0928-C1
Peter van Lierop[1]
A changing society changes its demands on forests. Although global interests in forest are translated into international forest or environmental issues (treaties on biodiversity, certification of forest management or products, etc) changes of demands at the national level are different. Forestry education in different countries is undergoing changes according to the national settings. While in some countries the number of students is growing or at least stable, in others the number of students is declining. As a consequence, funding for forestry education might decline and forestry education institutes are at risk in some countries.
The reasons given for the declining number of students are the image of foresters, lack of competitive employment opportunities, forestry at higher level included in other disciplines, etc.
This paper attempts to analyse how forestry education institutes in different settings are coping with these changing demands on forests.
Institutes that are able to survive, do this by broadening the career of forestry education into natural resource management or nature and forest conservation, networking on a regional or global level, making their study programmes more international, including new target groups, and adapting new education paradigms and techniques like distance learning.
Special attention should be given to the situation in some countries where AIDS/HIV has caused a gap in forestry capacity. Special training will be needed to prepare young staff to take over from more experienced staff.
In the world of forestry education a lot of rumors seem to point in the same direction: declining number of students, less funding, disappearing forestry education institutes and even the disappearing profession of forester. But how true are these rumors, do they really confirm global trends and what might their causes be?
First thing to realize is that forestry is not changing just now but always has been changing. Secondly these changes caused changes in the forestry education in some countries earlier then in others and sometimes in some still have to take place. I want to show in this article that there exist different trends in forestry education and that if we can speak of global trends these are not necessarily the most heard ones.
In order to respond to a changing demand on foresters their formation or training will have to change. Study programs will have to be adapted or complete new programs and new specializations will have to be developed in order to meet these demands.
Although the situation might be different for different regions and countries, some of the general changed demands on forestry during the last years are:
1. International agreements on the use of natural resources (biodiversity, CO2 fixation, certification of forest products or management, etc). Most of these treaties or agreements have been realized without active participation of foresters and many of them do not know the exact meaning or benefits for the forestry practice.
2. Other products then only wood. More and more we are understanding that forestry is not only about wood production but that forests also deliver other products and services to local, national or even international markets.
3. Taking care of the trees outside forests. The importance of trees in agricultural systems, in urban regions and others is more and more recognized. Foresters should be heavily involved in the development of these systems because as foresters they know most about trees and more attention to these systems helps also to weaken the pressure on the forests.
4. The importance of trees and forests for the development of communities or countries. Both the protection of soil or water and the production of natural resources (wood, fuel wood, medicinal plants, bush meat, recreation) by trees and forests generate work, income, food and different ways of meeting livelihood demands. Thinking like this asks for another way of forestry thinking. Forestry in many countries has to become a development activity.
5. More and more it is also recognized that all stakeholders should be involved in decision making on and the actual forest management. This I participatory forestry exists at different levels: at national level all stakeholders must be able to discuss their demands on the forest sector and the contribution of this sector to national development, while at local level different stakeholders must come to an agreement on how the available trees and forest can meet demands of all. Point 4 and 5 both direct to the inclusion of social sciences in forestry: participatory decision making, participatory forest management, conflict management, negotiation skills are only some of the elements.
6. Related with these changes are also the changed employers: in some developing countries most graduated would be taken up by the national forest service which now stopped recruiting and graduates are finding work with NGO's and private sector.
This means that foresters have become professionals who are able to connect at local and national level with human population, who know about social and economical development issues and even know international treaties and how to negotiate at these levels. It might be clear that his is not only a change of knowledge and expertise but also of culture.
Many undergraduate curricula have in fact already been changed along these lines but many still will have to follow. Nevertheless some complain that major transformations occurred in the forestry practices and services without the benefit of systematic attention from the professional forestry academic and research establishment (Burch, 2002).
Important for forestry education are not only the changing conceptions of forestry and foresters profiles but also the education paradigms have changed: from teacher to student centered education and from expert to participatory curriculum development.
While some complain that this profile of a forester is no forester any more, others complain that not foresters are taking decisions on forestry issues. The fact that in many countries natural resources management becomes more and more integrated means that at higher levels, for instance at the levels of land use planning, management decisions might be taken by others than foresters. If foresters still want to play a role at this level they must be able to discuss and decide on the general natural resource management.
The responsibility of foresters should be that trees and forests should be managed in such a way that they meet the society's demands. If this means a changing or even a disappearing profession present foresters and forestry training institutes should guarantee that build up knowledge and expertise will not get lost.
It is as much the foresters' responsibility to actualize existing forestry education as to include courses on trees and forestry in other relevant study programs or even to participate in the development of new integral programs.
Broadening up forestry education has in some cases already lead to a change of the career name, for instance from forestry to nature and forest protection. This change also appeals better to the new generation of students: while nature and forest protection includes traditional forestry it also appeals to a general wish for a responsible management of forests and nature.
Never the less some forestry education institutes are also complaining about the decreasing number of students and consequently funding. If this is a global trend is difficult to answer and might depend from institute to institute and from country to country. But I am convinced that only those institutes who are able to respond to the new demands will be able to survive by attracting new students and needed funding. Understanding this, it might be clear that basing training on the traditional forester in order to conserve the endangered profession will not help forestry training institutes to develop. In stead of asking first what can we offer one should ask what is needed.
If new students want to be attracted the programs will have to appeal to their interest and respond to the needs of society and employer.
Number of students
Although it is hard to detect global trends because not many figures are available for the moment, some regional information can be put together.
For Eastern Africa for instance it seems that the number of students up to the bachelor level is rising, due to bigger quote of students defined by the national government, in some cases because the number of youth in the age of going to university is augmenting (for instance Uganda) in others government stimulated the training of more students in order to occupy new created posts (Ethiopia). In general, governments in the region recruit less or not at all in the forest sector and graduated students now are also finding work with NGO's and private sector. Many get work outside the forest sector so there is a call for a good training which also allows good performance outside the sector. In general one can observe new programs for Bachelor and Masters Level as well as the development of short courses for new public.
Due to the now ended war situations in countries like Congo and Angola, infrastructure of some forestry education institutes has disappeared or schools had to be removed from the remote areas to places near the city. Others like the ENEF in Gabon are starting new courses at masters' level. In the Central African region a discussion is going on if the forestry schools, founded to deliver trained agents for the national forest services, should change their mission in preparing students also for private enterprises and NGO's. At the same time new regulations are forcing forest exploitation enterprises to develop forest management plans. In some cases consultancy firms are contracted to develop them, in other cases somebody of the exploitation enterprise will do so. How ever it is clear that at this stage there is a huge lack of expertise in this field in the region. In other words there is demand for training on this issue. This might take place by including it in the regular forestry training and/or offering short courses to private enterprises (exploitation or consultancy firms). In both the Eastern and Central African region the forestry education institutes are looking for ways to better relate with the private sector.
In South America the number of post graduate specializations seems to have been augmented and at the same the number of past graduate level has also augmented. It is not clear of small groups of students in the post graduate course are caused by a less students in general or by the rise of post graduate courses. In Venezuela the number of graduates from the Bachelors' level augmented and although many are interested in following newly developed Master courses they lack finances.
In Europe and North America some institutes seemed able to grow or have a stable number of students by adapting to new demands, including changing their names. Others, some of long tradition, are in problems because of a declining number of students and consequent diminishing funds and already had to or will close their doors. It is mostly the news of these traditional institutes which now are in problem that is heard most.
Networks of forestry education institutes
What surely can be seen as a trend over the last years is the establishment of networks of forestry education institutes. Some of them already exist some years, like SILVA Network (for European Higher Forestry Education) and ANAFE (African Network for AgroForestry Education).
Others, like RIFFEAC (Reseau des Institutions de Formation Forestièr et Environmentale de Afrique Central) recently started to develop.
One of the key objectives of networking is to share knowledge and skills for development that would be hard to achieve through independent action by any of the individuals or institutions involved. Through networks common problems can be discussed as well as specialties of each institute can be better developed: each institute can concentrate on some specialties in stead of all concentrating on all specialties. This might also encourage exchange of students and teachers: all benefiting to a more efficient use of resources and enabling higher standards.
Such an exchange of students will demand normalization or accreditation of each other study programs. In the European Union we already have seen recognition of each other and student exchange takes place with special funds. Some European Universities started together the MSC on European Forestry in 2002.
Distance learning
Several European higher forestry education institutes saw the establishment, in 2001, of the virtual European Forestry Faculty project (VIEFOR) which aims at the development of distance learning and the establishment a virtual forestry faculty in Europe.
The development of distance learning in forestry has started but three questions should be carefully watched in order to guarantee high level forest education:
A general risk for distance learning is the quality control. Who is in charge of the quality control of master courses through E-mail? Distance learning should not become an easy way of just getting a title with little efforts.
Forestry is heavily based on field work how and this has to be assured also in a masters' course by internet. Distance learning does not automatically mean that all the work will be done by using the computer and internet. It should be complemented with real fieldwork.
Some of the forestry education institutes in countries in development during the years have build up their training capacity and others are still developing. Soon they will face competition with the distance learning courses. As it will be impossible to close doors to the distance learning it will be very important for these institutes in developing countries to develop their own distance learning system (together in regional networks) or form strategic partnerships with leading institutes from developing countries.
International forestry education
Many developed countries offer courses on masters' and bachelors' level but also for short courses. While the interchange of students between countries is good for the development of forestry knowledge we have to watch out that this does not interfere with the capacity building of forestry education in developing countries or regions. In many developing countries and regions the number of bachelors' and master courses in forestry education is augmenting and it is worth mentioning the regional service many of them try to deliver.
HIV/AIDS
In some southern African countries, more than a third of adults carry the virus[2] and the HIV/AIDS also affects the forestry sector. According to staff members, a lack of trained and experienced forestry staff starts is visible, at all levels. Although the hope is that the new arriving generation will be less affected, a knowledge and experience gap starts to be visible. As the issue is quiet sensitive exact dates are difficult to obtain.
This gap has to be addressed by special strategies at organizational level. Upgrading training of young, still unaffected[3], staff becomes necessary so they can take over earlier than expected from the older generation.
In other parts of the world this massive effect of AIDS/HIV still has to arrive but the same problems might be expected.
The fact that many foresters travel a lot and go to remote areas might be considered as a risk group for spreading the disease but can also be seen as a possibility of being engaged in AIDS awareness rising.
1. While some forestry training or education institutes are struggling to survive and others will stop to exist, others seem to be able to survive by adapting to new demands.
2. The adaptations include adjustment of existing programs to new technical demands, to new employment opportunities but also the development of new programs at the level of Master, Bachelor or short courses.
3. In order to adapt, institutes will first have to look at what the demands are (by society, students and employers) and only after that what they can offer in order to fulfill these demands. First looking at what can be offered might lead to repetition of the traditional forester which not necessarily fulfills demands: it closes the eyes for real innovation.
4. In some cases the demand might be an integrated natural resources education program. Foresters should not be afraid but guarantee that in these programs forests and trees are well dealt with.
5. Adapting new education paradigms (Student centered, participatory curriculum development) and techniques like distance learning are also important in actualizing forestry education.
6. Capacity building in forestry education in developing countries should be undertaken with regional approaches for which the establishments of networks are very helpful.
7. In some regions AIDS is creating capacity gaps in forestry expertise. Special upgrading training for young staff is needed to fill up this gap. Other regions might follow.
Literature
Burch, W.R. (2002): Challenges and possible futures for the forestry profession in a global, Post-Industrial Social Economy- Lessons from Britain. In: Scottisch Forestry. Vol 56; No. 3, 2002.
FAO, University of British Colombia (2001): Meeting of International University Education Leaders. December 4, 2001, Vancouver, BC Canada.
FAO (2001): Report. Expert Consultation on Forestry Education. Rabat, Morocco 17-19 October 2001. Rome, Italy.
FAO (2001): Forestry Curriculum development and revision. Case studies in developing countries. Rome, Italy.
Makerere University, FAO (2002): Report of the meeting of deans and heads of forestry universities or faculties of eastern Africa (18-20 September 2002), Kampala, Uganda.
Miller, H. (2003): Trends in Forestry Education in Great Britain and Germany 1992- 2002. (Draft). FAO, Rome, Italy.
Nguinguirie, J.C. (2002) DRAFT: Evaluation des besoins en formation dans le secteur forestier en Afrique centrale. FAO, UICN
SILVA News. SILVA Network, August 2002.
Temu, A.B., Rudebjer, P.G., Zoungrana, I. (2001): Networking Educational Institutions for Change: the Experience of ANAFE. African Network for Agroforestry Education (ANAFE), International Centre for Research in Agroforestry. Nairobi, Kenya.
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[1] Forest Resources Division,
Forestry Department, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome,
Italy. [2] Economist.com: AIDS in Africa: The parentless continent. A continent of orphans November 27th 2002. http://economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=1465193 |