156(2): 229–236. forest: rural livelihoods and forest law Bodeker, G. & Burford, G., eds. 2007. enforcement. Bogor, Indonesia, Center Altrichter, M. 2006. Wildlife in the life of Traditional, complementary and for International Forestry Research local people of the semi-arid Argentine alternative medicine. Policy and Public (CIFOR). ISBN 979 2446184. Chaco. Biodivers. Conserv., 15(8): Health Perspectives. Imperial College 2719–2736. Press. ISBN 978-1-86094-616-5. Croes, B.M., Laurance, W.F., Lahm, S.A. & Buij, R. 2007. The influence of hunting on Andersen, U.S., Córdova, J.P., Sørensen, M. Cagnolo, L., Cabido, M. & Valladares, G. antipredator behaviour in Central & Kollmann, J. 2006. Conservation and 2006. Plant species richness in the African monkeys and duikers. utilisation of Abies guatemalensis Chaco Serrano Woodland from central Biotropica, 39(2): 257–263. Rehder (Pinaceae) – an endangered Argentina: ecological traits and habitat endemic conifer in Central America. fragmentation effects. Biol. Conserv., de Merode, E. & Cowlishaw, G. 2006. Biodivers. Conserv., 15(10): 3131–3151. 132(4): 510–519. Species protection, the changing informal economy, and the politics of Apte, T. 2006. A simple guide to Intellectual Cardillo, M. 2006. Disappearing forests and access to the bushmeat trade in the Property Rights, biodiversity and biodiversity loss: which areas should we Democratic Republic of the Congo. traditional knowledge. Kalpavriksh, protect? Int. For. Rev., 8(2): 251–255. Conserv. Biol., 20(4): 1262–1271. Grain, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). Care for the Wild International/Pro Dorji, L., Webb, E.L. & Shivakoti, G.P. 2006. Wildlife. 2007. Going to pot. The Forest property rights under Arroyo-Rodríguez, V. & Mandujano, S. Neotropical bushmeat crisis and its nationalized forest management in 2006. The importance of tropical rain impact on primate populations. Bhutan. Environ. Conserv., 33(2): forest fragments to the conservation of Kingsfold, United Kingdom, Care for the 141–147. plant species diversity in Los Tuxtlas, Wild International and Munich, Mexico. Biodivers. Conserv., 15(13): Germany, Pro Wildlife. Dudley, N. & Stolton, S. 2006. Edible Non 4159–4179. Dowload from: www.careforthewild.com/ Timber Forest Products: Harmonising files/Bushmeatreport1206_singlepages. FSC and IFOAM Certification. Oxford, Baranga, D. 2007. Observations on pdf United Kingdom, International Social resource use in Mabira Forest Reserve, (See page 40 for an extract from this and Environmental Accreditation and Uganda. African Journal of Ecology, 45. report.) Labelling (ISEAL).

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Egadu, S.P., Mucunguzi, P. & Obua, J. 2007. Ghimire, S.K., Mckey, D. & Aumeeruddy- income or subsistence. Of these, more Uses of tree species producing gum Thomas, Y. 2006. Himalayan medicinal than 60 million are Indigenous Peoples, arabic in Karamoja, Uganda. African plant diversity in an ecologically complex whose culture, spirituality and identity Journal of Ecology, 45. high altitude anthropogenic landscape, are intricately intertwined with the land Ehiagbonare, J. E. 2007. Vegetative Dolpo, Nepal. Environ. Conserv., they inhabit. Traditional forest-related propagation on some key malaria 33(2):128–140. knowledge has long been known to have medicinal plants in Nigeria. Scientific important implications for forest Research and Essays, 2(2): 037–039. Godoy, R., Wilkie, D.S., Reyes-García, V., management and conservation of forest February. Leonard, W.R., Huanca, T., McDade, T., biodiversity, as well as identification of Vadez, V. & Tanner, S. 2006. Human valuable genetic resources. As the Ejobi, F., Mosha, R.D., Ndege, S. & Kamoga, body-mass index (weight in kg/stature in international community increasingly D. 2007. Ethno-veterinary medicinal m2) as a useful proxy to assess the focuses its attention on achieving the plants of the Lake Victoria basin: a relation between income and wildlife Millennium Development Goals of bioprospection. Journal of Animal and consumption in poor rural societies. alleviating poverty and ensuring Veterinary Advances, 6(2): 257–261. Biodivers. Conserv., 15(14): 4495–4506. economic, social and environmental sustainability, the recognition of the Evans, K. et al. 2006. Field Guide to the Gondard, H., Romane, F., Regina, I.S. & importance of traditional knowledge, Future – Four Ways for Communities to Leonardi, S. 2006. Forest management cultural values, historic perspective and Think Ahead. CIFOR. 87 pp. and plant species diversity in chestnut the means necessary for their stands of three Mediterranean areas. enhancement will play an increasingly FAO. 2006. Better forestry, less poverty: a Biodivers. Conserv., 15(4):1129–1142. important role in shaping policy as well practitioner’s guide. FAO Forestry Paper as forest management practices. 149. Rome. ISBN 92-5-105550-5. Gopal, B. & Chauhan, M. 2006. Biodiversity The themes discussed during this and its conservation in the Sundarban conference clearly illustrated the scope Mangrove Ecosystem. Aquat. Sci., 68(3): and complex character of the cultural 338–354. dimensions of forests. Download from: Government of Norway. 2006. Norwegian www.mcpfe.org/publications/pdf/ Action Plan for Environment in Development Cooperation. Oslo, Jayaram, K. & Prasad, M.N.V. 2006. Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 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Biodiversity characterization for action that it discusses include Northwest of Argentina, used in health in Nubra Valley, Ladakh with special timber production in both natural and care. Biodivers. Conserv., 15(8): reference to plant resource conservation planted forests, NWFPs, woodfuel, 2565–2594. and bioprospecting. Biodivers. Conserv., bushmeat, agroforestry and payment 15(13): 4253–4270. for environmental services. IUFRO/Ministerial Conference on the Download from: Protection of Forests in Europe. 2006. Kakudidi, Esezah Kyomugisha. 2007. A www.fao.org/docrep/009/ Cultural heritage and sustainable forest study of plant materials used for house a0645e/a0645e00.HTM management: The role of traditional construction around Kibale National (Please see pages 37 and 39 for extracts knowledge. Proceedings of the Park, western Uganda. African Journal from this guide.) Conference 8–11 June 2006, Florence, of Ecology; 45(s1). March. Italy. Vols 1 and 2. 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Kalu, C. & Rachael, E. 2006. Women in Meza, C., Sabogal, C. & de Jong, W. 2006. processing and marketing of non-timber Rehabilitación de areas degradadas en la forest products: case study of Benin City, Amazonia peruana: Revisión de Nigeria. Journal of Agronomy; 5(2): experiencias y lecciones aprendidas. 326–331. Country case studies on Review of Forest Rehabilitation Initiatives: Lessons from Kathe, W. & Gallia, E. 2006. International the Past. Bogor, Indonesia, CIFOR. 106 pp. Standard for Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ISSC- Mickels-Kokwe, G. 2006. Small-scale MAP). Study on Implementation woodland-based enterprises with Strategies and Opportunities for Pilot outstanding economic potential – the Implementation. case of honey in Zambia. United Download from: www.floraweb.de/map-pro LeBreton, M., Prosser, A.T., Tamoufe, U., Kingdom, Bees for Development. Sateren, W., Mpoudi-Ngole, E., Diffo, Keppel, G., Rounds, I.A. & Thomas, N.T. J.L.D., Burke, D.S. & Wolfe, N.D. 2006. Monroe, M.C. & Willcox, A.S. 2006. Could 2006. The flora, vegetation, and Patterns of bushmeat hunting and risk of disease change bushmeat- conservation value of mesic forest at perceptions of disease risk among butchering behaviour? Anim. Conserv., Dogotuki, Vanua Levu, Fiji Islands. New central African communities. Anim. 9(4): 368–369. Zeal. J. Bot., 44(3): 273–292. Conserv., 9(4): 357–363. Moore, P.D. 2006. Unkind cuts for incense. Khan, A.A., Qureshi, B.U.D. & Awan, M.S. Lindsey, P.A., Alexander, R., Frank, L.G., Nature, 444(7121): 829. 2006. Impact of musk trade on the Mathieson, A. & Romañach, S.S. 2006. decline in Himalayan musk deer Potential of trophy hunting to create Morsello, C. 2006. Company-community Moschus chrysogaster population in incentives for wildlife conservation in non-timber forest product deals in the Neelum Valley, Pakistan. Curr. Sci., Africa where alternative wildlife-based Brazilian Amazon: A review of 91(5): 696–699. land uses may not be viable. Anim. opportunities and problems. Forest Conserv., 9(3): 283–291. policy and economics. 8(4): 485–494. Kolongo, T.S.D., Decocq, G., Yao, C.Y.A., June. Blom, E.C. & Van Rompaey, R.S.A.R. Ling, S. & Milner-Gulland, E.J. 2006. 2006. Plant species diversity in the Assessment of the sustainability of Muchugi, A., Lengkeek, A.G., Kadu, C.A.C., southern part of the Taï National Park bushmeat hunting based on dynamic Muluvi, G.M., Njagi, E.N.M. & Dawson, (Côte d'Ivoire). Biodivers. Conserv., bioeconomic models. Conserv. Biol., I.K. 2006. Genetic variation in the 15(7): 2123–2142. 20(4):1294–1299. threatened medicinal tree Prunus africana in Cameroon and Kenya: Kursar, T.A., Caballero-George, C.C., López-Pujol, J., Zhang, F.M. & Ge, S. 2006. implications for current management Capson, T.L., Cubilla-Rios, L., Gerwick, Plant biodiversity in China: richly varied, and evolutionary history. S. Afr. J. Bot., W.H., Gupta, M.P., Ibañez, A., Linington, endangered, and in need of 72(4): 498–506. R.G., McPhail, K.L., Ortega-Barría, E., conservation. Biodivers. Conserv., Romero, L.I., Solis, P.N. & Coley, P.D. 15(12): 3983–4026. 2006. Securing economic benefits and promoting conservation through Martínez, G.J., Planchuelo, A.M., Fuentes, bioprospecting. BioScience, E. & Ojeda, M. 2006. A numeric index to 56(12):1005–1012. establish conservation priorities for medicinal plants in the Paravachasca Laurance, W.F., Croes, B.M., Tchignoumba, Valley, Córdoba, Argentina. Biodivers. L., Lahm, S.A., Alonso, A., Lee, M.E., Conserv., 15(8): 2457–2475. Campbell, P. & Ondzeano, C. 2006. Impacts of roads and hunting on central McManis, C., ed. 2007. Biodiversity and the Muller, D., Epprecht, M. & Sunderlin, W.D. African rainforest mammals. Conserv. Law. Intellectual property, 2006. Where are the Poor and Where are Biol., 20(4): 1251–1261. biotechnology & traditional knowledge. the Trees? Targeting of poverty Earthscan. ISBN reduction and forest conservation in Leaman, D.J., Schippmann, U., 1844073491/9781844073498. Vietnam. CIFOR. Klingenstein, F., Honnef, S. & Pätzold, B. Download from www.cifor.cgiar.org/ 2006. ISSC-MAP: International Standard Mead, A. & Ratuva, S. 2007. Pacific Genes Publications/Detail?pid=2026 for Sustainable Wild Collection of and Life Patents, Pacific Experiences & Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. Paper Analysis of the Commodification & Narendra, P. & Siddiqui, M.H. 2006. submitted to the 1st IFOAM International Ownership of Life. Call of the Earth Conservation of plant diversity of forest Conference on Organic Wild Production. Llamado de la Tierra, United Nations for food security of tribal population. Teslic, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 3–4 May University, Institute of Advanced Studies. International Journal of Forest 2006. 273 pp. ISBN 0-473-11237-X. Usufructs Management, 7(1): 6–9.

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Ndangalasi, H.J., Bitariho, R. & Dovie, Peck, J.E. 2006. Regrowth of understory Pilz, D., McLain, R., Alexander, S., D.B.K. 2007. Harvesting of non-timber epiphytic bryophytes 10 years after Villarreal-Ruiz, L., Berch, S., Wurtz, T.L., forest products and implications for simulated commercial moss harvest. Parks, C.G., McFarlane, E., Baker, B., conservation in two montane forests of Canadian journal of forest research. July. Molina, R. & Smith, J.E. 2007. Ecology East Africa. Biological Conservation, and management of morels harvested 134(2): 242–250. Peck, J.E. & Christy, J.A. 2006. Putting the from the forests of western North stewardship concept into practice: America. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-710. Nelson, S.C. & Elevitch, C.R. 2006. Noni: Commercial moss harvest in Portland, OR, US Department of The complete guide for consumers and Northwestern Oregon, USA. Forest Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific growers. Permanent Agriculture ecology and management. Northwest Research Station. 161 pp. Resources. Holualoa, Hawaii. Download a copy in segments from the Peres, C.A. & Nascimento, H.S. 2006. USFS PNW Research Station Web site at: Newman, S.M. 2006. Agronomic and Impact of game hunting by the Kayapó of www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/gtr710/ economic aspects of walnut agroforestry southeastern Amazonia: implications for or download the entire combined in the UK. Acta Horticulturae, 705: wildlife conservation in tropical forest document at: 65–67. indigenous reserves. Biodivers. www.peak.org/~pilzwald/TemporaryDow Conserv., 15(8): 2627–2653. nload/MorelGTR/ or order hardcopies Ninan, K.N. 2006. The economics of free at: biodiversity conservation. Valuation in Pethiya, B.P. 2006. Options for livelihood www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/order.s Tropical Forest Ecosystems. Earthscan. enhancement by combining small-scale html ISBN 1844073645. forest based enterprises with microfinance practices: the Indian Pulido, M.T. & Caballero, J. 2006. The Niskanen, A., ed. 2006. Issues affecting experience. Small-scale forestry and impact of shifting agriculture on the enterprise development in the forest rural development: the intersection of availability of non-timber forest sector in Europe. Research Notes 169. ecosystems, economics and society. products: the example of Sabal yapa in University of Joensuu, Faculty of Proceedings of IUFRO 308 Conference, the Maya lowlands of Mexico. Forest Forestry. 406 pp. ISSN 1235-7421, ISBN p. 386–397, hosted by Galway Mayo ecology and management, 222(1–3): 952-458-851-X (printed publication), Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland, 399–409. February. ISBN 952-458-852-8 (electronic 18–23 June 2006. publication). Richards, R.T. & Alexander, S.J. 2006. A Download from: Petriccione, M. & Aliotta, G. 2006. social history of wild huckleberry http://joypub.joensuu.fi/publications/oth Ethnobotany and allelopathy of the harvesting in the Pacific Northwest. Gen. er_publications/niskanen_issues/ Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.). Acta Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-657. Portland, OR, Horticulturae, 705: 297–300. US Department of Agriculture, Forest Noumi, G.B., Dandjouma, A.K.A., Kapseu, Service, Pacific Northwest Research C. & Parmentier, M. 2006. Le savoir- Phillips, O.L., Rose, S., Mendoza, A.M. & Station. 113 pp. faire local dans la valorisation Vargas, P.N. 2006. Resilience of alimentaire des fruits du safoutier southwestern Amazon forests to Ros-Tonen, M.A.F., van den Hombergh, H. (Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H.J. Lam) au anthropogenic edge effects. Conserv. & Zoomers, A. 2006. Partnerships in Cameroun. (The local know-how in the Biol., 20(6): 1698–1710. Sustainable Forest Resource valorization of (Dacryodes edulis (G. Management: Learning from Latin Don) H.J. Lam) fruits in Cameroon.) Pilz, D., Ballard, H.L. & Jones, E.T. 2006. America. Leiden/Boston, Brill. ISBN 90 Tropicultura, 24(1): 58–62. Broadening participation in biological 04 15339 X/978 9004153 39 4. monitoring: handbook for scientists and Ocampo Sánchez, Rafael Ängel & Diaz managers. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR- Roja, Roberto. 2006. Cultivo, 680. Portland, OR, US Department of conservación e industrialización del Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific “Hombre Grande” (Quassia amara). San Northwest Research Station. 131 pp. José, Costa Rica. ISBN 9977-47-356-0. Download from: www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr680.pdf Okello, J. & Ssegawa, P. 2007. Medicinal Printed colour hardcopies of this plants used by communities of Ngai publication can be obtained free by Subcounty, Apac District, northern contacting the Publications Department, Uganda. African Journal of Ecology; Pacific Northwest Research Station, 45(s1), March. Portland Habilitation Center, 5312 NE 148th Avenue, Portland, OR 97230, O'Rourke, E. 2006. Biodiversity and land United States of America; e-mail: use change on the Causse Méjan, [email protected]; France. Biodivers. Conserv., 15(8): www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/order.s 2611–2626. html

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Sharma, K.K., Jaiswal, A.K. & Kumar, K.K. feeding butterflies in the Brazilian 2006. Role of lac culture in biodiversity Atlantic Forest: comparison between a conservation: issues at stake and fragmented and a continuous landscape. conservation strategy. Curr. Sci., 91(7): Global Ecol. Biogeogr., 16(1): 43–54. 894–898. Wang ShengYang, Lai WanChi, Chu Sodhi, N.S., Brooks, T.M., Koh, L.P., FangHua, Lin ChienTsong, Shen ShiYen Acciaioli, G., Erb, M., Tan, A.K.J., Curran, &Chang ShangTzen. 2006. Essential oil L.M., Brosius, P., Lee, T.M., Patlis, J.M., from the leaves of Cryptomeria japonica Gumal, M. & Lee, R.J. 2006. Biodiversity acts as a silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) and human livelihood crises in the Malay repellent and insecticide. Journal of Roychoudhury, N. 2006. Sericulture in archipelago. Conserv. Biol., 20(6): Wood Science, 52(6): 522–526. forestry – Vanya Silk. Vaniki Sandesh; 1811–1813. 30(2): 8–12. Wenban-Smith, M. 2006. Combining This paper describes the tropical tasar Svenning, J.C. & Skov, F. 2006. Potential organic and FSC certification of non- silkworm as a typical wild silk producer impact of climate change on the timber forest products. Reducing costs, and as a bioresource for forest dwellers. northern nemoral forest herb flora of increasing options. United States of Only three species are commercially Europe. Biodivers. Conserv., 15(10): America, Dovetail Partners, Inc. exploited for wild silk production (Vanya 3341–3356. Download from: www.dovetailinc.org/ Silk) in India: Antheraea mylitta, A. documents/DovetailNTFPCert1006.pdf proylei and A. assama [A. assamensis]. Taafaki, I.J., Fowler, M.K. & Thaman, R.R. Tasar culture in Madhya Pradesh is 2006. Traditional medicine of the Wilkie, D. 2006. Bushmeat: a disease risk emphasized. Marshall Islands: the women, the plants, worth taking to put food on the table? the treatments. University of the South Anim. Conserv., 9(4): 370–371. Russell Smith, J., Karunaratne, N.S. & Pacific, Suva, IPS Publications. 318 pp. Ranjith-Mahindapala. 2006. Rapid World Bank. 2006. Strengthening Forest inventory of wild medicinal plant Tabuti, J.R.S. 2007. Status of non-cultivated Law Enforcement and Governance. populations in Sri Lanka. Biological- food plants in Bulamogi County, Uganda. Addressing a Systemic Constraint to Conservation, 132(1): 22–32. African Journal of Ecology, 45. Sustainable Development. Report No. 36638-GLB. Samal, P.K. & Dhyani, P.P. 2006. Gender in Tang, Z.Y., Wang, Z.H., Zheng, C.Y. & Fang, the management of indigenous J.Y. 2006. Biodiversity in China's knowledge: reflections from Indian mountains. Front. Ecol. Environ., 4(7): NEW PUBLICATIONS FROM Central Himalaya. Current Science, 347–352. FAO’S NON-WOOD FOREST 91(1): 104–108. PRODUCTS PROGRAMME te Velde, D.W., Rushton, J., Schreckenberg, Schabel, H.G. 2006. Forest entomology in K., Marshall, E., Edouard, F., Newton, A. East Africa: forest insects of Tanzania. & Arancibia, E. 2006. Entrepreneurship Dordrecht, the Netherlands, in value chains of non-timber forest Springer/Kluwer Academic Publishers. products. Forest Policy and Economics, The following new working document ISBN-10 1-4020-4654-5. 8(7). has been produced by FAO’s Non- (Please see pages 28-29 and 59 for Wood Forest Products Programme: extracts from this book.) Ticktin, T., Whitehead, A.N. & Fraiola, H. NWFP Working Document No. 4. 2006. Traditional gathering of native hula Trade measures – tools to promote the Schippmann, U., Leaman, D. & Cunningham, plants in alien-invaded Hawaiian forests: sustainable use of NWFPs? An A.B. (in press). A comparison of cultivation adaptive practices, impacts on alien assessment of trade related and wild collection of medicinal and invasive species and conservation instruments influencing the aromatic plants under sustainability implications. Environ. Conserv., international trade in Non-wood forest aspects. In R. Bogers, ed. Proceedings, 33(3):185–194. products and associated management Frontis Workshop on Medicinal and and livelihood strategies. Aromatic Plants. Trauernicht, C., Ticktin, T. & Lopez- An electronic version is available at Wageningen, the Netherlands, 17–20 Herrera, G. 2006. Cultivation of non- the NWFP home page: April 2005. timber forest products alters understory www.fao.org/forestry/site/6367/en light availability in a humid tropical Hard copies of this working Shanley, P. 2006. Science for the poor: How forest in Mexico. Biotropica, 38(3): document are available free of charge one woman challenged researchers, 428–436. May. from FAO’s NWFP Programme at the ranchers, and loggers in Amazonia. address on the first page or by sending Ecology and Society, 11(2): 28. [online] Uehara-Prado, M., Brown, K.S. & Freitas, an e-mail to: [email protected] URL: www.ecologyandsociety.org/ A.V.L. 2007. Species richness, vol11/iss2/art28/ composition and abundance of fruit-

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OTHER RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Ginseng, the divine root Ginseng, the divine root, by D.A. Taylor. 2006. Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of State of the World's Forests 2007 America, Algonquin Books. ISBN 1-56512- 401-4. Ginseng is mainly grown around forests in China, the Korea Peninsula and Siberia in the Russian Federation, as well as in the eastern United States of America. Its use goes back 70 million years. Recognized for its medicinal virtues, ginseng has been used as a tonic and as a cure for a vast range of ailments from ancient times to the present. This publication gives a detailed description of its history, highlighting its impact on human cultures. It depicts the illegal trade, the legends and the rise and fall of kingdoms associated with it, as well as the experiences of the explorers, diggers, stealers and traders who sought to make their fortunes from it. The author in the process uncovers ancient practices and traditions, international crimes and medical lore associated with the “root of life”. While the book will clearly appeal to individuals with a specific interest in non-wood forest products, it offers stimulating reading for all audiences – perhaps especially for The seventh edition of the State of the those who sample the ginseng-based recipes provided in the appendix. World's Forests examines progress (Please see page 30 for an extract from this book.) towards sustainable forest management. Part I reviews progress region by region. Part II presents selected issues in the forest sector, probing the state of knowledge or Funded by the Worldwide Environment and Environment Programme, Rural Policy and recent activities in topics of interest to and Development Affinity Group of the Governance Group, Overseas Development forestry. Climate change, forest Assets Program of the Ford Foundation, we Institute, 111 Westminster Bridge Road, landscape restoration, forest tenure, have converted these documents – London SE1 7JD, United Kingdom. Fax: +44 invasive species, wildlife management previously only available at the ODI library (0)207 922 0399; e-mail: [email protected]; and wood energy are just a sampling of in London and in private collections – into a www.odifpeg.org.uk p the subjects covered. freely accessible online resource. The www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0773e/ documents are organized into several a0773e00.htm thematic collections: Fuelwood; Social Forestry; Joint Forestry Management; Participatory Forest Management; and Gender and Forestry. Forestry grey literature collection All papers are available to download in The Forestry Grey Literature Collection on Acrobat PDF format, introduced with short the Overseas Development Institute's (ODI) summaries in English, Spanish and French Forest Policy and Environment Programme from: (FPEP) provides a unique record of www.odifpep.org.uk/publications/greylitera documents reflecting the origins of people- ture/index.html. Overviews introducing oriented forestry over the last 25 years. each theme are also provided. Contributed by members of the Rural The articles in this collection may be of Development Forestry Network, the interest to a wide range of people involved collection includes many project reports in forestry issues or working in the forestry Books are divided into two classes, the and other unpublished materials that shed or rural development fields. We would very books of the hour and the books of all light on the transition of foresters from much appreciate any feedback on this site. time. being forest guards to acting as facilitators John Ruskin of community-based resource FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: management. Cecilia Luttrell, Research Fellow, Forest Policy

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 78 WEB SITES

Agrobiodiversity Weblog from the Wula Nafaa project, and agro.biodiver.se specifically the karaya gum market in Senegal, “Gomme Mbepp (karaya gum) Bio-Nica ONLINE ACCESS TO RESEARCH IN in Senegal”. A Web site dedicated to the entomology and THE ENVIRONMENT (OARE) • Catherine Craig gives insight about the biodiversity of Nicaragua. opportunities and challenges of www.bio-nica.info planning, harvesting and marketing silk OARE, an international public-private Amazon conservation team products from areas with high consortium coordinated by the United ww.amazonteam.org/ biodiversity in Madagascar, “Wild Silk Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Yale University and leading science and Birds of El Jagua, Nicaragua Production for Conserving Protected technology publishers, enables An e-book on birds of El Jagua cloud forest Areas in Developing Countries. developing countries to gain free access station in Nicaragua. Latest additions can be found by clicking to one of the world's largest collections www.bio- on workshop proceedings from the Web site. of environmental science literature. nica.info/Biblioteca/AvesElJaguar.pdf www.frameweb.org/naturalproducts Over 1 000 scientific journal titles ITTO: New multilingual Web site Coir Board of India owned and published by over 200 This new Web site provides comprehensive www.coirindia.org prestigious publishing houses, scholarly information on ITTO's activities in English, societies and scientific associations are Consultorio del Dr. Árbol French, Spanish and Japanese. Costa Rica ha creado el primer consultorio www.itto.or.jp/live/index.jsp now available in 70 low-income especializado en la reproducción, cultivo, countries. Another 36 countries will be mantenimiento y aprovechamiento de los Khadi and Village Industries Commission of added by 2008. árboles, donde se pueden dirigir todas las India Research is provided in a wide range consultas y dudas, las cuales serán www.kvic.org.in of disciplines, including biotechnology, respondidas por profesionales expertos en Maple syrup botany, climate change, ecology, Ingeniería Forestal y Arboricultura. PennState provides an overview on various energy, environmental chemistry, www.elmundoforestal.com/ aspects of maple sugaring and NWFPs. environmental economics, consultorioforestal/a maplesyrup.cas.psu.edu/maple_syrup.html environmental engineering and planning, environmental law and policy, Finnish forests Nature Network environmental toxicology and pollution, forest.fi is a gateway to Finnish forests and Launched by Nature Publishing Group, geography, geology, hydrology, its forest sector and highlights the Nature Network is a new free online importance of forests for Finland. networking Web site for scientists meteorology, oceanography, urban www.forest.fi/ worldwide. Participation is free, requiring planning, zoology and many others. www.oaresciences.org/en/ Forests of New Guinea little more than registration through the site. An interesting flash presentation on the www.nature.com forests of New Guinea is available from the OrganicLink WWF Web site. This Web site was launched in January 2007 www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_ by the International Trade Center (the UN The Right to Food we_work/asia_pacific/our_solutions/new focal point for technical cooperation in trade The Right to Food Web site features _guinea_forests/index.cfm promotion) in order to facilitate contact information on the Voluntary Guidelines to Finnish forests between importers and exporters of organic Support the Progressive Realization of the This site is a gateway to Finnish forests and products globally and provides an unrivalled Right to Adequate Food in the context of the forest sector and highlights the source of sector information. The site National Food Security. importance of forests for Finland. provides a freely available database of Through the site, users can increase www.forest.fi importers and exporters; and a portal for their awareness of the human right to food, organic sector information. access resources for capacity-building at Frame – Knowledge sharing for the www.intracen.org/organics national and international levels and find Natural Resources Community Rambles and ambles guidance, methods and instruments to Available in English, French and Spanish. assist in implementation of the right to food This is Sacred Earth Travel's newsletter www.frameweb.org/ at the country level. Resources include covering news, special alerts, destination training materials, an e-learning course on Frame Natural Products audio information and industry news from the the right to food, tools for education and presentations sphere of ecotourism. awareness-raising for implementing the New audio presentations featuring www.sacredearth-travel.com right to food and a virtual library containing comments shared at FRAME's Natural Support fair trade manuals, technical papers, policy briefs, Products International Workshop on rural www.supportfairtrade.org/ case studies and publications. and conservation benefits from natural www.fao.org/righttofood products enterprises are now available. The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) • Johnathan Lash shares a global view of TIES is a global network of industry World mapper the future of natural resources and practitioners, institutions and individuals Worldmapper is a collection of world maps, their importance in poverty alleviation, helping to integrate environmental and where territories are resized on each map “The Wealth of the Poor”. socially responsible principles into practice. according to the subject of interest. • Abdou Sene presents lessons learned www.ecotourism.org www.worldwildlife.org/wildfinder/ p

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 READERS’ RESPONSE 79

However, when industrial revolution tremendously. (Reader in Laguna, the took place (and wage employment and Philippines) SUBSCRIBING AND CONTRIBUTING large factories along with infrastructure • Let me comment here that you people are TO NON-WOOD NEWS development and transportation facilities doing a great job … each edition for me is came up), timber became the prime forest simply un-put-downable … I read it cover Subscription to Non-Wood News is free product. All others were grouped as Minor to cover. (Reader in Kogi state, Nigeria) of charge. Please send an e-mail to non- Forest Products (MFPs). • Non-Wood News is very interesting [email protected] if you would like Thus, by the time the formal and because we have found some good ideas in to receive a copy and be added to our organized educational institutions as it, and look forward to some more good mailing list. sources of knowledge dissemination were reading. (Reader in Kelmscott, Australia) A strong characteristic of Non-Wood established, forest management had • Congratulations! The new NWN looks News is that it is open to contributions narrowed its scope to timber management. great! Loads of interesting things to read from readers. Should you have any Knowledge on NWFPs mostly remained too. (Reader in Italy) interesting material on any aspect of local and traditional. • I appreciate too much this magazine NWFPs that could be of benefit to all It is only recently that MFPs have re- because I am informed of the news in the our readers, please do not hesitate to emerged from obscurity, as NWFPs world. Where I work we have almost no submit it. Articles are welcomed in (shedding their minor status) – prompted contribution from the authorities. This kind English, French and Spanish and should by several developments or events such as of publication gives interesting information be between 200 and 500 words. progressive loss of forest as a timber to people who want to improve the The deadline for contributions for source, awareness about the need for environment. (Reader in La Plata, Non-Wood News 16 is 15 October 2007. environmental conservation and non- Argentina) destructive uses of forests, green • FAO’s NWFP information is useful for For more information, please contact Tina consumerism and premium value for teaching students and guiding them for Etherington at the address on the front organic products, etc. However, progress research. (Reader in New Delhi, India) page or alternatively send an e-mail to: has been hampered by several hurdles – • I always wish for and am happy to get the [email protected] from lack of policy to lack of necessary hard copy format as I have very limited skills and research support. access facilities as well as slow download This reader can get a lot of information speed. (Reader in Chittagong, Bangladesh) about the history of NWFPs from several • We greatly appreciate receiving and Request for information: bamboo/bamboo Web sites and also from the Report of the reading Non-Wood News. (Reader in charcoal as renewable energy International Expert Consultation on Surrey, United Kingdom) Are there any institutions with an interest in NWFPs, No. 3 in FAO’s NWFP series. • The current issue of Non-Wood News (14) bamboo/bamboo charcoal as renewable (Reply from Mr C. Chandrasekharan, was really amazing and interesting and the energy – especially in Africa, or possible founder of FAO’s NWFP Programme and use of colour makes it more attractive. donors for this area? first editor of Non-Wood News.) (Reader in Noakhali, Bangladesh) If you can help, please contact: • I am receiving Non-Wood News for the last Fu Jinhe Ph.D., Senior Program Officer and Feedback on the last (new look) issue eight years and I find it very informative. Coordinator of IUFRO 5.11.05 Bamboo and • Non-Wood News provided me with valuable (Reader in West Bengal, India) International Network for Bamboo and leads to useful references while I was • Non-Wood News is a wonderful Rattan (INBAR), 8 Fu Tong Dong Da Jie, writing up my doctorate. (Reader in South publication. (Reader in Michigan, United Wang Jing area, Chao Yang district, Beijing Africa) States of America) p 100102, China. Fax: +86-10-6470 2166; e- • [Commenting on the new look] It is very mail: [email protected]; http://www.inbar.int near to the colours of Mother Nature. I liked it. (Reader in India) History of NWFP development • Thanks for sending the latest issue of Could you please provide me with Non-Wood News. As usual it's full of LET’S KNOW MEDICINAL HERBS information or reference to learn a bit interesting notes. (Reader in the United about "The history of development of NWFP Kingdom) I would like to invite readers to watch as a discipline or subject"? I need this info • I have read the recent Non-Wood News this 32-minute Hindi film regarding to prepare a small textbook on NWFPs for (14) with much enjoyment. It has provided some medicinal herbs. Names of our students here. (Reader in Armenia) me with numerous case study examples botanical names are given in subtitles: for my lectures, not to mention the new www.cgnet. in/av/pankaj. wmv/audio_ Use of NWFPs is as old as the human race. information on what is useful elsewhere view. This is a very first effort but I am They provided the earliest food, medicines and could be profitably adopted here in planning to go along in this way. and shelter. They were the earliest traded Uganda. I have also benefited by way of the I look forward to receiving your goods. When the wild plants were clear articulation of issues and this has comments and suggestions. domesticated, thousands of years ago, wild improved my communication skills. (Pankaj Oudhia, India, e-mail: NWFPs became agricultural products. And (Reader in Kampala, Uganda) [email protected]) that led to agricultural revolution – settled • Please continue with the excellent and managed use of farm lands. endeavour for we are benefiting from it

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 15 July 2007 Creative use of Non-Wood Forest Products © Agenda Forestal Hondureña © Agenda Forestal © Agenda Forestal Hondureña © Agenda Forestal © Agenda Forestal Hondureña © Agenda Forestal © Agenda Forestal Hondureña © Agenda Forestal © Agenda Forestal Hondureña © Agenda Forestal

An imaginative use of the abundant pine needles from a nearby forest has enabled local women in one community of Honduras to create original handicrafts. The use of this NWFP brings benefits, both direct (income-generation) and indirect (protecting the forest). With over 2 million hectares of pine forests in Honduras alone, this innovative and creative use of pine needles could be copied by other communities, not only in Honduras but also in other countries around the world.

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