G. Mery - Böcker

This volume addresses the acute challenges of sustainable forestry with emphasis on the developing countries. Sustainability is analyzed from its diametrically opposite deforestation point of view. A multilevel approach is adopted to take into account that the causes of deforestation occur at the local, national and international levels. Accordingly, the volume contains contributions at global, continental, national, and subnational levels. The contributions are also of a multidisciplinary character and represent issues such as forest economics and policy, forest mensurations and inventory, tropical silviculture, land use economics, environmental economics and history, as well as geography and political history. One of the aims of this volume is to present a collective analysis of deforestation and sustainability using the most up-to-date, reliable and valid empirical data. The authors have been among the first scientists in the world to have had access to the new FORIS database recently established by the FAO.

This book offers information and insights into the potential of market and policy instruments in improving the state of the world's forests. It advocates the use of the concept of optimal mix of markets and policies as an approach to view the appropriate and operational roles of market and government in dealing with forestry issues. It does not offer a list of policy recommendations to be used as a general tool to combat the threats facing the world's forests. Obviously, the optimal mix of markets and policies must depend on the varying national and local conditions and, more specifically, on the level of development. The contents of this volume are organized in five Parts. Part I, Editorial Perspectives, briefly reviews the outline of the book and analyses the balanced use of markets and policies to support world forests towards sustainable forest management. Part II reviews changes and trends in society and environment outside the forest sector. After all, the evolution of forestry and forest industries is more dependent on these external changes than on changes internal to the sector.Two important aspects that may strongly affect the future of the forest sector are covered: the potential of wood biomass in replacing oil and the global freshwater outlook. Part III focuses on the importance of forests and is primarily aimed at those outside the forest sector. Current innovations in information technology and the fast removal of government regulations have enabled forest industry corporations to invest on a larger scale in optimal locations worldwide. The rapid expansion of forest plantations in the South is a response not only to globalization but also to the expanding conservation pressures in the North. Part IV is the global forum that introduces a few topical forest sector issues affecting the world as a whole. However, these tend to be very complex and can rarely be adequately covered from a single perspective. Therefore, discussants were invited to bring up additional points of view. Forests have great potential in the control of climate change. This is analyzed through both the increased use of wood for energy and the possible forestry investments by Northern nations in the South to cope with the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol.The interlinkages of forests and water are also highlighted. Part V is entitled Regional Forum. Its purpose is to analyze globally relevant continental issues. Interregional studies are followed by articles focusing on Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Russian Federation. The role of the G8 economic powers in the development of the world's forests is studied from the days of imperialism to the current Action Programme on Forests, and the implementation of the programme is followed up. A number of comparative analyses of countries are presented. The impacts of globalization on the forest sector in the Russian Far East and reforms in support of sustainable forest management in Russia are the two final themes of the book.

In the 1990s the world community has arrived at a particularly in developing countries and in econo­ historical turning point. Global issues- the decline mies in transition. These three organizations have of biological diversity, climate change, the fate of different backgrounds and focuses, but have found forest peoples, fresh water scarcity, desertification, it relevant and rewarding to their core operations to deforestation and forest degradation - have come collaborate in WFSE activities. The intention of to dominate the public and political debate about these organizations is to continue supporting the forestry. In the economic sphere, forest industries WFSE research and developing the mutual collab­ have assumed global dimensions. oration. The World Forests, Society and Environment In the year 2000,WFSE took on anewchallenge, Research Program (WFSE) is a response by the re­ extending its research network to involve five new searchcommunity to thisglobalization. The WFSE Associate Partners: the Center for International slogan 'Globalization calls for global research' re­ Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Indonesia;the Cent­ flects both the means and the end of the program. er for Research and Higher Education on Natural The program is involved in promoting and execut­ Resources of Tropical America (CATIE) in Costa ing research in different parts of the world, and Rica; the International Centerfor Research inAgro­ through its publications and communications net­ Forestry (ICRAF) in Kenya; the World Forestry work, linking researchers worldwide.