lingkar21: 01/07/08

--
Bambang Ryadi Soetrisno
http://lingkar21.blogspot.com

------------------------------- Pesan Awal -------------------------------
Judul Surat: NWFP-Digest-L No. 5/08
Dari: "Etherington, Tina (FOIP)" <Tina.Etherington@fao.org>
Tanggal: Rab, 30 Juli 2008, 19:33
Kepada: nwfp-digest-L@mailserv.fao.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

NWFP-Digest-L

No. 5/08

Welcome to FAOâ€™s NWFP-Digest-L, a free e-mail journal that covers all
aspects
of non-wood forest products. Back issues of the Digest may be found on FAO's
NWFP home page: www.fao.org/forestry/site/12980/en.

You can take part in contributing to the continued success of this newsletter
by sharing with the NWFP community any news that you may have regarding
research, events, publications and projects. Kindly send such information to
NWFP-Digest-L@mailserv.fao.org <mailto:NWFP-Digest-L@mailserv.fao.org> . We
also appreciate any comments or feedback.

A special thank you to all those who have sent me links to information and a
warm welcome to the very many new subscribers.

==============================================================

IN THIS ISSUE:

PRODUCTS

1. Agarwood in high demand (Thailand)

2. Bamboo: Building on bamboo

3. Bamboo bridge spans the River Tyne (UK)

4. Baobab: New exotic fruit to hit UK shops

5. Berries (Goji berry): 'Super berry' poses risk to UK's
tomato and potato crops

6. Berries (Synsepalum dulcificum): Miracle fruit turns sour
into sweet

7. Brazil nuts in Peru: A lot of nuts, a lot of noise

8. Bushmeat: The other food crisis

9. Gum Arabic: Sudan's manna from heaven and strategic
weapon

10. Honey: Battling the MRSA Superbug with Manuka Honey

11. Honey in the USA: Distinctive flavors inhabit honey

12. Medicinal plants: Scientists in malaria battle

13. Moringa: HIV/AIDS Caregivers urged to provide quality care

14. Moringa: Planting of malunggay trees encouraged in schools

15. Moringa: Himalayan tree offers fuel crop hope

16. Mushrooms: Antibiotic-producing mushroom discovered

17. Mushrooms in Bhutan: Generating Yartsa Goenbub in the lab

18. Mulberry: Useful protein found in mulberry

19. Stevia: Coke, Cargill launch Stevia-based sweetener

20. Stevia in Kenya: Finlays in medicinal herb venture

21. Truffles take off in WA, Australia

COUNTRY INFORMATION

22. Australia: Sandalwood plantation for far north

23. Bolivia: 2008 exports of forest products from La Paz and
Santa Cruz drop 26%

24. Cameroon: Studies recommend more forest access for Baka
Pygmies

25. Canada: Ontario to preserve one-half of its Boreal Forest,
more than 55 million acres

26. China: ADB helps China improve Baiyangdian Ecosystem

27. Ecuador Constitutional Assembly votes to approve rights of
nature in new constitution

28. Ghana: MOFA makes advances to boost Sheanut production

29. India: Centrally sponsored Scheme on National Mission on
Medicinal Plants

30. India: Villagers in Orissa depend on Mahua flowers for their
livelihood

31. India: East India Leather is now an exclusive geo product

32. Kenya wins international recognition for forests

33. Mali: Forum des investisseurs sur la filiÃ¨re-karitÃ© au
Mali

34. Qatar: Bioprospecting plant genetic resources

35. Solomon Islands: Honey production encouraged

36. Turkey: Turkish valley to be developed as ecotourism area

NEWS

37. Africans urged to 'eat locally' at poor people's summit

38. Climate friendly cars: Prototype sustainable wooden car
unveiled

39. Global Forest Plan could boost fight against poverty and
climate change

EVENTS

40. â€œTrees Connecting People: In Action Togetherâ€

41. BfD Beekeepers' Safaris â€" latest dates

42. "Poplars, willows and people's wellbeing" â€" 23rd
Session of the International Poplar Commission Conference

43. Cultivated Agarwood in Vietnam; A guided field tour of
successful Agarwood production in the Mekong Delta.

44. Training programme: â€˜Governance for forests,
nature and
peopleâ€™

REQUESTS

45. Request for information: Curaua fiber

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

46. Internship: the potential of Non-Timber Forest Products

LITERATURE REVIEW AND WEB SITES

47. Africa â€" Atlas of our Changing Environment now
available

48. Other publications of interest

49. Web sites and e-zines

MISCELLANEOUS

50. African 'wall of trees' gets underway

51. Mexico plants 8 million trees in latest green project

52. Papua New Guineaâ€™s forests all but gone in 13 years

PRODUCTS

1. Agarwood in high demand (Thailand)

Source: Thai News Agency MCOT, Thailand, 27 June 2008

High quality agarwood, which is black and full of oil, can fetch high prices
of up to tens of thousands of baht. Agarwood producers in the eastern
province of Rayong have more than 500 members from all over the country. They
work together to produce agarwood from selecting agarwood species to
processing the wood.

Every piece of agarwood is valuable as wood bits and chips can be
used to make aromatic incense sticks, which cost 800 baht per kilogramme.

White parts of the wood scraps can also be distilled to make
aromatic essential oil, which can be sold at more than 10,000 baht for 11g.

Dregs left over from the distillation process are made into
special oil used in Muslim religious ceremonies. As a result, most customers
come from Middle East nations, while some European countries also need
aromatic agarwood oil to make perfume.

Archin Kittipon, Committee member, Agarwood Producers Group said
â€œWe can plant about 200-300 agarwood trees in 2.5 acres of land. The
capital
cost is around 3,000-5,000 baht. After four to five years, we can sell an
Agarwood tree without heartwood at 2,000-3,000 baht. â€

Agarwood growers have to wait almost 10 years until Agarwood
heartwood is ready for harvesting. Itâ€™s worth waiting though, because there
is high demand for Agarwood. Although it is precious, agarwood traders said
some Thai people had no idea what it looked like or how to earn money from
this economic woodâ€¦ legally of course.

For full story, please see: http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=4952

2. Bamboo: Building on bamboo

Source: Business Line, India, 13 July 2008

The decline in timber availability and emergence of new technologies and
product options has spurred interest in bamboo and coir-based composites as
wood substitutes for the building industry. Bamboo-based panels and boards
are hard and durable and may successfully substitute hard wood products.

India, being a timber-deficit country, relies heavily on imports.
Its annual requirement is about 40 million cu m but only about 0.25 million
cu m is available locally. To meet the increasing demand for wood-based panel
products, there is a need to identify substitutes. A study by FAO forecasts
that wood-based panel consumption in Asia and Oceania will grow at an overall
average of 5.3 percent per year to reach 105 million cu m by 2010, which is
well above the average rate of 4 percent per year for the world as a whole.

The growing consumption, by about 20,000 interior designers and
architects in the country, would translate into clearing of 50,753 acres of
forest. An exhibition conducted as part of the All India Seminar on National
Building Code of India 2005 has lined-up several eco-friendly products
required for the building industry, which will enhance comfort while reducing
cost.

In a paper presented at the all India seminar on National
Building Code of India, Mr M. R. Anil Kumar, MD, Kerala State Bamboo
Corporation, said that bamboo is quickly transforming its image from a `Poor
Manâ€™s treeâ€™ to a high-tech industrial raw material. Bamboo, which is
now a
globally recognised substitute for wood, can be processed into wooden
products that may successfully compete with conventional wood products in
price and performance. Engineered bamboo may well replace wood, steel and
concrete in many uses. Bamboo-based composite products provide promising
linkages between the organised and unorganised sectors, for instance,
resin-bonded boards made from hand-woven mats.

The highest priority needs to be accorded to mat-based
composites, including flattened bamboo boards, bamboo jute composites,
corrugated roofing, shuttering material and mat glass fibre composites
because of the employment intensity and linkages between industrial-scale
bamboo units and the cottage sector.

The second set of composites is solid wood segment â€" laminated
flooring, furniture sections and other high value products. All bamboo-based
wood substitutes have extremely high viability with an internal rate of
return varying from 27 to 30 percent depending upon the scale of
manufacturing and cost of raw material.

Replacing wood based panels and hard wood with bamboo mat
boards/flattened bamboo boards and flooring tiles is now a fairly
well-documented, demonstrated and commercialized technology. Bamboo-based ply
is competitive in pricing. Removal of bottlenecks on the supply side should
create further downward pressure on prices. There has also been a demand for
commercialisation of bamboo as an enterprise at the farmersâ€™ level.

Bamboo should be promoted in the industrial scene through
appropriate tie-up arrangements with bamboo-based industries such as paper,
handicrafts and the new emerging areas of eco-friendly products such as like
housing tiles, flooring and bamboo shoots.

For full story, please see:
www.thehindubusinessline.com/iw/2008/07/13/stories/2008071350971700.htm

3. Bamboo bridge spans the River Tyne (UK)

Source: Building.co.uk, UK, 16 July 2008

The River Tyne is about to get another bridge, this time made out of bamboo.
The 100m span structure is being built by Australian firm Bambuco to mark the
beginning of the Summer Tyne festival. It will be supported on 25m towers and
is being hand built by riggers who are manually piecing the structure
together using 20 tonnes of bamboo.

Engineering consultant Faber Maunsell has used 3D analytical
software to develop the design and ensure that it is compliant with UK
standards. John Longthorne, director at Faber Maunsell, said: â€œThe River
Tyne
is famous for its bridges, each a feat of engineering in its own right.
Bambucoâ€™s bamboo bridge carries on that tradition, being the first
suspension
bridge across the lower reaches of the Tyne and an interesting counterpoint
to the parabolic arches of the adjacent Millennium and Tyne bridges."

The bridge is due to be completed this Friday. When it is
dismantled the bamboo will be reused.

For full story, please see:
www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=284&storycode=3118413&c=0

4. Baobab: New exotic fruit to hit UK shops

Source: BBC News, 15 July 2008

An unusual fruit from a native African tree, the baobab, is to be available
in the UK after being approved by the EU. The fruit, contained in a hard
nut, has six times more vitamin C than oranges and twice as much calcium as
milk.

African people have eaten the fruit for thousands of years, but
Europeans will consume its pulp as an ingredient in smoothies and cereal
bars.

Since 1997, foods not commonly consumed in the EU have had to be
formally approved before going on sale.

The baobab tree grows throughout certain parts of Africa and has
many different uses. The leaves can be eaten as relish and the fruit
dissolved in milk or water and used as a drink. The seeds also yield an
edible oil and can be eaten raw or roasted.

The fruit, bark and leaves of the tree are used to treat medical
problems including fevers and kidney disease.

However, EU customers will not be able to try out the many
traditional uses of the tree and its fruit, which is six to eight inches
(15cm to 20cm) long. The fruit will be removed from its nut and the pulp,
which is white, powdery and has a cheese-like texture, will be used as an
ingredient in products such as cereal bars.

The non-profit trade association which has been lobbying for the
EU approval, PhytoTrade Africa, hopes the demand for the fruit will mean
employment for millions of African people.

Gus Le Breton, the association's chief executive, said: "The EU
decision is a crucial step to developing the global market which could be
worth up to Â£500m a year. Dozens of companies have shown interest in baobab
since we submitted the application and many have already conducted initial
research. Now that approval has been given, they can progress to full-scale
product development."

The baobab tree can live for hundreds of years. Its trunk can
grow up to 50ft (15m) in circumference and reach a height of 98ft (30m). Some
baobab trees, which are 80% water, are hollow and have been used as bars,
shops and even prisons.

For full story, please see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7506997.stm

5. Berries: (Goji berry): 'Super berry' poses risk to UK's tomato and
potato crops

Source: Independent, UK, 20 July 2008

Goji berries might look innocuous, but the current craze for this "superfood"
â€" fuelled by the endorsement of celebrities â€" could devastate Britain's
multimillion-pound tomato and potato crops.

The Government has alerted farmers to the threat after it
revealed last week that nearly 90,000 goji berry plants, which can carry
diseases that are lethal to other crops, have been illegally imported from
East Asia in the past year. Some of the plants have been destroyed but it is
feared that most are already in the gardens of goji- berry enthusiasts.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
has issued a warning to commercial growers, garden centres and gardeners,
while the National Farmers' Union has warned that disease carried by the
bright red berries could be "devastating".

"There are particular concerns over this," said Chris Hartfield,
horticulture adviser to the NFU. "Put simply, because goji plants are part of
the Solanaceae family â€" the same as potatoes and tomatoes â€" the bugs can
travel on the goji plants, then easily move to, say, potatoes, where they
debilitate the crop." He added: "The retail value of British tomato
production is Â£150m, and potatoes are worth more than that, so the size of
the industry that is under threat is pretty massive. If some bugs were to
arrive here, they would be devastating."

The goji berry, also known as Lycium barbarum, contains up to 500
times more vitamin C than an orange, and is native to the Tibetan Himalayas.
It has been used for medicinal purposes in China for centuries.

Demand in Britain has soared in the past year after the berry
became the latest "superfood" to be endorsed by celebrities and health
experts. The Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate warned there is a
"substantial trade" in prohibited goji plants in the UK. Seeds and berries
can be imported from anywhere in the world, but only plants grown within the
European Union are permitted to be imported to the UK, because they are
certified to be free of disease.

Defra sought last night to allay farmers' fears about the risks
of any major outbreak, saying the chances of widespread disease were
relatively low, because of weak connections between amateur gardeners and
commercial vegetable growers.

For full story, please see:
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/super-berry
-poses-risk-to-uks-tomato-and-potato-crops-872401.html

6. Berries (Synsepalum dulcificum): Miracle fruit turns sour into
sweet

Source: The Money Times, India, 1 July 2008

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- A Florida grower said demand is rising for a red
berry nicknamed "miracle fruit" that can make sour things taste sweet. Curtis
Mozie said the berries, which are native to West Africa, change taste for
more than two hours, making sour things such as limes taste like candy, the
South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Monday.

Scientists said the berry, Synsepalum dulcificum, contains a
glycoprotein called miraculin that changes taste.

Mozie, who has more than a thousand "miracle fruit" trees in his
orchard, charges $3 a berry and ships 3,000 berries a week, the newspaper
said.

Cancer treatment centers
<http://www.themoneytimes.com/news/20080701/miracle_fruit_turns_sour_into_swe
et-id-1027782.html> have contacted him to see if the fruit will boost the
appetite of chemotherapy
<http://www.themoneytimes.com/news/20080701/miracle_fruit_turns_sour_into_swe
et-id-1027782.html> patients, the newspaper said.

For full story, please see:
www.themoneytimes.com/news/20080701/miracle_fruit_turns_sour_into_sweet-id-10
27782.html

7. Brazil nuts in Peru: A lot of nuts, a lot of noise

Source: Living in Peru, Peru, 15 July 2008

Scientifically known as Bertholletia excelsa, the Brazil Nut, despite its
name, is not exclusive to that country and, contrary to common sense, the
main producer is Bolivia. This type of nut grows naturally in the humid
forests of Bolivia, Brazil and Peru and comes from one of the highest tress
in the tropical Amazon region. Curiously, the locally named Brazil Nut is
known in this country under the name of â€œCastaÃ±a de Paraâ€ while in
Bolivia is
identified as â€œCastaÃ±a del Beniâ€.

Leaving the anecdotic name aside, the Brazilian Nut has a very
dynamic demand globally that has risen with the increased consumption of
healthy products. Also, considering that this product is an excellent source
of selenium, magnesium and thiamine and is full of proteins and
carbohydrates, it constitutes an ideal diuretic food and a medicinal option
for ear affections.

Taking advantage of that trend, Peruvian exports of Brazil Nuts
area expanding to new markets, such as Hong Kong and Vietnam, in addition to
the traditional list of countries like the United States, the United Kingdom
and Canada, which together account for almost 92% of our current exports.

Between January and September 2007, the volume of exported Brazil
nuts grew by 4.7%, overcoming the barrier of US$10 million. Even though the
United States is already the main market for this product, it is important to
notice that due to the preferences of the PTPA that will enter into force in
January 2009, our country faces the opportunity of increasing its sales to
this market using the preferential access.

On the other hand, given the fact that Peru exports Brazilian
nuts in a primary state, our country faces also the challenge of selling
these products with greater transformation. So, we could sell nuts without
shells and toasted, packed for snacks or to be used in chocolates, candies
and bakery products in general. Additionally, it is possible to explore the
potential hidden of this product for the cosmetic industry as an input for
oils, make up and beauty products.

Then, it is evident that in this, as in many cases, our country
has a wide potential to expand its sales to this market but also has the
opportunity to increase the value of the exported products and obtain greater
profits that may give an extra impulse to the generation of more and better
jobs for Peruvians.

For full story, please see: www.livinginperu.com/blogs/business/512

8. Bushmeat: The other food crisis

Source: CIFOR POLEX, 17 July 2008

Conservationists have long argued that the hunting of terrestrial wildlife
for food â€" including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians â€" poses a
threat to the survival of many tropical forest species and ecosystems. A new
study suggests we should be equally concerned that the so-called â€œbushmeat
crisisâ€ is also a food security crisis for many forest-dependent people.

â€œConservation and Use of Wildlife-Based Resources: The
Bushmeat
Crisisâ€, a technical paper published by the Secretariat of the
Convention on
Biological Diversity and CIFOR, summarizes the state of knowledge on this
controversial topic. According to Nasi et al, the bushmeat trade constitutes
a significant, if largely hidden, component of the economies of tropical
forest countries, with estimates ranging from US$42-205 million per year for
countries in West and Central Africa. However, â€œvoluminous and variedâ€
empirical evidence suggests that current rates of bushmeat extraction are
unsustainable, and are leading to wildlife depletion in many areas. Large
mammal species are particularly vulnerable, and many are already locally
extinct.

The â€œempty forest syndromeâ€ is not just of interest to
conservationists. Bushmeat is an important source of protein and fats in
rural diets â€" up to 80 percent in Central Africa â€" as well as an
important
seasonal safety net. And in many countries, there is no clear substitute
available if wild meat sources were to be depleted, or off-take reduced to
sustainable levels.

Bushmeatâ€™s importance to rural livelihoods is not restricted to
its direct consumption. Research suggests that the poorest households are
more dependent than the rich on bushmeat sales to local and urban markets.
Thus, the conventional wisdom that commercial trade can be banned without
harming the subsistence needs of the poor is misguided.

The report suggests that sustainable management of bushmeat
resources requires different approaches for different species and
circumstances. For example, species with low intrinsic population growth
rates and high dependence on undisturbed habitat â€" such as gorillas â€" are
particularly vulnerable to overhunting. By contrast, fast reproducing
generalist species that thrive in agricultural mosaics â€" such as duikers or
rodents â€" may be very resilient to hunting pressure. Blanket bans on
hunting
and trade that donâ€™t discriminate between these extremes are bound to fail.

The authors argue that the solution to the bushmeat crisis is a
more secure rights regime: if local people are guaranteed the benefits of
sustainable land use and hunting practices, they will be willing to invest in
sound management and negotiate selective hunting regimes. Sustainable
management of bushmeat resources requires bringing the sector out into the
open, removing the stigma of illegality, and including wild meat consumption
in national statistics and planning.

Reframing the bushmeat problem from one of international animal
welfare to one of sustainable livelihoods â€" and part of the global food
crisis â€" might be a good place to start.

Citation: Nasi, R.; Brown, D.; Wilkie, D.; Bennett, E.; Tutin, C.; van Tol,
G.; Christophersen, T. 2007. Conservation and Use of Wildlife-Based
Resources: The Bushmeat Crisis. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological
Diversity, Montreal, and Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR),
Bogor. Technical Series no. 33, 50 pages.
http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-33-en.pdf

9. Gum Arabic: Sudan's manna from heaven and strategic weapon

Source: AFP, 9 July 2008

Khartoum (AFP) â€" In Sudan, gum arabic is "manna" from heaven and a key
ingredient in iconic brands of globalisation despite US sanctions on this
African country listed as a state sponsor of terror in Washington.

Hands covered in balls of see-through resin, Issam Siddig, the
boss of Mannafibre Company, is categorical: gum arabic is the food which both
the Bible and the Koran say fell from heaven to save the Israelites from
starvation during their sojourn in the Sinai desert. For him the acacia sap
is a "pure miracle".

In Saharan Africa, the gum grows west to east, from Senegal to
Somalia. Sudan is the world powerhouse of "manna", providing more than half
the total and the best variety, known as Hashab.

Sudan, Chad and Nigeria -- all three deeply troubled countries
that produce 95 percent of the 60,000 tonnes of gum exported each year in the
world -- would like to set up a cartel like oil's OPEC.

In Sudan, "the worst enemies are locust and man, locust fights
against the gum and men are fighting each other," says Abdelazim Mirghani,
head of the Sudanese forestry commission. One particularly virulent locust
attack decimated crops in 1993.

In antiquity, the gum was extracted by making an incision in the
trunk of acacia trees. It was coveted by the Egyptians who used it as glue
for their mummies.

The British and French fought during colonial times for access to
the tasteless and odourless gum used in textiles, paint, ink, confectionery
and to stick the first postage stamps.

Today, gum is used in hair gel, chewing gum, and soft drinks such
as Coca Cola, first sold by an Atlanta drug store in 1886. As a natural
carbohydrate, gum arabic is the special emulsifier bringing together water,
which accounts for 90 percent, and the still secret "7 X" trademark formula
of the drink sold in 200 countries. Siddig says he supplies, through an agent
in London, Pepsi Cola -- the other great US brand based on the cola nut.

Sudan is a country entrenched in the most infamous war in Africa
-- Darfur. Washington put Sudan on the list of state sponsors of terrorism in
1993 and has imposed US sanctions since 1997. Yet the US embassy in Khartoum
confirmed that the United States imports gum arabic from Sudan.

"(It's) not really an embargo, not a real one. Lobbies in America
were very active. There is a quota... I have myself a licence, selling them
1,200 tons (a year)," says Siddig. "(It's) more expensive through agents, in
the UK, Italy, France. The French in particular are taking advantage of these
sanctions," he adds, describing France's CNI as a main provider to Coca Cola.
A global leader with a 35-percent share of the market, French company
Iranex-CNI imports gum arabic from Sudan and re-exports it everywhere,
chiefly to the United States after processing the gum in France.

Constantly changing, one ton of gum arabic this year costs
between US$1,700 and US$2,500 depending on its quality, say the
professionals.

For full story, please see:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jfgNmGYOlaBdb6OKP3JEyrw4AHTA

10. Honey: Battling the MRSA Superbug with Manuka Honey

Source: PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria, 30 June 2008

With predictions of MRSA killing more people in the future than AIDS, medical
professionals turn to the use of an old remedy: honey.

MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) is an
antibiotic-resistant bacterium that causes life-threatening infections. A
MRSA infection can become fatal if entered into the bloodstream which is why
it is imperative to treat this condition immediately. MRSA treatment doesn't
have to be as difficult as some people think. Even though antibiotics have
become ineffective in treating these types of Staph infections, a particular
type of honey, known as Manuka Honey is extremely effective.

MRSA Staph infections can be healed efficiently and quickly with
the use of bio-active Manuka honey-based dressings. Studies have shown that
the MRSA superbug cannot develop a resistance to this honey because Manuka
Honey has an osmotic effect that draws moisture out of the bacterial cells,
making it impossible for the MRSA bacteria to survive.

Manuka honey-based MRSA treatments are becoming available to
hospitals and individuals worldwide as word of its effectiveness becomes
mainstreamed. With reports of Manuka Honey acting as a natural cure for MRSA,
antibiotics will most definitely be used less, especially since MRSA drugs
usually prove to be useless. To date, there have been no reports of any
bacteria being able to develop a resistance to Manuka Honey which is bringing
new hope in the area of infection control.

For full story, please see:
http://www.pr-inside.com/battling-the-mrsa-superbug-with-manuka-r675788.htm

11. Honey in the USA: Distinctive flavors inhabit honey

Source: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, USA, 16 July 2008

Tupelo, lavender, sourwood, linden tree, sage, buckwheat, eucalyptus and
Bradford pear are mere sweet drops in the honey pot. More than 300
distinctive types of honey are produced in the United States.

â€œEach region of America grows different plants and therefore
has
different honey,â€ explains Mark Brady, president of the American Honey
Producers Association. â€œTexas, for example, produces honey from white
brush,
cat claw and mesquite plants; Nebraska is famed for its clover and alfalfa
honey; South Carolina and Florida for tupelo.â€

California produces several unique honeys, such as John
Gipsonâ€™s
Golden avocado honey, which has a deeply rich dried plum flavor. In addition,
the must-try wildly flavorful avocado honey, Gipsonâ€™s Golden also produces
lavender honey from the fields of a private California vineyard, wild
blackberry honey from bushes growing near the Santa Rosa and Eel Rivers, and
native Meyer lemon honeys.

â€œYou can even get honey from cactus,â€ explain Erika Wain and
Klaus Koepfli, of Californiaâ€™s Klausesbees honey company, who sell a
candy-sweet, distinctly thick cactus honey from the Mojave Desert of
California.

â€œNot many of us realize that the plants bees visit drastically
affects the flavor of their honey,â€ says Brian Frederickson, owner of Ames
Farm, which sells several types of single source honeys from Minnesota. â€œIf
bees hives are placed near linden trees, the honey will have a delightfully
light mint taste, which tastes completely different from honey the bees make
when they gather nectar from buckwheat blossoms, which tastes of molasses and
brown sugar.â€

Despite this wide range of choices, most Americans have only
tasted honey blends, not single-source varieties. â€œCompanies that supply
supermarkets mix honey from many different beekeepers,â€ explains Troy Fore,
Executive Director of the American Beekeeping Federation. â€œSupermarket
honey
is just as good and nutritious as any honey. However, unique and unusual
flavors may be lost in the intermingling of many flavors. Honey from small
beekeepers is more likely to come from a single floral source and will have
that sourceâ€™s flavor. The different flavors are distinctive, and itâ€™s
a treat
to experience the variety.â€

The best way to appreciate the wide range of tastes is to try a
honey youâ€™ve never had before, according to Bruce Wolk, director of
marketing
for the National Honey Board. He recommends logging on to the boardâ€™s Web
site, www.honeylocator.com <http://www.honeylocator.com/> , to discover
honeyâ€™s varied flavors. The site yields not just hundreds of types of
honeys,
each with detailed descriptions of the plant that produced it, but it also
lists the beekeepers who sell that particular honey.

Pure Mountain Honey (www.MtnHoney.com <http://www.mtnhoney.com/>
), is just one of the many artisanal producers featured on the National Honey
Boardâ€™s site. Owners Carl and Virginia Webb, who humorously say they
employ 7
million workers, make an indescribably delicious sourwood honey, from
sourwood trees indigenous to Georgia. Their sourwood honey won top prize for
the â€œBest Honey in the Worldâ€ at the 2005 World Honey Show, in Dublin,
Ireland, which included 400 entries representing 21 different countries.

For full story, please see:
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/jul/16/distinctive-flavors-inhabit-honey/

12. Medicinal plants: Scientists in malaria battle

Source: York Press, UK. 1 July 2008

Somethingâ€™s been bugging scientists at the University of York. They are
working to make vital malaria drugs cheaper and more accessible to patients
in developing countries.

They are doing this by improving yields of one of the worldâ€™s
most important medicinal plants, the aromatic herb artemisia, and will
showcase their work this week at a major public exhibition at the Royal
Society in London.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) now recommends artemisinin
combination therapies (ACTS) as the most effective malaria treatment.
However, artemisinin is extracted from the aromatic herb artemisia and the
plant only produces tiny amounts, making ACTs too expensive for many in need.
The Centre for Novel Agricultural Products at the University of York is using
the latest molecular and genetic technologies to fast-track the plant
breeding of artemisia and increase yields.

Professor Dianna Bowles, one of the project leaders, said: â€œOur
aim is to rapidly develop high-yielding, non-GM varieties of artemisia that
will help reduce costs and secure supplies of this anti-malarial medicine.â€

For full story, please see:
www.thepress.co.uk/news/3187631.Scientists_in_malaria_battle/

13. Moringa: HIV/AIDS Caregivers urged to provide quality care

Source: Ghana News, Ghana, 24 July 2008

Ho. People giving care to HIV/AIDS victims have been urged to offer quality
care in order to uplift the flagging spirits of those victims and improve
their health. Mr Victor Ntumi-Attah, Executive Director of the NGO AFRIWEB
Foundation gave the advice at a workshop on home-based management for People
Living With Aids (PLWAs) and their caregivers in Ho on Wednesday.

The workshop attended by 40 PLWAs and their caregivers was
organized by the Ghana AIDS Commission in collaboration with the Department
of Women, to educate the caregivers on how to approach their work. Mr
Ntumi-Attah urged the caregivers to provide local foods and herbs, such as
the moringa leaf, kontomire, soya bean and local rice, under hygienic
conditions, to the PLWAs in order to improve the diet of the victims and
strengthen them.

For full story, please see:
www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/health/artikel.php?ID=147368

14. Moringa: Planting of malunggay trees encouraged in schools

Source: Philippine Information Agency, Philippines, 7 July 2008

La Trinidad, Benguet. Planting of malunggay trees is encouraged in schools in
support to the Food for School Program and the gulayan sa paaralan program
under the accelerated hunger mitigation program (AHMP).

The Department of Education (DepED) is promoting the planting of
malunggay trees in schools which is vital in sustaining in-school feeding of
children with low-cost nutritious foods. DepED Secretary Jesli Lapus issued
Memorandum 234 series 2008 dated May 2, 2008 which encourages the planting of
malunngay trees in schools.

Malunggay scientifically named Moringa oleifera is considered as
one of the world's most useful and nutritious plants propagated for human
food, livestock, medicine, dye and water treatment. A gram of malunggay
leaves contain seven times the vitamin C found in oranges, four times the
calcium and two times the protein found in milk, four times the vitamin A
found in carrots and three times the potassium found in bananas.

Accordingly, scientific researches likewise show that malunggay
trees are sources of olea oil and biofuel potential of becoming an
alternative source of income.

The Department of Agriculture is also advocating the planting of
malunggay trees nationwide as an answer to hunger, poverty, and malnutrition.
As stated in the directive, school administrators should encourage the
planting of malunggay trees in the schools and communities through
integration in Science classes and school community outreach projects.

Nurse-In-Charge of DepED Benguet Virginia Basatan said there are
a number of varieties of malunggay suitable in lowland and highland areas.
According to Basatan, in a School Health and Nutrition Congress held in
Teachers Camp last summer, DA Central office announced that their office is
still on the process of propagating various varieties for distribution.

As per the directive issued, DepED and DA will be working
together for the implementation of the program in close coordination with the
Bureau of Plant Industry for their technical assistance to the propagation,
processing of fruits and leaves for food and for the provision of seeds,
seedlings, stem cuttings of malunggay to the schools.

Basatan said there are malunggay-based recipes developed and
being standardized. This will be distributed later and to serve as guide in
the preparation of nutritious foods for in-school feeding and for the
families. (PIA-Benguet)

For full story, please see: www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080707.htm&no=37

15. Moringa: Himalayan tree offers fuel crop hope

Source: The West Australian, Australia, 7 July 2008

A tree from the foothills of the Himalayas has emerged as a potential
biodiesel crop for WA. Trial plantings of the tree in the Gascoyne have shown
promising initial results.

The tree, Moringa oleifera, is capable of producing up to 2000
litres of oil per hectare, about four times the amount available from annual
crops such as canola, which can be used for food or biodiesel.

State Agriculture Minister Kim Chance, who is taking to Cabinet a
proposal for 5 per cent of all transport fuel used in WA to be sourced from
biofuels by 2011, believes the crop could become a major biodiesel source for
WA.

While the criticism of biofuels as a major cause of world food
price inflation because food crops were diverted to fuels had been
dramatically exaggerated, it was undeniable that having another buyer in the
market would increase prices, he said.

â€œWe know that we can grow (Moringa) in areas which are not
currently used for food production,â€ he said. â€œWhen we get access to seed
that is more suited to more temperate environments it could be that it
becomes a significant crop in those environments, in which case it will be
competing with food.â€

Department of Agriculture and Food project manager Henry Brockman
said trials of the tree were in place from Kununurra to Albany, but the best
results were coming from an irrigated site near Carnarvon.

Pods are harvested from the tree and seeds, the size of a 10Â¢
coin, are taken out and crushed for oil, leaving the tree to grow for an
estimated 15 years. The residue left after the oil is extracted can be used
as stockfeed.

In Carnarvon, one-year-old plantings were yielding 350 litres of
oil per hectare but output was expected to increase dramatically in coming
years as the trees reached their peak production capacity.

The seed pods are now picked by hand but researchers are working
on a mechanical harvester.

Dr Brockman said the treeâ€™s ability to grow on marginal and
salt-affected country meant it could be used in parts of the Wheatbelt.

The department is expected to enter an agreement with an Indian
university next week to breed new varieties with higher oil yield and the
ability to grow in different regions in WA.

For full story, please see:
www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=83241

16. Mushrooms: Antibiotic-producing mushroom discovered

Source: FreshPlaza, Netherlands, 18 July 2008

Philippines: A group of government scientists recently discovered an
antibiotic-producing microorganism from a type of mushroom which has been
found to be effective in treating diseases of livestock, particularly swine,
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) reported yesterday.

The scientists from the DOSTâ€™s National Research Council of the
Philippines, led by Dr. Asuncion Raymundo, a plant pathologist, found that
the mushroom species Clitopilus passeckerianus produces the antibiotic called
pleuromutilin.

The DOST said pleuromutilin prevents the bacteria from producing
protein, an essential component of its diet. Without protein, bacteria stops
reproducing and consequently die. Pleuromutilin also acts as the building
block for the production of tiamulin, a biological compound effective in
treating common hog diseases such as mycoplasmas, arthritis, enzootic
pneumonia, and dysentery, the agency said.

Data from the DOSTâ€™s Philippine Council for Agriculture,
Forestry
and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) showed that the
Philippines was among the leading hog raisers in the Asia Pacific Region in
2001. However, the report also stated that Luzonâ€™s production rate,
compared
to that of Mindanao and Visayas has plummeted in 2001 compared to earlier
years, attributing this to high mortality rate among swine on account of
disease.

â€œThe NRCP antibiotic derived from the mushroom has the clear
potential to solve this problem,â€ the DOST said.

For thousands of years, mankind has recognized the varied uses of
mushrooms. In addition to being an effective fermenting agent, it is also
considered an efficient waste disposer and major manufacturer of organic
fertilizer, the DOST said.

Mushrooms can grow anywhere from farm animal manure, from spoiled
food in the kitchen, to the dead barks and leaves in the deepest reaches of
foliage.

For full story, please see: www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=25778

17. Mushrooms in Bhutan: Generating Yartsa Goenbub in the lab

Source: Kuensel online, 18 July 2008

Highlanders in Bhutan need not set out on wild cordyceps expeditions if the
research on domesticating Cordyceps sinensis, locally known as Yartsa
Goenbub, proves successful, say researchers.

Researchers at the renewable natural resources research centre
(RNR-RC) in Bumthang are trying to see if cordyceps can be cultivated in
laboratories. Principal research officer, Dorji Wangchuk, said that he was
expecting a promising output as mycelium in two of the 38 test tubes on trial
in the lab had already started showing positive results. â€œIâ€™m waiting
for the
other 36 cultures to come up,â€ he said. â€œThe mycelium could be mass
propagated for domesticating cordyceps using potential host insects.â€

In the wild, cordyceps are found in different locations of Haa,
Lingshi, Laya, Lunana, Bumdeling and Bumthang. An average dried cordyceps
weighs 0.19 g and 0.47 g when fresh.

According to a veteran collector in Bumthang, about 1,350
collectors were out for a month collecting cordyceps from Chhokhor geog alone
during harvest season. They collect the expensive fungus from Diruphu,
Ganchu, Sejeyphu, Chachen, Namtatheng, Kingkhorphu, Djegarphu, and Yangdrok.
Cordyceps grow at altitudes 3,900-5,004 m above sea level at Kerab and
Phugonma in Chhokhor.

Dubbed as the worldâ€™s most expensive mushroom, Cordyceps
sinensis
was sold for between US$ 6,126 and 10,450 a kg in 2007 from Dodena, Thimphu.
After its collection was legalized in 2004, the highest production was
recorded at 423.88 kg in 2006 and the lowest was 128.16 kg last year.

For full story, please see:
www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10795

18. Mulberry: Useful protein found in mulberry

Source: SciDev.Net Weekly Update (23 - 29 June 2008)

Indian and UK scientists have purified a natural protein from the common tree
Morus indica or mulberry, which is similar to an 'antibiotic' protein that
protects against pathogenic bacteria. The protein could find use in the food
and pharma industries.

19. Stevia: Coke, Cargill launch Stevia-based sweetener

Source: BusinessWeek, USA, 9 July 2008

Consumers looking for a guilt-free way to satisfy a sweet tooth now have
another option.

A new no-calorie sweetener jointly developed by Coca-Cola Co. and
Cargill Inc. will go on sale for the first time on Wednesday. The sweetener,
named Truvia, is made from the leaves of stevia, an herb grown in South
America and Asia.

Stevia-based sweeteners are already used in products in Japan and
South Korea and are available as a nutritional supplement in the U.S. Truvia
would be the first stevia sweetener marketed as a table-top alternative to
sugar substitutes like Splenda and Equal.

Cargill said it has tested the product extensively and published
the results of studies backing its safety in the scientific journal Food and
Chemical Toxicology in May. Cargill spokesman Ann Tucker said under Food and
Drug Administration rules, no further approval is required to market and sell
the product as a general purpose sweetener.

Coca-Cola and Cargill jointly own the trademark on the sweetener,
and Coca-Cola has said it will likely use the product to sweeten its drinks.
Coca-Cola spokesman Kelly Brooks said in an e-mail response to inquiries that
the company could not comment on when consumers might see the sweetener in
its drinks. We will explore possible applications for our portfolio, but for
competitive reasons we cannot discuss timing," Brooks said.

For full story, please see:
www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D91Q92600.htm

20. Stevia in Kenya: Finlays in medicinal herb venture

Source: Business Daily Africa, Kenya, 23 July 2008

Outgrowers are set to benefit from a move by private agricultural firm
Finlays Kenya to grow 12,000 acres (5000 hectares) of stevia whose sap is
used for medicinal and food flavouring.

Finlays is embarking on the project in partnership with
PureCircle â€" a Malaysian sweeteners production firm â€" which will
inject Sh1.2
billion ($20 million) into the joint venture. Finlays will also be refining
the extract derived from stevia and has plans to put up an extraction plant.
The project provides a diversification opportunity for Kenyan farmers reeling
from declining yields and earnings under monoculture cash crop systems and
rising costs of inputs like fertilisers.

The company intends to grow stevia within in its own estates
first and then roll it out to smallholder sector, once it has the technical
expertise. Finlays expects the project to â€œcreate several hundred high end
jobs.

The joint venture with PureCircle â€" which has most of its
production activities in China and Malaysia but incorporated in Bermuda, an
income tax haven â€" goes by the name JVCo. It will be majority-owned by
PureCircle but the local firm has the option to hold majority of 51 per cent
in the coming years.

PureCircleâ€™s main concern is a stevia, a noncaloric herb,
native
to Paraguay, used as a sweetener and flavour enhancer for centuries. Demand
for the commodity is rising due to its natural sweetener qualities as opposed
to its synthetic rivals. An extract from the stevia leaf using a
patent-protected process, is over 100 times sweeter than sugar.

The market potential of the sweetener was underlined recently
when Cargill struck a deal with Coca-Cola to develop and sell a branded
version of the extract called Rebiana. Cargill, like Sunwin International, is
a rival to PureCircle in stevia development.

Of the $20 million that PureCircle is putting in Kenya, an
estimated $15 million has been allocated to the crude stevia extraction plant
and the balance to the plantations and associated working capital.

The joint venture will own both the stevia plantations and the
extraction plant.

PureCircle will have exclusive rights to acquire all stevia
extracts and, or, dry stevia leaves produced by JVCo for a period of seven
years with renewable options thereafter.

With arable land constrained in many parts of the world, Asian
companies see African countries like Kenya, which has a reputation for
producing quality horticultural products as an attractive destination for
agricultural investments. It enhances the Asian firmâ€™s supply chain and
geographical diversification of its production.

For full story, please see:
www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8942&Itemid=5822

21. Truffles take off in WA, Australia

Source: ABC Online, Australia, 30/06/2008

The south-west of Western Australia is on the verge of becoming the biggest
truffle-producing region in the world, according to industry experts.

The Wine and Truffle Company near Manjimup, harvested 325kg of
the gourmet fungus last year, with a single kilo worth up to $3000

Operations manager, Damon Boorman, expects a record crop this
season from its plantation of 13,000 hazelnut and oak trees. We actually want
- and the French have said that this will probably come true - that the
Manjimup-Pemberton region will be the home of the French Black truffle in the
entire world," he says.

The French trufferies and truffle-growing regions are actually
decreasing in production levels every year. â€œWe're increasing, so in 10
years
time, we will be producing the most truffles in the entire world."

For full story, please see:
www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/200806/s2289582.htm

COUNTRY INFORMATION

22. Australia: Sandalwood plantation for far north

Source: ABC Online, Australia, (July 2008

A plantation for one of the world's most valuable timber species will be
established near Cooktown in far north Queensland.

Forestry giant ITC says the property Gold Tyne at Lakeland will
become Queensland's first Indian sandalwood plantation.

Company spokesman Michael Clarke says the far north is the ideal
place because of the region's climate and soil.

He says the timber is highly sought after and grown mainly for
its oil. Very large molecules enable it to give off a strong scent and also
be used in high-end perfumes and it's a property that's quite unique to
Indian sandalwood oil as opposed to other oils that are available," he said.

For full story, please see:
www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/09/2298845.htm?section=business

23. Bolivia: 2008 exports of forest products from La Paz and Santa Cruz
drop 26%

Source: Lesprom Network, Russia, 2 July 2008

Moscow. Exports of forest products from La Paz and Santa Cruz, Bolivia,
during the period January to March 2008 slipped 26% compared to the same
period in 2007, ITTO reported.

By value, exports fell from $28.59 million in 2007 to $21.10 million,
breaking a positive trend that has occurred since 2002. Among the reasons for
the decrease are the â€˜El Ninoâ€™ and â€˜La Ninaâ€™ effects, the shortage
of diesel
fuel, the falling value of the US dollar, the US mortgage crisis and the
legal complexities facing forest operators.

Processed wood, including furniture and furniture parts, plates
and sheets, chairs, chestnut without husks and canned palm hearts constituted
63.91% of total forest products. The remaining 36.09% were from
semi-processed products such as sawnwood, boards and poles.

Exports of wooden products were 91.73% and worth a total $19.36
million. Non-wood products were $1.75 million or 8.27%, with the main product
being chestnut without husks. Exports of non-wooden products fell 29% when
compared to 2007.

For full story, please see: http://wood.lesprom.com/news/34629/

24. Cameroon: Studies recommend more forest access for Baka Pygmies

Source: The Post <http://www.postnewsline.com/> (Buea), 12 June 2008

An ongoing World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF studies have recommended that Baka
pygmies be given more access to forest resources and space within national
parks.

Baka pygmies make up some 40 percent of the population living
around the three national parks; Boumba Bek, Nki and Lobeke, in Southeast
Cameroon. They are essentially hunters, gatherers and semi-nomadic in their
lifestyle.

The studies entitled "Space and Resource Use of Indigenous Baka
pygmies" residing around Boumba Bek and Nki National Parks are led by WWF
Jengi Southeast Forest Programme. Their results will provide a basis for the
negotiation of access rights for Bakas within protected areas, which is a
priority biodiversity conservation approach by WWF Jengi.

Baka Pygmies reliance on the forest for their livelihoods
prompted this recommendation. They harvest honey, mangoes, wild yams,
medicinal plants and many other non-timber forest products from there. They
hunt, live and have their sacred sites inside the forest. This dependence on
the forest has made them so important to conservation efforts.

After participatory mapping of the resource use areas, conducting
group and individual interviews and direct observations, a WWF research team
concluded that Baka pygmies do not recognize any limit in their quest for
forest resources and performance of their traditional rituals. They carry out
activities both in and around the parks.

They see both as continuity and disregard the boundaries erected
by the minds of men. "It is important to give them unfettered access to
harvest non-timber forest products, especially medicinal plants and visit to
sacred sites," recommends the study.

The study gives inkling into Baka pygmies' strongly held beliefs,
traditional approach to conservation, symbolic attachment to some non-timber
forest products and their semi-nomadic way of life. Honey, an important
non-timber forest product, is used during two important traditional dances
called Mboma and Mbomo. "The Mboma dance is performed during funerals, while
Mbomo is performed to chase evil spirit."

Bakas in the north and east of Boumba Bek have permanent external
and internal camps alongside huts that serve as resting places during
penetration into the forest. According to the study, "the internal huts
sometimes provide refuge for people accused of witchcraft or adultery." This
brings out the degree of penetration of the forest.

According to Dr. Louis Defo, WWF Jengi Collaborative Management
Advisor, the studies will provide necessary information for the integration
of these indigenous forest people in natural resource management. "Given
WWF's philosophy in participatory management, it is fundamental to address
the needs of local communities in order to win their support for conservation
work," he said.

For full story, please see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200806121028.html

25. Canada: Ontario to preserve one-half of its Boreal Forest, more
than 55 million acres

From: Patricia S. De Angelis, US Fish & Wildlife Service, USA,
Patricia_DeAngelis@fws.gov <mailto:Patricia_DeAngelis@fws.gov>

Seattle, Wash. As news spreads of Ontarioâ€™s commitment to protect over 55
million acres of Canadaâ€™s Boreal Forest, an area the size of the United
Kingdom, leading international scientists and conservationists are expressing
their strong support for Premier Dalton McGuintyâ€™s science-based
leadership.

â€œPremier McGuinty has set a new standard for Canada and the
rest
of the world for land conservation by committing to one of the worldâ€™s
largest conservation plans,â€ said Dr. Joshua Reichert, managing director of
the Pew Environment Group. â€œOntarioâ€™s commitment to set aside half of its
Boreal Forest helps ensure the long-term integrity of a vital ecosystem. This
is truly a conservation milestone.â€

Ontarioâ€™s plan to protect 50 percent of its Boreal Forest is
considered a conservation science first and the size of this commitment is
unprecedented in North American history. â€œThis is the kind of bold
leadership
and large-scale thinking that the world needs as we confront the challenges
of global warming,â€ said Dr. Terry Root of Stanford University. Dr. Root
is a
lead author for the United Nationsâ€™ International Panel on Climate Change,
which was awarded last yearâ€™s Nobel Peace Prize. â€œSolutions to
ensuring the
survival of species and ecosystems as they are forced to move north to adapt
to our warming planet require protection of very large unfragmented blocks of
habitat like what we see in northern Ontario. And making these areas off
limits to industrial uses helps ensure that the carbon there now doesnâ€™t
get
released and make things worse,â€ added Dr. Root.

The announcement widely cited the recommendations made by 1,500
scientists to the Canadian Government last May to set aside at least half of
Canadaâ€™s Boreal Forest in large, interconnected protected areas to guard
against climate change and protect internationally significant wildlife
populations (see www.borealbirds.org/scienceletter.shtml)

These concerned scientists, led in part by Dr. Root, include some
of the worldâ€™s most notable ecologists, climatologists, and conservation
biologists.

Scientists identify the 1.4 billion-acre Canadian Boreal Forest
as one of the worldâ€™s most significant and largest intact forest and
wetland
ecosystems. The Boreal Forest:

* Is the worldâ€™s single-largest terrestrial carbon
storehouse. The Canadian Boreal Forest alone stores 186 billion tons of
carbon â€" equivalent to 27 years of the worldâ€™s carbon dioxide fossil fuel
emissions.

* Contains the majority of North America's fresh, unfrozen
water.

* Hosts some of the planetâ€™s largest populations of
wolves,
grizzly bear and woodland caribou.

* Provides nesting grounds and nursery for billions of
migratory songbirds and waterfowl; half of North Americaâ€™s birds are
dependent on Canada's Boreal Forest for their survival.

Dr. David Schindler, winner of the 1991 Stockholm Water Prize,
water sciences' equivalent to the Nobel Prize, added, â€œPremier McGuinty has
long-term vision, recognizing that storing carbon, protecting biodiversity,
and traditional lifestyles and maintaining freshwater supplies are more
important than immediate profits. Now the rest of Canada must set aside
equivalent areas. The rapid disappearance of the Boreal Forest is of
particular concern in Alberta, where oil sands development, logging, and
mining exploration have damaged much of the Boreal outside of Wood Buffalo
National Park, a United Nations World Heritage Site."

Scientists worldwide recommend that a target of 50 percent
protection of an ecosystem is necessary to sustain it over the long term.
Overall, only 10 percent of Canadaâ€™s Boreal Forest is currently protected.

For the past decade, the Pew Environment Group, through its
Canadian Boreal Initiative project, has been working with First Nations,
industry, government and conservationists to preserve Canadaâ€™s Boreal
Forest,
an internationally significant ecosystem for the worldâ€™s climate and
biodiversity. Industrial development, including logging, mining and oil and
gas extraction threaten Canadaâ€™s Boreal Forest.

26. China: ADB helps China improve Baiyangdian Ecosystem

Source: China CSR, China, 25 July 2008

To help counter the environmental damage to Baiyangdian Lake in north China,
the Asian Development Bank is providing a loan of US$100 million for the
US$273 million Integrated Ecosystem and Water Resources Management in the
Baiyangdian Basin Project, which will focus on the critical actions to
conserve Baiyangdian Lake â€" one of the most important and vulnerable
ecosystems in China.

Through a range of interventions, the project will help alleviate
ecosystem constraints in the basin by improving water quality and quantity.
Additionally, the project will include training for ecosystem management and
eco-tourism. Development of non-timber forest products will also be
encouraged.

For full story, please see:
www.chinacsr.com/2008/07/25/2564-adb-helps-china-improve-baiyangdian-ecosyste
m/

27. Ecuador Constitutional Assembly votes to approve rights of nature
in new constitution

Source: The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund via CFRC Weekly
Summary 7/17/2008

On July 7, 2008, the Ecuador Constitutional Assembly â€" composed of 130
delegates elected countrywide to rewrite the countryâ€™s Constitution â€"
voted
to approve articles for the new constitution recognizing rights for nature
and ecosystems.

â€œIf adopted in the final constitution by the people, Ecuador
would become the first country in the world to codify a new system of
environmental protection based on rights,â€ stated Thomas Linzey, Executive
Director of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund.

â€œEcuador is now leading the way for countries around the
world to
make this necessary and fundamental change in how we protect nature,â€ added
Mari Margil, Associate Director of the Legal Defense Fund.

Over the past year, the Legal Defense Fund has been invited to
assist Delegates to the Ecuador Constitutional Assembly to re-write that
countryâ€™s constitution. Delegates requested that the Legal Defense Fund
draft
proposed Rights of Nature language for the constitution based on ordinances
developed and adopted by municipalities in the United States.

The Legal Defense Fund has now assisted communities in
Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Virginia to draft and adopt new laws that
change the status of natural communities and ecosystems from being regarded
as property under the law to being recognized as rights-bearing entities.

Those local laws recognize that natural communities and
ecosystems possess an inalienable and fundamental right to exist and
flourish, and that residents of those communities possess the legal authority
to enforce those rights on behalf of those ecosystems. In addition, these
laws require the local governments to remedy violations of those ecosystem
rights.

In essence, these laws represent changes to the status of
property law, eliminating the authority of a property owner to interfere with
the functioning of ecosystems and natural communities that exist and depend
upon that property for their existence and flourishing. The local laws allow
certain types of development that do not interfere with the rights of
ecosystems to exist and flourish.

For full story, please see: www.forestrycenter.org/headlines.cfm?RefID=103223

28. Ghana: MOFA makes advances to boost Sheanut production

Source: Ghana News, Ghana, 18 July 2008

Tamale. Mr. Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has stated
that the government was determined to revamp the Sheanut industry in
recognition of its poverty reduction role, particularly in northern Ghana. He
said that it was in this regard that MOFA was collaborating with Burkina Faso
which had made advances in research into the shea tree to reduce the time the
shea tree takes to fruit and improve upon its quality. Mr. Debrah was
speaking at the launch of the Produce Buying Company (PBC) Limited Sheanut
purchasing for the 2008/09 main crop season in Tamale on Thursday.

He said significant advances had also been made by the Savanna
Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) to improve upon the growth
characteristics of the shea tree and his Ministry would continue to sponsor
further research by the institution in that direction. He said his Ministry
was going to pursue all issues related to the Shea production and processing
to make it the cocoa of the North adding: "We are moving forward with the
Shea tree".

Mr. Debrah appealed to farmers to make profitable use of the
fertilizer which was being subsidized by the government to boost production,
saying:

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister who
launched the Sheanut purchasing season said over 130,000 metric tons of
sheanuts, representing over 50 percent of the production were picked
seasonally in northern Ghana. He said this left a large proportion of the
nuts in the bush. Alhaji Idris said nearly 70,000 metric tons of the nuts
were processed and consumed locally while 45,000 metric tons of nuts were
exported and only 15,000 metric tons of butter exported. He said it was
estimated that Ghana accounted for 22 per cent of the Sheanut and butter
trade in West Africa adding: "There is no doubt that the Shea has a great
potential as a foreign exchange earner comparable to Cocoa".

Mr. Isaac Osei, Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD)
said the Board would support the Sheanut industry through the provision of
protective clothing such as Wellington boots and gloves as well as snake
serum to the pickers. He appealed to all Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs)
operating in the Sheanut industry to send regular reports to the Research,
Monitoring and Evaluation Department of COCOBOD indicating their purchases,
exports as well as producer and export prices paid. Mr. Osei said it was
through a compilation and analyses of such data that the true state of the
Sheanut industry could be determined and the necessary corrective policy
measures instituted.

For full story, please see:
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=147089

29. India: Centrally sponsored Scheme on National Mission on Medicinal
Plants

Source: Press Information Bureau (press release), India, 24 July 2008

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today gave its approval for the
Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Mission on Medicinal Plants at a total
outlay of Rs.630 crore for implementation through National Medicinal Plants
Board, through Dept. of Ayush during the 11th Plan.

By 2011-12, the Mission proposes to cover 80,000 â€" 100,000
ha of
land under medicinal plants through direct financial assistance for
cultivation and an almost equal area which will be covered by offering
incentives to farmers who may switch over from traditional crops to medicinal
plants in areas where infrastructure for quality planting material,
processing, warehousing, marketing, quality testing and certification is
promoted through cooperatives of growers, self help groups, corporate etc.
About 200 nurseries will be established both in public and private sector,
for making available planting material of certified quality. The
interventions are expected to generate approximately 6 crore man/days of
employment by the year 2011-12.

The approval would benefit in developing medicinal plants sector
through production of raw material of quality and standardized constituents
for use by the AYUSH/Herbal industry and as well as for exports and thereby
enhance the quality and acceptability of AYUSH systems of medicine and
promote export of value added items for a increased share in the world
market.

For full story, please see: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=40609

30. India: Villagers in Orissa depend on Mahua flowers for their
livelihood

Source: DailyIndia.com, FL, USA, 7 June 2008

Villagers in Orissa, who depend on 'Mahua' flowers for their source of
livelihood, are finding it difficult to make both ends meet due to low prices
of the flowers. 'Mahua' is the raw material used for making country spirit,
which is a big source of revenue for the State Government. The months between
February and May are the peak season for collecting 'Mahua' flowers.

The residents of Bhatli village are going through a tough time
and are unable to support their families as the Panchayat Samiti has fixed
the rate for selling 'Mahua' flowers which they say is quite low. "We have
come here to gather 'Mahua' flowers. For the last two years, the 'Mahua'
yield has not been sufficient. We collect 'Mahua' flowers every day with the
hope that we will earn something, but unfortunately we have to sell the
flowers at a throwaway price," said Kanak Pradhan, a villager.

Almost all the villagers especially women start collecting
'Mahua' flowers early in the morning and continue their work till sunset
after which they take the collected flowers home for drying. "We collect them
from here and take them home for drying. After drying them, we sell them to
the Mahajan (middleman). We have no idea about the fixed rate," said Bharat
Majhi, a villager.

The sub collector of Bargarh district said that this year the
rate for the sale of 'Mahua' flowers are fixed at Rs 1500 per quintal and
Panchayat Samitees have been entrusted to ensure that villagers get minimum
support price for their produce.

"This is a season of 'Mahua' flowers and the government of Orissa
has made adequate provisions for the sale of these flowers by the villagers
wherever it is produced. It comes under the non-timber forest produced
products. The rate of such products including 'Mahua' flowers is fixed by the
Panchayat Samitee concerned. The Gram Panchayats are given the responsibility
to see all these aspects so that the poor people get minimum fixed support
price by the Panchayat Samitee," said Bishnu Prasad Mishra, Sub collector,
Bargarh district.

The 'Mahua' flower is one of the non-timber forest products. Most
tribals along forested area of Orissa depend on such products for sustaining
themselves for around six to seven months in a year. By Sarda Lahangir
For full story, please see:
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/247534.php/Villagers-in-Orissa-depend-on-Mahua
-flowers-for-their-livelihood

31. India: East India Leather is now an exclusive geo product

Source: Business Standard, India, 23 July 2008

East India Leather a vegetable tanned leather specialised by the tanneries in
Trichy and Dindigul for the last 160 years had now been approved and
registered as an exclusive geographical product by the geographical
indications registry of the union ministry of commerce.

The registration under the geographical indications of goods
(registrations and protection act), 1999 will give the product an exclusive
brand image similar to Darjling Tea or Kanchipuram Silk Sarees or Coorg
Coffee. The characteristic quality and reputation unique to the geographical
location is indicative behind the logo and EI Technology is a British legacy
in the country.

Evidence is available that the exclusive tannery process utilizes
Cassia species, Pungum Oil and Wattle Bark Extract as utilized in 1805 at a
tannery near Chennai. It was in 1856 a tannery unit was established on the so
called EI Technique the name of which was made in gratitude to the East India
Company who nurtured the technique in this part of the country.

EI Leather is very popular in Italy, France and other Western
countries since it was the best sought variety of leather to manufacture
garments, fancy handbags and suede leather shoes. The uniqueness of the EI
Leather is include its special feel the gloss and polish it accrue year over
year while in use, the peculiar smell and the noise when it is tapped.

For full story, please see:
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=10&bKey
Flag=IN&autono=42880

32. Kenya wins international recognition for forests

Source: CEPF E-News, July 2008 (cepfnews@conservation.org)

UNESCO's World Heritage Committee added 27 new sites to its World Heritage
List this month, including Kenyan forests revered as sacred sites and
sheltering some of the nationâ€™s most important biodiversity.

The Mijikenda Kaya Forests include 11 separate forest sites
spread across some 200km of the nationâ€™s coast. Regarded as sacred by the
Mijikenda people, the forests contain the remains of numerous fortified
villages known as kayas.

They also shelter the few remaining patches of indigenous forest
in a landscape being increasingly converted to farmland. More than half of
Kenyaâ€™s rare plants are found in the coastal region.

In announcing the designation, UNESCO said â€œthe site is
inscribed
as bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition and for its direct link
to a living tradition.â€ The kayas are regarded as the abodes of
ancestors and
maintained by a council of elders. All are designated as national monuments
and many are home to innovative community-based projects, such as those
helping to conserve the Muhaka and Kinondo kayas that have been supported by
the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund.

33. Mali: Forum des investisseurs sur la filiÃ¨re-karitÃ© au Mali

Source: Intelink, France, 27 June 2008

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Un Forum des investisseurs au profit de la
filiÃ¨re-karitÃ© au Mali sâ€™est ouvert vendredi Ã Bamako, sous la
prÃ©sidence du
ministre malien des Finances, Abou Bakar TraorÃ©, avec pour objectif de
catalyser les investissements Ã©trangers directs dans la transformation sur
place et la commercialisation du beurre de karitÃ©.

Ce cadre de concertation entre producteurs et investisseurs de la
filiÃ¨re-karitÃ© est organisÃ© sur lâ€™initiative du Centre Objectif du
millÃ©naire
pour le dÃ©veloppement, en collaboration avec le gouvernement malien et
lâ€™universitÃ© de Columbia aux Etats-unis.

Selon le reprÃ©sentant-rÃ©sident du PNUD au Mali, Joseph Bill
Cataria, le dÃ©veloppement de la filiÃ¨re-karitÃ© peut contribuer Ã
lâ€™atteinte
des OMD et Ã la rÃ©duction de la pauvretÃ© au Mali.

Le Mali dispose du plus grand potentiel de production de karitÃ©
de la sous-rÃ©gion, estimÃ© Ã 80.000 tonnes et son exploitation permettra de
faire face Ã la demande mondiale de karitÃ© qui reste importante, selon la
mÃªme source.

Les usages que lâ€™on peut faire des produits du karitÃ© sont
nombreuses, 5% de la matiÃ¨re grasse vÃ©gÃ©tale intervenant dans la
fabrication
du chocolat Ã©tant tirÃ© de ce produit, alors que le substitut naturel le
plus
proche du beurre de cacao Ã ce jour est le beurre de karitÃ©.

Mais la filiÃ¨re fait face Ã un certain nombre de contraintes
liÃ©es Ã la qualitÃ© des produits, comme les problÃ¨mes dâ€™aciditÃ©, de
couleur ou
dâ€™odeur, ou encore lâ€™hÃ©rÃ©rogÃ©nÃ©itÃ© des rÃ©sidus de beurre et les
contraintes
liÃ©es au conditionnement et Ã lâ€™organisation du circuit de
commercialisation.

Le karitÃ© a Ã©tÃ© retenu par le Mali parmi les produits
nationaux
concernÃ©s par lâ€™accroissement de lâ€™offre sur le marchÃ© international.

Ce Forum se tient simultanÃ©ment avec la rencontre
sous-rÃ©gionale
des femmes productrices de karitÃ© de lâ€™Afrique de lâ€™Ouest, organisÃ©e
par la
CoopÃ©ration canadienne et le ministÃ¨re malien de la Promotion de la
femme, de
lâ€™enfant et de la famille.

For full story, please see:
www.intelink.info/fre/actualites/economie/0806272007_forum_des_investisseurs_
sur_la_filiere_karite_au_mali

34. Qatar: Bioprospecting Plant Genetic Resources in Qatar

Source: Update of the month from the GFU, July 2008

This study will â€˜bioprospectâ€™ Qatarâ€™s indigenous plant and fungal
biodiversity to explore the potential of Qatarâ€™s Plant Genetic Resources
(PGR) to address two contemporary issues facing Qatar. These issues are:

* the increase in incidence of â€˜diseases of
affluenceâ€™
and

* the desertification of Qatarâ€™s arid lands.

This research will assemble the results of the latest studies in
disparate fields such as pharmacognosy, epidemiology, microbiology,
ethnology, and restoration ecology to yield a document that identifies and
evaluates top PGR candidates that could contribute to the improvement of
Qatarâ€™s public and ecosystem health. In addition, a presentation and
extension education booklet will be produced to apprise relevant stakeholders
of PGR related opportunities.

Plant species involved include: Aizoon spp., Anastatica
hierochuntica, Terfezia claveryi, Tirmania nivalis, Ziziphus spp.

For full story, please see:
www.underutilized-species.org/MasksSearch/SearchProjectDetail.aspx?id=281

35. Solomon Islands: Honey production encouraged

Source: Solomon Star, Solomon Islands, 15 July 2008

Honey production has the potential to help the economy and allow rural
farmers engaged in small and medium business activities. The Ministry of
Agriculture and Livestock highlighted this during the Trade and Agriculture
Show last week during the Agriculture Day.

Officers at the Ministryâ€™s stall said currently honey
production
in the country is very low because no many farmers are engaged in the
industry. They said more farmers must engage in honey production because
honey in Solomon Islands is one of the best and there are also a lot of honey
bees around.

"There is no need to import honey for sale in the shops if more
farmers are engaged in the production of honey within their communities and
homes," one officer said. "By producing honey, people can earn their living
out of it by selling its end product at the market.â€Also it is
nutritious for
family consumption."

For full story, please see:
http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2188&cha
nge=71&changeown=78&Itemid=26

36. Turkey: Turkish valley to be developed as ecotourism area

Source: Turkish Daily News (subscription), Turkey, 25 July 2008

The 40,000-hectare Cehennem Dere Valley (Hell Stream Valley), which is home
to rich flora and fauna, has been found highly suitable for a variety of
ecotourism activities, such as trekking, terrain bicycling, flora discoveries
and observation of natural life, according to the study by experts from the
Eastern Mediterranean Forestry Research Institute and Istanbul University

As part of Turkey's first ecotourism project, a group of experts
has examined a forest of cedars and spruces in the Ã‡amlÄ±yayla district
of the
southern province of Mersin to determine its fitness as an ecological site.

â€œThe studies for the project, which aims to determine
ecotourism
strategies, have been completed,â€ said Dr. Ersin YÄ±lmaz, director of the
institute. YÄ±lmaz also said the experts have prepared a map for ecotourism
activities to be held in the valley, the first valley where ecotourism
examinations have been carried out in Turkey. â€œIn addition to its rich
flora
and fauna, the valley is also home to a considerable number of ancient
monasteries, churches and windmills,â€ he said.

YÄ±lmaz said the valley is scientifically proven to be
appropriate
for seven types of ecotourism activities: observation of birds, flora
discovery trekking, nature trekking, discovery trekking for non-wood forest
products, discovery walking, bicycle tours and observation of wildlife. Of
these, he said observation of bird species has priority.

Pinus brutia (Turkish pine), Pinus thunbergii (black pine), the
Taurus cedar and the Taurus spruce are major examples of foliage that make
the valley an attractive spot for ecotourism, he added.

The valley is also home to various caves, cascades and geological
forms. The project is expected to serve as a model for further projects in
the field of ecological tourism in Turkey.

For full story, please see:
www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=110774

NEWS

37. Africans urged to 'eat locally' at poor people's summit

Source: AFP, July 8, 2008

Katibougou, Mali (AFP) â€" While the Group of Eight wealthy nations get
together in Japan to discuss the food crisis, an African anti-globalist
meeting stressed Africans could help themselves by eating local products.

An enticing people's market with locally produced rice, mangoes,
traditional medicines and African clothes is part of the so-called "poor
people's summit" in Katibougou, Mali, held as a counterbalance to the G8
summit.

In the dusty West African town activists are helping both farmers
and craftsmen promote their own products. "They speak of a food crisis, but
look, there is food. The problem is that people still prefer to eat what
comes from abroad instead of local produce," said Oumar Diakite, who
represents textile workers in Mali.

Based in a little square close to the Soviet-built agricultural
college, the market swarms with people -- men and women, young and old. Fresh
produce is piled high. "It's a real problem. There are African nations that
subsidise products from abroad. That's killing our local products," said
Diakite, who also criticised the privatisation of the cotton industry, one of
Mali's main earners.

On one side of the market, a potential customer is discussing
mangoes with the fruit traders. Mali is one of the main producers of mangoes
in West Africa. "There are so many mangoes here but we have two big problems:
storage and export markets," said Ninbou, head of a local women's group.

The shea butter sellers, for their part, are much better off. For
several years they have benefited from a European Union directive that allows
their product -- made from the nuts of the shea or karite tree -- to be used
in chocolate. "Yes, for us business is going well," said one seller. "Our
products are all over Europe. In Germany and in France there are associations
that help us."

The Group of Eight reconfirmed a promise made three years ago in
Gleneagles, Scotland for the G8 to double aid to Africa by 25 billion dollars
by 2010. In Katibougou there are no such monetary promises but what
participants lacked in resources, they made up for in solidarity, with
volunteers helping where they could. "It's not rocket science. We may curse
the (rich) North, but first we have to get our own house in order," said
Nouhoun Keita, an anti-globalisation campaigner.

For full story, please see:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gxxVuKLTG_HXmV79ADvyMFJGjBSw

38. Climate Friendly cars: Prototype sustainable wooden car unveiled

Source: Economic Times, India, 19 June 2008

A prototype car made of wood was unveiled in Kyoto, western Japan on 18 June
2008. With traditional craft of bamboo used on its door, the one-seater car
runs about 10km with a combination of a lithium-ion battery and capacitor
after recharging from a wall outlet at your home. The maximum speed is 50km
per hour.

For full story, please see:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/World_News__Trends_June_19_2008/articlesh
owpics/3143846.cms

39. Global Forest Plan could boost fight against poverty and climate
change

From: Mike Shanahan, IIED, mike.shanahan@iied.org

An emerging initiative could pave the way for fundamental change in the way
forests are managed, boosting efforts to fight both poverty and climate
change, says research published today by the International Institute for
Environment and Development (IIED).

The World Bank-nurtured idea is of a global forest partnership
that links local and global processes and promotes decision-making on the
international stage that reflects the view and needs of local stakeholders
such as forest dwellers.

But the studyâ€™s authors warn that the World Bank will have to
heed the advice of hundreds of experts they consulted if it is to make a real
breakthrough in tackling the problems of past decades and the weaknesses of
typical international forest programmes.

IIED consulted widely on the bankâ€™s idea. More than 600 forest
experts responded to IIEDâ€™s survey or participated in focus groups in
Brazil,
China, Ghana, Guyana, India, Russia and Mozambique, as well as at
international meetings.

A majority agreed a new partnership was needed to protect forests
and forest-based livelihoods, but pointed out ways it should diverge from the
bankâ€™s initial idea if it is to really serve local needs on an equitable
basis with the rapidly changing global forestry agenda. IIED also reviewed
more than 50 existing initiatives to identify the proposed allianceâ€™s
potential partners and the gaps it could fill.

The consultation identified key features that would make a global
partnership a unique and truly progressive way for international forestry to
work. It should focus on empowering primary â€˜stakeholdersâ€™ such as forest
dwellers so that their rights, knowledge and needs are centre-stage. It
should greatly improve flows of finance to activities that support local
needs alongside global public goods such as carbon storage. It should
interact effectively with other sectors such as water and agriculture, where
the underlying causes of forest problems â€" and the seeds of sustainable
solutions â€" are often lodged.

â€œWithout these building blocks, the ambitious partnership
idea is
unlikely to succeed,â€ says IIEDâ€™s Steve Bass, the reportâ€™s
co-author. â€œThis
is a new opportunity to develop an empowering, stakeholder-focused
partnership that can attract real investment to manage forests sustainably.
It has potential to harness an enormous groundswell of energy to manage
forests so they can help address local poverty and global climate change.
Right now, Western governments are planning large climate and forest funds
â€"
the partnership could identify the best ways to invest those funds for
long-term good.â€

Existing efforts to make forestry work for the poor have not
generated the results expected. The desire to create a new global forest
partnership that connects local and global processes and people is an
ambitious break from tradition that could create new ways to do business in
the forest sector.

â€œThe World Bank should be praised for breaking with normal
practice and supporting the independent scrutiny of its plans through
engagement with a broad range of stakeholders,â€ says co-author James
Mayers,
head of IIEDâ€™s Natural Resources Group. â€œWhat the bank must now avoid is
trying to drive the partnership from the top-down. Instead it must act as the
facilitator, providing financial and other support in a hands-off way to
enable an independent alliance to be built from the bottom up, bringing
together local and regional partners with global organisations.â€

The report urges the formation of a â€˜development groupâ€™ of
forest, environment and development leaders, mainly from the South and
credible to government, civil society and the private sector, who can come
together and contribute to the development of the initiative. They would be
supported by a small group of progressive international institutions in their
efforts to forge a new kind of local-global partnership.

Daniela Gomes Pinto and Mario Monzoni of the Getulio Vargas
Foundation, who helped to coordinate the extensive consultation process in
Brazil say: "The Brazilians we consulted said a global forest partnership is
needed to raise the overall profile of forests, to curb the drivers of
deforestation, and to support those who wish to practice sustainable forest
management. It must be globally-designed, but country-driven â€" a
partnership
for the world, not the World Bank.â€

Welcoming the report, the World Bank's Forest Advisor, Gerhard
Dieterle says: â€œThe World Bank is happy to hear there is consensus on a new
approach from a broad variety of forest stakeholders from around the
world.â€

â€œWe have listened to the advice of the hundreds of people
consulted and will be following IIEDâ€™s recommendation that the World Bank
support an independent process of a global partnership growing from the
â€˜bottom upâ€™,â€ he says. â€œWe are convinced that this is a lasting
way to have
forests contribute to economic growth, to the livelihoods of forest-dependent
people and poverty reduction as a whole, as well as preserving the global
services forests deliver.â€

To request an embargoed copy of the report, email IIED's press officer, Mike
Shanahan at: mike.shanahan@iied.org or call +44 207 388 2117

PDF downloadable components on website will be as follows:

* Full report including annexes

* Each annex to be downloadable as stand alone document

* Executive summary to be downloadable as stand alone
document

* French, Spanish, Portuguese versions of Executive
Summary

EVENTS

â€œTrees Connecting People: In Action Togetherâ€

29 July 2008 - 1 August 2008

BogotÃ¡, Colombia

FAO International Meeting on Urban Forestry.

For more information, please contact:

Michelle Gauthier, Forestry Officer (FOMC)

FAO, Rome, Italy
Tel.: (+39) 06 570 53692
E-mail: michelle.gauthier@fao.org; urban-forestry@fao.org

BfD Beekeepers' Safaris â€" latest dates

Tanzania: 13-27 November 2008

This Safari will be organized in co-operation with our local partners, Njiro
Wildlife Research Centre based in Arusha, East Tanzania

Trinidad & Tobago: 2-12 February 2009

Organized in co-operation with our partner of 14 years, Gladstone Solomon

For more information, please contact:

Helen Jackson

Bees for Development

PO Box 105, Monmouth

NP25 9AA, UK

Tel +44 (0) 16007 13648

e-mail: safari@beesfordevelopment.org

www.beesfordevelopment.org

http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/info/activities/safaris/index.shtml

Bees for Development Trust Charity No 1078803

"Poplars, willows and people's wellbeing" - 23rd Session of the International
Poplar Commission Conference

26 to 30 October 2008

Beijing, China

For more information, please contact:

http://www.fao.org/forestry/media/14681/1/0/.

Cultivated Agarwood in Vietnam; A guided field tour of successful Agarwood
production in the Mekong Delta.

1-4 November 2008

Vietnam

Organized by Seven Mountain Co. Ltd. Vietnam, this will be an exclusive field
trip and seminar in An Giang province on Agarwood inducement technology,
plantation management, processing, markets, yields and products.

For over 14 years The Seven Mountains Region in An Giang province
has been the research site for Cultivated Agarwood Development. Seven
Mountains Co. Ltd. has now started Cultivated Agarwood commercial operations
in this area. It is at this beautiful rural location in the heart of the
Aquilaria plantations that we are conducting an exclusive Agarwood seminar
and plantation fieldtrip to provide in-depth information on the latest
results and trends in Cultivated Agarwood development.

This will include a technical presentation by Prof. Robert
Blanchette regarding his work and successful results on Cultivated Agarwood
(CA) inducement and Aquilaria tree physiology. A presentation by Henry
Heuveling van Beek will focus on CA tree application, commercialization and
expected future markets. Ample time will be set aside during the entire
four-day trip for discussions with the researchers, Aquilaria farmers at this
Seven Mountain site located in the Mekong Delta. The trip will include a walk
up Giai Mountain to view Aquilaria crassna plantations and see all stages of
Agarwood development. Several trees will be harvested and evaluated at the
site for the participants to get a hands on experience.

Organizers:

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Huynh Yen, Director Seven Mountain Co. Ltd.

Henry Heuveling van Beek, The Rainforest Project Foundation and CA Companies

Robert Blanchette, University of Minnesota

For more information, please contact: dungnguyen@baynui.com

For additional information on International Cultivated Agarwood development,
please see CA Companies updated web site @: http://cultivatedagarwood.com/

Training programme: â€˜Governance for forests, nature and peopleâ€™

24 Novemberâ€"5 December 2008

Bogor, Indonesia

Organized by Wageningen International, Wageningen UR (The Netherlands) and
CIFOR (Indonesia).

Managing multi-stakeholder learning in sector programmes and policy processes

Over the last decade â€˜governanceâ€™ as a term has gained wide currency in a
range of contexts. Despite the differences in definitions, there is broad
agreement on the broader trend in public and natural resources management
which can be described as the development from â€˜governmentâ€™ to
â€˜governanceâ€™.
â€˜Governmentâ€™ then indicates a situation in which the central
government is
steering. â€˜Governanceâ€™ referring to policy development and execution
focuses
on cooperation, whereby the representatives of the government, market and
civil society participate in mixed public and private networks.

Forest or natural resources governance includes topics relating
to how (forest) resources are managed, ranging from how decisions about
forest use are made and who is involved in the decision-making process, to
the enforcement of forest laws and policy on the ground. In this course we
focus on new ways of policy development and its governance implications.

Policy Development to address natural resource management is
increasingly a multi-stakeholder process, affected by and influencing broader
development strategies such as decentralisation, and poverty reduction.

The need to address multi-sectoral concerns and interests and
work with agencies at different levels of government challenges forest and
nature management professionals to adopt a broader perspective, looking
beyond the forest boundaries, taking into account cross sectoral concerns and
working in multi-disciplinary teams.

Forest and nature management policies have entered a new era -
one of facilitating dialogue, joint learning and collaborative action among
stakeholder groups and organisations. A new breed of professionals is in high
demand. Are you ready to be challenged?

Aims and objectives

The course aims to provide participants with insights, knowledge and skills
for designing and managing interactive policy processes in forest and nature
management.

In particular, the course should enable participants:

* to critically examine different policy processes in the
context of sector changes

* to understand and assess the implications of
up-scaling participation to working with diverse stakeholder groups at
regional and national levels

* to identify the types of institutional change and
support, necessary for effective interactive policy facilitation and improved
governance

* to assess the impact of your own values and personal
learning style and to further develop competences as a process manager.

Application forms can be obtained from the address below. The
application deadline is 24 October 2008.

For more information, please contact:

Esther Koopmanschap

Course Coordinator

Wageningen International
Capacity Development and Institutional Change Programme

WUR building 425

P.O. Box 88 (Lawickse Allee 11)

6700 AB Wageningen

The Netherlands

T +31 (0)317 48 68 68 (new!)

F +31 (0)317 48 68 01 (new!)

e-mail: Esther.Koopmanschap@wur.nl
www.wi.wur.nl <http://www.wi.wur.nl/> , http://www.cdic.wur.nl
<http://www.cdic.wur.nl/> http://www.wetlandprofessionals.org
<http://www.wetlandprofessionals.org/>

www.cdic.wur.nl/UK/Courses

REQUESTS

45. Request for information: Curaua fiber

From: Aj Balthes, Ajbalthes@Conceptind.com

Iâ€™m looking for information on Curaua fiber. Do you have any contact
information? I know it grows in Brazil but I havenâ€™t been able to
contact any
processing mill.

Thank you,

Aj Balthes, Ajbalthes@Conceptind.com

616-745-4314

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

46. Internship: the potential of Non-Timber Forest Products

Source: Oneworld â€" Netherlands

Agriterra, the Dutch organisation for agricultural development cooperation,
wishes to explore the potentials of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) for
its current and potential client producer organisations, especially those
producer organisations having poor/small farmers as their members, who
supplement their farm income with NTFP produce/products (i.e. categories 2
and 3 as mentioned below in "stratification of farmers involved in NTFPs").
This could include support to assist smallholders to capture market
opportunities: credit, training, support to social organisation
(cooperatives), negotiation of mutual-benefit company-community partnerships,
market analysis and information systems, certification schemes, value-adding
through e.g. processing of NTFPs, etc

Agriterra is an agri-agency. In other words, it is an
organization for international cooperation that was founded by the civil
society organizations of rural areas and the agricultural private sector. In
2003, together with agri-agencies from other western countries, amongst these
Canada, Sweden and France, Agriterra founded AgriCord: the alliance of
agri-agencies

AgriCord coordinates the cooperation amongst all agri-agencies.
This means that a request coming from a farmer's organization is able to
reach the agri-agency that specializes in the working area related to that
specific request

Objectives of the assignment

1. To provide insight in the opportunities for Agriterra
(and other agri-agencies within AgriCord) to support producer organisations
in NTFP development

2. To develop (ingredients of) an NTFP solution
(tool/product) to be used by Agriterra (and the agri-agencies) to approach
producer organisations

Activities

1. To investigate which agri-agency clients are currently
working with NTFPs/agro forestry especially as described for categories 2 and
3 under "stratification of farmers" (start with Agriterra clients).

2. To ask producer organisations already involved in NTFP
what kind of support is further needed to improve their performance in the
NTFP sector (probably micro projects)

3. To perform an opportunity analysis in NTFP/agro forestry
development support to producer organisations within the mandate of Agriterra
and other agri-agencies.

4. To determine the role of Agriterra and other AgriCord
members in this support.

5. To provide a list of potential third parties and their
role in this support.

Expected results

1. List of clients of Agriterra/AgriCord members
(potentially) interested in NTFPs and their specific demands.

2. Tool box/ option box for Agriterra/AgriCord
members to pilot with support to (potential) clients in NTFP development.

3. Indication of the potential role of Agriterra
and third parties in this support.

Are you interested in this internship? Then send an e-mail with your
curriculum vitae and motivation letter to Cees van Rij (vanrij@agriterra.org
<mailto:vanrij@agriterra.org> ). You can carry out this internship at the
office of Agriterra in Arnhem, the Netherlands.

Deadline: 3 September 2008

LITERATURE REVIEW AND WEB SITES

47. â€œAfrica â€" Atlas of our Changing Environmentâ€ now available

From: H. Gyde Lund via Tropicalbiodiversity list

As the age-old adages say, â€œA picture is worth a thousand wordsâ€ and
â€œSeeing
is believingâ€, this stunning 390-page â€œAfrica: Atlas of our Changing
Environmentâ€ is a unique and powerful publication which brings to light
stories of environmental change at 104 locations spread across every country
in Africa. There are 316 satellite images, 319 ground photographs and 151
maps, along with informative graphs and charts that give a vivid visual
portrayal of Africa and its changing environment. Using current and
historical satellite images, the Atlas provides scientific evidence of the
impact that natural and human activities have had on the continentâ€™s
environment over the past several decades. The observations and measurements
of environmental change illustrated in this Atlas help gauge the extent of
progress made by African countries towards reaching the United Nationâ€™s
Millennium Development Goals. More importantly, this book contributes to the
knowledge and understanding that are essential for adaptation and
remediation. This UNEP publication should be of immense value to all those
who want to know more about Africa and who care about the future of this
continent.

This Atlas answers the following questions:

ï‚· What is the status and trend of environment in Africa?

ï‚· What are transboundary issues which need international
cooperation?
ï‚· What are important environmental issues in each African country?

ï‚· What progress countries have made towards MDG7?

ï‚· What is â€œscientific evidenceâ€ of significant local
environmental
changes in countries?

ï‚· What and where are place based early warning of emerging issues?

ï‚· What are some interesting facts and figures about African
countries?

This Atlas was produced in cooperation with a number of
organizations in Africa and the United States and released at the African
Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) meeting in Johannesburg on
10 June 2008. The Atlas is available in both English and French.

For more information and free download go to: www.na.unep.net/AfricaAtlas/

To purchase a hard copy go to: www.earthprint.com/

For a free CD: Order from Ms. Arshia Chander, Principal Administrator in
support of UN Environment Programme, Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies (SGT,
Inc.), Contractor to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Earth Resources
Observation and Science (EROS) Center, 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, South
Dakota 57198-0001 USA. Email: achander@usgs.gov. Phone: +1-605-594-6006. Fax:
+1-605-594-6119.

Other atlases in this series include:

* UNEP 2005. One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing
Environment. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme, Division
of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA). 334 p.
http://www.na.unep.net/OnePlanetManyPeople/index.php
<http://www.na.unep.net/OnePlanetManyPeople/index.php> .

* UNEP 2006. Africaâ€™s Lakes: Atlas of Our Changing
Environment. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme, Division
of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) 90 p. http://na.unep.net/AfricaLakes/.
Both may be freely downloaded from the URLs provided or may be purchased from
http://www.earthprint.com/

48. Other publications of interest

From: FAOâ€™s NWFP Programme

Boreal Centre for Conservation Enterprise. 2007. Boreal Forest Bounty: A
botanical species resource guide for conservation enterprise development.
Trafford Publishing, Victoria, Canada. ISBN: 978-1-4251-1426-8

This publication is an attempt to highlight some common forest botanicals
found in Canadaâ€™s western boreal forest that have either established or
emerging commercial value.

Donovan, J. (ed.). 2007. Small and medium enterprise development for poverty
reduction. Opportunities and challenges in globalizing markets/Desarrollo de
pequeÃ±as y medianas empresas forestales para la reducciÃ³n de la pobreza.
Oportunidades y desafÃos en mercados globalizantes. Conference
proceedings/Memorias de conferencia. Technical Series. Technical Meetings no.
12/Serie tÃ©cnica. Reuniones tÃ©cnicas no. 12. Tropical Agricultural Research
and Higher Education Center (CATIE)/Centro AgronÃ³mico Tropical de
InvestigaciÃ³n y EnseÃ±anza (CATIE). Turrialba, Costa Rica.

http://cecoeco.catie.ac.cr/descargas/Memorias_conf_forestal_2007_JD_ing.pdf
<http://cecoeco.catie.ac.cr/descargas/Memorias_conf_forestal_2007_JD_ing.pdf>
Fuentes, M. 2008. Biological conservation and global poverty. Biotropica
40(2):139-140.

Gonwouo, N.L., Lebreton, M., Chirio, L., Ineich, I., Tchamba, N.M., Ngassam,
P., Dzikouk, G., and Diffo, I.L. 2007. Biodiversity and conservation of the
reptiles of the Mount Cameroon area. Afr. J. Herpetol. 56(2):149-161.

Gratwicke, B., Bennett, E.L., Broad, S., Christie, S., Dutton, A., Gabriel,
G., Kirkpatrick, C., and Nowell, K. 2008. The world can't have wild tigers
and eat them, too. Conserv. Biol. 22(1):222-223.

Hawkins, B. 2008. Plants for life: Medicinal plant conservation and botanic
gardens. Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Richmond, UK

BGCI has published the findings of a year-long investigation into the state
of medicinal plants around the world. Medicinal plants harvested from the
wild remain of immense importance for the well-being of millions of people
around the world. Providing both a relief from illness and a source of
income, over 70 000 plant species are thought to be medicinal. Loss of
habitat combined with over-harvesting threatens the survival of many of these
plant species. Botanic gardens are important agencies for ensuring their
conservation.

Herrera, M., and Hennessey, B. 2007. Quantifying the illegal parrot trade in
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, with emphasis on threatened species. Bird
Conserv. Int. 17(4):295-300.

Hoare, Alison L. 2007. The use of non-timber forest products in the Congo
Basin: Constraints and opportunities. The Rainforest Foundation. ISBN:
978-1-906131-03-6

Download:
www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/files/Forest%20Products%20Low%20PDF.pdf

Inogwabini, B.I., Matungila, B., Mbende, L., Abokome, M., and Tshimanga, T.W.
2007. Great apes in the Lake Tumba landscape, Democratic Republic of Congo:
newly described populations. Oryx 41(4):532-538.

Johnson, K.N.; Gordon, S.; Duncan, S.; Lach, D.; McComb, B.; Reynolds, K.
2007. Conserving creatures of the forest: A guide to decision making and
decision models for forest biodiversity. Corvallis, OR : Oregon State
University, College of Forestry. 88 pp.

http://ncseonline.org/ncssf/dss

Kim, S., Sasaki, N., and Koike. 2008. Assessment of non-timber forest
products in Phnom Kok community forest, Cambodia. Asia Europe Journal.
Springer Berlin / Heidelberg.

Our study focused on the potential revenues of non-timber forest products
(NTFPs) in the Phnom Kok forest community in Cambodia. Questionnaires were
administered at the beginning of 2007, and results showed that people
collected plant- and animal-based NTFPs seasonally. Plant-based NTFPs
collected included fodder, food, medicines, resin, construction materials,
and ingredients for cosmetics. Animal-based NTFPs collected included honey
and beeswax, live animals, bushmeat, medicines, and hides (skins). NTFPs are
important economic and natural resources in community forests, and they are
used for both family consumption and commercial trade. Resin products
represented the largest source of income, followed by honey and beeswax and
live animals. Overexploitation of NTFPs, forest degradation, and anarchic
forest clearing through fire pose great threats to the continued production
of NTFPs. Therefore, sustainable management techniques must be implemented
and harvesting should be regulated.

To request a paper, use this link http://www.kimsas.com
<http://www.kimsas.com/> => click on "Contact Us"

Kunte, K. 2008. The Wildlife (Protection) Act and conservation prioritization
of butterflies of the Western Ghats, southwestern India. Curr. Sci.
94(6):729-735.

Larson, Anne M. and Ribot, Jesse C. 2007. The poverty of forestry policy:
double standards on an uneven playing field. Sustainability Science, Volume
2, Number 2 / October, 2007. The article is available at
http://pdf.wri.org/sustainability_science_poverty_of_forestry_policy.pdf

Leonard, David Bruce. 2008. Medicine at Your Feet: Healing Plants of the
Hawaiian Kingdom.

Exhaustively researched, this book contains cross-cultural uses for 49
different Hawaiian plant medicines. Included is information on medicinal
properties, food uses, chemical constituents. herbal combinations, plant
gathering protocols, possible drug interactions, scientific research and much
more.

http://www.medicineatyourfeet.com/buythebook.html

Linkie, M., and Christie, S. 2007. The value of wild tiger conservation. Oryx
41(4):415-416.

Mathew, P.J. and Thomas, M.T. 2007. Medicinal plant resource of Kerala.
Towards harnessing its potential. Part 1 â€" Introduction. Tropical Botanic
Garden and Research Institute. Kerala, India. ISBN 81-900397-7-6

Machado, Frederico Soares. 2008. Manejo Comunitario de Productos Forestales
No Maderables: un manual con sugerencias para el manejo participativo en
comunidades de AmazonÃa. ISBN: 978â€"85â€"908217â€"0â€"0

Oudhia, P. (2008). Series on Wilderness medicines (Expedition medicines) of
Indian state Chhattisgarh. http://www.Ecoport.org <http://www.ecoport.org/>

Oudhia, P. (2008). Traditional Shurbut (Sherbet) based 365 days schedule for
Heart patients (at initial stage) suggested by Traditional Healers of Indian
state Chhattisgarh. http://www.Ecoport.org <http://www.ecoport.org/>

Oudhia, P. (2008). Two Decades with Parthenium hysterophorus
<http://ecoport.org/ep?Plant=1619> . http://www.Ecoport.org
<http://www.ecoport.org/>

Oudhia, P. (2008). The Indian experiences on organic farming of medicinal and
aromatic crops useful for African herb growers. http://www.Ecoport.org
<http://www.ecoport.org/>

Oudhia, P. (2008). Traditional Formulations based 365 days schedule (I) for
Heart patients (at initial stage) suggested by Traditional Healers of Indian
state Chhattisgarh. http://www.Ecoport.org <http://www.ecoport.org/>

Oudhia, P. (2008). New record of Aspidomorpha miliaris F. (Coleoptera ;
Chrysomelidae) on Shorea robusta in Gariaband region of Indian state
Chhattisgarh. http://www.Ecoport.org <http://www.ecoport.org/>

Oudhia, P. (2008). One summer day with Traditional healers, Herb Collectors
and forest of Gariaband and Rajim regions of Indian state Chhattisgarh.
Part-I. http://www.Ecoport.org <http://www.ecoport.org/>

Oudhia, P. (2008). One summer day with Traditional healers, Herb Collectors
and forest of Gariaband and Rajim regions of Indian state Chhattisgarh.
Part-II. http://www.Ecoport.org <http://www.ecoport.org/>

Oudhia, P. (2008). One summer day with Traditional healers, Herb Collectors
and forest of Gariaband and Rajim regions of Indian state Chhattisgarh.
Part-III. http://www.Ecoport.org <http://www.ecoport.org/>

Sunderland, T.C.H., Ehringhaus, C., and Campbell, B.M. 2007. Conservation and
development in tropical forest landscapes: a time to face the trade-offs?
Environ. Conserv. 34(4):276-279.

Tieguhong, J.C.; Ndoye, O. 2007. The impact of timber harvesting on the
availability of non-wood forest products in the Congo Basin. Forest
Harvesting Case-Study (FAO). 1014-9945, no. 23. FAO, Rome.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1105e/a1105e00.htm

WHO. 2007. WHO guidelines for assessing quality of herbal medicines with
reference to contaminants and residues. Geneva, Switzerland. ISBN 978 92 4
159444 8

49. Web sites and e-zines

From: FAOâ€™s NWFP Programme

Forestry Nepal

Contains information on forest and non-wood forest resources of Nepal.

http://www.forestrynepal.org <http://www.forestrynepal.org/>

Fruitipedia

Fruitipedia is an online encyclopaedia on edible fruits. It contains
information on 200 fruits. Contribute articles to Fruitipedia and let your
knowledge benefit others

www.fruitipedia.com

Livelihoods Connect

The purpose of Livelihoods Connect is to facilitate the practical
implementation of sustainable livelihoods approaches.

To subscribe: send a blank email message with the words "subscribe
livelihoods-update" in the subject field to: lyris@lyris.ids.ac.uk
<mAILTO:lyris@lyris.ids.ac.uk%20>

or subscribe online at
http://www.livelihoods.org/emailupdate/emailupdate.html#2
<http://www.livelihoods.org/emailupdate/emailupdate.html#2%20>

www.livelihoods.org/index.html <http://www.livelihoods.org/index.html%20>

Traditional Knowledge Bulletin

Subscribe: http://tkbulletin.wordpress.com/

MISCELLANEOUS

50. African 'wall of trees' gets underway

Source: SciDev.Net Weekly Update (7-13 July 2008)

Three years after it was first proposed, preparations for an African 'wall of
trees' to slow down the southwards spread of the Sahara desert are finally
getting underway. The 'Great Green Wall' will involve several stretches of
trees from Mauritania in the west to Djibouti in the east, to protect the
semi-arid savannah region of the Sahel â€" and its agricultural land â€" from
desertification.

A plan for the proposed US$3 million, two-year initial phase of
the project â€" involving a belt of trees 7,000km long and 15km wide â€" was
formally adopted at the Community of Sahelâ€"Saharan States (Cen-Sad)
summit on
rural development and food security in Cotonou, Benin, last month (17â€"18
June).

North African nations have been promoting the idea of a Green

Belt since 2005. The project has been scaled down to reinforce and then
expand on existing efforts, and will not be a continent-wide wall of trees,
despite the name of the project.

The Green Wall will involve two planting projects on the east and
west sides of Africa.

The Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel region
(CILSS) is working with scientific consultants and representatives from the
arid nations of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal to
launch pilot planting projects planned for September.

Another planting programme, including Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea,
Ethiopia and Sudan, should be finalised within two months under the auspices
of six states in the Horn of Africa, linked through the Intergovernmental
Authority on Development (IGAD).

Mariam Aladji Boni Diallo, the Benin-based president of the
Cen-Sad summit organising committee, says she hopes the Green Wall will
consist of more than just trees. Diallo told SciDev.Net that "reforestation,
restoration of natural resources and the eventual development of fishing and
livestock breeding" were priorities for the project. However, she said that
funding for the project was still tentative.

The UNESCO-linked non-profit Observatory of the Sahara and the
Sahel has prepared a report on the project, saying the labour-intensive
project should be used to create employment but advising that payments be
partly withheld for two years until the trees were established, and that
payment be based on plant growth.

The project will be monitored from Tripoli by Cen-Sad, and
Senegal will provide 'close technical cooperation' because of its success in
fighting desertification.

JosÃ©a Dossou BodjrÃ¨nou, head of the Nature Tropicale
environmental education organisation at the Museum of Natural Science in
Benin, warned that the project can only be assessed once it stops being words
on paper and becomes action. "The population needs to be sensitised to the
importance of planting trees and taking care of them. Otherwise, they would
destroy them without knowing it's dangerous for the ecosystem. All this work
would lead to nothing," BodjrÃ¨nou, told SciDev.Net. "It's really important
for the work to be done with local experts in each country because they know
which species can grow on their soil. And we have to use local species, not
imported ones."

Link to Observatory of the Sahara and the Sahel Great Green Wall report
<http://www.oss-online.org/pdf/imv-en.pdf> [2.44MB]

51. Mexico plants 8 million trees in latest green project

Source: Reuters â€" USA, 5 July 2008

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexicans went out and planted more than 8 million
trees across the country on Saturday as part of a government push to shed its
reputation for environmental mismanagement and rampant illegal logging.

Packs of volunteers, including oil workers and schoolchildren,
trekked into fields and forests up and down Mexico wielding shovels and
wheelbarrows full of government-supplied saplings. They planted 8.3 million
trees, the environment ministry said. "We are repairing just a little of the
enormous damage that we are doing" to the environment, President Felipe
Calderon said at a tree planting event just north of the capital.

Illegal logging destroys some 64,000 acres (26,000 hectares) of
Mexican forest each year, the government says, putting Mexico near the top of
a U.N. list of nations losing primary forest fastest. Environmental activists
say the figure is much higher. â€œEverybody needs to help out a little to
keep
the world green," said volunteer Marcela Lopez as she patted down soil around
a sapling on the west side of Mexico City.

Environmental group Greenpeace called the government-led effort a
publicity stunt, saying a better way to keep forests healthy would be to cut
back on logging, which is often controlled by the country's powerful
organized crime gangs. "This program is a fraud. Only 10 percent of what is
planted survives, which means they are throwing the federal budget for
reforestation straight into the garbage," the group said in a statement.

Calderon regularly speaks out against global warming, and the
leftwing Mexico City mayor has launched a number of green initiatives to curb
rampant pollution in the city, where government fuel subsidies and a lack of
public transport mean the roads are permanently choked with cars.

Mexican Environment Minister Juan Rafael Elvira said the point of
the tree planting was to raise environmental consciousness in Mexico, which
ecologists also criticize for allowing the oil industry to contaminate many
rural states. "We don't just want a green country. We want to plant trees to
nurture environmental conscience," he said.

(Reporting by Mariano Castillo, Rodolfo Pena and Jason Lange, editing by Todd
Eastham)

For full story, please see:
www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0536957020080706?sp=true

52. Papua New Guineaâ€™s forests all but gone in 13 years

Source: The Australian, 3 June 2008 via Community Forestry E-News, June 2008

A five-year study by experts from the Australian National University and the
University of Papua New Guinea Remote Sensing Centre has found PNG is losing
its forests to logging and subsistence farming so rapidly that over 80% will
be destroyed in the next 13 years. Even areas labelled nature reserves have
been open to exploitation. The report and its lead author, Phil Shearman,
raised questions about the effectiveness of programs funded under
Australiaâ€™s
$200 million forest carbon initiative to reduce deforestation, as well as
about the fairness of PNGâ€™s compensation for forests that â€œare physically
inaccessible to exploitation and would never had been logged anyway.â€ The
study concluded that the lack of sustainable forest management and effective
forest governance meant that â€œPNG is a long way from being able to
meaningfully participate in the carbon economy.â€

For full story, please see:
www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23800906-2702,00.html

QUICK TIPS AND INFORMATION FOR NWFP-DIGEST-L

This list is for information related to any aspect of non-wood forest
products.

Cross-postings related to non-wood forest products are welcome.

Information on this mailing list can be reproduced and distributed freely as
long as they are cited.

Contributions are edited primarily for formatting purposes. Diverse views and
materials relevant to NWFPs are encouraged. Submissions usually appear in the
next issue. Issues are bi-monthly on average.

To join the list, please send an e-mail to: mailserv@mailserv.fao.org with
the message:

subscribe NWFP-Digest-L

To make a contribution once on the list, please send an e-mail to the
following address: NWFP-Digest-L@mailserv.fao.org
<mailto:NWFP-Digest-L@mailserv.fao.org>

To unsubscribe, please send an e-mail to: mailserv@mailserv.fao.org
<mailto:mailserv@mailserv.fao.org>

with the message:

unsubscribe NWFP-Digest-L

For technical help or questions contact NWFP-Digest-L@mailserv.fao.org
<mailto:NWFP-Digest-L@mailserv.fao.org>

Your information is secure--We will never sell, give or distribute your
address or subscription information to any third party.

The designations employed and the presentation of materials in the
NWFP-Digest-L do not necessarily imply the expression of any opinion
whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations.

NWFP-Digest-L Sponsor:

Non-Wood Forest Products Programme

Forestry Department

FAO

Viale delle Terme di Caracalla

00100 Rome, Italy

Fax: +39-06-570-55618

Web site NWFP programme:
www.fao.org/forestry/foris/webview/fop/index.jsp?siteId=2301&langId=1
<http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/webview/fop/index.jsp?siteId=2301&langId=1
>

lingkar21

31 Juli, 2008

[Fwd: NWFP-Digest-L No. 5/08]

Tentang Saya

Topik Bahasan

Ayo urus sampah kita sendiri

Arsip Blog

Disclaimer