C E N T E R F O R I N T E R N A T I O N A L F O R E S T R Y R E S E A R C H CIFOR NEWS CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY RESEARCH SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23 (Continued on p. 3) Seminar at CIFOR Highlights Research in Host Country Following several recent develop- ments, CIFOR is stepping up activi- ties at its experimental forest in East Kalimantan, Indonesia (on the island of Borneo). The 300,000-hectare area, known as the Bulungan Research Forest, was designated by IndonesiaÕs Ministry of Forestry in 1996 as a site at which to test prac- tices that support long-term multiple use and sustainable management of forests in Indonesia. Like many other tropical forests, Bulungan is subject to rapidly increasing competition for access to land and other resources by many dif- ferent groups. It encompasses both production and protected forests, as well as coal mining and several com- munities of indigenous Dayak people who practice agroforestry, hunt and collect forest products for daily needs and income. The completion of a field camp, a water supply at supplementary hous- ing quarters in the village of Long Loreh and upgraded communications Ñ all coordinated by consultant Ismayadi Samsoedin Ñ means more researchers will now be able to work simultaneously at Bulungan. CIFOR has a diverse programme of studies in silviculture, ecology and social sci- ence planned or underway at the site. In August, forest ecologist Herwasono Soedjito joined CIFOR as site manager and resident scientist at Bulungan. He was part of a team from CIFOR that visited the area in late August to view progress and consult with research partners. Also (Continued on p. 2) C IFOR held ÒIndonesia DayÓ at its headquarters in Bogor on 28 September to highlight a wide range of research underway in the forests of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and other areas of Indonesia. The event, which featured a day-long briefing by staff scientists, coincided with a week-long meeting of CIFORÕs Board of Trustees. Officials of the Ministry of Forestry and Estate Crops and its Research and Development Agency (FERDA) were special guests at the forum and luncheon, along with donor country representatives and diplo- matic staff from several Embassies in Jakarta, including the Ambassador of Borneo Forest Offers Long-Term Field Site A large audience of invited guests attended CIFORÕs "Indonesia Day" research briefing. CIFOR Director of Research Ken MacDicken chats with (at far right) Dr. A. Ng Ginting, head of the Indonesian Ministry of ForestryÕs Center for Forest Product Research and Development. Finland, Hannu Himannen. Also on hand were researchers and others from agricultural and botanical insti- tutes, universities, development agen- cies, and international and local NGOs that collaborate with CIFOR. In a keynote address, the Minister of Forestry, Muslimin Nasution, spoke of CIFORÕs work in relation to rapid changes occurring in IndonesiaÕs forests and in the country overall. ÒFrom my own perspective,Óhe said, Òthe existence of CIFOR has opened a large window of opportunities for Indonesia, in particular the scientific forest community, to enhance the capacity to understand and to deal with the increasing complexity of forest management at large.Ó The message was read by Pasril Wahid, the head of FERDA. Since it was established in 1993, CIFOR has been based in Bogor, 60 km south of Jakarta. Its headquarters complex occupies 10 hectares of forested land donated by the Indonesian Government. Indonesia, with 10 percent of the worldÕs remaining tropical forests and a broad spectrum of forest types, is a highly appropriate setting for CIFOR DIANA PARSELL In This Issue: n CIFOR strategy for research in Sub-Saharan Africa Page 5 n Renewed ties for research in Amazonia Page 7 plus summary of forum in Belm Page 8
Transcript
C E N T E R F O R I N T E R N A T I O N A L F O R E S T R Y R E S E A R C H
CIFOR NEWSCENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY RESEARCH SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
(Continued on p. 3)
Seminar at CIFOR Highlights Research in Host Country
Following several recent develop-
ments, CIFOR is stepping up activi-
ties at its experimental forest in East
Kalimantan, Indonesia (on the island
of Borneo). The 300,000-hectare
area, known as the Bulungan
Research Forest, was designated by
IndonesiaÕs Ministry of Forestry in
1996 as a site at which to test prac-
tices that support long-term multiple
use and sustainable management of
forests in Indonesia.
Like many other tropical forests,
Bulungan is subject to rapidly
increasing competition for access to
land and other resources by many dif-
ferent groups. It encompasses both
production and protected forests, as
well as coal mining and several com-
munities of indigenous Dayak people
who practice agroforestry, hunt and
collect forest products for daily needs
and income.
The completion of a field camp, a
water supply at supplementary hous-
ing quarters in the village of Long
Loreh and upgraded communications
Ñ all coordinated by consultant
Ismayadi Samsoedin Ñ means more
researchers will now be able to work
simultaneously at Bulungan. CIFOR
has a diverse programme of studies in
silviculture, ecology and social sci-
ence planned or underway at the site.
In August, forest ecologist
Herwasono Soedjito joined CIFOR
as site manager and resident scientist
at Bulungan. He was part of a team
from CIFOR that visited the area in
late August to view progress and
consult with research partners. Also
(Continued on p. 2)
CIFOR held ÒIndonesia DayÓ at
its headquarters in Bogor on 28
September to highlight a wide
range of research underway in the
forests of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan,
Sulawesi and other areas of Indonesia.
The event, which featured a day-long
briefing by staff scientists, coincided
with a week-long meeting of CIFORÕs
Board of Trustees.
Officials of the Ministry of
Forestry and Estate Crops and its
Research and Development Agency
(FERDA) were special guests at the
forum and luncheon, along with donor
country representatives and diplo-
matic staff from several Embassies in
Jakarta, including the Ambassador of
Borneo Forest Offers Long-Term Field Site
A large audience of invited guests attended CIFORÕs "Indonesia Day" research briefing.CIFOR Director of Research Ken MacDicken chats with (at far right) Dr. A. Ng Ginting,head of the Indonesian Ministry of ForestryÕs Center for Forest Product Research andDevelopment.
Finland, Hannu Himannen. Also on
hand were researchers and others
from agricultural and botanical insti-
tutes, universities, development agen-
cies, and international and local
NGOs that collaborate with CIFOR.
In a keynote address, the Minister
of Forestry, Muslimin Nasution,
spoke of CIFORÕs work in relation to
rapid changes occurring in IndonesiaÕs
forests and in the country overall.
ÒFrom my own perspective,Óhe said,
Òthe existence of CIFOR has opened a
large window of opportunities for
Indonesia, in particular the scientific
forest community, to enhance the
capacity to understand and to deal
with the increasing complexity of
forest management at large.Ó The
message was read by Pasril Wahid,
the head of FERDA.
Since it was established in 1993,
CIFOR has been based in Bogor, 60
km south of Jakarta. Its headquarters
complex occupies 10 hectares of
forested land donated by the
Indonesian Government.
Indonesia, with 10 percent of the
worldÕs remaining tropical forests and
a broad spectrum of forest types, is a
highly appropriate setting for CIFOR
DIA
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PA
RS
ELL
In This Issue:
n CIFOR strategy for
research in
Sub-Saharan Africa Page 5
n Renewed ties for
research in Amazonia Page 7
plus summary of
forum in Bel�m Page 8
2
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
and its work. Many Indonesian forests
are noted for their remarkable biolog-
ical diversity. At the same time, wood
and other forest products are the
countryÕs third-largest export sector
(after oil and apparel and textiles).
Hundreds of indigenous groups still
dwell in IndonesiaÕs forests and rely
heavily on them for basic needs. These
competing pressures provide opportu-
nities to study ways of balancing forest
conservation and sustainable use.
Studies in Indonesia constitute one
of the largest components of CIFORÕs
research programme. Much of this
work is being done at Bulungan
Research Forest in East Kalimantan
(see related article).
CIFORÕs research in Indonesia is
designed to produce results that will be
directly useful to the country, but also,
in combination with similar CIFOR
work in more than 30 other countries,
hold lessons for tropical forest
management overall. Many policy-
makers and officials in Indonesia have
said they found CIFORÕs research and
analysis helpful in formulating new
forestry laws and development options.
The ÒIndonesia DayÓ briefing
discussed CIFOR research in the
context of ÒInternational Perspectives
and National Partnerships.Ó
Dede Rohadi, a research assistant
from FERDA, described a project
involving 12 case studies CIFOR and its
partners are doing in Indonesia as part
of an international analysis of non-
timber forest product use and manage-
ment. The research entails the use of a
methodology that CIFOR scientists are
developing to aid cross-comparisons.
Dede reported findings from the case of
cendana, or sandalwood, explaining
how the governmentÕs imposition of
regulations in an attempt to target the
valued wood for regional income gener-
ation Ð while neglecting community
rights Ð proved to be counter-productive
to the sustainability of the resource.
Plantation forestry is a big chal-
lenge for Indonesia because of its high
reliance on timber and pulp production
as an important source of revenue.
Christian Cossalter described research
at several plantations in Indonesia
aimed at improving poor soil fertility
and optimising tree yields over succes-
sive plantations. His data included
dramatic figures showing that pulp-
wood supply from plantations in
Indonesia falls far short of current and
projected mill capacity, with major
implications for further deforestation.
William Sunderlin told attendees
about CIFORÕs ongoing research to
determine the effects of the countryÕs
economic crisis on rural households in
Indonesia and related impacts on
forests because of conversion of land
for agriculture and other factors. He
described a number of key policy
changes that are changing the forestry
picture in Indonesia. Lini Wollenberg
followed with an analysis of provisions
in IndonesiaÕs new forestry laws in
relation to a trend of devolution toward
greater community management of
forests.
Other CIFOR presenters were
Kuswata Kartawinata, who described
activities at the Bulungan Research
Forest; Graham Applegate, on collabo-
rative research on forest fires in South-
east Asia; and Ken MacDicken, on
CIFORÕs emerging research on forest
carbon as a mechanism for climate
change mitigation and possible oppor-
tunities for Indonesia to benefit from
this new Òcommodity.Ó
Representing CIFORÕs many
national partners, Dr. Wahid of
FERDA detailed IndonesiaÕs strategic
plan for forestry research to address
emerging issues. Sambas Sabarnurdin,
the Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at
Gajah Mada University, said he
sought more collaboration between
his institution and CIFOR to improve
scientific capacity in forestry at a time
when national resources have shrunk.
A bilingual 28-page booklet
summarising CIFORÕs research in
Indonesia is available at CIFORÕs
Web site: www.cgiar.org/cifor
Pasril Wahid, the chief of FERDA, reads amessage from the Minister of Forestry,while CIFOR Director General JeffreySayer looks on.
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A researcher from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Afriastini, does a plant inventoryat Bulungan Research Forest. The carved archway at Long Loreh village nearbyfeatures elaborate Dayak motifs.
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SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
among the group were Director
General Jeffrey Sayer and Kuswata
Kartawinata, the director of the
Bulungan Forest programme.
The International Tropical Timber
Organization (ITTO) and the Government
of Indonesia are major partners with
CIFOR in an initial programme of
research at Bulungan. One of the main
activities, which got underway in
September, is research on low-impact
logging by timber concessions to
determine the biological and ecologi-
cal impacts of such techniques and
whether they should be adopted
throughout IndonesiaÕs forestry sector.
Low-impact logging methods are
designed to be more environmentally
benign than conventional harvesting
techniques by reducing damage to the
soil; to remaining trees and vegetation
that are important for forest regenera-
tion, wildlife preservation and use by
local people; and to ecological func-
tions such as water balance.
Protection of biodiversity is an
especially important issue in Indonesia
because its tropical forests are known
to harbour some of the richest plant
and animal life in the world. Indone-
sian officials are also interested in
adopting less destructive logging
methods because highly flammable
ground debris from timber operations
has been blamed as a factor in the
severity of devastating forest fires.
Although the basic approach of
low-impact logging is the same from
site to site, specific practices must be
adapted to suit local conditions, which
entails more careful planning. CIFOR
and its research partners recently pub-
lished a set of guidelines for imple-
menting low-impact logging in low-
land and dipterocarp forests of Indone-
sia. Now, a state-operated timber con-
cession, PT. Inhutani II, is applying the
techniques at its operations near Malin-
au, East Kalimantan. Inhutani II is also
supporting the project by providing
facilities and funding assistance.
Plinio Sist, a forest ecologist from
CIRAD-For�t who is supervising the
field experiments, said the studies at
Bulungan are designed to demonstrate
that low-impact logging can reduce
damage to the soil and surrounding for-
est vegetation by as much as 50 percent
more than conventional harvesting
techniques. The studies also entail a
cost-comparison analysis of the two
approaches being done by Hariyatno
Dwi prabowo.
ÒReduced-impact logging requires
much more planning, which may be
costlier,Ó Dr. Sist said. ÒBut productiv-
ity should be much more efficient,
therefore reducing production costs,
which are much higher than planning
costs.Ó
A private-sector partner in the
experiments is PT. Trakindo Utama,
the distributor of Caterpillar earth-
moving equipment in Indonesia. It has
lent two log skidders, known as CAT
527s, that are specially designed to be
lightweight and versatile while min-
imising ground contact pressure and
soil disturbance.
The first phase of the ITTO-funded
research project requires gathering
extensive baseline information on the
physical and human environments of
Bulungan, as a foundation for a wide
range of long-term studies. Activities so
far have included a preliminary species
inventory, the compilation of a refer-
ence manual on common plants and
animals of the region (now in publica-
tion by CIFOR) and a socioeconomic
and institutional history of the area.
Bulungan has been identified as
having particular value for conserva-
tion, and biodiversity-related studies
will be a major component of CIFORÕs
research at the site. In one such effort,
biodiversity specialist Douglas Sheil is
now leading a multidisciplinary group
of scientists in two months of field-
work as part of a project to develop
methods for multi-purpose assessment
of biodiversity across a landscape.
Another research team, headed by
John Poulsen, spent two weeks at
Bulungan in September testing the effi-
cacy and relevancy of biodiversity cri-
teria and indicators CIFOR has pro-
posed including among a ÒgenericÓ set
of C&I that could be used to monitor
whether forest conditions are likely to
support sustainability. The results are
now being analysed.
Social science research at Bulun-
gan includes efforts to design more
effective models of community man-
agement of forests, as well as research
on non-timber forest products, rural
development trends and policy impli-
cations in relation to the well-being of
forest-dependent people. All this work
is being done in partnership with local
and international organisations, includ-
ing several NGOs.
During their site visit to Bulungan
in late August, the scientific delegation
from CIFOR held a well attended vil-
lage meeting in Long Loreh with lead-
ers and residents of four local Dayak
communities to explain CIFORÕs
research mission and activities in the
A hut mounted on logs istransported to theÒsledgeÓ camp inBulungan Research Forestwhere CIFOR scientistsand their partners dofieldwork. The Director ofBulungan, KuswataKartawinata, extendsthanks on behalf of CIFORfor the hospitality shownby residents of four Dayakcommunities who met witha CIFOR delegation atLong Loreh in August. K
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Bulungan Forest (from page 1)
4
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
area. Explaining that CIFOR works
throughout the tropics doing research
aimed at protecting forests and improv-
ing the well-being of local people, Mr.
Sayer told the participants: ÒWeÕre
interested in Long Loreh because you
have a lot of forests, but also a lot is
changing. É We hope our science can
help so that no harm comes to the for-
est or its people.Ó
The local leaders, in turn, conveyed
their villagesÕ concerns about forest
deterioration and threats to their liveli-
hood from a variety of factors. ÒWe É
depend on forest products for our
livelihoods. We also depend on shifting
cultivation,Ó the people of Long Loreh
said in a joint statement that was trans-
lated by Lini Wollenbergof CIFOR, a
specialist in local forest management.
ÒThe problem with shifting cultivation
now is that our swidden fields are far
away, the fees for transport are high, the
forest is gone and forest products are
damaged. Our yields are getting lower,
the weather is drier, our relations with
the [timber concessions] are not fair,
and there is excessive erosion and pol-
lution in our rivers from mining.Ó
Several of the communities said
they hoped CIFOR and its research
would serve as a ÒbridgeÓ to help pro-
vide information needed to establish
better cooperation between local peo-
ple, the government, and timber and
mining companies in the area. In a
new programme of research known as
Adaptive Co-Management, CIFOR is
investigating techniques for improv-
ing the process of collaborative plan-
ning and decision-making about
forests to meet the diverse needs of
various groups.
A Web site has been established to
provide a forum for discussion of
issues related to integrated natural
resources management, primarily
among the CGIAR centres and their
partners. The Web site address is:
www.cgiar.org /cifor/ inrm
The site was initially designed
by CIFORÕs Information Services
Group at the request of Director
General Jeffrey Sayer, who asked
that relevant background docu-
ments be posted for a workshop
held 3-5 September in the Nether-
lands to discuss future directions for
INRM research in the CGIAR. He
chaired the workshop as head of the
Committee on Sustainability and
the Environment of the CGIAR
Centre Directors Committee, which
organised the meeting. The partici-
pants asked that the site be contin-
ued to facilitate ongoing communi-
cation and information exchange.
CIFOR agreed to manage it for the
time being.
The 53 participants at the work-
shop represented most centres of the
CGIAR and several of its commit-
tees, national research systems in
eight developing countries, funding
agencies and other research organi-
sations. They issued a detailed sum-
mary statement that spells out chal-
lenges the CGIAR faces and how
these can be addressed in the con-
text of integrated resource manage-
ment. It is known as the ÒBilderberg
Consensus,Ó after the Bilderberg
Hotel in Oosterbeek where the
workshop was held.
The statement notes that since
the early 1990s there has been
recognition within the CGIAR of the
need for greater INRM approaches.
ÒIt is now well accepted that
CGIAR research should be more
integrated to achieve holistic under-
standing of agro-ecological sys-
tems, rather than focusing narrowly
on increasing and maintaining the
productivity of commodities,Ó the
statement says. But, it adds, despite
some major advances, Òprogress in
achieving this objective has been
slow.Ó The full statement is pub-
lished on the Web site.
Although there is no universally
accepted definition of INRM, the
term generally refers to responsible
and broad-based management of
land, water, forest and biological
resources needed to sustain agricul-
tural productivity and avert degra-
dation of potential productivity.
W eb Site to Aid CGIAR Dialogue on INRM
Site Management and Productivity in Tropical Plantation
Forests. Proceedings of W orkshop 16-20 February 1998,
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, E.K.S. Nambiar, C. Cossalter
and A. Tiarks (eds.).
Management of Secondary and Logged-Over Forests in
Indonesia. Selected Proceedings of International W orkshop
17-19 November 1997, Bogor, Indonesia, P. Sist, C. Sabogal
and Y.Byron (eds.).
Pterocarpus macrocarpus: Genetics, Seed Biology and
Nursery Production.J.F. Coles and T.J.B. Boyle (eds.).
CIFOR Research Abstracts 1998.In Englishand French.
Laporan Tahunan CIFOR 1998.Annual report in Indonesian.
CIFOR in Indonesia.In English and Indonesian.
Les Approches Participatives dans la Gestion des
Ecosyst�mes Forestiers dÕAfrique Centrale: Revue des
Initiatives Existantes. CIFOR Occasional Paper No. 23 by
Jean-Claude Nguinguiri.
Pedoman Pembalakan Berdampak Rendah untuk Hutan
Dipterocarpa Lahan Rendah dan Bukit di Indonesia.
Indonesian version of Occasional Paper No. 15, Reduced-
Impact Logging Guidelines for Lowland and Hill Dipterocarp
Forests in Indonesia.
New Publications Available from CIFOR
5
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
CIFOR has drafted a vision statement
on research directions in Africa, aimed
at focussing on activities that will help
the regions strengthen its scientific
capacity and develop sound policies
and management for sustainable
management of forests.
The document lays out priorities to
guide CIFORÕs current and future
research in the region (see related
sidebar) It follows several weeks of
electronic discussion on African
forestry research issues by more than
two dozen scientists and senior staff
members from inside and outside
CIFOR. The vision will be developed
further into a strategy through a
process to be coordinated by Mafa
Chipeta, who became Deputy Director
General of CIFOR in August.
The effort will build on and
complement a coordinated strategy for
sub-Saharan Africa being developed
by CIFORÕs parent organisation, the
Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The
1998 CGIAR system review called for
a greater focus on Africa to improve
the continentÕs generally poor success
rate in raising agricultural productivity.
The CGIAR strategy is expected to be
adopted by the middle of year 2000,
when a related consultative process by
AfricaÕs own research community is
expected to conclude. CIFOR therefore
will finalise its own strategy after that
time so as to benefit from the other two
major initiatives.
CGIAR DialogueRepresentatives of the CGIAR
institutes and their partner institutions
in Africa met in Abidjan at ÒMeeting
of Minds IIÓ in September Ñ as a
follow-up to an earlier session in
Nairobi Ñ to discuss proposals and
future directions for research in Africa.
In its Executive Statement, the group
noted that African leaders, recognising
the importance of agriculture as an
engine of economic growth, have
called for agricultural production in
sub-Saharan Africa to grow 6 percent
annually through 2020 Òwhile im-
proving the natural resource base to
support agricultural development for
future generations.Ó The latest World
Development Report also emphasises
support for research and information
management that enables genuine
African solutions.
ÒThe issue is how to leverage our
limited resources to that end, taking
into account CIFORÕs current and
prospective research foci in Africa,Ó
CIFORÕs draft strategy document says.
ÒAs an international public goods insti-
tution,Ó it continues, ÒCIFORÕs prima-
ry responsibility is to undertake
research in areas where it has a com-
parative advantage, while developing a
close partnership with national and
regional scientists and institutions in a
way that enhances research capacities
and the options for sustainable forestry
on the ground.Ó The main issues dis-
cussed in the strategy statement relate
to cost-effectiveness, impact, partner-
ships, ecoregional focus, regional
organisations and priority-setting (par-
ticularly in the context of the CGIAR
strategy for Africa).
CIFOR already has a significant
research portfolio in West-Central
Africa, Southern Africa and Madagas-
car, despite a limited staff presence in
the region. Areas of focus include pol-
icy influences, non-timber forest prod-
ucts, local institutions, criteria and
indicators for sustainable forest man-
agement, participatory forest manage-
ment, low-impact logging, plantations
and biodiversity.
CIFOR scientists say forestry
research issues in Africa pose a special
challenge because of the regionÕs wide-
scale development needs. Sub-Saharan
Africa has been scarred by decades of
economic decline and by political
instability and wars. Despite pockets of
progress, it is estimated that at present
growth rates the continent would need
20 more years to return to the level of
1975.
Mr. Chipeta, who attended the
meeting in Abidjan, said an issue of
major interest to participants was how
to strengthen human resource
development in AfricaÕs scientific
community to help address a Òbrain
drain.Ó ÒThis is a particularly serious
problem because many of AfricaÕs
scientists are nearing retirement age
but few young people are coming up
through the system to take their place,Ó
he said. More than a decade of curbs on
government recruitment of new
scientists threatens the sustainability of
AfricaÕs forest research institutes, he
added.
Areas of NeedIn line with that need, Mr. Chipeta said
CIFOR should continue to emphasise
capacity-building as a core focus of its
research activities in sub-Saharan
Africa. Capacity-building is a central
component, for example, of CIFORÕs
work in a European Union-funded
project to achieve sustainable manage-
ment of AfricaÕs vast miombo wood-
lands. Another area of concentration
for CIFOR will be to promote the
development of institutional alliances
and effective links between researchers
and policy makers to better ensure that
decision makers recognise the impor-
tance of research and support the
implementation of results.
Despite a high rate of tropical rain-
forest loss and adverse climatic condi-
tions in dry areas, forests of sub-Saha-
ran Africa are still highly important to
the people and economics of the
region. Recognising that, African gov-
ernments and other institutions devel-
oped a number of progressive mea-
sures and legal reforms in the past
decade that promote responsible forest
policies. Formulation of policies, how-
ever, has not been matched by imple-
mentation, in part because traditional
CIFOR Shaping Strategic Plan
for its Research in Sub-Saharan Africa
6
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
forestry research institutions in the
region have lacked the strength and
clout to influence the policy-making
process.
Other widely cited problems in
AfricaÕs scientific research communi-
ty include low levels of funding, high
external dependency, poor coordina-
tion and a weak structure of incen-
tives for researchers.
CIFORÕs strategy summary says:
ÒTo contribute to capacity-building
without overwhelming ourselves, it
was felt that working with individuals
within institutions (rather than
through institutions per se) seems to
produce good results and to encourage
excellence. However, engaging the
institutions as well could assist in the
durability of impacts, particularly
when it comes to the development of
collaborative training procedures and
user-friendly packages. This creates a
sense of ownership that stays in the
country.Ó
To offer comments or suggestions
about CIFORÕs projected research
strategy in sub-Saharan Africa, send
messages to Mr. Chipeta at:
m.chipeta@ cgiar.org
At the time of publication, CIFOR
had no further information on the
whereabouts of three Indonesian
researchers who were kidnapped
by unknown persons on 11
September while on assignment for
CIFOR. They were travelling by van
with two stafff members of Leuser
Management Unit in IndonesiaÕs
northwestern province of Aceh
when the incident occurred after
dark.
Budiawan Dwi Prasetyo, 34,
Atim Gumelar, 24, and Hardian,
23, were doing a month-long field
survey at Leuser Ecosystem in the
north of Sumatra as part of a feasi-
bility study of potential carbon
sequestration sites in Indonesia.
Also still missing is Idrusman, 48, a
guide for Leuser Management
Unit, a non-governmental project to
develop a conservation mana-
gement plan for the area.
The driver of the vehicle,
Supardi, 43, managed to escape
after the group was stopped at a
roadblock while travelling along
the west coast from Tapaktuan.
The team was taken, with hands
bound, to a house and later to an
airstrip. W hile walking across an
open field, Supardi escaped.
The police later found the
groupÕs burnt-out van, but there
has been no trace of the three
researchers and the guide. The
search for them continues. CIFOR
and the Leuser project office
issued public appeals for the
release of the victims and have
been in steady contact with sever-
al groups in the area who are
investigating the incident. Mean-
while, CIFOR has suspended all
research activities in Aceh. CIFOR
is also maintaining close contact
with the families of the missing
team.
Researchers Still
Missing in Aceh
Research Directions in Africa
The following points summarise the broad orientations around which
CIFOR plans to design its work in Africa:
n CIFOR should take part in ongoing priority-setting processes and initiatives
concerning the CGIAR and African regional and sub-regional organisations. It
has a role in helping set priorities within its mandate research areas.
n CIFOR will intensify its present efforts, and establish a track record. It will
invest further in the existing infrastructure in Yaound� and Harare, while
beginning to extand its activities to neighbouring countries. There is a
potential for further involvement in all the areas presently covered.
Consequently, all six core research programmes of CIFOR should articulate
concrete activities in Africa. Cross-project fertilisation and coordination
should be actively sought, as well as stronger inter-African linkages,
particularly between Cameroon and Zimbabwe.
n Capacity-building, in this context, is the professional development of
people in Africa. There is value in giving African scientists an opportunity
to work with international scientists and teams, for world-level comparisons
and with appropriate research support. We should invest in scientific leaders
in various areas; we should keep challenging them and rewarding them,
including with increased rewards for publications in scientific journals.
n We must bring our results to policy makers. These results should be good
and insightful to ensure adoption and policy responses. A good result
communicates itself, in the sense that it "takes hold" without a large amount
of effort. We should also look at how to best approach policy makers,
particularly high-level decision makers, as some of the actions required
involve issues of institutional and human behavioural change for which
conscious efforts and methods may need to be applied.
n We need to cultivate our relationship with specialised institutions in
OECD countries. Our activities and areas of intervention can be
complementary. This will also help in securing funding. The Netherlands,
for example, is offering a generous package to fund African researchers. Our
support in such cases could be linked to specific scientific outputs.
7
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
CIFOR and EMBRAPA, the govern-
ment agency for agricultural research
in Brazil, recently pledged to reinforce
their research collaboration to focus on
problems facing the Amazon, the
worldÕs largest remaining area of con-
tiguous tropical rainforest. Beginning
next year, at least four CIFOR scien-
tists will spend a large part of their
research time in Brazil.
The agreement was reached in June
when CIFORÕs Board of Trustees met
in Bel�m, where CIFOR has a regional
office hosted at a research complex of
EMBRAPA (the Brazilian Agricultural
Research Organization). Scientists
from EMBRAPA joined CIFOR staff
and Board members in sessions held to
identify opportunities for reaffirmed
collaboration between the two research
institutions.
Environmental issues in the Ama-
zon, it was noted, have changed since
the 1970s. Previously, concerns cen-
tered on development related to large
migrations to the Amazonian states of
Rondonia and Par�, rapid expansion of
the cattle industry and growth of the
trans-Amazon highway. Now, a differ-
ent set of issues are raising fears about
increased deforestation and other nega-
tive environmental consequences in
this ecologically important region. The
Brazilian government plans to estab-
lish new communication corridors
under a major infrastructure develop-
ment programme. New strains of soy-
bean have been developed that are
adapted to the
soils and climate
of Amazonia,
leading to an
expectation that
the soybean indus-
try will spread into
large areas of
Southern Par�.
New threats
are also arising
from the logging
industry. In the
past, logging in
the region was
considered somewhat benign because
only a few of the most valuable species
per hectare were removed. Today,
however, a large variety of species is
being extracted, while increased log-
ging and agricultural expansion are
also making the area more prone to
devastation from wildfires that have
come to be associated with the period-
ic occurrence of El Ni�o. On a more
speculative note, foreign timber com-
panies Ñ faced with dwindling sup-
plies in their own countries Ñ are
moving into the Brazilian Amazon to
cash in on the opportunities provided
by the greater availability of trees.
Reflecting BrazilÕs priorities,
EMBRAPA has adopted the position
that the Amazon should not be
considered untouchable but must be
regarded in line with the countryÕs
development. As a result, many of the
potentially most significant research
efforts may relate to policy initiatives
for the region. Brazil is about to
finalise a new environmental law that
will make it a crime not to consider the
environmental consequences of any
development action. The country is
also set to launch a new Forestry
Action Plan.
Hence, the opportunities for
CIFOR-EMBRAPA collaboration
become clearer. Many of the issues
above are of a political nature, and
CIFOR could provide much research
support on policy-related forestry
issues Ñ an area still little developed
within EMBRAPA but for which there
is considerable interest.
At the same time, CIFOR and its
collaborators can review the new
ÒBrazil in ActionÓ programme to iden-
tify areas where forests are most likely
to remain, and concentrate on research
relevant to these areas. Research is
already being done, for example, on
low-impact logging at the company
scale, and there is a need for better
understanding of why timber compa-
nies seem reluctant to adopt such tech-
niques. In addition, the forest rehabili-
tation research that CIFOR is pursuing
elsewhere in Brazil could be expanded
into Amazonia. Finally, there is a need
to address the problem of conflicting
interests between the timber and agri-
cultural industries and other local and
environmental stakeholders, which
may offer considerable research oppor-
tunities for CIFORÕs new Adaptive Co-
Management Programme.
Despite the daunting challenge that
forest research in the Amazon poses,
CIFOR Ñ even with limited resources
and personnel in the region Ñ can
contribute significantly by drawing on
its multi-national orientation to bring
together a vast range of experience and
partnerships needed to devise effective
solutions. For both CIFOR and
EMBRAPA, expectations of the results
of intensified future collaboration to
benefit the Amazon are high.
Wil de Jong
CIFOR Renews Ties W ith Key Research Partner in Brazil
to Address Problems Facing the Amazon
CIFOR scientists, Board of Trusteesmembers and research collaborators inBrazil held sessions in June aboard a boatin the Amazon.
CE
SA
R S
AB
OG
AL
A caboclo family in the Amazon prepares manioc in preparationfor selling it at local markets.
ED
WA
RD
PA
RK
ER
, W
WF
8
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
In pursuit of its mission to conserve forests and improve the livelihood offorest-dependent people, CIFOR plans to expand its activities in Amazonia.EMBRAPA's Eastern Amazon Center in Bel�m will be the major partner inthat endeavor. Therefore, EMBRAPA and CIFOR jointly organised a day-long forum, held in association with a meeting of CIFOR's Board ofTrustees in Bel�m, to exchange ideas with the research community andrepresentatives of forest managers and users. The aim was to learn moreabout the problems facing Amazonian forests and obtain guidance on whatareas of research could have the greatest impact in conserving the regionÕsforests and improving the well-being of its people.
In brief presentations, the speakers were asked to discuss the majorthreats or opportunities for the forests and people of Amazonia in the nexttwo decades, as well as major research questions that need to beanswered to ensure sustainable forest development. Research wasdefined broadly to include the biology of forests, technologies to aidmanagement of them and institutional, policy and social arrangements forforest ownership, governance and management.
A summary of the forum and the renewed agreement between CIFOR
and EMBRAPA is available in Portuguese. In addition, the full text of some of
the presentations is available in English or Portuguese (indicated below ♦ ).
Opening Session: ÒSustainable Development ofForest Resources by and for the People ofAmazonia in the 21st CenturyÓAdilson E. Serr�o, Director General of EMBRAPA Eastern Amazon
The issues and alternatives for sustainable use of forest resources ofAmazonia were highlighted in the context of development plans for theregion in the first decades of the 21st century. That perspective served as afoundation for other forum presentations. In relation to forest use, referencewas made to the biodiversity and genetic resources of the Amazon; thetangible and intangible values that forest services provide to the population;risks and opportunities related to the use of such services; issues of criti-cality, resilience and recovery of the forest ecosystem; desirable outcomescenarios; the need for technological changes; appropriate forestry or agro-forestry alternatives; and diverse institutional arrangements that are seenas needed, especially in terms of international cooperation.
Session 1: ÒLarge-Scale Forestry:Sustainability, Low-Impact Management and theRole of the Private SectorÓ
Promoting Sustainable Forest ManagementDr. Antonio Carlos Prado, Director, Directorate of Renewable NaturalResources, IBAMA
Making sustainable forest management attractive involves issues andmeasures of economic, social and environmental sustainability. Thispresentation began with an overview of the main highlights of the interna -tional debate on the Òforestry issue,Ó the global market context for tropicaltimber, progress toward a consensus on Òsustainable forest development,Óand opportunities and challenges facing Amazonia in its quest to join theglobal market of forest products. In addition, the presentation addressedthe current economic equation of forest resource use in Amazonia, princi-ples for its reorientation and effective measures to promote sustainableforest management; restrictions on access to forest resources, especiallyon public lands (the National Forest System); criteria for assessing sustain-ability of public and private forests; generating added value; improving
control and regulation mechanisms; and adapting tools and economic-financial mechanisms to promote sustainable forest production.
Policies and Forest ManagementAdalberto V erissimo, Researcher, IMAZON
Logging is the main economic land use activity in the Amazon. Currentlogging practices in the region are generally destructive, and in manycases illegal. The main factors contributing to this are easy access toforest areas, lack of knowledge about sound forest management tech-niques and inefficiencies in the control and monitoring system. To makesustainable forest management a feasible alternative, the governmentshould adopt a number of measures such as: 1) extending the network ofpublic forests for timber production; 2) reducing the risks of invasion andfire; 3) raising the cost of illegal practices (through regulation, auditing andtaxation); 4) promoting the dissemination of good forest managementpractices; 5) regulating land tenure in specific areas defined by the forestzoning; and 6) creating specific credit lines for forest management andavoiding the funding of agricultural activities in areas identified as produc -tion forests. ♦ Full text available in Portuguese
Forest Management at the Operational ScaleNatalino M. Silva, Researcher, EMBRAPA Eastern Amazon
It is estimated that 0.3% of the production forests or nearly 2.7 millionhectares in 13 countries in Latin America are under sustainable forestmanagement. Several of these initiatives are certified. In Brazil, there arefew examples of operational management of tropical forests. A 1995survey by EMBRAPA of forest management projects in the Paragominasregion Ñ the main timber-producing region in the Eastern Amazon Ñshowed that none of the projects were following government regulations.The lack of training at different levels (enterprise managers, techniciansand operators) was one of the most serious bottlenecks found for theadoption of good forest management practices. The problems identifiedduring the survey led to the formulation of a collaborative project for tech-nology transfer to forest enterprises based on the experience andresearch results of EMBRAPA, other Brazilian institutions and CIFOR. Theproject aims to encourage the adoption of good forest management prac -tices by medium-size to large timber enterprises in the Brazilian Amazonwith the goal of facilitating more efficient and sustainable use of forestresources. It also focuses on the evaluation of social, environmental,economic, policy impacts and their implications of the proposed forestmanagement system.♦ Full text available in Portuguese
Industrial PlantationsRoberto Miranda Pacheco, Technical Manager of Jarcel Celulose S.A.
Currently there are 119 million hectares of forest plantations around theworld, of which 8.2 million hectares are in South America. In Brazil in 1997,nearly 4.7 million hectares were planted; this and other activities related tothe industrialisation of forests and their products generated 520,000 jobsdirectly and another 1,700 jobs indirectly. The total income generated bythe sector is US$17.3 billion, while the taxes collected from the sector totalmore than $1.2 billion. There are 1.4 million hectares of Eucalyptus andPinus plantations for pulp production in Brazil, representing 3% of thecountryÕs total cultivated agricultural area. Jarcel Celulose S.A., acompany that produces pulp from Eucalyptus, has a total of 55,000
Bel�m Forum: "Research Challenges for Amazonian Forests"
15 June 1999 at EMBRAPA in Bel�m
SUMMARY OF PRESENTATIONS
9
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
hectares in the states of Par� and Amap�. Today, the company generates2,800 jobs directly. Throughout the 1990s, there was a marked change inthe profile of the forest cultivated by the company, expressed by an increasein productivity. In 1990, the mean annual increment of the plantations was14m3/ha, but by the year 2000 that should increase to 33m
3
/ha and by theyear 2005, to 39.1 m3/ha. That evolution is the result of the application, at anoperational scale, of the results of a wide-ranging research programme witha focus on balancing the principal factors of production. The researchprogramme involved partnerships with other institutions in the region.Principal challenges for forestry development in the next few years includethe maintenance and expansion of productivity gains and the consolidationof the programme for tree selection based on characteristics demanded bythe industry and the market. ♦ Full text available in Portuguese
Session 2: ÒSmall-Scale Forestry: Multiple Benefits for Poor PeopleÓ
In Pursuit of Cooperative Forest ManagementCarol J. Pierce Colfer, Researcher, CIFOR
Research that led to a new programme focus of CIFOR known as LocalPeople, Devolution and Adaptive Co-Management was described, includingthree social issues central to that research and real world forest contexts thathave shaped the evolution of the programme. Important features of adaptiveco-management (ACM) were described, along with analytical axes on whichCIFORÕs ACM sites are expected to vary and tools that may be used.Planned work in Brazil was outlined, with reference to unique aspects ofanticipated research sites in Brazil. Finally, critical research questions werediscussed.
Alternative Scenarios for the ExtractiveEconomy: The Case of the Alto Juru� ExtractiveReserve, AcreMauro Almeida, Professor, Universidade de Campinas
Based on field surveys and geo-referenced data, some scenarios have beenformulated for the future of the Alto Juru� Extractive Reserve after the tradi-tional latex extraction economy ends. One scenario foresees substituting theextractive activities with agriculture in the flooded areas (varzea) and live-stock production at the family scale in the upper river areas. In anotherscenario, the local economy is diversified into agricultural and extractivezones associated with new products of greater quality and value. Both trendsare supported by multiple use of the forest already being practiced by fami -lies in the region.
Community Forest ManagementPaulo Amaral, Researcher, IMAZON
ÒCommunity forest managementÓ (CFM) is growing in importance amongvarious stakeholders in BrazilÕs Amazonian forests. Several initiatives forcommunity management of timber and non-timber forest products haverecently emerged in the region, with 12 related projects planned or underway.Most of these projects began activities in the last three years and are still inthe discussion phase, looking primarily at social issues. In spite of theprogress toward sustainable forest management represented by these initia -tives, it is still unclear what conditions are necessary for CFM projects tosucceed. Barriers to forest management in the region include lack ofmarkets, low wood prices, high costs of complying with legal requirementsand unclear land tenure. To be successful, small-scale forest managementdepends on factors such as the following: 1) the continuity of investments; 2)the capacity of communities and leaders to properly manage forests andadminister the resources generated; 3) the training of local labourers andtechnicians in forest operations; 4) the understanding of CFM in a widercontext involving social and economic aspects, and not limited to a purelytechnical focus as is often the case today, and 5) the legalisation of tenurein the areas to be managed. ♦ Full text available in Portuguese
Farmer Management of Secondary VegetationSocorro G. Ferreira, Researcher, EMBRAPA Eastern Amazon
The presentation described EMBRAPA Eastern AmazonÕs experience injoint research on secondary vegetation. The work has been done underprojects with the German Government (SHIFT), introducing changes in thetraditional slash and burn agricultural system to avoid the use of fire andits negative consequences, and with international (CIFOR and CATIE) andnational (FCAP) institutions, through the development of options for thesustainable management of secondary forests. The objective is to makesecondary forests more productive, providing economic and social bene-fits for rural families and local communities and environmental benefits forsociety. The SHIFT project aims to make fallow vegetation more produc-tive by introducing techniques that reduce fallow periods while providingweed control and the recovery of soil fertility. The project with CIFOR,CATIE and FCAP focuses on managing secondary forests for diversifiedproduction of timber and non-timber forest products and to maintain andenhance environmental services.♦ Full text available in Portuguese
Session 3: ÒAmazonia in a Global Context:W hat Are the Real Global EnvironmentalValues of Amazonian Forests?Ó
Amazonia and Its Role in Regional and Global ClimateJose A. Marengo, Researcher, INPE (S�o Paulo)
Climate and climate variability in the Amazon Basin and the role it plays inregional and global energy and water cycles was examined. An assess-ment was made in terms of regional precipitation, convection, circulationand river discharges, and water balance and their variability from inter-annual to long-term time scales. The effects of land use changes were alsoassessed in terms of a review of experiments of Amazon deforestation andpossible impacts at regional and global scales.♦ Full text available in English
Trading Forest Carbon: Risks and OpportunitiesJoyotee Smith, Researcher, CIFOR
The presentation described key factors that could determine the social andeconomic impact of forestry projects under the proposed CleanDevelopment Mechanism (CDM) and its market, as well as social andenvironmental risks. Major research questions were noted.
Amazonia in the Global EconomyDavid Kaimowitz, Researcher, CIFOR
As economic globalisation advances, foreign trade and internationalcapital movements play a greater role in agriculture and forestry. Therecent devaluation of the Brazilian currency and changes in governmentmonetary policy will have large impacts on the livelihood of people in thecountry's Amazon region and how they use natural resources.Experiences in other countries and macroeconomic simulations offerinsights into what some of those impacts might be. Soybean and, to alesser extent, timber exports will probably rise; the changes should haveless effect on livestock and cereal production. Agricultural colonisationprojects may be cut back, but it is less likely that infrastructure develop-ment will be. Possible effects on migration are uncertain, but may not belarge.
Global Importance of Amazonia Braulio Dias, Director Secretariat for Biodiversity and Forests, IBAMA(NO SUMMARY WAS SENT)
10
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
The word ÒdipterocarpÓ usually
brings to mind 50-metre tall, complex
humid tropical lowland forests of
Indomalesia, in particular on the
island of Borneo. But dipterocarps
also dominate many dry, seasonal
woodland savannas and forests of
mainland Southeast Asia. A recent
biodiversity survey in one such area
of northwestern Thailand done by
CIFOR and several research partners
revealed a surprisingly rich array of
plant and bird species. The levels of
biodiversity in some cases exceeded
those of closed, semi-pristine rainfor-
est of adjacent Doi Inthanon National
Park and compare favourably with
species-rich woodlands of the Brazil-
ian Cerrado.
The findings suggest an urgent
need for more investigation of these
dry deciduous dipterocarp forests as
one of the worldÕs highly significant
biodiversity resources that is currently
under threat from rapid conversion to
agriculture. Although these forests are
already commanding attention from
the Royal Forestry Department of
Thailand, their extension into nearby
lower montane Laos and Cambodia
suggests that a more comprehensive
survey is needed to more accurately
assess their biodiversity.
Despite their impoverished
appearance, the dry woodlands of
northwestern Thailand are a very
important natural resource to the hill
tribes (Hmong, Karen and others).
These forests provide fuelwood, roof-
ing material, medicines and food,
besides being culturally and spiritual-
ly significant.
The form and functional adapta-
tion of dipterocarp species in this
region is dramatically different from
those of humid tropical forests. The
species are mostly deciduous, gener-
ally having very large leaves. Unlike
their rainforest counterparts, they
often occur in dual life forms as an
adaptive response to recurrent fire.
Dipterocarpus tuberculatus, for
example, commonly occurs as a tree
greater than 2 metres
tall and also as a com-
pact, perennial cop-
pice form supported
by a lignotuber-like
root system. When
fire occurs regularly,
the coppice form may
ÒescapeÓ and grow
into a tree; in fire-sup-
pressed conditions,
however, it will sur-
vive for many years.
Other dipterocarp
species include Dipte-
rocarpus obtusifolius,
Shorea obtusa, S. rox-
burghii, S. siamensis and Vatica sp.
This and other aspects of species
composition were studied recently in
a biodiversity survey of the Mae
Chaem watershed in northwestern
Thailand conducted as part of
CIFORÕs contribution to the ICRAF-
led Alternatives to Slash and Burn
programme, funded by ACIAR. The
survey team, coordinated by CIFOR,
included staff from Chiang Mai Uni-
versity, the Royal Forestry Depart-
ment and the ICRAF office in
Chiang Mai.
The team sampled vegetation,
birds and productivity for human
needs across a wide range of environ-
ments and land use intensity gradi-
ents. The gradient-based, rapid survey
technique developed by CIFOR in
other ecoregional baseline studies
used 40-by-5-metre sample plots and
a computer-based questionnaire
(PFAPro). In each plot, all vascular
plant species were recorded, along
with unique plant functional types (or
PFTs, in which types are characterised
according to adaptive morphologies),
vegetation structure and site physical
features, including soil characteris-
tics. All species were cross-referenced
against known local uses.
Samples from 28 plots covered a
land use intensity gradient from
upland cool, moist, evergreen, laura-
ceous forests of Doi Inthanon at 2,300
metres to seasonal dipterocarp savan-
na woodlands and open forests at 400
metres.
While the species and PFT rich-
ness in dipterocarp woodlands on
poor soils compare relatively well
with rainforest on similar parent rock
(quartzite and schist), the open dipte-
rocarp forests on better soils nearer
limestone sources were found to sup-
port more than twice the number of
plant species and PFTs and many
more birds. The 94 plant species and
69 PFTs recorded in one plot far
exceed numbers recorded so far in
other occasionally burnt woodland
savannas using the same recording
techniques in other parts of the trop-
ics. By comparison, 86 species and 38
PFTs have been recorded for the rich
Brazilian Cerrado woodlands.
Of particular interest in the Thai
study was a Pinus plantation estab-
lished on land converted from dry,
deciduous dipterocarp open forest; it
still retains most of the original
species in coppice form or with regen-
erating organs buried below ground.
But despite the high retention of plant
species (97), the plantation is very
low in birds (six species).
Indications are that the dipterocarp
open forest would likely return if
plantation tending ceased.
Andy Gillison and
Nining Liswanti
Survey Reveals Unusually High Biodiversity in Dry Dipterocarp Forests of Northwest Thailand
Species-rich dry deciduous dipterocarp forests in Thailandare under threat from rapid conversion to agriculture.
AN
DY
GIL
LIS
ON
11
SEPTEMBER 1999 NUMBER 23
Mr. Mafa Chipeta is
the new Deputy Direc-
tor General of CIFOR.
He has a masterÕs
degree in forestry
from the University of
Wales (UK). Previously, he worked
for the UNÕs Food and Agriculture
Organization, as a Senior Forestry
Officer based in Rome and as FAO
Representative to Uganda. From
1994-96 he was Task Manager for
Forestry for the UNCED. He has also
held senior positions with the Imperi-
al Group, the Malawi Government/
World Bank Wood Energy Project and
the Malawian Government.
Two core CIFOR research pro-
grammes recently obtained new Pro-
ject Leaders:
Dr. Laura Snooknow heads the Sus-
tainable Forest Management Pro-
gramme. She completed MSc and PhD
degrees in forestry
and environmental
studies from Yale Uni-
versity (USA). She
came to CIFOR from
Duke University in
Durham, NC, where she was an Assis-
tant Professor of conservation biology
and Director of the Duke/TNC Pro-
gramme in Applied Conservation Biol-
ogy in the Nicholas School of the Envi-
ronment.
Dr. Robert Nasi assumes leadership of
CIFORÕs Biodiversity Conservation
Programme. He received MSc and
PhD degrees from University of Paris
South-Orsay. Previously, he was
Regional Coordinator
of FORAFRI, a joint
natural resources
management project
in Cameroon, Central
African Republic,
Congo, Cote dÕIvoire and Gabon sup-
ported by CIFOR, CIRAD-For�t and the
French Ministry of Cooperation.
Dr. Herwasono Soedjito
joined CIFOR as Site
Manager and Scientist
in East Kalimantan.
He has a PhD in forest
ecology from Rutgers
University (USA). He has worked for
Bogor Herbarium and the World Wild
Fund for Nature in Kayan Mentarang
National Park. He was ITTO Coordi-
nator for Betung-Kerihun National
Park in West Kalimantan for three years
and will help develop Bulungan
Research Forest, for which ITTO is a
partner.
Grahame Applegate
recently became a
staff scientist in
CIFORÕs Sustain-
able Forest Manage-
ment Programme.
Previously, he worked at Jaakko
Poyry Consulting in Canberra, where
he was Principal Consultant since
1993. He has an MSc in natural
resources management from the Uni-
versity of New England in Armidale,
Australia, and has 23 years of experi-
ence in tropical forestry research and
management.
New Staff at CIFOR
2 Scientists Join CIFOR Board
Two distinguished scientists from Ghana and the Republic of Korea have
joined CIFORÕs Board of Trustees. They were welcomed at the biannual
meetings of the Board in September, held at CIFOR headquarters in Bogor.
Dr. Christina Amoako-Nuama is GhanaÕs Minister for Lands and
Forestry. Previously she headed the Ministries of Education and of
Environment, Science and Technology. Trained as a plant pathology
microbiologist specialising in the physiology of fungi,
she received a PhD from the University of Western
Ontario, Canada. At the Environmental Protection
Council, Dr. Amoaka-Nuama has been Senior
Programme Officer for the Natural Resources Division
and Deputy Director of Inter-Sectoral Networks. From
1974-1990 she held teaching assignments in biology and botany at the
University of Western Ontario, the University of Ghana in Legon and the
University of Liberia in Monrovia. She has also worked in Thailand,
Uganda and Nigeria.
Dr. Don K. Lee is Dean and Professor at the College of Agriculture and
Life Sciences at Seoul National University in Suwon. He is a graduate of
the universityÕs Department of Forest Resources and
completed a PhD in silviculture at Iowa State University
(USA). His areas of research interest include tree growth
and its ecological development in relation to nutrients and
soil microorganisms, natural regeneration in relation to
silvicultural systems and restoration of degraded
ecosystems. He has held a number of research, teaching and administrative
positions at Seoul National University over the past two decades and has
also been a visiting professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural
Sciences and the University of British Columbia. In 1998 Dr. Lee was a
member of the Reformation Committee of Agricultural and Forestry
Policies for the Korean Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
