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Editors: Kevyn Elizabeth Wightman & Kate Piatek
Box 8002 Biltmore Hall Tel 919-515-7581
NCSU, Raleigh, NC 27695-8002 FAX 919-515-6193
USA e-mail sylvanet@cfr.cfr.ncsu.edu
*************************************************************************
Volume 8 April 1994 No. 1
***********************TABLE OF CONTENTS********************************
* PROFESSOR BOB KELLISON EXAMINES FORESTRY IN CHILE
** BARBRA DUGELBY CRITICALLY ASSESSES INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
*** BEN BERGMAN DESCRIBES MULTI-PURPOSE TREE RESEARCH IN KENYA
**** KEVYN WIGHTMAN INFORMS ON NETWORKING VIA THE INTERNT WITH OTHER
TROPICAL FORESTERS AND ON HOW TO STOP JUNK MAIL WASTE
***** RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN COSTA RICA
****** FOUR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN INDONESIA
******* PUBLICATIONS AND CONFERENCES
************************************************************************
A COUNTRY PROFILE: CHILE
by Professor R. C. Kellison
I attended the Science Committee Meeting of Bioforest Ltd. in Valdivia,
Chile on November 25-26, and participated in CAMCORE's Annual Meeting in
that country on November 27-December 9, 1993. The general conclusion has
been that Chile is one of the major c enters of forestry activity in the
world, and the impressions from this trip did nothing to dispel that
theory.
¥ GEOGRAPHY ¥
This Southern Cone country stretches from 180 to 560 southern latitude
about 4,320 kilometers. Nestled against the Andes Mountains, Chile is
about 10 times longer than wide, and nowhere does it have a width greater
than 360 km. The northern third of the c ountry is occupied by the Atacama
Desert. As opposed to other major deserts in the world, the Atacama is
interspersed with rich resources. In the desert valleys, orchards of
citrus, apricot, peach, and grape flourish. The hills of the desert also
hold cop per, nitrates, borax, and sulphur.
South of Santiago (the capital) lies the fertile Central Valley. With cool
moist winters and hot dry summers, this Mediterranean-type climate is the
home of extensive orchards of grapes, apples, peaches, citrus fruit, and
many other types of table delicac ies. To the west and fronting the
Pacific ocean, lies the coastal range of mountains. They extend in
altitude from 300 to 640 meters. The steep slopes of this area were
heavily farmed in days gone by, but with the loss of topsoil and
fertili-ty, only the more accessible areas continue to be farmed. The
abandoned farm lands are being increasingly converted to forest
plantations.
To the east of the Central Valley lies the Piedmont province. Some of the
peaks here, often of volcanic origin, exceed 6,000 meters. In general,
however, the elevations do not exceed 600 meters. Plantation forestry is
practiced to a limited extent in thes e areas. Because of high rainfall
and cool to cold temperatures common to the area, Douglas-fir is more
suited to the area than is radiata pine.
The population of Chile is about 13.5 million people, about one-third of
which live in Santiago. Located in a basin, that city has a major air
pollution problem, particularly during the winter.
One is never far from the sight of water in southern Chile. With the ocean
on the west side, fjords, lakes and rivers dot the landscape leading from
the Chilean Andes. Trout fishing in the azure, fresh waters is acclaimed
to be some of the best in the wor ld, and salt water fishing has been a
mainstay to the economic well- being of the country since its inception.
¥ HISTORY ¥
Spain ruled Chile for 300 years before the country gained its independence
in 1818. Before that time, the area was settled by Araucanian Indians.
Remnants of the Indian tribes still exist on reservations that were
allocated to them in the 1880s. They are identifiable by their dark skin,
colorful dress and simple way of life. Despite the early Spanish
influence, not much remains that ties the country to Spain. A strong
German presence pervades the southern portion of the Central Valley and
the Archipelago. It is joined by ancestors of Italian, French and Polish
immigrants. Even the architecture in the capital city lacks Spanish
identification.
¥ ECONOMY ¥
The economy in Chile is robust. Inflation is under control, unemployment
is at 5 percent, and the balance of payments from imports-exports is just
that, balanced! Consumer spending is high, and public works projects, such
as road building, is everywhere. This reversal in fortune has largely
come about in the last two decades, with the advent of free elections.
The main industries in Chile are mining, with copper leading the list of
exports, and fruit production. Sheep farming is big in southern Chile
only. Cattle farming for both meat and milk are common to the Central
Valley. Interestingly, the same breeds are managed for both products.
Horses are common enough, but they are used only for riding; they are
never seen pulling the plow. However, the horses from the southern part of
the Central Valley (Porto Montt) are prized for their speed, agility and
endurance for cattle ranching. The gauchos of Argentina particularly
favor the Chilean horse.
¥ FORESTRY ¥
The land area of Chile is 73.2 million hectares. Of that, 32 million
hectares are forested, but only 10.8 million hectares are productive
forests. Agriculture occupies 19 million hectares, 15 million are tied up
in desert, and protection forests claim the remaining 8 million hectares.
Eighty percent of the native forests, consisting primarily of six species
of Notofagus, are located south of latitude 420. Some commercial
plantations can be established in the higher latitudes, but the potential
is limited because of rough terrain and heavy annual rainfall (4064 mm
per year) which subjects the planted trees to disease outbreaks.
Plantation forestry has only recently come to Chile. The agrarian way of
life until the mid-20th century was farming. With the abandonment of farm
land, some forest plantations of Pinus radiata (Monterey or radiata pine)
and Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum) were established. Both of these species
are well suited to the Mediterranean-type climate common to the Central
Valley. One legend has it that radiata pine was first introduced at the
time of the gold rush in California, around 1850. Wheat was exported t o
California from Chile for the gold miners, and the crew stowed away a few
seeds of the less-than-impressive pine on their return voyage. The
outplanted trees performed exceedingly well, and that brought on the
introduction of blue gum which was known to prosper in the same kind of
environment as radiata pine.
The plantation program accelerated in the 1970s commensurate with the
forest incentive program. Today, about 1.6 million hectares of plantations
exist, of which about 1.3 million hectares are in radiata pine. About
170000 hectares are blue gum (eucalypts), and the remainder is other
species.
The forest incentive program which covers 75 percent of establishment
costs, in addition to lesser amounts directed to administrative and
intermediate stand management costs, expired at year's end, 1993. However,
a new program, although thought to be less generous than the first one,
is likely to be implemented in 1994. It is proposed to benefit the
non-industrial private land owner more so than the industrial owner.
The forest industry began to take hold in Chile about 1975, and it has
proliferated ever since. The two major organizations in the country are
Celulosa Arauco and Constitution (COPEC) and Compania Manufacturera de
Papeles y Cartones S.A. (CMPC). They have been joined in recent years by
the likes of Fletcher Challenge Ltd.,
Shell International, Scott Paper Co. and Simpson Paper Co. Others such as
Union Camp Corporation have recently invested in converting (boxboard)
plants. There is strong speculation that additional North American
companies will be investing in Chile within the decade.
The first radiata pine plantations of the 1970 were established for the
production of fiber. The number of stems planted was about 1625 per
hectare. No thinning was contemplated, especially on company lands. In
recent years, a saw log management regime of radiata pine has become
commonplace. Although the silviculture is still
site-specific, the rule today is to plant about 1250 trees per hectare. At
years 4 to 6, the stands are thinned to 625 trees per hectare. At 10 to 12
years, the stand is thinned comm ercially to about 350 trees per hectare,
and rethinned at 15 to 16 years to about 250 trees per hectare. A rotation
age of about 26 years is contemplated.
To produce high-quality clear wood, a pruning regime is imposed at the
same time as the first thinning, i.e, at 4 to 6 years. The second pruning
is done two years after the first thinning, at 6 to 7 years, and the third
one is done two years after the sec ond one at 7 to 9 years. The purpose
is to create a limb-free butt log of 76 meters at an early age so that
clear wood will be formed outside the knotty core.
Despite the relatively young age at which radiata pine is harvested for
sawlogs, the wood properties of the species are superior to the southern
pines. The wood dries and machines well, and it has strength properties
equal to the southern pines. As a resu lt, there is a growing demand for
the product, primarily from Europe, Japan and the United States. About 50
percent of the sawlogs harvested are exported either in log or lumber
form. (Logs cannot be exported to the United States at this time, but that
si tuation is expected to change within the year). Wood chips of both
pines and hardwoods are also exported. The hardwood chips are primarily
from native Notofagus species; their destination is Japan.
Because of the demand for solid wood abroad, nearly every forestry
organization with pine plantations is adding new or expanded sawmill
capacity. The new mills are state-of-the-art, with the technology coming
primarily from the United States.
A relatively new development in Chile is the production of bleached pulp
from eucalypts. Joint ventures have been developed within the past five
years between CMPC and Simpson Paper Co. and between Shell International,
Citicorp and Scott Paper Co. The pla ntations are primarily E. globulus,
but E. nitens and other cold-hardy species are being planted at the
higher, interior land bases. Nearly all of the pulp produced from these
installations, one at Sante Fe and one at Nacimiento, is being exported.
Hardwo ods will also eventually make up about 40 percent of the furnish at
Arauco's No. II mill at Arauco.
The planting program in Chile is expanding at about 128,000 hectares a
year, with 90,000 being conifers, primarily radiata, and 38,000 being
eucalypts. It is evident from these data that a major effort is being made
to establish hardwood plantations to so urce the new bleached pulp mills.
Forest technology in Chile is rapidly gaining parity with that in other
parts of the world. A tree improvement cooperative with radiata pine, in
which all the major industries are members, is housed at the Universidad
Austral de Chile. All the genetic mat erial for outplanting is coming at
least from rouged first-generation seed orchards, and much is coming from
1.5-generation orchards. Progress is also being made on establishment of
second-generation orchards. Of greatest significance, however, is the pro
gress made in rooting cuttings of radiata pine. This technology involves
identification of the best half-sib families, and the rooting of their
progeny from seedlings that are from 10 to 15 cm tall. The rooted cuttings
from the seedlings are installed in hedge banks where the cuttings are
obtained for commercial rooting. A number of organizations are each
producing two million rooted cuttings this year, with the expectation that
each of them will be planting five to six million rooted cuttings within
thre e years.
Almost every forest company has its own nursery. A common size would be of
12- to 15-million seedling capacity. Nursery management is similar to that
in the southern United States. The exception is the greater area of
nursery bed needed for the production of rooted cuttings as opposed to
seedlings.
The silviculture is intense. Site preparation is similar to that in the
southern US but, perhaps, with less need for heavy mechanization. Much of
the planting in Chile is on abandoned fields. Where weeds are a problem,
three and perhaps four cleanings are needed until crown closure is
reached in four to six years.
Forest fertilization is in its infancy except where pre-planting
applications are needed for plantation establishment. Some sites have
shown to be deficient in boron, and others in phosphorus, copper, etc.
Generally, these sites are not planted until the more productive sites are
established. Herbicides are rapidly gaining favor in site preparation and
seedling release.
Wood yields range from 36 m3/ha/yr in the northern end of the Central
Valley where the rainfall ranges from 400 to 1200 millimeters, to 60.5
m3/ha/yr in the southern end of the Central Valley, were the rainfall can
approach 2540 millimeters per year.
Timber harvesting is similar to that in the United States except that more
hand labor is involved. Most of the pulp mills do not have the capability
to handle long wood. Wood forwarders and processors are just making their
entry.
The danger of fire in forest plantations in Chile is variable; in the
drier zones the danger is as great or greater than that in the U. S.
South. In areas of high rainfall, the danger is minimal. In Chile a number
of companies contract their fire surveill ance and suppression work. The
companies participating in those programs are satisfied with the results.
They cite the low number of fires, and the low area associated with each
fire, as a measure of success of the contract.
A recently introduced pest, the European pine tip moth (Rhyacionia
buoliana), is of great concern to those with radiata plantations. With
only one generation a year, as opposed to as many as five with Rhyacionia
frustrana in the southern US, control has n ot been easy.
A large effort is being instituted by the separate forest companies, and
collectively with the Chilean Forest Service as the lead agency, to
control the pest. The efforts include biological control measures using
the wasp Orgilus obscurator, chemical con trol, and silvicultural
manipulation.
I've heard it repeatedly said that the foresters of Chile are acting
irresponsibly by planting radiata pine over extensive areas, without the
foresight to diversify to other species. I side with the Chileans on this
issue. Radiata is so superior to other species that nothing tried so far
even comes close to being a good second species. (Continued effort is in
progress in searching for new species through CAMCORE and other avenues.)
When a problem does arise the prescription is to attack the pest with all
the resources available, while continuing to use radiata pine on the sites
for which it is clearly the superior species. New Zealand has used this
strategy effectively, and they are benefitting greatly from the timber
that is coming to market. Chile stan ds to benefit in a similar manner.
*************************************************************************
INTEGRATED CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: A SECOND LOOK
by Barbara Dugelby
Integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs) aim to achieve
conservation objectives by meeting the needs of local people through the
development of alternative sources of income which take advantage of but
do not deplete the flora and fauna of a protected area.
ICDPs are being developed in many regions throughout the world. A large
number of the projects are located in developing countries in regions of
high biological diversity and otherwise critical or threatened
environments. Projects range from traditional national parks and
biosphere reserves to large extractive reserves devoted entirely to
sustainable extraction of a variety of natural resources. Strategies for
achieving ICDP goals include improving subsistence food production through
agroforestry projects , development of non-timber extractive industry, and
ecotourism.
Many multilateral lenders and international non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) fund ICDPs as part of their environmental mandates. One example of
a typical funding arrangement is MAYAREMA, a USAID- funded ICDP in the
Maya Biosphere Reserve in Peten, Gu atemala. USAID funds are distributed
to several NGO contractees, including Conservation International, The
Nature Conserv-ancy, and CARE. These groups act as implementers, working
directly with Guatemalan beneficiary groups operating on different
componen ts of Reserve development and management.
Due to their promise and popularity, funding for ICDPs is growing at a
rapid pace. Yet prior to hailing ICDPs as the solution to the natural
resource and biodiversity crisis, however, the question must be answered:
are these new approaches working? Although most ICDPs are still
relatively young, and thus more time may be needed to assess their full
impact, initial evaluations uncover a poor score card. Recent studies
reveal that many ICDPs are failing to both establish sustainable resource
extraction patt erns and protect biological diversity of designated
protected areas.
Based on a survey of twenty-three ICDPs in Asia, Latin America, and
Africa, Wells and Brandon (1992) found that most protected areas in the
tropics are "experiencing serious and increasing degradation as a result
of large-scale development projects, expan ding agricultural frontiers,
illegal hunting and logging, fuelwood collection, and uncontrolled
burning." Protected area management is typically oriented towards a
"policing or enforcement role, unsympathetic towards local people," where
most officials "l ack the inclination or capability to identify or address
local people-park conflicts."
Given a continuation of current trends, many conservation biologists
anticipate a dramatic reduction in biological diversity in conservation
areas within the next few decades.
The greatest impediment to success in ICDPs appears to be a lack of
sufficiently strong institutions responsible for protected area
management. Challenges facing such institutions include (1) lack of
sufficient funding and trained personnel to manage the reserve operations,
(2) lack of arms or legal authority to enforce reserve boundaries and
regulations, (3) conflicting federal policies concerning resource use in
protected areas, (4) widespread corruption among government officials, (5)
a general lack of familiarity with local historical resource use and
management regimes, and (6) insufficient political support from central
government agencies as well as local governments and communities.
Lacking support, training, funding, and familiarity with local
communities, reserve managers perceive themselves with few options. In
short, it is an ungratifying, frustrating, and often demeaning or even
dangerous job. In the face of these despairing con ditions, it is no
wonder that reserve managers and guards are slow to enforce regulations.
In many projects, monitoring and enforcement have all but come to a
complete halt.
Local residents, on the other hand, have too few incentives to comply with
park regulations or to conserve natural resources due mainly to: (1) lack
of formal participation in resource management, (2) fear of losing access
to valuable resources, (3) lack of secure resource and land tenure, (4)
weak and occasionally corrupt local resource management institutions, and
(5) increasing pressure on land and other resources from immigrating
farmers and peasants.
With few guarantees for a continued access to key resources, residents
often increase rates of resource exploitation in newly created protected
areas. Their attitude resembles the following: "if I am going to be denied
access, or the resources soon will b e depleted by others, I should get
all that I can right now." This appears to be true as well for
larger-scale contraband activities, such as illegal logging, trade in
endangered species, and drug cultivation and trafficking.
Thus, we find that the major problems facing ICDPs are rooted in
inappro-priate national and local policies, weak and corrupt institutions,
and inadequate funding. Do donor agencies and NGOs recognize these
problems? If so, how are they responding? Have timely and objective
project evaluations been carried out? Are ICDP designs being modified
based on the findings of such evaluations?
Of the projects investigated by Wells and Brandon (1992), very few had
systematically measured the impacts of their activities on local people
(i.e., no economic evaluation had been produced). Similarly, there had
been little systematic monitoring of flor a and fauna in and around
protected areas.
In those few cases where ICDP projects are reviewed, the objectivity of
the process is often flawed. Evaluations typically are carried out by
members of the organizations directly involved in the project: the funding
agency, implementer, and recipient org anization. Thus project reviewers
have strong incentives to produce a favorable review -- often the
institution's and the reviewer's own future (i.e., funding and promotions)
depend on it. Rarely does one see an unfavorable review of such projects,
despit e the common know-ledge that all large projects experience
unforeseen difficulties and failures.
In summary, the ICDP concept may harbor promise for the future of
biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. But we (as
individuals and organizations) must be willing to acknowledge their
weaknesses and failures, and change their format when n ecessary.
Institutional and personal reputations cannot be allowed to take priority
over the longterm success of these projects. This new generation of
efforts may represent the model on which the future of biological
diversity and much of the Third World's human p opulation rest.
Wells, M., and K.Brandon. 1992. People and Parks. World Bank, Washington, DC.
************************************
Author Barbara Dugelby is a PhD candidate in tropical ecology and
conservation at Duke University. She is currently completing her
dissertation on chicle latex extraction in the Maya Biosphere Reserve in
Guatemala, a project under the auspices of Conservation In ternational.
She has conducted or assisted with field research in Panama, Guatemala,
Belize, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Peru.
***********************************************************************
IMPROVEMENT OF MULTI-PURPOSE TREE SPECIES IN KENYA
by Ben Bergman
A collaborative project at the Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI) and
the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) aims at
improving multipurpose tree (MPT) species for the highlands of Eastern and
Central Africa (primarily Kenya, Ug anda, Burundi, Rwanda). Coordinated by
Dr. Frederick Owino of ICRAF, the project is called the Multipurpose Tree
Improvement Programme. Other key people involved in the work include
Francis Esegu (Associate Scientist) and Barrack Owuor (Associate Research
Officer).
Extensive farmer surveys were used in making the decision of which MPT
species should be the focus of the work. The list of tree species was
narrowed to the following five:
¥ Sesbania sesban - As an indigenous species which has a 90% rooting
success across genotypes, much emphasis is given to sesbania.
Traditionally, farmers leave trees scattered in the fields to take
advantage of sesbania's nitrogen fixing ability. Good poles may be
obtained from sesbania, but its main uses are as fuel-wood
and goat fodder.
¥ Leucaena sp. - This species roots readily (80% across genotypes).
Although it is native to southern Mexico, leucaena is commonly used in
Kenya. However, a worsening psillid problem may prove limiting in the near
future.
¥ Calliandra calothyrsus - Originally from Central America, this
species is most commonly used in East Africa for fodder. Selection of two
calliandra populations may be possible: the bushy and leafy one for
fodder, and another, which is straight and h as fewer leaves, for poles.
Calliandra has produced more biomass than leucaena in field trials, and
rooting success is 70% across genotypes.
¥ Markhamia lutea - An indigenous species to East Africa, its wood is
strong and termite-resistant and is traditionally used for poles. The
growth habit is strongly erect with a very narrow crown such that nearly
no space is lost when it is included in agroforestry systems. Breeding has
just started, and could yield rapid improvements. This species begins to
flower after only one or two years. Grafting is used for clonal
propagation and is successful 60% of the time across genotypes.
¥ Grevillea robusta - Poles and timber are the main use of grevillea,
but wood must be treated. Originally from Australia, a major benefit of
grevillea in Kenya is that it continues to grow after the rains have
stopped. Approximately 70% grafting succe ss has been obtained.
Maseno, Kisii, Machakos, Embu, Malava, and Kakamega are several locations
throughout Kenya used to conduct research and field trials for the
program. Work at the KEFRI station at Maseno is centered in two areas: 1)
research for the improvement of methods used for seed handling,
germination pretreatments, rooting of cuttings, and grafting; and 2) the
production of large numbers of seedlings and clonal plants for field
trials. Extensive plantings at Malava and Kakamega are designed for making
selections, co ntrolled crossings, and progeny trials. They also serve in
investigating various cultural practices such as spacing and pruning and
examining rooting patterns.
In addition to these MPT species, work is beginning with underutilized
tree fruits which can be used in sustainable agricultural systems and show
potential for improvement and/or commercialization. Two examples are
Mangifera indica (mango) and Psidium gua java (guava).
Projects such as the Multipurpose Tree Improvement Programme with KEFRI
are important for ICRAF's transition from a "Council" to a "Centre", i.e.
conversion from a broker of information to doing research.
*********************
Author Ben A. Bergmann served as a Science and Diplomacy
Fellow at the Office of Research of the U.S. Agency for International
Development. In this position, sponsored by the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, he made site visits to many intere sting
research projects throughout the world. Ben received his PhD in the Forest
Biotechnology group at North Carolina State University.
****************************************************************************
NETWORKING VIA INTERNET WITH OTHER TROPICAL FORESTERS
by Kevyn Wightman
In the 1994 edition of the State of the World, published by the Worldwatch
Institute, John Young writes about the benefits and negative impacts of
using computers. First developed by the military, computers entered
civilian affairs as oversized number cru nchers. They then became exotic
machines for geniuses, and now accompany our daily lives like toasters and
telephones. The US has the highest number of computers in the world -- 265
per thousand persons. Australia is a distant second at 175. Despite the
many headaches they can cause, computer ability to manipulate words and
data enable us to communicate more rapidly and explore our world
(virtually). Though as Young points out, "the measure of any new
technology extends beyond the benefits of applying it , the environmental
and human costs of producing it and using it must also be considered."
Clearly their high energy consumption, toxic waste production and the
potential to widen the gap between rich and poor countries should not be
overlooked.
However, their potential to help researchers better monitor and model the
environment, as well as network more efficiently are assets that can
counteract at least some of the negative forces humans have set in motion.
Internet has "lists" available for networking on tropical issues. The
purpose of each list varies, but is usually related to one area, for
example, biodiversity. Some of these lists are more active than others.
That is, you will receive five messages a da y or more from the "ENVST-L"
(environmental studies list); other lists only send messages every few
weeks or months depending on the purpose. Discussion lists, for example,
encourage active participa-tion of the subscribers in discussions about
broad (or very specific) topics. (I suggest subscribing to one list at a
time since you will get a lot of mail from some of them.)
A more or less standard protocol has been developed which makes it easy
for anyone with an e-mail account to become a list subscriber. Upon
subscribing to any list you always receive a "welcome file" fully
describing all the pertinent information you need about unsubscribing,
back issues etc. You should keep that file for future reference.
When communicating with the list, be aware of one important fact: for
every "list", two addresses exist, the command address and the message
address. The first one is f or starting/ending your subscription. The
second is for writing to the other subscribers of the list. You must
always send your commands or messages to the right address!
To subscribe to these lists, just send a one line e-mail command (also
illustrated above with the Sylvanet list) using the name of the list and
your name as the only line of your message. Further information will
follow (including the address used for sen ding messages to all the
subscribers).
For starters, here are some subscription possibilities:
(List title in quotes; address in caps)
1. About natural resources in Chile/ Latin America: "Natura-L"
LISTSERV@UCHCECVM.BITNET
2. On Organization for Tropical Studies: "OTS-L"
LISTSERV@YALEVM.YCC.YALE.EDU
3. About tropical fish ecology and related issues: "ECOSYSL"
LISTSERV@DEARN.BITNET
4. On agriculture: "AGRIC-L"
LISTSERV@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU
5. Smithsonian Intitute Conservation Isssues Bulletin Board: "CONSLINK"
LISTSERV@SIVM.SI.EDU
6. From the Environmental Studies Discussion Group: "ENVST-L"
LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU
7. Participatory Action Research discussion group: "PARTALK-L"
LISTSERV@CORNELL.EDU
8. Journal of Extension discussion group: "JOE-COMMENTS"
ALMANAC@JOE.UWEX.EDU
9. Forestry discussion group: "FOREST"
MAILSERVER@NICFUNET.FI
10. Peace Corps discussion list: "PCORPS-L"
LISTSERV@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU
11. Sustainable Agriculture discussion group: "SUSTAG-L"
LISTSERV@WSUVM1.CSC.WSU.EDU
12. From the Western Region Workgroup on Knowledge-Based Systems:
"WRCC62-MG" ALMANAC@OES.ORST.EDU
13. And from us: Newsletter of the International Forestry Programs at
NCSU: "SYLVANET" LISTSERV@NCSU.EDU
If you know of other lists or discussion groups, please let us know.
For more information
For an excellent overview of the Internet and how to reach its information
resources see Ed Krol, The Whole Internet: User's Guide and Catalog,
Sebastopol, Calif, O'Reilly and Associates, Inc. 1992.
For a general review of environmental networks see Don Rittner,
Ecolinking: Everyone's Guide to Online Environmental Information, Berkley
Calif. Peachpit Press Inc. 1992. (Access costs $3-$20/hour!)
An excellent library information source on a multitude of environ-mental
and tropical forestry issues is the on-line bibliography at the University
of Minnesota. Use the gopher of any on-line library catalog to connect to
the address MINERVA.FOREST.MN.EDU . They list over 1500 sources with
annotations.
*****************************************************************
OPINIONS
***************************************************************
19 CENTS FOR A BETTER PLANET
by Kevyn Wightman
I've developed a daily ritual upon opening the mail, one initially pursued
with anger, but now practiced with conviction. In anxious anticipation of
letters from friends, I race to the mailbox only to be dismayed at the
copious amounts of "junk mail" atte mpting to whet my consumer desires. I
cannot react passively to this propaganda campaign, and I've declared a
war on this senseless waste of energy, trees, and money. The battle
tactics as described here are quite easy, and I'm happy to report that the
battle is easily won.
For just 19 cents, the postage for a 3x5 postcard, one can request removal
from the mailing list (include the computer coded mailing label for
accuracy). Even cheaper, a quick call to the advertiser's toll-free 800
number ("operators on duty 24 hours to serve you") or reply with the
included pre-paid envelope (quite convenient) equate to a painless
investment in the environment and economy. Waste reduction, not just
recycling, underlie this matter of personal responsibility for our
environment and society. By writing to the Mail Preference Service, Six
East 43rd Street, New York 10017, one can also request removal of his/her
address from a roster maintained and sold to thousands of postal marketing
agencies. Try it!
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CONFERENCES
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FOREST CANOPIES ECOLOGY, BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
July 1994
Contact: Meg Lowman, Director of Research, Selby Botanical Gardens
811 South Palm Ave.
Sarasota, FL 34236
GLOBAL FORUM '94
Manchester, England
24th June - 3rd July 1994
The Global Forum '94 is the first specific follow-up to the '92 Global
Forum in Rio de Janeiro, which was the largest gathering of civil society
ever to attend an international environment and development event. In
Manchester, the Global Forum '94 will focus on the world's cities, where
half of the world's population will be living by the year 2000.
For more information contact:
P.O. Box 532, Town Hall,
Manchester, M60 2LA, England.
E-mail: GF94@GN.apc.org
Tel: (+44 61) 236-0868
(+44 61) 234-3741
Fax: (+44 61) 234-3743
AGROFORESTRY AND SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
Fort Collins, Colorado
August 7-10, 1994
Focus of the conference is on what agroforestry is and where it's needed,
combining agroforestry and sustainable systems, identifying needs in
research, technology transfer, and education.
For more information contact: Kim Isaacson, USDA Forest Service, Rocky
Mountain Research Station, Center for Semiarid Agroforestry, East
Campus-UNL, Lincoln, NE 68583-0822. Tel: (402) 437-5178 ext. 13 Fax: (402)
437-5712
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ALBIZIA AND PARASERIANTHES SPECIES Davao City,
Philippines 13-19 November, 1994 Call for Papers. Abstracts due June 30,
1994. All correspondence should be directed to: James M. Roshetko,
Nitrogen Fixing Association 1010 Holomua Road Paia, Hawaii 96779-9744.
Tel: (808) 579-9568 Fax: (808) 579-8516
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Resesarch Opportunities in Costa Rica
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Dr. Rebecca Butterfield announces research and intern possibilities for
graduate students and forestry professionals through the OTS TRIALS
Project in Costa Rica. The objective is to expand the options available
for small farmers and other land holders wh o are interested in planting
native tree species. These projects combine technical development,
interaction with farmers, foresters, nursery managers, educational
activities, and scientific research. Projects lasting six to twelve weeks
include studies on seed, pollination, seedlings, soil, nutritional, and
growth and yield.
Applicants should send a personal resume and write a two-hundred word
statement of interest. Work is performed in rugged, isolated sites.
In-country cost for is about $25/day. For mor e information, contact Dr.
Butterfield at: OTS/Trials Research Opportunities, Apartado 676-2050, San
Pedro, Costa Rica. FAX 506-240-6783. E-mail MPORRAS@UCRVM2.BITNET
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Employment Opportunities in Indonesia
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Donna Read, International staffing manager of the ARD, an international
consulting firm based in Burlington, Vermont is currently recruting for
four USAID-funded positions in natural resourcess management project in
Indonesia. All positions are for two years and will begin on or about
June 1, 1994. Canidates must have a good track record for interpersonal
and intercultural communication.
positions are:
*Senior Development Economist based in Jakarta
qualifications: PhD in economics, min. three years prof. experience in
economics in Southeast Asia
*Team Leader/community development advisor in West Kalimantan
qualifications: PhD in social Forestry, anthropology or related field
min. four years natural resource (tropical forestry) related community
development activities
*Nature Conservation Advisor in West Kalimantan
qualifications: MS in nature conservation management or closely related field
five years previous post-degree experience in Southeast Asia
Nature Conservation Advisor in North Sulawesi
qualificationss: MS in nature conservation; min. three years post-degree
professional experience in nature (pref. marine conservation) in Southeast
Asia
Send CV and references to DR/SD/KF, ARD, Inc., P.O. Box 1397, Burlington
Vermont 05402
or FAX --preferably-- 802-658-4247
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PUBLICATIONS
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The Central American Forest Tree Seed Group announces its new publication:
"Proceedings of the II Central American Forest Tree Seed Conven-tion".
Papers presented at the convention, held in Siguatepeque, Honduras in
1992, cover tree improvement, tropical silviculture, nursery practices,
and nursery problems. For copies write: President, Central American Forest
Tree Seed Group, P.O. Box 116 Siguatepeque, Honduras, C.A. Fax: 73-2767.
Cost: U.S. $ 30.00. Make payment to "Arte Impresos Govel"
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