CLEAR CUTTING

clear cutting

Support to Sustainable Forest Management

1. Introduction

The UNCBD? the UNCCD and the UNFCCC? all emphasize the importance of the conservation? sustainable use and management of forests in achieving their respective objectives. Sustainable forest management (SFM) comprises seven thematic elements (environmental? economic and social) as listed below:

Extent of Forest Resources: having significant forest cover and existence of forest types and includes trees outside forests;

Biological Diversity: conservation and management of biodiversity at ecosystem? species and genetic level.

Forest Health and Vitality: management of forests to reduce risks and disturbances such as wildfires? pollution? invasive alien species? pests and disease.

Productive Functions of Forest Resources: production of wood and non-wood forest products by forests and trees outside forests. (Armstrong? 1987? 357-363)

Protective Functions of Forest Resources: safeguarding the role that forests and trees outside forests play in moderating soil? hydrological and aquatic systems. This is linked to ecosystem goods and services provided by forests and contribution of forests to ecosystem conservation.

Socio-economic Functions: contribution of forests to economic well-being and to cultural? spiritual and recreational values and uses.

Legal? policy and institutional framework: the enabling environment required to support the six aspects of sustainable forest management.

The weight given to addressing each of the elements of sustainable forest management within GEF project interventions reflects the array of the proximate causes and underlying forces that drive biodiversity loss? land degradation and deforestation in a particular location. Given GEF's mandate to provide “new and additional grant and concessional funding to meet the agreed incremental costs of measures to achieve agreed global environmental benefits” the GEF's role? as one institution of many involved in sustainable forest management? is well prescribed. (Armstrong? 1987? 357-363)

Ii. Biodiversity focal area

In the biodiversity focal area? two primary pathways exist to support sustainable forest management. Strategic Objective One? “Catalyzing Sustainability of Protected Area Systems at National Levels”? seeks to conserve forest biodiversity within protected areas. This is achieved through support to sustainable national-level PA systems that are characterized by viable representation of ecosystems? diversified revenue streams to support protected area management costs? and increased capacity for management. In addition to conserving forest biodiversity? forest protected areas maintain the ecosystem goods and services that forests provide. Thus? this strategic objective provides a wide array of opportunities for the GEF to respond to COP guidance as regards conservation of native forests. (Armstrong? 1987? 357-363)

Strategic Objective Two? “Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Production Landscapes/Seascapes and Sectors” supports internalization of biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use into production systems? supply chains? markets? sectors? development models? policies? plans and programs. (Dettki? 1998? 613-624) Within the forest production landscape and the forest sector writ large? intervention strategies may include improving forest management and production practices to address biodiversity-related concerns (and this can include certification processes)? fostering the creation of new markets? i.e.? Payments for Environmental Services (PES)? biodiversity offsets etc.? and/or improving the enabling environment to support sustainable forest management through incorporation of biodiversity into a) sector policies and plans at national and sub-national levels; b) legislation; c) implementation of regulations and its enforcement? and d) ...