NWN 12 ok - Food and Agriculture Organization · 5 percent of Farmaervas’ production is exported,...

resources, legislative, social andeconomic sides of environmental activity,protection of flora and fauna, combatingdeforestation and desertification, climatechange, forest policy, restoration of forestareas, programmes for internationalenvironmental education and exchange ofexperience. (Source: INFO CENN, CENN73, 28 October 2004.)

BANGLADESH

Patipata: a potential species foragroforestry in low-lying areas ofBangladeshPatipata or mastak (Schumananthusdichotoma syn. Clinogyne dichotoma)belongs to the family Merentacy. It is ashrubby plant and generally grows by theedge of canals, ponds, roadsides andother water bodies. In Bangladesh, it isgenerally grown in low-lying marshy areasof greater Sylhet, Mymensingh, Barisal,Noakhali, Chittagong and Pabna districts.It is sporadically planted along roadsidesand around ponds, primarily for checkingsoil erosion countrywide. Formerly, fallowand unproductive paddy fields were usedfor the large-scale cultivation of patipata. Itis one of the most important raw materialsfor cottage industries, thus prospectivelylucrative traditional novelty items wereintroduced in those areas in view of theavailability and sustained supply of theraw material. A number of cultivatorsadopted it as their part-time professionand earned substantial incomes for theirlivelihood. Besides shitalpati prayer mats,etc., various novelty items produced frompatipata are very popular with the peopleof Bangladesh and are also in greatdemand abroad. Patipata products, ifproperly managed, attract a good foreignmarket, especially in the Near East, andthus can earn valuable foreign currency. A valuation study revealed that the caneharvested from 100 ha of land, worth 65 lakh taka (US$108 300), can produceproducts such as shitalpati worth 1 crore80 lakh taka (approximately US$300 000).

However, more and more fallow land isnow being converted for agriculturalproduction and thus patipata production

has declined considerably. If this processcontinues, production of the popularshitalpati prayer mat will decrease andultimately be lost forever, makingthousands of people jobless. Therefore,all possible measures should be taken forthe conservation and extension ofpatipata cultivation through agroforestryprogrammes in those areas. Land scarcityas a result of population pressure is themajor threat to patipata cultivation; it canbe planted as an agroforestry componentalong with other crops in the same landuse system, which has already proved tobe successful.

Once the patipata plantation isestablished, it can be harvested for a longperiod, as with rattan and bamboo. TheBangladesh Forest Research Institute hasdeveloped a propagation technique forpatipata, which is economic and has ahigh success rate. The government sectorshould come forward to assist interestedfarmers through technical support andfinancial assistance to help the patipata-based cottage industries flourish. Ifmanaged properly, it will not only attractforeign currency but also createemployment opportunities for thousandsof unemployed villagers of Bangladesh.(Contributed by: A.Z.M. Manzoor Rashidand Zihan Sabah, Bangladesh.)

For more information, please contact:

A.Z.M. Manzoor Rashid,

Assistant Professor, Department

of Forestry, Shahjalal Science &

Technology University,

Sylhet 33114, Bangladesh.

E-mail: [email protected]

C O U N T R Y C O M P A S S

ARMENIA

Armenia Tree Project The Armenia Tree Project (ATP) is anon-profit organization that was foundedin 1994 with the vision of safeguardingArmenia’s future by protecting itsenvironment. Funded by contributionsfrom Diasporan Armenians, ATP hasplanted and restored more than half amillion trees in Armenia, while providingjobs for hundreds of people. Plans forthe next decade include expandingcommunity reforestation programmes inpartnership with villagers and otherorganizations, which will also providesocial and economic developmentopportunities.

The forests, which recently coveredonly 10 percent of Armenia, now covereven less, threatening rare andendangered flowering plants that rely onthe rapidly disappearing forest habitats.


Armenia Tree Project, 65 Main Street,

Watertown, MA 02472, USA.

Tel.: +1 617 926 8733;

e-mail: [email protected];

www.armeniatree.org

AZERBAIJAN

Memorandum of Understanding betweenAzerbaijan Government and WWFA Memorandum of Understanding hasbeen signed between the Minister ofEcology and Natural ResourcesProtection of Azerbaijan and the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF) Europeand Middle East Programme. The keyobjectives are to elaborate mutualinitiatives in environment protection andnatural resources sustainable use inAzerbaijan and development ofcooperation between the ministry andinternational environmentalorganizations.

The Memorandum of Understandingaddresses: biodiversity conservation,establishing and expansion of protectedterritories, sustainable use of natural

NON-WOOD NEWS, No. 12, March 2005

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Rubber cultivation and latex production Latex (raw rubber), a Spanish wordmeaning milk, is a biological productfrom rubber trees. About 2 200 uniqueitems have been prepared from rubberand latex. Owing to its importance, thecultivation of rubber plants has spreadfrom its native Brazil to the Indiansubcontinent and many other parts of theworld.

Latex from Hevea species is ahydrosol that contains rubber; itcontributes 22 to 48 percent solid rubberexcluding watery substances. Rubbertree products have an important role insociety and rubber plants are no lessimportant than other forest crops.

In addition to its latex, its wood andseeds, etc. are used for variouspurposes. A study on the physicalproperties of rubber wood showed thatthe timber is suitable for making furnitureand is categorized as B-grade timber, i.e.next to teak.

The branch wood, about 40 percent ofthe total rubber wood, could be used asfuelwood in the domestic sector and inrubber manufacture. Stem wood may beutilized in various industrial uses.

Rubber seeds contain oil, which isabout 12 to 16 percent of the total seedweight under commercial conditions.Rubber seed oil is mainly used formanufacturing inferior-quality washingsoaps. A small quantity is used in thepaint, varnish and leather tanningindustries.

Seed cakes are produced in India,where rubber plantations are also prolifichoney producers.

Even the rubber factory effluent, ahighly polluting substance, may be usedas liquid fertilizer in rubber plantationsafter 60 days of pounding for microbialalteration.

Malaysia tops the list in natural rubberproduction and the United States insynthetic rubber, with an estimated worldproduction in 1981 of 3.085 milliontonnes of natural rubber and 8.06 milliontonnes of synthetic rubber. However,emphasis is being given to increasingnatural rubber production since theestimated demand for natural rubber in

the twentieth century should have been6.07 million tonnes. In Bangladesh,owing to its increasing population andrubber consumption, production shouldbe enhanced in existing plantations andmore areas need to be brought underrubber cultivation.

Natural rubber is cheaper, moredurable and more easily obtained thansynthetic rubber. Natural rubber may beobtained from the latex of widelydifferent plant species but some of thegenus Hevea (family Euphorbiaceae) areparticularly known for their quantity andquality of latex. The most popular naturalrubber-producing plant by far is theHevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg., a nativeof Brazil but cultivated widely in manycountries and contributing about 99percent of natural rubber. It is primarily atropical perennial tree but hasacclimatized in many environmentalvariations.

In Bangladesh, rubber cultivation wasintroduced during the 1960s. In theNational Fourth Five Year Plan, thegovernment proposed to raise rubberplantations to 37 000 ha from thepresent 20 000 ha of land. Bangladeshhas targeted planting about 40 000 ha ofland for rubber within 2010. TheBangladesh Forest IndustriesDevelopment Corporation is maintainingabout 1.50, 0.35 and 2.50 million mature,overmature and immature plants,respectively. The organization’s goal is toachieve around 5 500 tonnes of rubberper year. National production is currently3 000 tonnes, with a national target of 7 000 tonnes by 2010, which will meet 40 percent of national demand. Presentfindings show that carefully selectedfertilizer doses can considerablyincrease latex yield but very littlesystematic investigation has been madein the country.


Dr A.T.M. Emdad Hossain, Senior

Research Officer (Soil), Bangladesh

Forest Research Institute, PO Box 273,

Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Fax: +880 31 681566;

e-mail: [email protected]

BOTSWANA

Botswana communities rehabilitate aridrangeland, save livelihoods Standing atop a sand dune, KlaasMatthuis can see more dunes almostsurrounding Struizendam, his village inBotswana on the border with SouthAfrica. They are bare of vegetationexcept for the one he is standing on,which has large clumps of grass, treesand shrubs – the dune has beenstabilized by a new community resourcemanagement committee by fencing outgoats and cattle and planting variousindigenous species.

People in most remote villages inBotswana, as elsewhere in the aridzones of Africa, depend heavily onnatural resources for their livelihoods, as there are few alternatives other thangovernment welfare. But poverty oftenpushes them to overexploit resources tomeet immediate needs.

Mr Matthius, vice-chair of the resourcecommittee, dreams of seeing the sanddunes stabilized so they no longerthreaten to engulf houses. Through aregional project to restore indigenousvegetation implemented by the UnitedNations Development Programme(UNDP) and the United NationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP), withsupport from other partners, he and hisneighbours are beginning to turn thatdream into reality.

One of the committee’s first prioritieswas to help the community to draw upan action plan to reverse environmentallosses and improve livelihoods. Theproject covers steps to conserve thewhole spectrum of local resources,



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the state that come from forestry productsbeing freely transported to other regions,without contributing to Acre’sdevelopment. The new law will permitbetter control and inspection of NWFPsthrough sustainable management of theforest. (Source: O Rio Branco, 13 August2004 [in Amazon News, 19 August 2004].)

More than 2 million hectares declaredprotected in Brazilian AmazonBrazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula daSilva created two new environmentalreserves in the Amazon region on 9 November 2004. The reserves are tobe classified as “extractavist” reserves,meaning that the local population will beallowed to remain in the area to taprubber, pick fruits and nuts and extractregenerating goods from the forest. Thenew reserves will protect more than 2 million hectares in the Amazon state ofPará.

The announcement came on the heelsof the release, at the October meeting ofthe Latin American and CaribbeanForestry Commission, of FAO projectionsthat the region will see less natural forestcover but more protected areas andforest plantations by 2020. (Source:Linkages Update, 13 November 2004.)[Please see Outlook studies on page 71for more information.]

Amazonia hypeIt is tapicoquinha here, boi-bumba thereand priprioca over there. The Amazonianinfluence and the crafts of its indigenouspeople are everywhere and have begunto win over trend-setters. Brazilianfashion promotes the national identityline: necklaces created with guarana,coco and açaí seeds can cost up to $R 490 in New York City. In addition,Brazilian cosmetics companies areproducing soaps made from copaiba andandiroba. (Source: Jornal do Brasil, 6June 2004 [in Amazon News, 11 June2004].)

Amazonia’s cosmetics conquer the world Shampoos, conditioners, hair dyes andcosmetics made from Amazonian fruitsand plants have begun to occupy the

competitive international market, offeringgreat business opportunities for nationalmanufacturers. Mixing cupuaçu,guarana, copaíba and buriti, cosmeticcompanies have conquered clients inEurope, Asia and the United States byoffering genuine Brazilian products andopening doors for export growth in thissector.

During the last Cosmoprof, aworldwide cosmetic trade fair,Amazonian products drew a lot ofinternational attention. At present, 5 percent of Farmaervas’ production isexported, with a projected increase to 15 percent during the next two years;their Green and Amazonia lines use paranut, pequi, copaíba, andiroba, jaborandiand other typical Brazilian plants. SuryaHenna presented its line of hair dyesproduced from Brazilian fruits and herbsfrom India; international sales represent20 percent of their total sales with plansto double its exports this year. (Source:O Estado de S. Paulo, 22 April 2004 [inAmazon News, 29 April 2004].)

Women to export handicrafts Women with low incomes from thePantanal neighbourhood, some of themost needy in Porto Velho, are exportinghammocks, baskets and other piecesmade from prime materials from theforest to France, Belgium and the UnitedStates. The first cargo sent in March wasvalued at $R 30 000. Through theSalesian Socio-education Centre,connected with the Union for Micro andSmall business (SIMPI), women learn tomake straw baskets and cottonhammocks that are now exported toEurope. They earn US$35 for everyhammock exported. (Source: O Estadode S. Paulo, 12 August 2004 [in AmazonNews, 19 August 2004].)

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including wildlife and products such asfuelwood; grass for grazing andthatching; medicinal plants such asdevil’s claw (sengaparile –Harpagophytum procumbens), sold toEuropean markets, particularly Germany,to make medication for controlling highblood pressure; a caterpillar known asphane, a local delicacy sold widely in theregion; and the morula tree (Sclerocaryabirrea), whose nuts are used for oil andsweets, fruit for jam and beverages.

Thirteen other villages hard-hit byenvironmental degradation have recentlycompleted similar plans. In addition,villages in two areas in Kenya and twosites in northern Mali are following asimilar strategy.

All the local plans benefit fromindigenous knowledge and traditionalland management systems. A keyelement is for community members totake the lead role in conservingbiological diversity and improvingincome-earning opportunities.

The Global Environment Facility isproviding US$8.7 million for the five-yearpilot initiative through UNDP and UNEP,and another US$3.5 million comes fromthe German Technical Cooperation(GTZ), the University of Oslo, and thegovernments of Botswana, Kenya andMali. (Source: UNDP Newsfront, 2 June2004.)

BRAZIL

Law to regulate the exploitation ofNWFPs in Acre state Non-timber forestry products from areassmaller than 500 ha will now haveregulations for product exploitation andcommercialization. Acre’s Institute of theEnvironment (IMAC) and the BrazilianInstitute for the Environment (IBAMA)signed an interinstitutional agreement thatwill require that native seeds, fruits,leaves, roots and skins that are destinedfor medicinal, ornamental, aromatic orindustrial uses may not be transported toother regions in their natural form.

IBAMA reported that the concern is toavoid natural resources and dividends for


CANADA

Québec devrait protéger davantage la forêt boréale Un sondage sur la conservation de laforêt boréale québécoise, menée parl’Initiative boréale canadienne, révèle quetrois Québécois sur quatre souhaitent queQuébec protège davantage la forêtboréale.

L’organisme vient de publier lesrésultats d’une vaste étude menée entrele 26 août et le 1er septembre auprès de626 personnes.

Les Québécois ne sont pasimpressionnés par les objectifs deconservation des décideurs. Les résultatsdu sondage suggèrent que legouvernement devra faire beaucoup plus.

À l’heure actuelle, Québec protègeenviron 3 pour cent de la forêt contrel’exploitation commerciale de laressource. Mais le gouvernementsouhaite augmenter cette proportion à 8 pour cent d’ici quelques années.

D’après le sondage de l’Initiativeboréale canadienne, 98 pour cent desrépondants trouvent que c’est insuffisant.La majorité d’entre eux, soit 65 pour cent,estiment que Québec devrait protégerentre 40 et 80 pour cent de la forêt.

Le sondage nous apprend aussi queles citoyens font peu confiance à Hydro-Québec, aux sociétés forestières et augouvernement pour assurer l’avenir de laforêt. Ce sont plutôt les organismes deconservation et les Premières Nations quiont l’aval du public.

Autre bémol à signaler: en 2003, 30pour cent des répondants à un sondagesimilaire avouaient avoir beaucoupentendu parler de la forêt boréale. Cetteannée, cette proportion est descendue à24 pour cent, alors qu’un répondant surcinq n’a tout simplement pas entenduparler de la forêt boréale. (Source: Radio-Canada.ca, 19 octobre 2004.)

The Centre for Indigenous EnvironmentalResources The Centre for Indigenous EnvironmentalResources (CIER) is a First Nation-directed environmental non-profitorganization, based in Winnipeg,Manitoba, Canada. It was created by asmall group of First Nation leaders, whofelt it was critical for First Nations, andother aboriginal people, to have accessto a technical environmental organization.

There are approximately 418 millionhectares of forested land in Canada.These forested areas are home toapproximately 80 percent of aboriginalpeoples in Canada. CIER believes thatsustainable forestry development is aviable venture for long-term economicdevelopment and employment for someFirst Nations. Their staff have experienceand expertise in many fields, includingnon-timber forest products andecotourism.


Centre for Indigenous Environmental

Resources Inc., 3rd Floor, 245

McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba

R3B0S6, Canada.

Fax: +1 204 956 1895;


www.cier.ca

CHINA

China to restore forest coverage to 19 percent by 2010The Chinese Government has set anambitious goal in its forestry restorationwork, saying that it will improve itscurrent forest coverage rate of 16.55percent to more than 19 percent in thecoming six years. Other goals includerestoring national forest coverage up to23 percent by 2020 and to 26 percent by2050. Much of China’s natural forestshave been destroyed to make way foreconomic development. Over the pasthalf century, China consumed 8.6 billioncubic metres of forestry resources,producing more than 5 billion cubicmetres of timbers for construction. In theprocess, the country’s forest coverage

rate dropped to 62 percent of the world’saverage. (Source: Xinhuanet, 19 July2004 [in Community Forestry E-News,2004.07].)

Work begins on major collection ofChinese biodiversityChina began building a repository tohouse samples of its biodiversity thisweek. It hopes that the centre willbecome one of the largest collections ofits kind in Asia and a world-classresearch centre.

Based at the Kunming Institute ofBotany in China’s southwestern Yunnanprovince, the collection will includesamples of 19 000 species. Most ofthese will be collected from Yunnanprovince – which is home to more thanhalf of China’s biodiversity – and fromthe neighbouring Tibet AutonomousRegion. It will eventually include nearly200 000 samples in seed and DNAbanks, a collection of living plants, andspecimens of animals and micro-organisms. It is expected that it will takebetween ten and 15 years to collect allthe specimens.

The project is being jointly developedand managed by the Chinese Academyof Sciences and Yunnan’s provincialgovernment at a cost of 148 millionyuan (US$18 million). According to theacademy’s Web site, the repository willoversee foreign research on China’sgenetic resources. In recent years,Chinese media reports have repeatedlyaccused foreign researchers ofbiopiracy – gaining benefit from acountry’s biological resources withoutfair compensation. (Source: SciDev.Net,3 December 2004.)

COLOMBIA

Colombia debt swap yields US$10 millionfor tropical forest conservationColombia unveiled a debt-for-natureswap with the United States that willallow it to invest at least US$10 millionover the next 12 years to protect nearly4.5 million hectares of its tropical forests.Under the agreement, the United States



53

Department of the Treasury will contributeUS$7 million to the deal, whileConservation International’s GlobalConservation Fund, Nature Conservancyand the World Wide Fund for Nature willcontribute an additional US$1.4 million.

The funds will go towards cancellingpart of Colombia’s debt to the UnitedStates. In exchange, Colombia will investat least US$10 million to protect tropicalforests in key areas of the Andes, theCaribbean coast and the llanos (plains)along the Orinoco River. Colombia is oneof the five most biologically diversecountries on the planet, harbouring one ofevery ten species of plants and animals inthe world.

Under the agreement, Colombia willcommit half the funds to financing localenvironmental organizations that areworking in selected areas. The other halfwill go towards the Fondo Patrimonial, orHeritage Trust, which the governmentexpects to use as leverage for additionalloans of up to US$40 million that willguarantee the long-term financialsustainability of Colombia’s existingprotected areas.

Funds from the debt swap will befocused in three areas key for tropicalforest conservation. In the tropical Andes,funds will go towards 1.7 million hectaresthat are home to some of the nation’s lastremaining stands of oak. In the llanos ofthe Orinoco River basin, the funds will gotowards the 1.4 million hectare TuparroNational Park and its buffer zone. AUNESCO Natural Biosphere Reservesince 1979, the park is also home todozens of unique species. Along theCaribbean coast, conservation efforts willfocus on 1.3 million hectares, includingthe world’s highest coastal mountainrange, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

Debt-for-nature swaps wereestablished under the Tropical ForestConservation Act (TFCA) of 1998 to allownations to reduce their foreign debtburden in exchange for making local-currency investments in conservationwork. In the past, Bangladesh, Belize, ElSalvador, Panama, Peru and Thailandhave benefited from the TFCA. (Source:CEPF E-News, June 2004.)

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Knowledge of our ancestorsIn the close and humid forest of the TaïNational Park there are a large number oftrees, shrubs, lianas and herbaceousplants to which medicinal qualities areascribed. However, the knowledge ofthese qualities is fragmentary becausetraditional African medical knowledge ispassed on by word of mouth fromgeneration to generation within the familycircle. This constitutes a real culturalheritage. Often, the healers save theirknowledge jealously to ensure their ownauthority and to benefit from the use of theplants. Some of them have a highreputation, but refuse to spread theirknowledge and disappear without havingensured that their secrets are passed on.

Thanks to observations andethnobotanical studies, knowledge of themedicinal plants has improved and someachievements of the traditional medicinecan be saved.

But the forest is also a reservoir ofplants that can ensure our future. There is,for example, a wild coffee plant growing inthe Taï forest that could become veryimportant if the coffee plantations were tobe affected by a serious disease. (Source:Paroles de Forêts (Forest Wisdom)newsletter, No. 2, June 2004.)

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICOF THE CONGO

Stop the carve up of Congolese forestsNew laws and “re-zoning” of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo’sforests being developed during 2004threaten millions of hectares of rain forestand the rights of the people living in them.

Improvements in Congolese forest lawscould be an opportunity to ensure thatlocal forest communities’ rights areproperly protected. However, there is areal danger that it will only be the loggingcompanies that are the winners.

“Pygmy” peoples urged World BankPresident James Wolfensohn to haltplans that could unleash a wave ofdestruction on the rain forests of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo wherethey live. They put their case directly toMr Wolfensohn during a video conferenceorganized by the Rainforest FoundationUK, which is challenging Bank plans for amassive increase in industrial logging inthe country. The Bank is pushing throughnew laws and a “re-zoning” of theCongolese forests – the second largest inthe world – that could see up to 60 millionhectares (an area the size of France)handed out to logging companies.

“You must not forget that the lives ofindigenous peoples depend on theforest,” Adolphine Muley of the CongoleseUnion of Indigenous Women (UEFA) toldthe World Bank President. According tothe Bank’s own estimates, as many as 35million of the 50 million Congolese peopledepend on the forests for their verysurvival.

Responding to these pleas, JamesWolfensohn pledged the Bank to furtherdiscussion with Congolese people andnon-governmental organizations aboutthe future of the country’s rain forests.(Source: Community Forest ResourceCenter, 15 July 2004.)

Condemnation of rain forest loggingBritish Member of Parliament BobBlizzard yesterday said in a WestminsterHall debate that “there was no chance atall” that a World Bank-backed plan to“develop” the rain forests of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo wouldbring any benefits to impoverished localpeople. Instead, the planned expansion ofthe timber industry would, the MP said,damage the livelihoods of some of thepoorest people on earth, including thoseof local “Pygmies”.

The parliamentary debate followed avisit to Congolese rain forests by

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54

members of the All-Party ParliamentaryGroup on Great Lakes and GenocidePrevention. The group also announcedthe publication of a new report, Toelections and beyond, which details thegroup’s visit to the Democratic Republicof the Congo and sets out theirrecommendations on the future of thecountry’s vast rain forests. The reportcalls for the continuation of a moratoriumon the issuing of any new loggingconcessions in Congolese forests.

Responding to the debate, theParliamentary Under-Secretary of Statefor Foreign and Commonwealth Affairssaid that he would draw the attention ofthe World Bank to the concerns raisedby the Members of Parliament. TheDirector of the Rainforest Foundation UKwelcomed the United KingdomGovernment’s commitment to raisingconcerns with the World Bank about thefuture of the Congolese rain forests andsaid that, as a major shareholder in theBank, the government has a

responsibility to ensure that UnitedKingdom taxpayers’ money will not bespent on destroying Congolese rainforests and wrecking local peoples’livelihoods. (Source: Press Release, TheRainforest Foundation, 14 December2004.)

GHANA

Forest watchers call for moretransparency and accountabilityThe Ghana Forest Watch, a coalition ofconcerned civil society organizations,says more transparency andaccountability are absolutely necessaryto curb the massive destruction ofGhanaian forest.

The spokesperson of the coalition,Albert Katako, described the state of theGhanaian forest as alarming, saying inthe last century the rate shrank from 8.2million to 1.8 million hectares in the wholecountry. According to him, 80 percent ofthe forest had been destroyed. Only 20percent, including wildlife reserves andprotected areas, are healthy.

The timber industry, he said, iscurrently felling trees at four times thesustainable rate. He cautioned that ifnothing is done now to curb the wantonfelling of trees “Ghana’s forest willdisappear completely in five to ten years.”

Mr Katako, who is the coordinator ofCARE International’s Forest Resourcesand Livelihoods programme, said that 70percent of Ghana’s rural population, thepoorest segment of the society, dependon forest for their livelihoods.

The Forest Watchers urged theForestry Commission to perform its roleas an organization that conserves anddevelops the forest and wildlife resourcesin Ghana, including creating, protectingand managing the permanent forest

estates and regulating the harvesting oftimber. (Source: Ghanaian Chronicle[Accra], 7 April 2004.)

Ghana’s forest resources under threatThe country’s loss of more than 75percent of its original high forest coverand other valuable structures andresources through wildfires has beenblamed on human activities and climatichazards. The remaining 25 percent of theforest resources still faces enormousthreat owing to rapid population growth,general disregard of environmentalconservation, improper disposal ofindustrial and domestic waste, illegal anduncontrolled logging and the annual ritualof wild and bush fires. (Source: GhanaianChronicle [Accra], 17 June 2004.)

INDIA

Greener pastures for forest tribals The recent announcement of the stategovernment allotting all minor forestproduce – such as herbs, lichens, honey,tubers, tamarind fruits, etc. – free of costfor the tribals has provided livelihoods forthe people and prevented them fromdegrading the forests the way they hadbeen doing for generations.

By coopting villagers in the task offorest and environmental protection, theforest department has helped to expandtheir horizons. (Source: News Today[Chennai, India], 12 October 2004 [inCommunity Forestry E-News 2004.10].)

Non-wood forest product collection,utilization and value: evidence from aprotected area in IndiaNon-wood forest products (NWFPs) areparticularly important as a source of


To elections and beyond is availableonline (www.appggreatlakes.org). Thereport also recommends that theWorld Bank, in conjunction with theMinistry of Environment and local civilsociety organizations, send monitorsinto the forest to ensure that localpeople are consulted andacknowledged as residents. It alsocalls for international donors, theUnited Kingdom Department forInternational Development especially,to fund a comprehensive study inorder to provide an estimation of thevalue of the forest, based not only onthe commercial worth of its timber, butalso on the value of forest productssuch as animal products, vegetablefoods, building materials, medicinalplants and fuelwood, as well asecological functions and services suchas watershed maintenance andbiodiversity protection.

People living beside rain forests inGhana receive more protein fromforest products than from crops orlivestock. (Source: Peoples andForests, FAO.)


55

livelihoods for indigenous and other localpeople living in and around protectedareas. A recent study by C.S. Shylajanexamines the nature and extent ofNWFP collection in a protected area inIndia. The collection trend of some majorNWFPs was examined over a period oftime. Owing to the high demand forsome NWFPs from Ayurvediccompanies, selected products (especiallymedicinal plants) have increasingly beenextracted by the forest dwellers.

The paper also discusses the presentinstitutional mechanism for managingNWFPs in the study site and observesthat proper institutions are needed forregulating the unsustainable anddestructive extraction of highlydemanded NWFPs from the protectedarea. An analysis of overall dependenceon protected areas shows that two majorindigenous communities (Kattunaikanand Paniyan) with differing expertise incollection depend heavily on forestproducts for their livelihood needs.Annual household income generatedfrom NWFP collection for these twocommunities is estimated at Rs 9 542(US$208.88) and Rs 1 936 (US$42.39),respectively.


C.S. Shylajan, Post Doctoral Research

Fellow, Center for Development and

Environment Policy, Indian Institute of

Management Calcutta, PO Joka, D.H.

Road, Kolkata 700 104, India.

Fax: +91 33 2467 8062;


Quantification and financial valuation ofnon-timber forest product flowsA study was undertaken in the UttaraKannada district, one of the WesternGhats (a biological hot spot), Karnataka,to evaluate the flow of non-timber forestproducts (NTFPs). A wide diversity ofNTFPs was collected in the differentforest zones of the district. The diversity,however, varies with availability and localknowledge systems. Significant quantitiesof NTFPs are gathered in all the fourzones and the financial value realized perhectare ranged from Rs 634 in the dry

deciduous zone to Rs 1 801 in theevergreen zone with a mean of Rs 1 159per hectare per year. (Source: Abstract ofa paper by I.K. Murthy, P.R. Bhat andN.H. Ravindranath.)


I.K. Murthy, Centre for Ecological

Sciences, Indian Institute of Science,

Bangalore 560 012, India.

Fax: +91 80 360 1428;


Government preparing model legislationon non-timber forest productsModel legislation was being prepared foradoption by states conferring rights inrespect of non-timber forest products forweaker sections working in the forests.The legislation will safeguard the legalrights of tribal communities over mineraland water resources and protect theirlivelihoods.

The Draft National Environment Policyhas been formulated by the UnionEnvironment and Forests Ministry and isintended to be a guide to environmentprotection throughout the country, whileat the same time taking care of thelivelihoods of the poor.

An Action Plan was being developedto increase the country’s forest and treecover from about 23 percent of the landarea to 33 percent by 2012. (Source:Team India, 4 November 2004 [inCommunity Forestry E-News 2004.11].)

IRELAND

Non-wood forest products in Ireland In Ireland, limited markets already exist fora variety of non-wood forest productssuch as game, fruit, fungi and foliage;however, these are at the earliest stagesof development. The National Council forForest Research and Development(COFORD) recently launched a newpublication, Markets for non-wood forestproducts. The publication examines thepotential markets for the main categoriesof non-wood forest products.

Forest foliage. The report defines thefoliage market in the United Kingdom and

Ireland as being worth €195 million.Market information suggests that thereare opportunities for the development offoliage as a subsector of the forestryindustry; however, a strategy must bedeveloped to realize these opportunities.In this strategy, technical research, marketresearch and enterprise need to bedeveloped in a coordinated way.

Forest tourism. Irish forests provideopportunities to engage in a range ofoutdoor pursuits and the overall picture isthat forestry plays a very important role intourism and particularly recreation inIreland.

Alternative health care. In the last tenyears there has been an enormousincrease in the popularity of alternativehealth care. A wide range of herbs can begrown under a forest canopy includingsome that are top selling in world markets.Some of these are successfully grown inother countries but their cultivation underIrish conditions has yet to be established.A number of Ireland’s native treesincluding ash, birch, cherry, elder and yewhave long traditions of use in alternativemedicines, according to the report.

Oils and oleoresins. Essential oils arearomatic oily liquids obtained from plantmaterial such as flowers, buds, seeds,twigs, leaves, bark, woods, fruits androots. They are used in the food industryas flavouring, in the perfume industry forfragrances and in the pharmaceuticalindustry for their functional properties.The report concludes that there is little orno potential for import substitution in thissector as the main imported oils intoEurope are orange, lemon and lime,which are sourced from warmer fruit-growing countries.



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Edible forest products. Forestsgenerate a number of wild edibleproducts. The report concludes that dataon wild foods are hard to find, however itgoes on to state that those that areharvested from the forest include berries,nuts, mushrooms and maple syrup.These foods are harvested in developedand developing countries. The need forongoing market intelligence regardingtrends in wild food products is highlighted.

This report is the first comprehensiveexamination of the area of NWFPs in anIrish context. Recently, the area ofNWFPs has been receiving extra attentionin the media and in his report, A reviewand appraisal of Ireland’s forestrydevelopment strategy, author Baconhighlights the non-timber value of forestry.


John Fennessy, Research Programme

Manager, Tree Improvement and Non-

wood Forest Products, COFORD, Arena

House, Arena Road, Sandyford, Dublin

18, Ireland.

Fax: +353 (0)1 2130611;


www.coford.ie

JAPAN

Mountain forests imperilled by increase indeer populationMountain forests across Japan are beingendangered by an increased number ofdeer feeding on grass and trees. Hugetrees are dying in the Tanzawa mountainarea, a famous hiking spot, after deergnawed off their bark. In many areas ofthe forest, there are now sweeping vistasunbroken by any trees. Bamboo and otherbottom grasses covering the land werealso devoured.

Global warming and animal protectionare considered the main causes of theincrease in the deer population. Damagecaused by deer could lead to secondarydamage such as soil erosion, and somelocal governments are considering liftingthe ban on hunting to control the numberof deer. (Source: CFRC WeeklySummary, 23 September 2004.)

JORDAN

Jordan conserves forest and helpscommunities’ livelihoodsJordan is creating a nature reserve inone of the largest natural forestsremaining in the kingdom to conservehabitat for endangered species andgenerate jobs in tourism and enterprisesmaking wood products without damagingbiological diversity.

The Dibeen forest north of the capitalAmman, one of the best examples ofpine-oak woods in the region, is home toat least 17 endangered species,including grey wolves, imperial eaglesand other migratory birds, Persiansquirrels and wild orchids.

Deforestation is an acute problem,and Jordan has less than 1 percent of itsoriginal trees, making conservation apriority.

Eight square kilometres will comeunder protection, part of a broader effortto create a unique regional forest parkcovering 200 km2 in three localmunicipalities: Jerash, Al Meirad andBurma. The reserve is near the ancientRoman city of Jerash, a popular touristdestination, which can help draw visitorsto enjoy its natural beauty. It will have aheadquarters, visitor centre, campingarea, trail system and parking facilities.

Local communities will learn to use theforest’s resources in ways that conservethe environment, curtailing excessivetimber cutting, grazing, hunting andtrapping of wildlife and gathering of wildherbs.

The Global Environment Facility isproviding US$1 million for the four-yearproject and UNDP US$100 000, with in-

kind contributions from Jordan’s RoyalSociety for the Conservation of Natureand other local organizations.

The project includes preparation of by-laws and a land use plan and setting upa management team to run the reserve.(Source: UNDP Newsfront, 13 April2004, [email protected])

KENYA

Kenya Association of Forest Users (KAFU) KAFU was established as an umbrellaorganization that could bring together allstakeholders working towards sustainableagriculture, land and forest use to addressissues related to quality, pricing andmarketing on a continuous basis.

The mission of KAFU is to provide aforum for sustainable production,utilization, certification and marketing offorest and tree products in Kenya throughcapacity building, information andexperience sharing, and policy advocacy.One of KAFU’s priority areas is to unlocktrade opportunities for non-timber forestproducts, conservation and organicproducts by putting in place a Kenyanmovement for certification and marketing ofnon-timber forest products, conservationand organic products.


Esther Mugure, National Coordinator,

KAFU, Kenya Association of Forest

Users, PO Box 44597, 00100 Nairobi

GPO, Kenya.

E-mail: [email protected] or

[email protected];

www.fanworld.org/kafu/kafu.htm

MADAGASCAR

Projects to boost food security, conserveenvironmentMadagascar is to benefit from twofunding initiatives that aim to boost foodsecurity and harness the ecotourismpotential of the island.

The World Bank has announced that ithad approved an InternationalDevelopment Association (IDA) grant of



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US$40 million, as well as a US$9 millionGlobal Environment Facility (GEF) grant,of to support the implementation ofMadagascar’s National EnvironmentAction Plan. The IDA is the Bank’sfinancing arm for the poorest countries,while the GEF is a mechanism forproviding grant and concessional fundingto meet the incremental costs ofinitiatives for achieving globalenvironmental targets.

The World Bank said in a statementthat its grant “constitutes the singlelargest concessional financing packagefor the environment provided by the Bankin its 60-year history”, and habitatprotection and biodiversity conservationwere expected to contribute directly topoverty reduction and economic growth inMadagascar.

Apart from expanding Madagascar’sprotected areas network, the programmewill establish conservation sites in naturalforests, and transfer forest managementresponsibilities to communities. “Thesewill be complemented by measuresaimed at reducing existing pressures onnatural forests, including reforestationand the scaling-up of the usage ofefficient wood-fuel technologies,” theBank said, adding that “biodiversityconservation efforts are essential inunleashing the significantly high revenue-generating potential of the ecotourismsector in Madagascar.” (Source: UNIntegrated Regional Information Networks,13 May 2004.)

MALAYSIA

Nomadic Malaysian tribe tells of life in the forestAina Ikeda (not her real name) launchedher oral history collection project inSarawak near the border of Kalimantan,which is known as the place of origin ofthe Penans, said to be the last nomadicpeople on earth. Only about 400 of the10 000 Penans still follow their traditionalnomadic lifestyle. Penan guardianship ofthe forest and its natural resources isreflected in the custom of “molong” thatrequires an individual or community to

control the use of resources for the sakeof future generations, and is visualizedby a special symbol created by naturalmaterials such as rattan.

The forest provides the Penans with alltheir needs for survival – food, shelter andmedicine – but it is threatened by loggingactivities. The village studied by Ikeda hasalready lost nearly half of its communalforest area and a road now crosses theirland. The Penans have demanded thatthe government protect the forest, whichthey claim belongs to them as communalproperty and not to the concessionaires.Timber products are a major source ofSarawak’s income and, according to theInternational Tropical Timber Organization,Japan imported 40 percent of its timberproducts from the state in 2002. (Source:Daily Yomiuri, 1 May 2004 [in CommunityForestry E-News, May 2004].)

MOROCCO

Environmental impact of the cosmeticvalorization of the leaves of Arganiaspinosa (L.) SkeelsArgania spinosa (L.) Skeels is anendemic tree from southwesternMorocco, covering about 830 000 ha in asemi-arid region. The forests are mainlystate-owned with a large right of use forlocal people. It is a multipurpose tree, itsmain product being a high-value oilproduced from seeds. The low density ofthe stands allows agriculture, mostlycereals, on the forest ground. Humanpressure on the ecosystem isconsequently high. A Biosphere Reserveof argan forest was created in 1998 topreserve the forest as a uniqueecosystem against desertification.

The increasing economic value ofargan forest products may encouragepeople to preserve the forest andstrengthen local development. The use ofthe leaves in cosmetics is an additionaleconomic benefit of the argan tree. Itsimpact has been calculated in a study onthe global context of the argan region, theimplementation of an experimental site tofollow up the reaction of argan trees afterharvesting the leaves, and an analysis ofdifferent ways of obtaining a supply ofargan leaves.

The experiment consists in themeasurement of the length of the currentyear’s twigs as a good marker of the trees’growth. These are easy to recognize sincethey have a red colour because of the non-lignified wood and simple leaves, whereasolder twigs have grouped leaves. Thebloom on those twigs is also measured: 32 twigs were measured per tree. Theexperimental site was implemented on 1.2 ha of argan forest. On one third of thetrees 700 to 800 g of fresh leaves per treewere harvested, on another third 350 to450 g and on the remainder there was noharvesting. The harvesting andmeasurement experiment are to berepeated each year for at least four years.

Three methods for regulating thesupply of leaves have been studied:

• Harvesting leaves directly from thetrees. This creates two sensitivepoints: the difficulty of controlling thequantity cut off per tree and ofobtaining an official permit as there isno clear provision in the legislation.

• Collecting leaves that are turningyellow and falling off naturally duringthe summer. The difficulty is the greatvariation in the behaviour of argantrees, which does not ensure aregular supply.

• Finally, the best way of collecting theleaves with the lowest environmentalimpact: according to legislation andlocal practice, leaves should be takenfrom the branches which have beenlopped during silvicultural operations.

In conclusion, the value of arganleaves in the cosmetic industry couldfinance the silvicultural operations andwould thus have a positive environmental



58

impact. In this way, the argan oilcooperatives involved in the project couldprovide the supply of leaves in asustainable way.


Florence Henry, Laboratoires

sérobiologiques, Division of Cognis

France, 3 rue de Seichamps, 54425

Pulnoy, France.

Fax: +33 3 83211215;


NAMIBIA

World Bank grant for community-basedecosystem project The World Bank this week approved aUS$7.1 million Global EnvironmentFacility (GEF) grant to Namibia forscaling up community-based ecosystemmanagement to the benefit of ruralpeople. The grant is a part of a totalUS$32.43 million intended for theproject, with contributions from theNamibian Government, the French GEF,USAID and the German DevelopmentBank (KfW) making up the balance.

The five-year initiative to improve rurallivelihoods, promote sustainableenvironmental management, biodiversityconservation and sustainable land usewill run as part of Namibia’s CommunityConservancy programme.

The project encompasses thedevelopment of community-based tourismfacilities, including joint ventures with theprivate sector, trophy hunting, game meatproduction, the commercialization ofindigenous plants and craft production.(Source: UN Integrated RegionalInformation Networks, 3 June 2004.)

Conservancies a major successCommunity-based conservancies such asthose in Uukwaluudhi in Kaokoland, theNyae-Nyae, Salambala and Torabaai arejust a few which have successfullymanaged to create what the PermanentSecretary in the Ministry of Environmentand Tourism, Dr Malan Lindique, termed“community based-entrepreneurism”. Heindicated that the Ministry of Environment

and Tourism, together with non-governmental organizations and theprivate sector, have had substantialsuccess in the 31 registeredconservancies in the country.

Eighty percent of the income derivedthrough wildlife tourism is ploughed backinto the community. Sustainabledevelopment means development thatmeets current needs, withoutcompromising the ability for the futuregenerations to meet their own needs. Inthe light of this, conservancies havingtrophy hunting, community campsites andmid-market lodges have become a viableindustry in the country.

The decade has been fruitful forcommunity-based tourism ventures, whererevenue of up to US$5 million wasgenerated, employing close to 100 000Namibians. Trophy hunting also generatesan income of $N 160 million (about US$64million) annually. Under the 2001 ForestAct, provision has also been made toproclaim the first 15 community forestsbefore the end of this year. (Source: NewEra [Windhoek], 27 October 2004.)

Torra Conservancy wins UNDP awardNamibia’s Torra Conservancy has madehistory by becoming the first southernAfrican rural community to win theprestigious US$30 000 UNDP EquatorPrize. The Equator Prize, which was firstintroduced in August 2002, honoursoutstanding community projects thateffectively reduce poverty throughconservation and sustainable use of thebiodiversity-rich equatorial belt. TorraConservancy comprises the DamaralandCommunity, who were one of the firstcommunities to form a community

conservancy in Namibia in recognition ofthe need to protect wildlife and othernatural resources on their land. (Source:Zimbabwe Standard [Harare], 21 March2004.)

Harvesting and processing of indigenousfruits shows promiseAn FAO project is helping to improve theuse of wild fruit-trees to supplement dietsand incomes in rural communities.

The Caprivi region comprises 500 kmof grass and forests, irrigated by theOkavango and Zambezi rivers whoseseasonal flooding forces people toevacuate their homes and lands eachyear. The northeastern communitiescultivate sorghum, millet and maize onthe fertile ground, but the nearby bushand forests have always been animportant source of nutritious wild fruits.In the regions of Caprivi and Kavango,about 66 wild fruit-tree species have beenidentified that contribute to the daily dietsand income of the local communities,mostly during the rainy season when thecrops are not ready for harvest.

“The Kavango and Caprivians havebeyond a doubt accumulated soundtraditional knowledge and understandingon the utilization of their indigenous fruit-tree species,” recognizes Syaka Sadio, anFAO forestry expert, who initiated andsupported a two-year community-basedproject to assist the Namibian Governmentin enhancing the contribution of indigenousfruit-trees to food security.

The project, “Domestication, post-harvest handling and marketing ofselected indigenous fruit tree species”,implemented from 2002 to 2004 by theNamibian Government with technicalsupport from the Forest ConservationService of FAO’s Forestry Department,aimed to provide local communities andnational institutions with improvedtechnologies for wild fruit-treedomestication and processing forsustainable livelihoods.

According to Mr Sadio, projectactivities included transfer of technologyand capacity building through theexchange of knowledge and training forprofessional staff and communities in the



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selection and domestication of fruit-treespecies and in the harvesting, storage,processing and marketing of fruitproducts. “Further attempts should bemade, however, to improve geneticallyand propagate the three selected fruit-trees – marula (Sclerocarya birrea),eembe or bird plum (Berchemia discolor)and monkey orange (Strychnoscocculoides) – most preferred by localcommunities for their fruit quality andother desirable characteristics.”

Through training, the project enhancedthe skills of local women in harvesting andprocessing the fruit. “We used to only eatthem fresh and throw the seeds away,”recalls Dorothee Manyemo-Maluta, awomen’s group leader in Kasheshe, nearKatima, Caprivi region. “Now, with thetraining here and a study tour I made lastyear in Malawi, where I learnt from otherwomen, I can make juice, jam, jelly ordrinks from marula,” she says. Dorotheesells pots of eembe jam to her neighboursfor $N 10 (US$4) each.

However, it will take some time beforewomen’s groups become independent ofthe Directorate of Forestry and rent theirown location for fruit processing andmarketing activities. John Sitwala, SeniorForestry Officer at the Katima RegionalOffice of the Namibian Directorate ofForestry, appealed to all localstakeholders to invest in indigenous fruit-tree species for the benefit of localcommunities, domestic trade andenvironment protection through thepreservation of the plant biodiversity.(Source: FAO Newsroom, www.fao.org/newsroom/en/field/2004/47587/index.html)

population status of this species is verypoor.

Calamus latifolius is found on hillslopes of evergreen forest in the mid-hills.It grows well on moist sandy loam soils,and performs well in shade. The conditionof this species is very poor; only four tofive clustered clumps were recorded.

Calamus leptospadix is found inswampy areas near permanent watersources in the moist deciduous Shorearobusta forest. The population is in adegraded condition. Only about tenclustered clumps were recorded during afield visit.

Calamus tenuis is common in the lowerhill valleys especially near permanentwater sources, dams and seasonalswampy areas. It is mostly associatedwith the species of riverain tropical forestsuch as Bombax ceiba, Syzygium cumini,Albizia spp., Acacia catechu andDalbergia sissoo.

Calamus acanthospathus prefersslightly moist areas. Associated speciesare those of evergreen forest, mainlySyzygium cumini, Trewia nudiflora,Terminalia alata and Bombax spp. Onlysingle clustered clumps of this cane wererecorded during a field visit. According tolocal people, they harvest beforeflowering and fruiting when the cane isready for rope making or sticks.

Habitat destruction is the major threatto the biodiversity of Nepal. Perennialwater springs, waterholes, ponds andswampy lands with well-drained placesare a suitable habitat for rattan. Duringthe last two decades, more than 10 000ha of rattan habitats have been convertedinto agricultural and resettlement areas inrattan forests with high potential in Nepal.Similarly, overexploitation and prematurecollection of rattan is another threat.Biological characteristics and externalinfluences are other factors: Calamusleptospadix and Calamus latifolius are



NEPAL

Ecogeographical distribution of rattanMany species of rattan are believed tobe native to Nepal; however, ninespecies have been reported in Nepal,five of which have been taxonomicallyidentified and validated with the help of arattan scientist.

Rattan is mainly distributed in tropicalto subtropical climates and even intemperate climates: Tarai (plains) and themid-hills (mountains). Evergreen, semi-evergreen and tropical deciduous forestis the most suitable habitat for rattan.Rattan is found both in forested areasand in pure form. In the Tarai, rattan isfound where there is abundant rainfalland a warm climate: it prefers a perennialsource of water and well-drained soil.Thick-sized rattans (Calamus inermis andCalamus leptospadix) are associated withevergreen tree species, at roughly 800 to1 850 m altitude where there is difficultterrain forming a basin and a generallysoutheast-facing aspect. In Dhorbarahi,Tanahu district, Calamus inermis alsothrives on rocky terrain where there is novisible soil for the roots. Sunlight is themost important factor for rattan growth,although fairly shaded places producesatisfactory growth for some species ofrattan. It has been observed that rattanalways prefers clean running water: norattan has been observed growing instagnant water. Rattans are distributed inmore than 28 districts of Nepal, mainly inthe eastern, central and western regions,with varying population status.

The rattan species reported andidentified in Nepal are: Calamus tenuis,Calamus leptospadix, Calamusacanthospathus, Calamus latifolius,Calamus erectus, Calamus khasiyanus,Calamus inermis, Calamus gracillis andPlectocomia himalayansis.

The rattan species that have beenidentified and validated in Nepal are:

Calamus inermis is mostly found in themid-hills of well-drained areas associatedwith evergreen tree species on southernaspects and slightly steep-sloping land atan altitude of around 800 m. The

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generally found on the stream side of themid-hills. Their geographical distributioninhibits the possibility of seed dispersionelsewhere. Inside the managed forestbiological diversity has improvedconsiderably. (Contributed by: Chhote LalChowdhary, NTFP Research Officer,Conservation of Medicinal and AromaticPlants for Sustainable Livelihood in Nepal[CMAPSL]/ Canadian Center forInternational Studies and Cooperation[CECI], Kathmandu, PO Box 2959,Nepal; e-mail: [email protected])

PANAMA

Expanding opportunities for the Naso peopleWith assistance from the CriticalEcosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) aspart of its strategic approach to connectcritical areas through economic incentivesin southern Mesoamerica, the indigenousNaso (Teribe) people are developing,managing and marketing their WeksoEcolodge. The lodge is located on theborder of La Amistad Biosphere Reservenear Bocas del Toro, Panama, a priorityfocus area for CEPF in the Mesoamericabiodiversity hot spot. La Amistad has oneof the highest rates of unique species inall of Central America and greaterbiodiversity than most other areas ofequal size anywhere in the world.

The Naso live in small communitiesalong the Teribe River next to La AmistadInternational Park and the Palo SecoForest Reserve. These two protectedareas, together with the soon-to-be-declared Comarca Naso (or Nasoindigenous reservation), form part of thelarger Biosphere Reserve.

For hundreds of years, the Naso haveenjoyed the riches of the forest – hunting,fishing, cutting trees and extracting plants.With a population of approximately 3 500and a unique form of government – theonly nation in the Western Hemisphereruled by a king – they have, until recently,been able to sustain themselves well.

However, in the mid-1990s, they beganto see their world changing in ways theydid not like. “We live here because we like

the forest,” relates Eliseo Vargas, amember of the Organización para elDesarrollo Ecoturístico Naso (ODESEN,or the Organization for the SustainableDevelopment of Naso Ecotourism),established in 1995 to developcommunity-based ecotourism to generateincome and improve the lives of the Nasopeople. “We have always used the forestto satisfy our needs, but until recently wedidn’t notice that we were harming it,”Vargas says. “As a result of theenvironmental education we havereceived, we now realize that to continueto live here, we need to find alternativelifestyles that do not endanger the forest.”

The Wekso Ecolodge will offerecotourists an opportunity to experiencethe vast biodiversity and cultural diversityof inland rain forest while also contributingto its conservation.

The partnership aspect of the projectextends beyond the ecotourists, the Nasopeople, ODESEN and CEPF. It includesthe Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente (thePanamanian National Authority of theEnvironment) and another Naso non-governmental organization, theAsociación de Médicos TradicionalesNaso (the Association of Traditional NasoHealers). The association, known asASOMETRAN, was established toconserve and revitalize the centuries-oldknowledge and practice of shamanismand medicinal plants use.

During its eight-year existence,ASOMETRAN has established medicinalplant gardens in three Naso communities;participated in a series of educationalexchanges with traditional healers fromother communities and indigenousgroups; and established a smallherbarium of dried plants – activitieshelped with support from ConservationInternational and the InternationalCooperative Biodiversity Group.

Its members are also seeking to furthertheir work in collaboration with the WeksoEcolodge. They hope to improve andamplify their gardens and open them upto visitors. In addition, they plan toproduce a book on medicinal plants andNaso culture and establish a 10 hamedicinal plant forest. These activities

will enhance ODESEN’s ecotourismprogramme, will permit the Naso togenerate income from the forest and willcontribute to the conservation of naturalforest and Naso culture. (Source: CEPF E-News, April 2004.)

PHILIPPINES

Common tropical plants yield new natural dyesCommon plants could help cut thePhilippines’ reliance on importedsynthetic dyes and reduce the pollutionthey cause, according to researchersthere.

The scientists, from the PhilippineTextile Research Institute (PTRI), haveidentified 26 plant species – includingmangrove trees, a type of onion, andguava and cashew nut trees – that couldbe used to produce high-quality naturaldyes. PTRI, an institute of the PhilippineDepartment of Science and Technology,has also developed techniques forefficiently extracting the dyes.

The species are widely distributed inthe Philippines and in other tropicalcountries in Africa, Asia and LatinAmerica and can be easily cultivated inhumid regions.

The textile industry discharges toxicwaste into water systems and, accordingto the Philippines Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources, isone of the main sources of environmentalpollution. This is due in part to the use ofsynthetic dyes, which are more abundant,cheaper and easier to apply than naturaldyes. The Philippines has been importingmost of its dyeing, tanning and othercolouring materials because of theabsence of local manufacturers of eithersynthetic or natural dyestuffs, PTRIreported.

To address this problem, PTRI hasbeen collaborating with other agencies todevelop technologies for extracting andapplying natural dyes. “The governmentshould continue its efforts to revive thenatural dyeing technology, not only inorder to cut down the country’s relianceon synthetic dye imports but also to



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explore benefits that can be derived fromindigenous sources,” PTRI said.

The Philippine Textile Research Instituteis compiling a book containing informationabout the plants and their applications.(Source: SciDev.Net Weekly Update,25–31 October 2004.)

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Russian far east: NTFP small business development project Over the past three years the IUCN-CISForest Conservation Programme hasbeen involved with a communityeconomic development project focusedon the Kamchatka Peninsula andSakhalin Island. (This project is onecomponent of the larger project BuildingPartnerships for Forest Conservationand Management in Russia, funded bythe Canadian International DevelopmentAgency (CIDA) and managed byIUCN–World Conservation Union.)

The activities in the Russian far eastare aimed at assisting remotecommunities of the region to developtheir non-timber forest product resourcessustainably. Since the early 1990s,communities on the KamchatkaPeninsula (and elsewhere in the country)have experienced an economic decline,made worse by the withdrawal of federalsupport to outlying regions and traditionalresource use such as reindeer herding.

In our project, NTFPs are viewed as onepart of a local sustainable livelihoodstrategy (including tourism, culturalactivities, hunting and herding). Weprovide business and legal issues training,consultation on small business andcommunity-based enterprisedevelopment, and support forsustainability and monitoring programmes.It is the hope of project participants thatthe successful development of theseopportunities will decrease the pressure tomove forward with potentially damagingresource exploitation activities, such asgold mining and oil extraction within orclose to the World Heritage Sites.

The project is focusing on groups ofpeople who have not normally had the

chance to participate in small business ornatural resource management –indigenous people and women. It is theintention of all involved that, over time,local community groups will take overproduction and marketing activities. Fourfamily and cooperative NTFP-basedbusinesses have already been started bynative communities on Kamchatka withthe assistance of the project. Started fromscratch, these businesses are nowmarketing their products – so far theseare herbal teas, dried wild berries andbirch bark souvenirs within the RussianFederation and abroad.

About 400 people are involved asexperts, trainees and participants of otherproject activities. We hope that theproject will make a contribution to thedevelopment and implementation of theglobal approaches to sustainablecommunity development and povertyalleviation. (Contributed by: NikolayShmatkov, Russian Federation and TimBrigham, Canada.)


Nikolay Shmatkov, NTFP Component

Coordinator, IUCN-CIDA Project,

IUCN–World Conservation Union, Office

for Russia and CIS, 17 Marshal Vasilevski

St, 123 182 Moscow, Russian Federation.

Fax: +7 95 4905818;


www.iucn.ru or www.iucn-cida.ru;

or

Tim Brigham, NTFP Small Business

Development Consultant, 3878

Cowichan Lake Road, Duncan, BC V9L

6K1, Canada.

Fax: +1 250 7483582;


Non-wood forest products in Kamchatka regionKamchatka’s forests are located mainlyin the valleys and basins of spawningrivers and streams and play an importantrole in conservation. Forests cover 42percent of the Kamchatka region. Themain tree species are larch (Kamchatkaand Cayander’s), Ayan fir, birch (whiteand stone), aspen, sweet poplar,chosenia (a member of the willowfamily), Sakhalin willow, elfin cedar andalder. The forest cover has remainedrelatively stable throughout the region,and generally fulfils its function in theecosystem; however, it cannot beallowed to decrease.

Forests are a multipurpose resourceand are also a source of non-wood forestresources, e.g. nuts, fruits, berries andother food and medicinal plants. Twenty-one shrub species, such as blueberry,lingonberry, honeysuckle, rose, mountainash, cloudberry, cranberry and currant,are economically important. About 70percent of the harvested berries consistof lingonberries, honeysuckle andblueberries. (Source: Kommersant, 8December 2004.)

SOUTH AFRICA

New law to protect South Africa’sbiodiversityPresident Thabo Mbeki has signed intolaw South Africa’s new Biodiversity Act,which is hailed by some as the mostsignificant environmental legislationadopted in ten years of democraticgovernment. Because of its incredibly richbiological diversity, South Africa is rankedthe third most biologically important nationin the world, after Brazil and Indonesia.

The new act now gives the highestpossible political protection to thisbiodiversity. Among other things, it requiresfull environmental impact assessmentsbefore the introduction of any geneticallymodified organisms (GMOs).

The act also makes provision forcommunities to share the profits of anyexploitation of natural materials involvingtheir indigenous knowledge. An example



62

is the case of the San/Bushmencommunities who will benefit from acommercial slimming product derivedfrom the hoodia cactus plant, which theyhave known for centuries, chewing itsleaves as an appetite suppressant.

“The act regulates for the first timewhat we call ‘bioprospecting’,” explainedEnvironmental Affairs and Tourismdirector-general Chippy Olver. “Forcompanies to be able to bioprospect, theywill now have to go through a regulatorysystem which gives protection toindigenous communities.” (Source: CapeArgus [Cape Town], 3 June 2004.)

New list of protected trees A new national list of protected treespecies will contribute towards theprotection of biodiversity andecosystems. The Department of WaterAffairs and Forestry says in a statementthat the protection of biodiversity andecosystems has become a high priorityfollowing South Africa’s ratification of theConvention on the Protection ofBiological Diversity.

In terms of the declaration, tree specieslisted as protected may not be cut,disturbed or damaged and their productstransported or sold without a licence.

Listing certain species as protected isnot primarily aimed at preventing the useof a tree species, but to ensuresustainable use through licensing controlmeasures, explained the department.

South Africa is home to more than 1 700 indigenous species of trees andshrubs, some of which are currentlythreatened on account of their rarity aswell as the pressure of commercial andsubsistence use.

The department said that detailedguidelines had already been developed forthe handling of licence applications to cutCamel thorn trees (Acacia erioloba)following extensive research andconsultation with a variety of stakeholders.

Other protected species under threatinclude the rare pepperbark tree(Warburgia salutaris), which is widelyused for medicinal purposes and themarula tree (Sclerocarya birrea), which isone of the most highly valued trees in the

country. A large industry is based onproducts derived from marula fruit,including beauty products and a famousbrand of marula liqueur. It is also a vitalsource of income and subsistence tomany rural people. The Tsonga peoplealso celebrate the Feast of the First Fruitsby pouring an offering of fresh marulajuice over the graves of deceased chiefs.

Trees are mainly threatened bycommercial harvesters, while someecologically important forest trees arealso under pressure from coastaldevelopment. (Source: BuaNews[Pretoria], 14 September 2004.)

Building markets for traditional foodsSamp, African ground nuts, mealies,sorghum potele, isithwalaphishi,ditlhakwana, mutuku and inkobe aresome of the indigenous foodstuffsfeatured in a cookery book that has beencompiled in South Africa as part of theDepartment of Science and Technology’sIndigenous Food Poverty Alleviationproject. Among the recipes are morogo(an indigenous green leafy vegetable),semphemphe (wild melon pudding) andmasonja (a dish featuring mopani wormsand ground peanuts).

The project, which is being undertakenby the Council for Scientific and IndustrialResearch (CSIR), aims to find ways ofmarketing indigenous foods. The cookerybook, an unintended output of the project,brings together about 80 recipes from ruralareas of five of South Africa’s nineprovinces – Free State, KwaZulu-Natal,North West, Limpopo and Eastern Cape.Many recipes are generations old, and formpart of the traditional knowledge of thesecommunities.

The aim of the project is to find ways ofusing indigenous knowledge to helpcommunities generate income. Since 2000,

more than R 12.3 million (US$1.8 million)have been put into the project, which seeksto set up small businesses and develop thetechnologies needed to produceindigenous foods in significant quantities.

The project was initiated in the mostneedy parts of the country and CSIRconsulted extensively in ruralcommunities to collect indigenousrecipes. (Source: SciDev.Net WeeklyUpdate, 28 June–4 July 2004.)

UGANDA

Forests net Sh 66 billion from non-wood forest productsUgandans selling non-timber forestproducts earn more than Sh 60 billionannually, according to the NationalForestry Authority (NFA). NFA stated thatthe forestry industry employs about onemillion Ugandans: 100 000 arepermanent employees while the rest arein the informal sector. According to NFA,“Sh 66 billion goes to people in theinformal forestry sector such asherbalists in Katwe,” but illegalharvesting and selling of timber hadmade it impossible to value forestresources in the country. (Source: NewVision [Kampala], 18 May 2004.)

Moringa export orders increaseThe United Kingdom and Namibia aretwo countries that are buying moringaherb products from Uganda. Namibiahas signed a contract with the MoringaDevelopment Association (MODA) tosupply six tonnes of Moringa seeds andleaf powder for the next four years.Another firm from the United Kingdomhas made a similar order. MODA hasabout 20 000 moringa farmers with atotal of 200 million moringa trees.

Currently, Uganda exports about 8 to10 tonnes of moringa products, mainly to


Forests that covered half of thecountry in 1901 now cover only 24 percent. (Source: New Vision[Kampala], 5 July 2004.)


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the United States, Kenya and the UnitedRepublic of Tanzania. In the local market,one kilogram of moringa costs Sh 10 000,while in the world market a kilogram sellsfor US$15 to $20. (Source: The Monitor[Kampala], 17 May 2004.)

German farmers to buy moringa German cattle keepers have expressed awillingness to import moringa powderworth billions of shillings from Uganda.“This is a big relief to our moringafarmers, especially those in the Rwenzoriregion, where hundreds of families areengaged in moringa growing and had nomarket for the crop,” Maate Kajumba, theRwenzori Vanilla Growers Co-operativeSociety chairman, said recently.

Kajumba said the German cattlefarmers were willing to buy any quantity ofmoringa powder depending on quality. Hedeclined to reveal the price per kilogram atwhich the German farmers would buy themoringa and when they expressedinterest. “They will buy plenty of it. Theysaid they will make cakes for their cowsfrom the moringa powder. It is up to us toensure that the quality of our produce is ofthe required standard,” he said. (Source:New Vision [Kampala], 17 July 2004.)

Fruits to help fight povertyNorthern Uganda is endowed with variousherbs and nutritious fruit-trees which canhelp in fighting poverty and improvenutrition. But because of insecurity,ignorance and inadequate funds, thebiodiversity is not being tapped.

One of the vitamin-rich fruit-trees is theBorassus palm (tugo), which grows in thewild. Its trunk is split and used as poles forroofing houses and its leaves are used formaking mats. The fruits are rich in foodvalues and money can be earned from it,”said George Obong, coordinator of theNorthern Foods Project. The community-based non-governmental organization ispiloting processing tugo wine from the fruit.

The project now has more than 60members, most of whom are rural-basedwomen from the pilot subcounties ofAdekokwok (Lira) and Aboke in Apacdistrict. Each member must have at leastone tugo tree in his or her garden. Apart

from wine, tugo can be used for makingsalt, honey and nutritious porridge,especially for children. Other uses includemaking baskets, bags, other handicraftsfrom its foliage, and as fuelwood.

The project has more than 200 typesand uses of local plants. Some of thetraditional plants are effective medicinefor different diseases. It has also started“manufacturing” Vaseline, in 50 and 100 g packs sold at Sh 600 and Sh 1 000, respectively.

The project has three components: foodprocessing to fight malnutrition, medicinalplants for community health, and art andcrafts to raise household incomes. It isaimed at sustainable utilization andmanagement of natural resources,including fruit crops and medicinal plants,as well as rational exploitation of the fruitcrops to ensure proper ecological balanceand soil conservation.

“What we now need is funding, securityand the market. We have enough rawmaterials and many members are willingto join hands in the project,” said Obong.(Source: New Vision [Kampala], 22 June2004.)

Sustainable management of non-woodforest productsThe proceedings of the May 2003 “NationalStakeholders’ Workshop to review thesustainable management of non-woodforest products in Uganda focusing onbamboo and rattan” have been published.


David Walugembe, Conference

Coordinator, PO Box 2675,

Kampala, Uganda.

E-mail: [email protected]

UNITED STATESOF AMERICA

Research into non-timber forest productsNon-timber forest products (NTFPs) in theUnited States are harvested forcommercial and non-commercial purposesand include thousands of wild or semi-wildspecies or parts of species used formedicines, foods, decorations, fragrances,containers, dyes, fuel, shelter, art,ceremonial purposes and so on. Despitethe known and substantial economic valueof a few individual NTFPs, and theunknown but likely high economic value ofNTFPs in aggregate, historically managershave not included them as importantfactors in forest management. Not only doNTFPs comprise a significant part of thebiological diversity of forest ecosystemsbut, given the lack of formal NTFPresearch, the many people who harvestNTFPs part or full time have the mostknowledge about them. Consequently,efforts to conserve biodiversity are unlikelyto succeed unless knowledge about NTFPs,and the effects on them of various forestmanagement activities such as timberremoval, grazing, prescribed burning andNTFP harvesting practices, becomes anintegral part of forest management.

A recent research project attempted toaddress these issues through achievingtwo objectives: to advance understandingof the role and impact of NTFPmanagement in forest ecosystemsustainability and biodiversity; and tosupport the ability of United States forestmanagers to assess NTFP sustainability.

The project developed five interrelatedcomponents to meet these objectives:

• An online species database expandedfrom 857 to 1 343 entries. Thedatabase serves as an initial tool foridentifying NTFP species thatcurrently or formerly existed in theirregion and that can potentially beincorporated into planning forbiodiversity conservation, forestrestoration, cultural use patterns andsustainable economic development.

• An online bibliographic databaseexpanded from 1 468 to over 2 600



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entries. The database aids inidentifying NTFP references of books,journals and grey literature. A largeportion of the entries are annotated.The academic publications included inthe database are drawn more heavilyfrom the international NTFP arena,which is where the majority of NTFPresearch has been done thus far.

• A national survey of Forest ServiceRanger District employees and stateforest managers for the purpose ofexamining NTFP management inrelation to biodiversity.

• Ethnographic fieldwork throughout thelower 48 United States. The fieldworkincluded formal and informalinterviews and participant observationwith hundreds of NTFP harvesters andother stakeholders including landmanagers, scientists, NativeAmericans, commercial businesses,and environmental groups.

• A series of four all-day multistakeholderworkshops and a three-day retreat ofthe seven member project team held todiscuss the possibilities for inventoryand monitoring programmes involvingNTFP harvesters.

(Source: Jones, E.T., McLain, R.J. &Lynch, K. 2004. The relationship betweennon-timber forest product managementand biodiversity in the United States.Portland, OR, Institute for Culture andEcology [www.ifcae.org/projects/ncssf1/].)

Harvesting wild ginsengWild ginseng, which has been harvestedand exported from the United States toAsia for more than 200 years because ofits purported health benefits, has grownscarce in many states. It fetches as muchas US$350 a pound (US$160/kg), and arecent study at Shenandoah National Park(Virginia) suggested that the number ofginseng plants might have dropped asmuch as 75 percent over the past 30 years.(Source: Washington Post, 1 June 2004.)

Ginseng gives surprising boost to state’sagricultural economyIn recent years, between 1 700 and 4 200pounds (770 and 1 905 kg) of dry ginsengroot have been exported annually from

Pennsylvania – mostly to Asian markets –according to State Department ofConservation and Natural Resourcesestimates. At an average price of US$300per dry pound, ginseng has generated atleast US$11 million for Pennsylvaniansover the past decade. (Source: NationalNetwork of Forest Practioners’ Non-timber Forest Product News, Digest Issue3, 31 August 2004.)

VIET NAM

NTFP education A Memorandum of Agreement was signedon 17 March 2004 between the Non-timber Forest Products Subsector SupportProject in Viet Nam and the ForestryUniversity of Viet Nam to formalize andpromote further fruitful cooperation in thefield of NTFP education and research.

Non-timber forest products areincreasingly recognized in Viet Nam as asignificant source of income for somefarmers who live near forests andespecially for poor, landless people.Conservation of NTFPs can play animportant role in maintaining the biodiversityriches of Vietnamese forests. This is theproject’s first attempt to mainstream NTFPsin forestry education in Viet Nam.

Under this agreement, the two partnerswill cooperate on a voluntary and equalbasis. Fields of cooperation identified in thisagreement are NTFP curriculumdevelopment, graduate and post-graduatetraining, NTFP research, organization oftechnical seminars and workshops, NTFPpublications, documents and materials,information exchange and a studentresearch programme.

The focus area is NTFP curriculumdevelopment, and will involve alldepartments of the Forestry University ofViet Nam. This is in line with the intention ofthe Ministry for Agriculture and RuralDevelopment of Viet Nam to developNTFPs in a sustainable and economic way.

Another major field of cooperation is theStudent NTFP Research Programme. Theprogramme’s grants are available toforestry students throughout the country.Together with the project’s existing NTFP

Research Fund and NTFPAction LearningFund, this aims to increase the body ofNTFP knowledge in Viet Nam. Theprogramme is also expected to stir upenthusiasm for and strengthen capacity inNTFP research for future forestryprofessionals – present university students.(Source: Vietnam NTFP Network E-bulletin, issue No. 2.)

Study on development potential andplanning for ten major Vietnamese NTFP speciesThe Forest Inventory and PlanningInstitute has been conducting a long-termstudy to survey and assess potentials, aswell as propose a development plan, forten major Vietnamese NTFP species,including cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassiaBl.), pine resin, anise (Illicium verum Hook.f.), cardamon (Amomum aromaticumRoxb.), bastard cardamon (Amomumvillosum), rattan, essential oil species, agarwood, codonopsis and cajuput.

The next phase of study will focus onupdating the available data and collectingmissing information on the socio-economicsituation, national and international NTFP


VIETNAM NON-TIMBER FORESTPRODUCTS NETWORK

Established in 2003, the Vietnam NTFPNetwork is a non-profit, volunteerorganization under the Forest ServiceInstitute of Viet Nam. The network aimsto provide comprehensive NTFP-relatedinformation to its members and toraise awareness of the role that NTFPsplay in biodiversity conservation andnational economic development.

The network produces a quarterlyNTFP e-bulletin, as well as a biannualnewsletter.


Vietnam Non-Timber Forest Products

Network, 8 Chuong Duong Do,

Ha Noi, Viet Nam.

Fax: +84 4 9320996;


www.ntfp.org.vn


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market demands and indigenousknowledge, as well as the natural potentialand the current situation, of these tenmajor species. (Source: Vietnam NTFPNetwork E-bulletin, issue No. 2.)

Viet Nam endorses national action plan tocontrol wildlife tradeAs global attention focuses on boostinghigh-level political will to combat thewildlife trade “crisis” in Southeast Asia,the Government of Viet Nam hasendorsed a comprehensive NationalAction Plan to address the country’swildlife trade management priorities. TheNational Action Plan to Strengthen theControl of Trade in Wild Fauna and Florain Viet Nam to 2010 was approved by theDeputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzunglast Tuesday, immediately prior to theopening of the 13th Meeting to theConference of the Parties to CITES inBangkok, Thailand [October 2004].

The National Action Plan is built uponfield research and rigorous consultationswith Vietnamese agencies andstakeholders, and analysis frominternational conservation experts. The planfocuses on six thematic priorities: increasedgovernment capacity, appropriate economicincentives, harmonized legislative controls,targeted public awareness, scientificresearch and international cooperation.

Among the key research findings werethat poverty was in fact not the primaryfactor fuelling the illegal trade and thatlocal consumption of wildlife will continueto grow as economic conditions improve.In fact, 73 percent of decision-makers andgovernment field personnel surveyed saidthat Viet Nam’s domestic trade in wildmeat required urgent attention.

Viet Nam is well known for itsbiodiversity and range of endemic species

but, as the country’s human population hasgrown, these animals and plants areliterally losing ground. Alongside threatsfrom habitat degradation and landconversion, wild species are heavilyexploited to supply both domestic andinternational trade demands, despite lawsprohibiting or severely curtailing theharvesting of “rare and precious species”and banning the export of wild forestmammals.

In Southeast Asia, Viet Nam plays a roleas source, consumer and re-exporter of avast range of wild animals and plants, andis a wildlife trade hot spot of globalsignificance. (Source: TRAFFIC PressRelease, 7 October 2004.)

ZAMBIA

Jam from indigenous fruits CODIBA, a new firm engaged inagroprocessing, has started producingjams and drinks using indigenous fruits onthe Copperbelt. The formation of thecompany would also create employmentin the province. The company would beusing traditional fruits – masuku andimpundu – to produce jams and juices.The use of the traditional fruits would addvariety to the market while increasing theusage of indigenous resources that havebeen going to waste. The company wasalready producing jam from water melonsand intungulu, on a small-scale basis, forthe local market.

The agro-processing firm was trying toraise K 60 million as an initial capitalinjection to start large-scale production.CODIBA would work with the ZambiaBureau of Standards to ensure theproducts were of high quality. Full-scaleproduction is expected to start in the nexttwo months. (Source:The Times ofZambia [Ndola], 20 September 2004.)

ZIMBABWE

Animal, plant life dwindling Information compiled between 1990 and2002 and posted on the World ResourceInstitute’s EarthTrends Web site

indicates that of the 270 known mammalspecies in Zimbabwe, 11 are threatenedwith extinction; of the 4 440 higher plantspecies known in the country, 141 wereon the verge of extinction.

The large-scale dependence byZimbabweans on forest resources forfuel, construction timber, etc., hasbecome unsustainable with rampantdeforestation and woodland degradation.It has been said that poverty is thegreatest enemy of the environment.Evidence of this abounds in thecommunal areas where poor families aretrying to make ends meet by exploitingthe country’s natural plant resources.

The baobab tree, whose bark is usedextensively in mat-making, is now on thebrink of extinction. The overexploitation ofthe giant tree for commercial purposeshas rendered the baobab incapable ofeffectively regenerating its bark.

For hundreds of years southern Africancommunities have stripped the tree barkto extract pulp which is used to treatfever, diarrhoea, malaria and as a vitaminC supplement.

But such extraction posed very littlethreat to the tree since damage wasminimal and so infrequent that the treehad a good chance of regenerating.

Data compiled from manyorganizations indicate that the baobab,an unmistakable feature of the landscapein most drought-prone parts of southernAfrica, has been and still is a source oflivelihood for many communities.

The baobab is a multipurpose tree. Itsleaves and fruit are good as relishsubstitutes. The fruit is used as afermenting agent in traditional brews andmakes a refreshing traditional drink whendissolved in milk. The seeds, which yieldan edible substitute for vegetable oil, canalso be eaten raw or roasted or ground toproduce a coffee-like beverage. Pulpedseeds are also known to cure gastric,kidney and joint ailments.

But all this treasure is at risk aseconomic survival continues to dictatethe future of these vulnerable andsometimes unique species. (Source: TheHerald [Harare], 21 June 2004.)


Cinnamomum cassia

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