Youth Forest Policy Days (YFPD) – 1-3 December 2022
Guest blog by Juliet Achieng, European Forest Institute
The current global youth (15-24 years) population stands at 1.2 billion translating to 16% of the global population and is expected to rise further by 7% by 2030[1]. The youth have immense potential and can provide innovative solutions to promote development. The need for equipping the youth with knowledge and opportunities that will allow them to thrive and showcase their abilities has been highlighted numerous times. An example of a youth led initiative and first of its kind is the YFPD, a conference-like online event organized by youth for youth to enable the youth community to exchange knowledge and gain more insights about international forest policies. The three-day online event employed diverse formats such as workshops, plenary and parallel sessions and role play game. A living library session focusing on working life provided an opportunity for the participants to be inspired to take action by stories from fellow youth and other professionals in the sector. Through the networking session, the participants had the chance to meet and exchange ideas and experiences with the professionals and participants.
YFPD Task force members from Forest Europe an IFSA. Photo credits: Simone Massaro (IFSA)
Promoting Forest Restoration in the Pacific Lowlands of Guatemala
Launch of the GLFx South Coast Guatemala Chapter, an initiative of the Private Institute for Research on Climate Change (ICC), the National Forests Institute (INAB) and IUFRO
As part of the celebration for the renewal of the agreement between ICC and INAB for five more years, on Wednesday, 1 June, a reforestation day was held with the South Coast Restoration Network of Guatemala in Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla. The event offered an ideal setting for presenting the GLFx South Coast Guatemala Chapter.
The activity took place in an area of Cañaverales Farm, located in Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, municipality of the department of Escuintla, Guatemala. Photo credit: Berny Ortega.
During the reforestation day 300 trees were planted with a symbolic meaning: to highlight the joint work that ICC and INAB have done since 2011, including the implementation of 590 nurseries, the production of more than 9 million trees, and the creation of the South Coast Restoration Network of Guatemala, in which government actors, private sector, academia, municipalities, NGOs, communities and international partners participate. The event was attended by authorities and members of the ICC, INAB, the Madre Tierra sugar production company, and the Southwest University Center – CUNSUROC of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala – USAC, among others.
International Day of Forests 2022: Forests, Trees and Poverty Alleviation in Africa
By Dikshya Devkota, GFEP Project Manager, IUFRO
On the occasion of the International Day of Forests 2022, our member IUFRO presents its latest Policy Brief “Forests, Trees and Poverty Alleviation in Africa.” This brief aims to help decision-makers, stakeholders, and practitioners better understand the potential role of forests and trees in sustainable development in Africa.
Women in Malawi carrying firewood, a basic resource in their daily lives (Photo Jennifer Zavaleta Cheek)Read more…
Supporting the Forest Science Community in Economically Disadvantaged Countries
An Interview with Michael Kleine and Janice Burns, Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator, respectively, of IUFRO’s Special Programme for Development of Capacities (IUFRO-SPDC) https://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/
Michael Kleine has been the Coordinator of IUFRO-SPDC since 2001 and Deputy Executive Director of IUFRO since 2010. He is a forestry graduate of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, from where he also obtained his doctoral degree and habilitation in Silviculture. During his career he has participated in natural forest research and management, and rural development through residential assignments in Austria, Pakistan and Malaysia. He also worked as free-lance forestry consultant for the German Development Agency GIZ, the FAO and the European Commission among others in Asia and Central America.
The Deputy Mayor of the Lilongwe City Council, Councilor Esther Sagawa, Launches the Forest Restoration of the Lingadzi Riverine in Lilongwe
Report by Harold Kangoli and Steve Makungwa
Deputy Mayor planting mbawa tree (Khaya anthotheca). Photo by Harold Kangoli
On 19 February 2022 the Deputy Mayor of the Lilongwe City Council, Councilor Esther Sagawa, launched the forest restoration of the Lingadzi Riverine. The project is an initiative of the Lilongwe City Council and it aims to plant and sustainably manage 7,300 native riverine tree species on a 24 hectare degraded riverine along the Lingadzi River in Lilongwe. The design, implementation and monitoring of the project is facilitated by the Lilongwe Chapter of the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), an initiative of Malawi’s Centre for Applied Systems Analysis (CASA) in collaboration with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO.
Interview with Dr. Pia Katila, Coordinator of IUFRO’s Special Project on World Forests, Society and Environment (IUFRO-WFSE)
Dr. Katila is an expert in international forest policy, governance, and sustainable development with a special focus on developing countries. She works at Luke, the Natural Resources Institute Finland, based in Helsinki, where the WFSE Project has always been hosted. Visit: https://www.iufro.org/science/wfse/
Throughout the Americas wildfires are changing. Forests are experiencing longer fire seasons, fires occurring outside of historic fire regions, fires burning more land on average each year, and more extreme fire behavior; some of which is attributed to a changing climate. Additionally, we are seeing an increased frequency of wildfires in populated area, impacting more homes and communities.
Water is fundamental to life on earth. What may not be quite so obvious is that forests are equally vital resources for life on the planet.
And the two – water and forests – are inseparable in the pursuit of a sustainable and sustainably developed world. Therefore, forests and water resources have been identified as essential elements in adaptation to climate change.
From tradition to innovation: Insights into trends in forest-related employment and tertiary education
Despite their differences in e.g. climate, culture, and culinary preferences, you might be curious to find out what Brazil, China, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa and United States of America have in common.
The seven countries represent 42.7% of the global forest cover; and six out of the seven countries were among the top producers of forest products globally in 2018. Thus, the forest sector contributes significantly to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and creates a high number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs (FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment Report, 2015). But when we speak about jobs, do we know what changes are happening in forest-related employment in these countries? What are the major drivers of these changes? What is the state of forest-related green jobs there? How are the countries’ forest-related tertiary education programmes addressing these changes? And what is the future of forest-related employment and education in these countries?
