· International symposium on sustainable development in semi-arid regions - WORLD SEMI-ARID 2000
· 9th meeting of the forests, trees and people programme (FTTP)
· Biology, silviculture and management of non-timber forest products
· Workshop on developing needs-based inventory methods for non-timber forest products: application and development of current research to identify practical solutions for developing countries
· 3rd european forum on urban forestry
· Workshop on non-timber forest products
· African network on natural gums and resins
· Exploring the plant-human relationship
· Cultivating (in) tropical forests
· FAO near east forestry commission - 14th session
· Sustainable use of forest products: miombo edible fungi
· World congress on cork oak and cork
· Researchable constraints to the use of forest and tree products by poor urban and peri-urban households in developing countries
· Cultures and biodiversity congress 2000
· Second pan-african symposium on the use of natural resources in Africa
· Biodiversity conservation and use - internet seminar
· Bamboo 2000 international symposium
· Aprenda a elaborar jabones medicinales usando plantas de Costa Rica
· Living with the taiga - boreal forests in the 21st century
· Natural products drug discovery: an engine for socially responsible development and conservation of biodiversity
· Review of the most researched herbal products: identifying european brands cited in scientific literature and their names in the United States market
· 3rd international workshop on valorization of african plum (dacryodes edulis) and other non-conventional oil crops
· Second world conservation congress (wcc2)0
· International training workshop on sustainable bamboo management and processing techniques for small-sized bamboo enterprises
· Fields & forests 2000: a coastal agroforestry conference and tradeshow
· Training on measures of success for sustainable forestry
· Natural and cultivated truffles
· International workshop on sustainable development of marketing of non-wood forest products in countries in transition to market economies
· Ethnobiology, biocultural diversity, and benefits sharing - 7th international congress of ethnobiology
· Medicinal herbs: growing medicine
· Management of trees for farmland rehabilitation and development
· Biodiversity 2000 kuching
· Trees for arid land
· International training programme on sustainable ntfp management for rural development
· Non-timber forest product (ntfp) workshop
· International seminar on valuation of forest goods and services
· International IUFRO seminar on integrated management of neotropical moist forests by the industry and communities
· FAO expert consultation on rattan development
· Sharing local and national experience in conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants in South Asia
· Financing sustainable forest management
· Virtually wild ginseng0
· Delhi sustainable development summit
· International conference on indigenous indic traditions in forestry: lessons for contemporary sustainable forest management
· FAO committee on forestry (COFO) - fifteenth session
· 4th south and south east asian countries non-timber forest products network (SEANN) workshop
· Economic sustainability of small-scale forestry
· International neem network workshop on data analysis

International symposium on sustainable development in semi-arid regions - WORLD SEMI-ARID 2000

João Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil
9-22 March 2000

For more information, please contact:
Prof. Dorival C. Bruni, President, Brazilian Society for the Environment (BIOSFERA), PO Box 2432, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20001-970, Brazil.
Fax: +55 21 2217626;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.biosfera.com.br


9th meeting of the forests, trees and people programme (FTTP)

Nepal
21-25 March 2000

NTFP issues is an important topic of collaboration in FTPP Asia. Issues covered include: domestication of NTFPs, unsustainable harvesting, in situ conservation of some species; NTFP policy/management plan development; income source - maintain livelihoods; and marketing. A report of the working group discussion is available.

For more information, please contact:
FTPP Facilitator for Southeast Asia, FTPP/RECOFTC, Regional Community Forestry Training Center, Kasetsart University, PO Box 1111, Bangkok 10903, Thailand.
Fax: +66 2 561 4880;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.recoftc.org/;
or
Mr Hiroyuki Tanaka,
Associate Professional Officer, Community Forestry Unit,
Forestry Policy and Planning Division, Forestry Department, FAO,
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla,
00100 Rome, Italy.
Fax: +39 0657055514;
www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/forestry/fon/fonp/cfu/cfu-e.stm;
www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/forestry/fon/fonp/cfu/ftpp/en/ftpp-e.stm


Biology, silviculture and management of non-timber forest products

Wageningen, the Netherlands
14 April 2000

For more information, please contact:
Jelle Maas, Programme Unit, The Tropenbos Foundation, PO Box 232, 6700 AE, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
E-mail: [email protected];
www.tropenbos.nl


Workshop on developing needs-based inventory methods for non-timber forest products: application and development of current research to identify practical solutions for developing countries

Rome, Italy
4-5 May 2000

Organized by the European Tropical Forest Research Network (ETFRN) and the Forest Research Programme (FRP) of the United Kingdom Department for International Development, in collaboration with FAO.

For more information, please contact:
Evelyn Whyte, European Tropical Forest Research Network (ETFRN),
c/o The Tropenbos Foundation,
PO Box 232, 6700 AE Wageningen,
the Netherlands.
Fax: +31 317 495521;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.etfrn.org/etfrn
[Please see Box on p. 67, under International Action, for more information on this workshop.]



3rd european forum on urban forestry

Budapest, Hungary
9-12 May 2000

The International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO) established a special Working Group on Urban Forestry (S.6.14.00) some years ago. In addition, the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) was initiated in 1998. EFUF was established to create a platform for Europe's urban forest managers to meet and exchange experiences and information. A small number of scientists and other experts in the field are invited to take part in the discussions. To date, EFUF's main focus has been on the planning and management of urban and peri-urban woodlands.

The theme of this workshop was "Paying for urban forests".

Thirty urban foresters from the following countries participated: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.

During the first two EFUF meetings, a central issue had been financing urban forestry. Urban woodland managers need to cater for a wide range of needs, including the demands of forest recreation opportunities for millions of people. Forestry in and near urban areas is often more expensive than forestry elsewhere, which raises the question of how sufficient funding can be found. The themes of the workshop sessions were:

· Valuing and marketing of urban forest goods and services.
· Exploring different funding sources for urban forestry.
· Urban forest management in a changing society.

For more information, please contact:
Dr Cecil C. Konijnendijk, Coordinator, European Forum on Urban Forestry, Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute, Hoersholm Kongevej 11,
DK-2970 Hoersholm, Denmark.
Fax: +45 45 76 32 33;
e-mail: [email protected]


Workshop on non-timber forest products

British Columbia, Canada
23-24 May 2000

British Columbia's interior forests are a rich storehouse of food, medicinal, industrial, aesthetic and spiritual resources. Commercial interest in non-timber forest products is growing rapidly, but many of these same products have always been used by First Nations people. Commercial harvesting of NTFPs is coming into conflict with traditional First Nations' use in many parts of British Colombia. By bringing people together to talk about these issues, future conflicts may be avoided.

For more information, please contact:
[email protected]

African network on natural gums and resins

Nairobi, Kenya
29-31 May 2000

The workshop was jointly organized by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and FAO's Forest Products and Food and Nutrition Divisions. The workshop was a follow-up to a regional conference on the Conservation, Management and Utilization of Plant Gums, Resins and Essential Oils, held in Nairobi in October 1997, and was attended by representatives from nine African countries (producing natural gums and resins) and representatives of other African and international organizations.

During the workshop, the Network for Gums and Resins in Africa (NGARA) was formally established, with the membership of all the countries attending the workshop. The mission, terms of reference, organization and management, mechanisms of operation and sustainability of NGARA were discussed and agreed upon.

Ms Laura Russo, Forestry Officer, FAO, made a presentation on the information needs at the local and national levels for the biophysical and socio-economic assessment of NWFPs. She also presented the aims and activities of the NWFP component of project GCP/RAF/354/EC: Sustainable Forest Management in African ACP Countries, which has contributed funds to support the organization of the workshop.

Gums and resins (from species of the genera Acacia, Boswellia and Commiphora) are among the most important NWFP produced in Africa. Consequently, further work for the assessment of the productive capacity of the resource base and of the socio-economic potential and prospects for the development of these products is considered a regional priority.

For more information, please contact:
Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Post Box 20412, Nairobi, Kenya.
Fax: +254 514 32844;
e-mail: [email protected]
[Please see under News and Notes for more information on NGARA.]


Exploring the plant-human relationship

Ohio, USA
9-11 June 2000

The workshop focused on getting to know herbs and exploring the plant-human relationship.

For more information, please contact:
United Plant Savers, PO Box 98, East Barre, VT 05649, USA.
Fax: +1 802 479 9825;
e-mail: [email protected]


Cultivating (in) tropical forests

Lofoten, Norway
28 June-1 July 2000

The objective of the workshop "The evolution and sustainability of intermediate systems between extractivism and plantations" was to bring together specialists with expertise in intermediate systems, from various disciplines and geographical areas, to explore issues related to these systems and to develop a stronger theoretical framework based on their collective experience and ideas.

The workshop organizers were the FORESASIA project, a European Union-funded project on intermediate systems in Indonesia and the Philippines (involving eight institutions in these two countries and France, Norway and Spain) and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

For more information, please visit:
Workshop site: http://org.nlh.no/etfrn/lofoten/;
FORESASIA project: www.envirodev.org/forresasia/;
CIFOR: www.cgiar.org/cifor/

FAO near east forestry commission - 14th session

Teheran, Iran
1-4 July 2000

Delegates from 11 members of the Near East Forestry Commission and observers from international intergovernmental organizations attended the meeting.

The commission recommended that FAO should be involved (with relevant partners) in the promotion of NWFPs in the Near East region, especially in improving networking, supporting the preparation of regional development projects and common programmes, and reviewing national forest policies and regulations so as to identify critical gaps which could impede the conservation of forest biodiversity and at the same time the sustainable development of NWFPs. (Source: Summary report of the 14th session of the Near East Forestry Commission, July 2000.)

For more information, please contact:
Regional Forestry Officer, FAO Regional Office for the Near East (RNE), PO Box 2223, Cairo, Egypt.
Fax: +20 2 7495981;
e-mail: [email protected]


Sustainable use of forest products: miombo edible fungi

Zomba, Malawi
17 July 2000

The meeting was organized at the Malawi Forestry Research Institute under the framework of the Miombo Edible Fungi Project.

Proceedings are available and can be requested from:
Dr Eric Boa, CABI Bioscience, Bakeham Lane, Egham, Surrey TW20 9TY, UK.
Fax: +44 1491 829100;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.cabi.org/bioscience/index.htm
[Please see under International Action for more information on the Miombo Edible Fungi Project.]


World congress on cork oak and cork

Lisbon, Portugal
19-21 July 2000

The congress had the following aims:

· to demonstrate the decisive importance of the cork oak stand as an ecosystem with unique peculiarities which are decisive for environmental protection and against desertification in its natural growing country;
· to contribute to highlighting the image of cork as a multipurpose raw material with exceptional essential features;
· to contribute to intensifying cork's image while being a polyvalent raw material with exceptional intrinsic characteristics;
· to contribute to the sustainability of the multifunction ecosystems that allow for the production of cork;
· to contribute to the protection and development of the natural qualities of cork and of the different manufactured cork products.

For more information, please contact:
Maria Carolina Varela, Estação Florestal Nacional, Procalfer - Quinta do Marquês, 2784-505 Oeiras, Portugal.
Fax: +351 21 441 56 60;
[email protected];
www.worldcorkcongress.com


Researchable constraints to the use of forest and tree products by poor urban and peri-urban households in developing countries

Reading, UK
20-21 July 2000

This workshop was organized by the University of Reading to present the findings of research carried out under the framework of a project funded by the Forest Research Programme (FRP) of the Department for International Development (DFID-UK, Project ZF0136). The project aimed at studying the use of forest products and services by urban poor people.

Three sets of activities were carried out from April to July 2000:

· a literature search on forest products' use by the target group in relation to urban poverty;
· case studies on forest products' use and o occupations in six cities in six developing countries; and
· a workshop to discuss the results with a group of people with interest and knowledge in forest products and/or urban poverty and development and identify researchable constraints.

The objectives, methodology and findings of the project were presented during the workshop. The project was undertaken in six cities within FRP target countries - Mexico City, Mexico; Belém, Brazil; Kumasi, Ghana; Harare, Zimbabwe; Kathmandu, Nepal; and Calcutta, India.

The project consisted of a rapid appraisal of forest products used and income derived from trades or enterprises involving forest products. The appraisal was carried out by researchers of the University of Reading and collaborating institutions: Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Crop Research Institute (Kumasi), IT Zimbabwe, Nepal Agroforestry Foundation and the Indian Statistical Institute (Calcutta).

Ms Laura Russo, Forestry Officer (NWFP), FAO, made a presentation on FAO's activities in the field of urban and peri-urban agriculture and urban forestry.

For more information please contact:
Dr Georgina Holt, Department of Agricultural/Food Economics, University of Reading, PO Box 237, RG6 6AR, Reading, UK.
E-mail: [email protected]
[Please see under News and Notes for more information on this workshop.]


Cultures and biodiversity congress 2000

Yunnan Province, China
21-29 July 2000

Congress themes:

· The state of the art of indigenous cultures and biodiversity.
· The cultural diversity of indigenous uses of space and resources.
· The marginality, resource tenure and intellectual property rights of indigenous people.
· The impact of modernization on indigenous ways of dealing with nature.
· The intercultural communication between knowledge systems of indigenous people and the scientific community.
· The Yunnan Agenda 2000 on Ethno- and Biodiversity.

For more information, please contact:
Xu Jianchu, Centre for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected];
http://cbik.org


Second pan-african symposium on the use of natural resources in Africa

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
24-27 July 2000

The symposium explored the impact of development on sustainable use and conservation of natural resources in Africa.

For more information, please contact:
Bihini Won Wa Musiti, SUI African Regional Coordinator, IUCN Regional Office for Central Africa, BP 5506 Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Fax: +237 216497;
e-mail: [email protected]


Biodiversity conservation and use - internet seminar

July 2000

Organized by the World Bank Institute's Environment and Natural Resources Division, this Internet seminar was aimed at sharing experiences and helping to further the discourse on the role of biodiversity in poverty alleviation and the future of biodiversity conservation. Experts from IUCN, the World Bank and other organizations moderated the discussions.

(www.worldbank.org/devforum/forum_biodiversity.html)


Bamboo 2000 international symposium

Chiang Mai, Thailand
2-4 August 2000

For more information, please contact:
Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
Fax: +66 2 942 8112;
e-mail: [email protected]

Aprenda a elaborar jabones medicinales usando plantas de Costa Rica

San José, Costa Rica
2 y 3 de septiembre de 2000

El objetivo general del curso era promover el estudio, la conservación y el aprovechamiento sostenible de las plantas con propiedades para la elaboración de champúes y jabones medicinales mediante un curso breve dirigido a amantes de la naturaleza.

Para más información, dirigirse a:
Ronald Rodríguez, Coordinador BioCursos OET, Apartado postal 676-2050 San Pedro, San José, Costa Rica.
Fax: +506 240 6783;
correo electrónico: [email protected];
www.ots.ac.cr/es/biocursos


Living with the taiga - boreal forests in the 21st century

Moscow, Russian Federation
17-22 September 2000

As we enter the twenty-first century, peoples, communities, countries and corporations are all searching for security - security for environment, livelihoods and investments. Many people are asking such questions as: What major trends are shaping the boreal forest? What is the status of multiple-use forest management in the taiga? Can the boreal forest be a source for industry, bring benefits to local populations and provide a home for animals? Is there such a thing as "sustainable" industrial forestry? What lessons can indigenous peoples teach the rest of us about providing for community and wilderness?

Nowhere more than in the Russian Federation, which contains more than half of the world's coniferous forests and 40 percent of the standing old-growth softwood timber, are those questions in urgent need of an answer. This is why it was chosen to hold the fifth international conference near Moscow on the theme of "Living with the Taiga" and the role of multiple-use forest management in promoting socially beneficial, economically viable and ecologically sound forestry.

For more information, please contact:
Dimitry Aksenov or Taiga Rescue Network International Coordination Centre, Box 116, Ajtte, S-962 23 Jokkmokk, Sweden.
Fax. +46 971 12057;
e-mail: [email protected]
or
[email protected];
www.snf.se/trn
[Please see under News and Notes for more information on the Taiga Rescue Network.]


Natural products drug discovery: an engine for socially responsible development and conservation of biodiversity

Washington, DC, USA
28 September 2000

For more information, please contact:
Allie Hoover, USDA Forest Service, 1099 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA.


Review of the most researched herbal products: identifying european brands cited in scientific literature and their names in the United States market

Ohio, USA
29 September-1 October 2000

This workshop reviewed some of the clinical studies on specific brands of herbs and discussed to what extent research incentive exists to stimulate herbal manufacturers to conduct more clinical research.

For more information, please contact:
United Plant Savers, PO Box 98,
East Barre, VT 05649, USA.
Fax: +1 802 479 9825;
e-mail: [email protected]


3rd international workshop on valorization of african plum (dacryodes edulis) and other non-conventional oil crops

Yaoundé, Cameroon
2-5 October 2000

The workshop was organized by the African Safou Network (ASANET) and the Cameroonian Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), and was sponsored by the Forest Research Programme of the United Kingdom Department for International Development. The main aims of the meeting were to assess the state of knowledge of these crops and to highlight both research gaps and development potential.

For more information, please contact:
Dr Joseph Kengue,
Workshop Coordinator,
Institute of Agricultural Research
for Development,
PO Box 2067, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Fax: +237 237571;
e-mail: [email protected]


Second world conservation congress (wcc2)

4-11 October 2000
Amman, Jordan

The theme of the Amman Congress was "ecospace", a term indicating that environmental protection at various geographical scales is a prerequisite for the social, economic and even political security of people. Redefining the frontiers of conservation will address the problem of the current inadequacy in social and spatial organization for environmental management, involving knowledge, empowerment and governance at the global, national and local levels. It will link ecosystem conservation with the need to stem the global loss of biodiversity and thus build on IUCN's traditional strengths in species and protected areas.

The following sessions took place:

  1. Looking at the big picture: ecosystem management in mountains, watersheds and river basins.
  2. Environmental health of island, coastal and marine ecosystems.
  3. Environment and security.
  4. Forest ecospaces, biodiversity and environmental security.
  5. Ecospaces and a global culture of sustainability.
  6. Making waves: strategies for averting the world water crisis.
  7. Mobilizing knowledge for biodiversity.
  8. Sowing the seeds for sustainability: agriculture, biodiversity, economy and society.
  9. The role of local solutions, cultural diversity and social equity for conservation.
10. Developing and investing in biodiversity business.
11. Integrating biodiversity conservation science into environmental policy and management.
12. The ecological limits of climate change.

For more information, please contact:
World Conservation Union (IUCN),
rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland.
www.iucn.org/amman/index.html



International training workshop on sustainable bamboo management and processing techniques for small-sized bamboo enterprises

Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
4-14 October 2000

Many developing countries are rich in bamboo resources, but poor in sustainable and intensive management experiences, which result in low productivity and a considerable waste of resources. Experience in China shows that developing bamboo plantation and the rural bamboo processing industry is an important way to increase the income of rural people and improve the ecological environment in rural areas. How to utilize bamboo fully, and develop rural or household enterprises that process bamboo products of high commercial value, has become the focus of a wide range of fields.

As a result, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) and the International Farm Forestry Training Center (INFORTRACE) of the Chinese Academy of Forestry decided to cosponsor this international training workshop.

The workshop provided a good opportunity for all participants to exchange information and to visit various kinds of rural bamboo processing enterprises/plants producing traditional bamboo handicrafts, series of shoot products and series of bamboo panels.

For more information, please contact:
Zhu Zhaohua, Deputy Director-General, International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, Branch Box 155, PO Box 9799, Beijing 100101, China.
Fax: +85 10 64956983;
e-mail: [email protected]


Fields & forests 2000: a coastal agroforestry conference and tradeshow

Vancouver Island,

British Columbia, Canada
13-14 October 2000

Changing trends in global agricultural and forest resource sectors are forcing rural landowners to augment their farm and forest incomes. In the past, the focus of our forest resources has been to view them primarily as sources of timber only. By integrating non-timber natural resources income opportunities into small-scale farm and forest sector operations, our farmers and foresters will have increased opportunities to achieve profit due to greater diversification.

Conference proceedings will eventually be published on the conference Internet site.

For more information, please visit the conference Internet site: http://valleylinks.net/agroforest/


Training on measures of success for sustainable forestry

Bhopal, India
16-21 October 2000

This training course was organized by the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) with support from the World Bank-WWF Global Alliance.

The two main objectives of the course were to develop an understanding of the criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management among the participants, and to equip them with the skills of participatory designing and field application of a representative basic set of performance indicators in the context of sustainable forest management in South Asia.

For more information, please contact:
Deep Narayan Pandey, IFS Associate Professor, Coordinator, INEF-International Network on Ethnoforestry, Coordinator for South Asia, Asia Forest Network, Indian Institute of Forest Management, PO Box 357,
Nehru Nagar, Bhopal 462003, India.
Fax: +91 755 772878;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.inef.org; www.iifm.org or http://education.vsnl.com/deep


Natural and cultivated truffles

Albenga, Italy
18 October 2000

A one-day workshop was organized on how to improve truffle production, with special emphasis on the renowned black truffle.

For more information, please contact:
Ms Francesca Cambiaggi, Ordine dei Dottori Agronomi e Dottori Forestali delle Province di Genova e Savona, Largo San Giuseppe 18/15, Genoa 16121, Italy.
E-mail: [email protected]
Rothamsted international biomarket 2000 - bioproducts
from plants
and microbes
Harpenden, UK
18-20 October 2000

For more information, please contact:
Dr Roger Atkin, "Rothamsted International BioMarket 2000",
IACR-Rothamsted, Harpenden,
Herts AL5 2JQ, UK.
Fax: +44 1582 760981;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.biomarket.iacr.ac.uk


International workshop on sustainable development of marketing of non-wood forest products in countries in transition to market economies

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
23-27 October 2000

The workshop was hosted by the State Forest Association of the Republic of Moldova under the auspices of the ECE Timber Committee, in cooperation with the Finnish Ministry of Environment, the Moldovan Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development, UNDP Moldova and FAO Forestry Department.

The main objectives of the workshop were to increase awareness of the importance of marketing in the non-wood forest products (NWFP) sector, to provide information and understanding of the basic elements of marketing and the business environment and to initiate and strengthen collaboration between public and private organizations in the sector.

The attendance of 54 experts from 13 countries was by invitation only of the UN-ECE Timber Committee Secretariat to specialists working in areas dealing with NWFP production, processing and marketing, forest resource management planning and related supporting institutions. The following countries were represented: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, the United States and Uzbekistan.

This was the fourth in the series of workshops on "Marketing of Forest Products for Countries in Transition to Market Economies" organized under the auspices of the ECE Timber Committee in close cooperation with the Government of Finland and FAO Forestry Department.

Mr Leo Lintu, Senior Forestry Officer (Forest Products Marketing), FAO, coorganized and provided secretariat assistance to the workshop. Mr Paul Vantomme, Forestry Officer (NWFP), FAO, also attended.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Edward Pepke, Forestry Officer, Liaison Office with the United Nations (Geneva) - LOGE, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
Fax: +41 22 9170065;
e-mail: [email protected]


Ethnobiology, biocultural diversity, and benefits sharing - 7th international congress of ethnobiology

Athens, Georgia, USA
23-27 October 2000

The theme of the congress was "Earth in the next century" - specifically ethnobiology's role in maintaining biocultural diversity and ensuring equitable benefits sharing and open dialogue with traditional and indigenous research collaborators. This was the first time that the International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE) held its congress in the United States, expecting a strong representation of United States and Canadian indigenous groups, as well as traditional peoples from Mexico, Central and Latin America, and around the world.

For more information, please visit:
http://guallart.dac.uga.edu/ise

Medicinal herbs: growing medicine

California, USA
24-25 October 2000

Medicinal herb identification, cultivation and use were the topics covered during two days in northern California at the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, a non-profit farm.

For more information, please contact:
Collective Heritage Institute, 901 West San Mateo Road, Suite L, Santa Fe, NM 87505, USA.
E-mail: [email protected];
www.bioneers.org


Management of trees for farmland rehabilitation and development

El Obeid, the Sudan
27 October-4 November 2000

This workshop was organized by the Tropical Silviculture Unit (TSU) of the University of Helsinki, Finland, leading Sudanese institutions, as well as the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA, Wageningen, the Netherlands) and the International Foundation for Science (IFS, Stockholm, Sweden), in collaboration with other international organizations. The first part of the workshop was held at the gum arabic research station in El Obeid, North Kordofan State, the Sudan, and the second part consisted of visits to field sites.

The workshop discussed and compared the various agroforestry and forestry options available for dryland rehabilitation. It also highlighted the ongoing practical fieldwork and research on natural and planted trees in agricultural and forestry production systems in the Sudan.

For more information, please contact:
Dr Olavi Luukkanen, Professor of Tropical Silviculture, Chairman, European Tropical Forest Research Network, PO Box 28 (Koetilantie 3, Viikki), FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
Fax +358 9 19158646;
e-mail: [email protected];
http://honeybee.helsinki.fi/tropic


Biodiversity 2000 kuching

Kuching, Malaysia
1-3 November 2000

The conference was organized by the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), the Sarawak Development Institute and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Malaysia. One of the meeting's main objectives was to take stock of the current status of biodiversity at the global and regional levels, and to review the progress and constraints in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Eric Sim K.Y., Conference Coordinator, Sarawak Development Institute, Rumah Laksamana Muda, Jalan Rodway, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Fax: +60 82 412799;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.sdi.com.my


Whole health retail strategies conference

Broomfield, Colorado, USA
3-6 November 2000

Retail pharmacy and supermarket executives, manufacturers and distributors gathered to learn about what is on the leading edge in store design, brand development, organic foods, consumer-buying patterns and Whole Health on line, among other topics.

For more information, please visit:
www.wholehealthstrategies.com


Trees for arid land

Beer Sheva, Israel
6-16 November 2000

This workshop was organized by the International Programme for Arid Land Crops (IPALAC).

The objectives were to: introduce to a target group of representatives of grassroots organizations and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) the work of various Israeli institutions in the field of tree planting and use in arid lands; and share tree planting experiences from African drylands among participants.

The workshop was a combination of lectures, field trips and presentations by participants. It was attended by 24 people representing NGOs and government institutions from Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, India and Nepal, as well as four international NGOs (Africare, World Church Services, Jean Paul II Foundation and World Vision International). Each of the participants made presentations on their activities in relation to specific aspects of promotion of tree planting and use in arid lands. Ms Laura Russo, Forestry Officer (NWFP) represented FAO.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Arnie Schlissel, Administrative Coordinator, IPALAC.
E-mail: [email protected]


International training programme on sustainable ntfp management for rural development

Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, India

6-24 November 2000

The International Training Programme on Sustainable NTFP Management for Rural Development was organized in India by the International Centre for Community Forestry (ICCF) of the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) in collaboration with the Rural Development Centre of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). It was conducted in the field sites of Madhya Pradesh (the richest state in India in terms of forests and tribals) and in West Bengal.

The course provided ample opportunities for the participants to have direct interaction with NTFP collectors, users, processors and marketers.

For more information, please contact:
Dr Ram Prasad, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Nehru Nagar, Post Box No. 357, Bhopal 462003, M.P., India.
Fax: +91 0755 772878;
e-mail: [email protected]


Non-timber forest product (ntfp) workshop

Oaxaca, Mexico
7 November 2000

As part of the events leading up to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Annual Conference, Falls Brook Centre hosted a one-day Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) Workshop. Among the issues discussed were recent developments in NTFP certification, how to ensure adequate assessment of NTFPs during certification, and the next steps for developing certification mechanisms within the FSC and other certification systems.

The summary report is now available in both English and Spanish.

For more information, please contact:
Parick Mallet, Falls Brook Centre,
125 South Knowlesville Road, Knowlesville, New Brunswick
E7L 1B1, Canada.
Fax: +1 506 375 4221;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.fallsbrookcentre.ca/


International seminar on valuation of forest goods and services

Opocno, East Bohemia, Czech Republic
18-22 November 2000

In line with the work programme of the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE), the aims of the seminar were the clarification of the various aspects related to non-marketed goods and services (inter alia on biodiversity valuation); discussion on positive externalities of forests; non-market social services, etc.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Karel Vancura,
National Coordinator of MCPFE, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry Development Department, Tesnov 17, 117 05 Praha 1, Czech Republic.
Fax: +420 1 2181 2357;
e-mail: [email protected]


International IUFRO seminar on integrated management of neotropical moist forests by the industry and communities

Belém, Brazil
4-7 December 2000

A seminar was organized by IUFRO on the integrated management of neotropical moist forests by the industry and communities: applying research results; involving stakeholders and defining public policies.

For more information, please contact:
Dr Natalino Silva,
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, CP 48,
CEP 66240 Belém, Pará, Brazil.
Fax: +55 91 2269845;
e-mail: [email protected] ; or
CIFOR Regional Office,
Embrapa Amazônia Oriental,
Travessa Enéas Pinheiro s/n,
CP 48, CEP 66095-100, Belém, Brazil.
E-mail: [email protected]


FAO expert consultation on rattan development

Rome, Italy
5-7 December 2000

For more information, please contact:
Mr Paul Vantomme, Forestry Officer (NWFP), Forest Products Division,
FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.
E-mail: [email protected];
www.fao.org/forestry/fop/fopw/nwfp/nwfp-e.stm
[Please see under Special Features for more information on this meeting.]


Sharing local and national experience in conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants in South Asia

Pokhara, Nepal
21-23 January 2001

More than 55 research scientists, foresters, development workers, business people, traditional healers and academicians attended the workshop, from six South Asian and five European and North American countries.

For more information, please contact:
Madhav Karki, Regional
Programme Coordinator,
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Programme in Asia (MAPPA), IDRC/SARO, 208 Jor Bah,
New Delhi 110003, India.
Fax: +91 11 462 2707;
e-mail: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; or [email protected] ;
www.idrc.ca/saro


Financing sustainable forest management

Oslo, Norway
22-25 January 2001

This government-led initiative in support of the IPF/IFF and UNFF (United Nations Forum on Forests) was cosponsored by Brazil, Denmark, Malaysia, Norway, South Africa and the United Kingdom and organized by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). Seventy experts from 40 countries, including representatives from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, financing institutions, international organizations and academia participated in the workshop. The workshop focused on the issues of attracting private capital in sustainable forest management, effectively utilizing available financial mechanisms and resources, and considering new mechanisms including a global forest fund. It also discussed the feasibility of the "investment promotion entity (IPE)" concept as recommended by the International Forum on Forests (IFF). The workshop report will be submitted to UNFF1.

The highlights of the workshop, papers presented and other information can be accessed from the CIFOR Web site. (Source: informal circular letter from the Secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests, February 2001.)

For more information, please contact:
Mr Mahendra L. Joshi, Forestry Advisor, IFF Secretariat, Two UN Plaza, DC2-12th Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA.
Fax: +1 212 963 3463;
e-mail: [email protected]; or
Mr Mafa E. Chipeta, Deputy Director-General, CIFOR, PO Box 6596 JKPWB, Jakarta 10065, Indonesia.
Fax: +62 251 622 100;
e-mail: m.chipeta@cgiar;
www.cifor.cgiar.org/fsfm/index.htm


Virtually wild ginseng

New Castle, VA, USA
3 February 2001

The Wild Harvest Sector Workshop was offered by Syl Yunker of the Appalachian Ginseng Foundation. "Virtually wild" is Mr Yunker's method of spacing ginseng plants on the forest floor in a randomized fashion that imitates nature, thus inhibiting disease and preventing theft of the ginseng plants.

For more information, please contact:
Ann Rogers, TAP, PO Box 2868, Roanoke, VA 24001, USA; or
Mr A.L. Hammett.
E-mail: [email protected]


Delhi sustainable development summit

Delhi, India
7-9 February 2001

The summit, which was subtitled "Poverty: the global challenge for governments, industry, scientists, and civil society", was hosted by the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI).

For more information, please contact:
Ms Sangeeta Singh, TERI, Darbari Seth Block, Habitat Place, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003, India.
Fax: +91 11 4682144/4682145;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.teriin.org/dsds/index1.htm


International conference on indigenous indic traditions in forestry: lessons for contemporary sustainable forest management

Khajuraho, India
8-10 February 2001

The event was sponsored by the Infinity Foundation, United States, and organized by the International Network on Ethnoforestry and the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, India.

For more information, please contact:
Deep Narayan Pandey, Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal 462003, India.
Fax: +91 755 772878;
e-mail: [email protected];
www.inef.org; www.iifm.org ; or
http://education.vsnl.com/deep


FAO committee on forestry (COFO) - fifteenth session

Rome, Italy
12-16 March 2001

Full documentation for COFO 2001 is available in all of the five working languages of FAO (Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish) from the COFO Web site.

For more information, please contact:
Becky Ortiz, Meetings Officer, Forest Programmes Coordination and Information Unit, Forestry Department, Office D-457, FAO,
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla,
00100 Rome, Italy.
Fax: +39 0657052151;
|e-mail: [email protected] ;
COFO home page: www.fao.org/forestry/fo/statbod/cofo/cofo-e.stm;
FAO Forestry home page: www.fao.org/forestry


4th south and south east asian countries non-timber forest products network (SEANN) workshop

Manila, the Philippines
19-21 March 2001

The workshop was organized by various Philippine institutions and the Centre of Minor Forest Products for Rural Development and Environmental Conservation (India).

For more information, please contact:
Ramon A. Razal, Associate Professor and Director, Training Center for Tropical Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, and Chair, Organizing Committee for the 4th SEANN Workshop, University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Forestry and Natural Resources, College, Laguna 4031, the Philippines.
E-mail: [email protected]


Economic sustainability of small-scale forestry

Joensuu, Finland
20-26 March 2001

The objective of this symposium, focusing on the economically sustainable management of small-scale forests, was to exchange information on actual research problems, ongoing research efforts and research results between the participants.

For more information, please contact:
Dr Anssi Niskanen, European Forest Institute, Tonkatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland.
Fax: +358 13 124 393;
e-mail: [email protected]


International neem network workshop on data analysis

Jodhpur, India
21-25 March 2001

The International Neem Network (INN) comprises 20 forestry institutions in Africa, South America, Asia and Europe, which have joined efforts towards gaining a better knowledge of neem (Azadirachta indica) cultivation, behaviour, adaptability and vigour, inside and outside the natural distribution range of the species. The network has facilitated the collection, exchange and handling of neem germplasm, and the establishment of international provenance trials under coordinated procedures. Trials established between 1995 and 1997 are now under observation, and preliminary results regarding the behaviour of various neem provenances, and their adaptability to local conditions, are becoming available from the surviving trials.

It is now four to five years since the international provenance trials were established, and most of the trials have already been assessed more than once according to the common technical guidelines developed at the last meeting of the INN in Yangoon, Myanmar in 1997. The next step for the INN would be to propose assistance and coordination in processing the data that has been collected.

The purpose of the workshop held at the Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, India, was therefore to discuss analysis of the data: methodology, statistical analysis, results, interpretation, conclusions and publication.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Pierre Sigaud, FAO,
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla,
00100 Rome, Italy.
Fax: +39 0657055137;
e-mail: [email protected] ; or

Dr C.J.S.K. Emmanuel, Arid Forest Research Institute (AFRI), PO Krishi Mandi, New Pali Road, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342 005, India.
E-mail: [email protected]



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