Forest Harvesting Bulletin

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Demonstration of reduced impact logging techniques in the field. Photos courtesy of FTCI

Training in reduced impact logging in Guyana
The experience of the Guyana Forestry Training Centre

Peter van der Hout and Godfrey Marshall

There has been an increasing interest at the global level for the adoption of reduced impact logging (RIL) as one means for moving towards sustainable forest management. The primary reason for this is that the increased awareness of the negative impacts of ill-planned forestry operations by stakeholders at the national and international levels has put pressure on governments to impose stricter controls on timber harvesting. Furthermore, international markets now require timber products from well-managed forests. In this respect, forest certification is emerging as a major driving force for the adoption of RIL.

Considerable progress has been made towards some aspects of sustainable forest management in the Guiana region. Research experiences in Suriname, Guyana and Brazil - mainly based on research by CELOS in Suriname (Hendrison, 1990), Tropenbos in Guyana (Van der Hout, 1999, 2000), and research, demonstration and training by Fundaçao Floresta Tropical (FFT) in Brazil (Holmes et al., 2000) - have demonstrated unambiguously that RIL reduces logging damage while remaining financially attractive for logging companies in most cases. Nevertheless, forestry operations in Guyana and Suriname remain generally poorly planned and supervised; the operations remain characterised by low productivity, high costs, and excessive environmental modifications.

So why are the demonstrated benefits of RIL not translated into improved practices on the ground?

Understanding the potential benefits of RIL
Frequently, the decision on whether or not to adopt reduced impact logging is taken at head offices of forest enterprises. Just as often, the decision depends on personal perceptions of what RIL is and not so much on a realistic understanding of the RIL concept and its pros and cons. In any case, a clear understanding about what really constitutes RIL is often lacking. Specifically, this refers to a number of essential measures to achieve noticeable financial and environmental benefits and the training and the organizational changes that need to be put in place to effect the necessary improvements (Klassen, 2002).

Convincing company management of the benefits of RIL is not enough. Field managers should be supportive of the necessary changes as well. Coordinating the correct implementation of the RIL components demands better supervision and communication, this may mean a fundamental change to a logging company's organizational structure (Jonkers 2002, Klassen 2002).

According to Klassen (2002), lack of serious intent remains a major reason for the failure of companies to adopt RIL practices. He explains that companies are not interested in RIL because it disrupts the status quo and because many companies are mainly concerned with their immediate supply of raw material. This is especially true in the case of Guyana (and Suriname) where most logging operations are order-driven.

The result is often that the modus operandi remains unchanged because there is no experience in implementing new practices and there is disbelief in their effectiveness.

The perceived cost of RIL
RIL has been tested and applied on a small scale for more than a decade and many studies have demonstrated that properly planned and supervised operations reduced harvesting costs as compared to conventional logging in many cases. The cost savings under RIL result from better planning, better supervisory control, and better utilization of felled timber. Nonetheless, many loggers argue that they cannot afford the adoption of RIL practices.

This is largely explained by two facts: first, concessionaires usually have poorly developed cost-accounting systems and secondly, the forest manager's perception of costs may be incomplete - e.g. not being aware of the amortization cost of heavy equipment. Forest managers need to appreciate the cost of various operational elements in order to benefit from studies on the financial benefits of RIL.

Training
For the successful application of RIL, it is necessary to have technically competent planners, operators, and supervisors. Well-trained operators need equally well-trained supervisors to ensure that work is carried out properly and to provide feedback that will help them to improve their practices continually (Dykstra, 2002). It is important that supervisors understand not only what to do and how to do it, but also why, and they must be able to communicate this understanding in an effective way.

The FAO Forest Harvesting Bulletin

is produced annually for distribution to about 5000 individuals, field projects, institutions and organizations interested in environmentally sound forest harvesting and transport, especially in developing countries and in countries undergoing the transition to market economies. The Bulletin forms part of the networking and technology transfer activities of the Forest Harvesting, Trade and Marketing Branch of FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Persons involved in the production of the
Forest Harvesting Bulletin
Forestry Officer  Simmone Rose
Forestry Officer Joachim Lorbach
APO  Anna Springfors

Correspondence and Submissions
Requests for information, to be added to the mailing list for the Bulletin and letters or short contributions in English, French, or Spanish to be considered for publication should be sent to:

Forest Products Service (FOPP)
Forest Products and Economic Division, FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Email: Forest-Harvesting@FAO.org
Telephone: +39 06 570 52071
Facsimile: +39 06 570 55137
Internet: www.fao.org/forestry

Forestry Training Centre Incorporated (Guyana)
Experience from FFT in Brazil has shown that the appropriate approach to promote the widespread adoption of RIL is to allow forest operatives to experience at first hand how the components of the RIL concept interrelate; in other words: "seeing is believing".

It is against this background, that the Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF), the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), and the Forest Products Association of Guyana (FPA) approached the International Tropical Timber Organization in 2001 to co-fund a RIL training and demonstration programme for Guyana and the region. The Forestry Training Centre Incorporated (FTCI) was established in 2002 to implement this programme. The Centre provides hands-on, practical training in and demonstration of RIL for all skill-levels from forest managers to field-based operators. Training is carried out at the Centre's permanent as well as satellite training sites and ex-situ by request. Hands-on training courses are being given as part of this real-life situation. Participants not only witness demonstrations and follow lecturers on best practices but also are encouraged to take part in them. This approach has been developed by Johan Zweede of FFT - a subsidiary of TFF - and has proven highly successful over the years, training over a thousand persons in RIL and catalyzing interest in applying RIL among a wide variety of stakeholders in Brazil (Blate, Putz & Zweede 2002)

During its first year, FTCI recruited and trained a well-qualified team that addresses all aspects of RIL. Through the generous support of the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Caterpillar Inc., Macorp Guyana (local Caterpillar dealer), Stihl AG and Farfan & Mendes (local Stihl dealer), much needed training equipment has been acquired, including appropriately configured logging equipment (D6 bulldozer, wheel skidder, and frondend loader), chainsaws and safety equipment.

Training courses
To facilitate the teaching of RIL, the Forestry Training Centre Inc. has prepared a training manual consisting of 17 modules that takes the student through the process of RIL step-by-step.

In general, three types of courses are offered:

  • Introductory courses that include all the basic components of RIL in a logical, chronological sequence. This course targets logging supervisors, block inspectors, inventory team leaders, etc. and lasts for 12 days
  • Decision makers' courses of 3-4 days, showing all the basics of RIL over a short period with many opportunities for discussions, evaluations, etc.
  • Operators' courses teaching either harvest planning, felling, skidding, or other heavy equipment operations. Courses briefly touch on other aspects of RIL either preceding or following the particular activity. Harvest planning courses are twelve days, while chainsaw and machine operators' courses take seven days.
    Issues of occupational health and safety are included in all courses.

    To date, FTCI has organised two courses and one workshop ex-situ, in which 55 persons participated. Participants included field-based operators, field supervisors, concession owners, and representatives of forest administrations of Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Belize. The courses and workshop were well received and led to a growing acceptance and awareness of RIL and a demand for training in RIL in the region. FTCI's permanent training site is expected to be operational by August 2004. Some sixty persons are expected to be trained between August and December 2004.

    References

    Blate, G.M., Putz F.E. and Zweede, J.C. 2002. Progress towards RIL adaptation in Brazil and Bolivia: driving forces and implementation successes. In T. Enters P. Durst, G. Applegate, P. Kho & G. Man, eds. Applying reduced impact logging to advance sustainable forest management, pp. 217-238. International conference proceedings, 26 February - 1 March 2001, Kuching, Malaysia. FAO RAP Publication 2002/14.

    Dykstra, D.P. 2002. Reduced impact logging: concepts and issues. In T. Enters P. Durst, G. Applegate, P. Kho & G. Man, eds. Applying reduced impact logging to advance sustainable forest management, pp. 9-18 International conference proceedings, 26 February - 1 March 2001, Kuching, Malaysia. FAO RAP Publication 2002/14.

    Hendrison, J. 1990. Damage-controlled logging in managed tropical rain forest in Suriname. Ecology and management of tropical rain forests in Suriname 4. Wageningen Agricultural University, Wageningen, the Netherlands.

    Holmes, T.P, Blate, G.M., Zweede, J.C., Pereira, R., Jr., Barreto, P., Boltz, F. & Bauch, R. 2000. Financial costs and benefits of reduced impact logging in Eastern Amazonia. Tropical Forest Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia.

    Jonkers, W.B.J. 2002. Reduced impact logging in Sarawak, Guyana and Cameroon - the reasons behind differences in approach. In T. Enters P. Durst, G. Applegate, P. Kho & G. Man, eds. Applying reduced impact logging to advance sustainable forest management, pp. 199-208. International conference proceedings, 26 February - 1 March 2001, Kuching, Malaysia. FAO RAP Publication 2002/14.

    Klassen, A.W. 2002. Impediments to adoption of RIL in the Indonesia corporate sector. In T. Enters P. Durst, G. Applegate, P. Kho & G. Man, eds. Applying reduced impact logging to advance sustainable forest management, pp. 19-28. International conference proceedings, 26 February - 1 March 2001, Kuching, Malaysia. FAO RAP Publication 2002/14.

    Van der Hout, P. 1999. Reduced impact logging in the tropical rain forest of Guyana. Tropenbos-Guyana Series 6. Tropenbos Guyana Programme, Georgetown, Guyana.

    Van der Hout, P. 2000. Testing the applicability of reduced impact logging in greenheart forest in Guyana. International Forestry Review, 2(1): 24-32.

    Contacts

    Peter van der Hout is the Director and Godfrey Marshall the Coordinator of the Guyana Forestry Training Centre.

    For more information on the activities of the FTCI please contact:

    Lot 1, Water Street, Kingston, Georgetown, GUYANA
    Telephone/Fax: +592 - 223 - 5061
    Email: ftrc@networksgy.com


    • New Staff Members

    Hikojiro Katsuhisa joined FAO on 29 March 2004 as Chief of FOPP. This is the second time he works for FAO. He was Project Operations Officer at the Asia Pacific Desk (FODO) 1985-1988. He started his career in the Forestry Agency as forest ranger in the northern part of Japan. His field project experiences include JICA's cable logging technical cooperation project in Java, Indonesia. For the past seven years, he worked for Japan Wood-products Information & Research Center as director of Seattle office and also director of overseas research division at its head office in Tokyo.

    Anna Springfors joined FAO on 1 February 2004 as an Associate Professional Officer. She will work with FOPP on the development of regional code of practice for forest harvesting in Latin America and the issue of gender and forestry. She spent one year at International Labour Organization undertaking similar duties. Previously, she worked as an environmental consultant in Sweden.

    Ms. Springfors holds a master degree from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.


    Regional code of practice for reduced impact forest harvesting in tropical moist forests of West and Central Africa

    The Forest Harvesting Code for Africa was prepared under the Sustainable Forest Management in African ACP Countries project of the FAO-EC Partnership Programme. This model Regional Code of Practice for Reduced-Impact Forest Harvesting is intended primarily to serve as a reference document for tropical African countries engaged in or aspiring to the sustainable management of their closed moist forests. It seeks to provide a range of standards, guidelines and rules that will help public- and private-sector foresters to adopt appropriate practices. Its aim is thus to function as:

  • an interim working paper that can be easily amended or adapted to specific country conditions until respective national codes have been drafted;
  • an effective instrument for the implementation of sustainable management of closed moist forests;
  • a compendium of guidelines that will facilitate forest activities compatible with international directives and principles, regional criteria and indicators, and procedures of certification;
  • a series of guidelines that will help conserve biological diversity, forest regeneration and wildlife protection;
  • a tool for promoting enhanced productivity, sustainability and economic viability of forest harvesting;
  • a tool for promoting improved living conditions and safety of the workforce;
  • a tool for promoting improved relations between logging companies and local communities.

    The Code concentrates more on "what needs to be done" than on "how this needs to be done", and will not be directly applicable to all situations and all countries, given their number and variety. The guidelines presented will therefore need to be adapted to individual situations, but the Code does nevertheless lay down important general principles for environmentally sound forest harvesting. It is not designed as a source of reference on forestry techniques as such, or as a manual on the use of harvesting tools and equipment.

    As its name suggests, the Regional Code of Practice for Reduced-Impact Forest Harvesting in Tropical Moist Forests of West and Central Africa focuses primarily on:

  • the African "region" in a broad sense, encompassing the tropical countries of West and Central Africa and their specific characteristics;
  • timber harvesting because of its potential damage to the environment. Some guidelines on silviculture and wildlife protection are also included;
  • closed natural production moist forests, although some of the guidelines also apply to protection and plantation forests.

    The Code comprises 13 chapters:

    The first chapter states the objectives, approach and scope of the document, outlines the respective roles of the different actors in forest harvesting, and describes the impact of forest harvesting in a regional context. The second recalls the overriding principles of sustainable management of production forests, the various functions of the forest, the criteria for its sustainability, the international context surrounding it and the manner in which sustainable management translates into short-, medium- and long-term management planning.

    The following two chapters deal with the preparation of harvesting activities (pre-harvest planning, including planning of non-harvest areas), and planning and construction of roads, drainage structures and watercourse crossings while the fifth chapter deals with the actual harvesting operations: felling, topping, skidding, cross-cutting, loading and transport.

    The next two chapters examine post-harvest activities aimed at mitigating damage caused to skid trails, roads and water-courses, and conditions for managing wildlife on and around logging concessions. This is followed by chapters that provide guidelines on the planning and hygiene of logging camps, the servicing and repair of equipment, workforce qualification and training, and safety measures.

    The code also features an important chapter on the principles of control, monitoring and evaluation of harvesting, which serve to examine the extent to which planning and RIL guidelines have been observed during operations.

    The French version of the Code is currently available from the Forest Products Service FAO. To receive a copy, send an email to Forest-Harvesting@fao.org. The English version of the Code is currently in print.

    For more information on the Code régional modèle d'exploitation forestière à faible impact dans les forêts denses tropicales humides d'Afrique centrale et de l'Ouest contact Forest-Harvesting@fao.org .

    • Environmentally sound forest harvesting in Brazil

    FAO Forest Harvesting Case Study 19

    This case study was written by Stefan Wellhöfer .

    This study is a follow-up to a previous study in this series (Winkler 1997). Both studies were undertaken in a managed natural forest near Itacoatiara, about 230 km west of Manaus, in the Amazon region in Brazil. The two studies were conducted in collaboration with Precious Woods Amazon (PWA), the Brazilian subsidiary of Precious Woods AG located in Zurich, Switzerland.

    The purpose of this re-examination was to assess the condition of the forest four years after logging had been completed. For this purpose, assessments were undertaken of regeneration within felling gaps and on skid trails, water infiltration rates on skid trails, the current status of potential crop trees, and the condition of residual trees of commercial species. Two plots, one treated with "conventional" logging techniques and the other with "environmentally sound" harvesting system were examined.

    Some results:

    Post-harvest assessments of the biotic impact of harvesting operations and the regeneration of harvested areas provide basic information on the future economic and ecological potential of the forests and the sustainability of their use. The composition of tree species in the forest plots gives an impression of the future stability and potential economic value of the forests.

  • Regeneration of seedlings, saplings and poles of both commercial and non-commercial tree species was generally satisfactory and appeared adequate to permit full recovery of the forest ecosystem over time.
  • There was no significant difference in the numbers or sizes of trees or in the numbers of tree species regenerating, between the two treatment areas (Table 1).
  • There was no significant difference between regeneration in skid trails in the two treatment areas. However, the plot treated with conventional logging was much more heavily covered with skid trails than the plot treated with environmentally sound harvesting.

    Table 1. Density of regeneration in canopy gaps

    “Environmentally Sound” plot

    Gap no.

    1

    2

    3

    4

    Mean

    Gap area, m2

     503

      69

      89

    150

    203

    Frequency of commercial tree species per m2

    0.17

    0.18

    0.42

    0.28

    0.26

    Frequency of non-commercial tree species per m2

    0.50

    2.30

    1.50

    1.05

    1.34

    “Conventional” plot

    Gap no.

    1

    2

    3

    4

    Mean

    Gap area, m2

     204

     158

      66

    531

    215

    Frequency of commercial tree species per m2

    0.27

    0.30

    0.23

    0.27

    0.27

    Frequency of non-commercial tree species per m2

    1.70

    0.85

    1.05

    1.50

    1.28

    The general health status and damage to stems and crowns of residual trees of commercial species four years after harvesting operations can be taken as an indicator of the future development of the forest.

  • The total number of residual trees shows a great difference in the two cutting units-the number is twice as high in the plot treated with "environmentally sound harvesting," as in the plot treated with "conventional logging". The comparisons of residual wood volume show even larger differences, as the mean diameter and thus the average volume per tree is higher in Plot B/G09 as well. (Table 2)
  • Similarly, damage to stem and crown was significantly worse in the plot treated with "conventional logging" than in the plot treated with "environmentally sound harvesting."

    Table 2 Characteristics of residual trees of commercial species with DBH = 50 cm.

     

    No. of trees/ha

    Ave. dbh (cm)

    Ave. vol. per tree m3

    Ave. vol. m3/ha

    Environmentally sound harvesting

      6.8

    52

    3.4

    23.1

    Conventional harvesting

    13.5

    55

    3.6

    48.6

    In the period since 1997, several significant problems have been identified by PWA that could influence the future of the PWA project, including unusually long rainy seasons and unreliable inventory data. If these difficulties are overcome, the success of the PWA project will continue to provide an excellent example for other forest companies operating in primary tropical forests. At the same time, if PWA is to retain its reputation as an outstanding example it must give continued attention to maintaining its practice of environmentally sound harvesting, training harvesting crews, and carefully maintaining its infrastructure.

    References

    Winkler, N. 1997 Environmentally Sound Forest Harvesting. Testing the Applicability of the FAO Model Code in the Amazon in Brazil. FAO Forest Harvesting Case Study No. 8. FAO, Rome. 78 pp.

    • News from the field
    AFRICA REGION

    The Fourth Session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission was held in Accra, Ghana, from 18 to 21 February 2004. The session was attended by 83 representatives from 29 member countries and observer countries, and four UN Agencies.

    A side meeting was held to inform and discuss with participants the Regional Code of Practice which was launched at the World Forestry Congress in Quebec City, Canada, in September 2003. Copies of the code were made available in both French and English, and a background note was distributed to facilitate discussions. The Regional Code is viewed as a non-legally binding set of guidelines and benchmarks for improved harvesting, applicable to all countries of Central and West Africa with tropical moist forests. It is intended primarily to serve as a reference for those African countries that are considering the adoption or revision of their own national codes of forest harvesting practice.

    The reaction of participants was positive and constructive. The awareness-raising was welcomed and it was suggested that it be extended to technical schools and research institutions. Research institutions were also called upon to include the impact of logging in their programmes.

    ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

    Implementing policies aimed at sustainable forest management, especially improved forest harvesting, is one of the most difficult challenges facing countries of the Asia-Pacific region. FAO's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is helping to meet the challenge by assisting member countries of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) in developing and implementing national codes of practice for forest harvesting. Specific support is also being provided for training, awareness-raising and exchange of technical knowledge.

    Economic considerations are a key determining factor in decisions regarding the adoption of RIL practices. To support better decision making, FAO has assisted in the development and dissemination of RILSIM, a Reduced-Impact Logging SIMulator. RILSIM is a software package enabling comparative financial analysis of logging systems. With financial support from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and in collaboration with the Sarawak Timber Association (Malaysia) and the School of International Tropical Forestry of the University Malaysia Sabah, FAO organized a series of five promotion and training seminars in November 2003 to familiarize potential users with RILSIM and to obtain feedback on the effectiveness of the software.

    Dennis Dykstra is currently working on the development of Version 2 of RILSIM. Version 1, released in June 2003 as a package that included a CD-ROM and User's Guide, has been "sold out" since December last year and is currently available only as a free download from http://www.blueoxforestry.com/ . The new version will offer substantially increased capabilities based on suggestions received during the promotion and training seminars. It is anticipated that RILSIM 2.0 will be available for distribution by August 2004. Again it will be offered on CD-ROM with a printed User's Guide, and again the package will be free, thanks to sponsorship by the US Agency for International Development and the International Programs Office (Asia-Pacific Region) of the USDA Forest Service. The Code of Practice for Forest Harvesting in the Asia-Pacific, developed by the APFC, has been widely disseminated since it was published by FAO in 1999. Over the past five years, many countries in the region have initiated programmes aimed at improving forest harvesting, consistent with the regional code. A flurry of projects has been undertaken, with support from various international and national organizations, to translate the expressed political commitment into changes on the ground. But while the number of activities and proposals for new activities has increased steadily, little is known about their overall impact. To gain better insight into implementation progress, FAO is collaborating with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take stock of countries' experiences in developing and implementing national codes of practice. The review will draw lessons that will be used for:

     
  • accelerating the improvement of forest harvesting in ASEAN member countries;
  • targeting and prioritizing future supportive activities; and
  • identifying opportunities for future ASEAN and APFC collaboration in improving forest harvesting.

    Targeted assistance has also been provided to Mongolia to publish its national code and to China to enhance training programmes in support of the National Code of Practice for Forest Harvesting in China. In the Philippines, the Society of Filipino Foresters has facilitated the development of a code of practice for community-based harvesting in the country's residual forests and plantations. Harvesting in these forests is typically labour-intensive and water buffaloes are commonly used for skidding and transport, which necessitates a specialized code for practices that are very distinct from large-scale mechanized operations in other parts of the region. These national initiatives are being supported by a grant from the USDA Forest Service.

    A new regional project, supported by the Government of Japan, entitled Enhancing Sustainable Forest Harvesting in Asia, commenced in June 2003. It is providing assistance to Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam in strengthening national capacities for developing and implementing national codes and applying reduced impact logging practices. Project beneficiaries are mainly the various stakeholders concerned with forest harvesting operations. For more information please contact Thomas.Enters@fao.org

    LATIN AMERICAN AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION

    The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) hosted the Fourth Meeting of the Ad-HOC Working Group on Continental Forestry in the Caribbean from March 30 through April 1, 2004 at Bamboo Landing, Berbice River. The Workshop was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (SLAC, Barbados) with support from World Wildlife Fund (Guianas), the Forestry Training Centre and Variety Woods and Greenheart Limited (a forest enterprise). Participants were primarily decision-makers in the forestry sector, and represented Belize, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana. Field demonstrations were conducted at the Charabaru District, Upper Demerara River.

    HEADQUARTERS

    Impacts of Pitsawing in Africa
    FAO is currently conducting a review of the pitsawing industry in Uganda and chainsaw logging in Ghana. The reviews seek to highlight negative and positive impacts of these practices and the approach of policy makers in both countries to dealing with the respective industries.

    Pitsawing and chainsaw logging provide jobs (and therefore livelihoods) for several categories of people, including the operators, porters, machine operators and sellers. In Ghana there is a policy for sawmills to supply 10% of their production to the local market, but in reality 99% of the local lumber supply is from chainsaw logging. It is further argued that supplies from the mills are rather expensive. In Uganda on the other hand, there is no stipulation on how much timber should be supplied to the local market by sawmills. Pitsawing however provides about 80% of the sawn timber on the local market.

    Chainsaw logging is considered illegal in Ghana (and has been banned), because it is perceived as wasteful and also compromises the sustainability of the forest resources. In Uganda there is a ban on pitsawing in government reserves, however, a strict zoning policy allows pitsawyers to operate in specific forest areas: sustainable utilization areas and buffer areas; which are monitored by the Forest Department.

    This review will:

  • examine the impacts of pitsawing in Uganda and chainsaw logging in Ghana on forest policy and management of natural forests in the two countries;
  • assess the importance of the industries for the local timber market and employment as well as the implications for the import/export market;
  • determine the impact of these operations on the livelihoods of dependent communities; and
  • discuss the future scenarios with regards to the industries.

    Readers are welcome to send their comments to Simmone Rose, Forestry Officer (Impact Assessments) Simmone.Rose@fao.org

    Environmental impact assessments
    Environmental impact assessment (EIAs) are today required and applied in many countries as a process to predict potential environmental risks, to plan mitigation measures, to identify negative impacts, and to develop monitoring procedures. Although the application of EIA in forestry is not widespread in developing countries, EIA requirements for forestry projects are a reality to which private operators, technical staff of ministries and civil society organizations deal with increasingly. EIAs are also recognised as a tool for regulating the implementation and compliance with international commitments to environmental protection taken by countries.

    The basic features of EIA (support to decision making, early application and analysis of alternatives; interdisciplinary approach; comprehensive, resource-effective, flexible, public participation and public access) are relevant to the work that FAO carries out in the promotion of sustainable utilization of forests, and of responsible harvesting in particular. Finding simple, correct and cost-effective procedures for EIA application in countries with scarce environmental data and where both project proponents and project appraisers are new to EIA, is one of the aims of FOP work. Coordination between different ministries and other national institutions is a key element to overcome these shortcomings.

    As part of its work on mainstreaming environmental aspects in forest utilization, FOP collects, information and experiences on the application of EIA in forestry, for example on: the legal requirements: for what activities is an EIA required by law in the country; the institutional setting: who carries out EIA for proposed forestry projects and who reviews EIA reports and studies, costs, gaps and needs identified. We welcome readers' knowledge and experience in this field.

    For more information, please contact: Laura Russo, Forestry Officer (Environment and Utilization) Laura.Russo@fao.org

    Forest Harvesting Code for Latin America and the Caribbean
    The Forest Products Service will commence preparations for the Forest Harvesting Code for tropical moist forests of Latin America and the Caribbean this year. It should be the fruit of collaboration between many organizations associated with tropical forestry and forest management in Latin America including, FAO's Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission.

    The Regional Code is intended to be used as a reference by FAO Member Countries that are contemplating the preparation of national codes of forest harvesting practice, if not already in place. It is therefore being prepared, to provide information on a range of practices that are likely to be acceptable under various conditions, and also on practices which may damage timber or non-timber forest resources.

    To do this, it is important to know what practices are technically and economically feasible. Political institutions can then be used to establish policies and legislation, within in the context of the country's cultural and sociological framework that will motivate or enforce the adoption of such practices. The basic assumption of the Regional Code is that it is possible to conduct forest harvesting operations in ways that are consistent with sustainable forest management.

    The Code will be introduced at a side event during the 23rd session of FAO's Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission meeting in San José, Costa Rica, 20 October 2004.

    For more information or comments, please contact: Joachim Lorbach, Forestry Officer (Forest Engineering Systems) Joachim.Lorbach@fao.org

    • Meeting reports

    Team of Specialists on Gender and Forestry The first meeting for the Joint FAO/ECE/ILO Committee's Team of Specialists on Gender and Forestry in Europe and North America was held 23 April 2004 in Rome. The team has been charged with among other things developing criteria and indicators to reflect gender aspects in sustainable forest management and promoting national networks of women in forestry. Over the next two years the team will focus on gender structures in forest organizations and forest ownership and gender and the perception of forests. For more information please contact Anna.Springfors@fao.org  

    Team of Specialists on Forest Contracting in Europe The opening session of the UNECE/FAO Team of Specialists (ToS) on Best Practices was held on the 3rd of May 2004 in Rome at FAO Headquarters. This meeting was aimed at (i) building the team, (ii) determining a team leader and a responsible secretariat member, (iii) developing a work structure and (iv) assigning tasks and responsibilities for the team members in order to achieve the team's major output "Guidelines on Good Practice in Contract Labor in Forestry" to be finalized before end of 2005. For more information please contact Joachim.Lorbach@fao.org  

    ErgoWood (Ergo efficient Mechanised Logging Operations)

    This is a three-year project funded by the European Commission to develop guidelines on ergonomic matters for European users, buyers and manufacturers of forest machines. It is hoped that the project will encourage and promote the development of safe and efficient forest machines, as well as the improvement of the sustainability in human resources. The project also involves developing and sharing good examples of work-crew building, work-shift scheduling, job-rotation and work enlargement in logging operation. The measured effects will be presented in terms of economic, social and health output. For more information see http://www.spm.slu.se/ergowood/index.htm

    Publications

    DeLong, S.C.; Fall S.A. & Sutherland, G.D. 2004 Estimating the impacts of harvest distribution on road-building and snag abundance. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 34 (2): 323-331.

    Hall J.S.; Harris D.J.; Medjibe V. & Ashton P.M.S. 2003 The effects of selective logging on forest structure and tree species composition in a Central African forest: implications for management of conservation areas. Forest Ecology and Management, 183 (1): 249-264.

    International expert meeting on the development and implementation of national codes of practice for forest harvesting: issues and options. International Forestry Cooperation Office, Forestry Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, Tokyo, Japan. Proceedings of an expert meeting held in Japan 17-20 November 2003.

    Kilgore, M.A. & Blinn, C.R. 2004 Encouraging the application of sustainable timber harvesting practices: A review of policy tool use and effectiveness in the eastern United States. Water, Air and Soil Pollution: Focus 4(1): 203-216.

    Macdonald, P. & Clow, M. 2003 What a difference a skidder makes: the role of technology in the origins of the industrialization of tree harvesting systems. History and Technology, 19(2): 127-149.

    Schwab, O., Pulkki, R. & Bull, G.Q. (Updated 2003). Reduced impact logging in tropical forests: literature synthesis, analysis and prototype statistical framework. FAO Forest Products Division, Working Paper FOP/08. FAO Rome. 283 pp.

    Sist P.; Sheil D.; Kartawinata K. & Priyadi H. 2003 Reduced-impact logging in Indonesian Borneo: some results confirming the need for new silvicultural prescriptions. Forest Ecology and Management, 179(1): 415-427.

    Wellhöfer, S. 2002 Environmentally sound forest harvesting in Brazil, FAO Forest Harvesting Case Study 19, FAO Rome, 25 pp.

    Meetings

    Sustainable Harvest Scenarios in Forest Management. 25 - 27 August 2004, Tále, The Low Tatras, Slovakia. Contact: ma-rusak@vsld.tuzvo.sk or see http://iufro.boku.ac.at

    FAO/ECE/ILO Seminar on building bridges between people and forests: changing roles of State Forest Services. 12-16 September 2004, Groningen, the Netherlands.

    1st International Conference on Environmentally Compatible Forest Products. 22 - 24 September 2004, Oporto, Portugal. For details see: http://www.ufp.pt/events.php?intId=10038

    Forest Engineering: New Techniques, Technologies and the Environment. 5 - 10 October 2004, Lviv, Ukraine. Contact: styran@forest.lviv.ua  or see http://iufro.boku.ac.at/

    17th Commonwealth Forestry Conference: Forestry's Contribution to poverty reduction. 28 February - 5 March 2005, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Contact: forlib@sltnet.lk or libby.jones@forestry.gsi.gov.uk .

    17th Session of the Committee on Forestry. 14 - 18 March 2005, Rome, Italy. Contact: Douglas.Kneeland@fao.org