Joleen Timko

The socio-economic contribution of non-timber forest products to rural livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa: knowledge gaps and new directions.

SUMMARY The majority of Sub-Saharan Africas population relies on forest products for subsistence uses, cash income, or both. In the case of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), it is imperative to 1) clearly understand the socio-economic contributions that they make to rural livelihoods in order to 2) design policies, interventions, and business ventures that serve to safeguard forest assets for the poor in a targeted manner. Based on existing literature, this article highlights the quantitative contributions that NTFPs have made to rural household incomes in several forested, Sub-Saharan African countries. Reasons for a paucity of data on this front are discussed. The article then identifies five broad socioeconomic factors (location, wealth status, gender, education, and seasonality) affecting levels of dependency on NTFPs by rural households, and calls for a better understanding of the linkages between these five factors in order for targeted policies on poverty alleviation in forest-dependent communities to be developed.

Criteria and Indicators for Evaluating Social Equity and Ecological Integrity in National Parks and Protected Areas

Abstract There are concerns that many national parks and protected areas worldwide are ineffective at protecting biological diversity and ecosystem processes, are socially unjust in their relations with Indigenous communities, or both. This paper outlines what we believe are the key criteria and indicators for evaluating social equity and ecological integrity in terrestrial national parks and protected areas. These criteria and indicators were developed through: (1) a detailed review of relevant literature; (2) a pilot analysis of the management plans and management direction statements from 14 national and provincial parks in Canada, Australia, and South Africa (countries with robust and extensive national parks systems and which share a common legacy of land dispossession followed by the subsequent pursuit of land claims by disadvantaged groups); and (3) an in-depth case study examination of six national parks.

Investigating the effectiveness of Mountain Pine Beetle mitigation strategies

We review a broad range of mitigation strategies associated with the management of Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins). We consider: methods that are currently utilised or have been proposed for controlling beetle populations; the manner in which the effectiveness of these approaches is monitored and assessed; and the role that remotely sensed data may play in a large-area monitoring system. To this end, we first examine the goals of effectiveness monitoring and introduce a general classification system to clarify the purpose and practice of efficacy monitoring. Based on these principles, the review is then structured around effectiveness evaluations for managing forest pests, primarily Mountain, Southern (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann), and Western Pine Beetles (Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte) throughout North America, and grouped by management strategy: silvicultural treatments; prescribed burns; and the use of attractants, repellants and insecticides. Finally, we propose the use of remotely sensed data as a complementary tool for monitoring changes in the extent and severity of Mountain Pine Beetle damage across large areas. Use of such data enables assessment of the efficacy of landscape level management practices, directing the application of new mitigation activities, and reducing the risk of future infestations.

The Role of Government in the Development of Small and Medium Forest Enterprises: Case Studies from The Gambia

Small and medium forest enterprises (SMFEs) can contribute to poverty reduction, while promoting the sustainable use of forests. Governments have a fundamental role to play in generating the conditions necessary for these enterprises to emerge and develop. Unfortunately, the business environment in many countries is unsuitable for SMFEs. That said, The Gambia has been cited as a positive example in terms of providing an enabling environment for community forestry and as being a country where SMFEs are emerging. This qualitative research employed a multiple case study approach to examine the role of The Gambian government in catalyzing the development of SMFEs. Specifically, 16 enterprises that focus on five different activities were selected to shed light on the aspects of government activities that have either enabled or constrained them. Data indicate that The Gambian government has had a positive impact on various SMFEs with respect to the transfer of land tenure to local communities, coupled with the implementation of capacity building and support activities. However, there is room for improvement as wood-related enterprises revealed being affected by significant challenges such as corrupt practices, illegal activities and deficient enforcement.

Exploring forest-related coping strategies for alleviating the HIV/AIDS burden on rural Malawian households.

SUMMARY Rural households are being forced to cope and adapt to changing availability of important forest resources while also dealing with the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study was to explore the range of local forest-related coping strategies being used, and innovations that local people would like to try, to alleviate the HIV/AIDS burden on rural households in Malawi. The data were collected from sixty semi-structured interviews with local respondents. The results confirm the use of a range of labour-related coping strategies associated with one of four important forest resources (firewood, water, medicinal plants, thatch grass), along with other broad economic, social, and nutritional coping strategies. Interventions that policy makers and development practitioners could provide in order to foster the most commonly used coping strategies include: provisioning households with required forest resources; investing in agroforestry projects and the domestication of important medicinal plants, wild vegetables and indigenous fruits; and strengthening indigenous responses such as savings clubs and labour and draught power clubs.

Assessing Small and Medium Forest Enterprises' Access to Microfinance: Case Studies from The Gambia

Abstract Small and medium forest enterprises (SMFEs) are commonplace in many developing economies. SMFEs often face several challenges, with access to finance frequently being cited as a key hurdle. This study aimed to evaluate the access that SMFEs in The Gambia have to microfinance, and to determine strategies for improving the delivery of these services. Data show that most SMFEs have decent access to deposit accounts, but limited access to credit. While cooperative credit unions and other non-financial institutions have been providing microloans to SMFEs, access to such financial services could be improved. Six strategies to do so are proposed.

HIV/AIDS and forests in Sub-Saharan Africa: exploring the links between morbidity, mortality, and dependence on biodiversity.

Abstract HIV/AIDS is likely to lead to an intensification of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, and poverty can also lead people into conditions that increase their risk of exposure to, and exacerbate the impact of, HIV/AIDS. While the role of forest biodiversity as a safety net for the rural poor during times of crisis has been noted in studies across the developing world, the links between HIV/AIDS, poverty, and forests are not well understood. In particular, scholarly inquiry into the death of a productive household member due to HIV/AIDS, and the environmental ramifications of such an event on household livelihoods, has been lacking. This is an important research gap given the extent of prime-age adult mortality attributable to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a systematic analysis of the published and gray literature in this domain to answer the following questions: (1) How does household dependence on forest biodiversity change from the onset of HIV/AIDS through morbidity and mortality? (2) Is there evidence to suggest that level of dependence varies according to the role of the deceased within the household economy (e.g., wage earner, resource collector)? (3) What do we know about the effects of loss of forest biodiversity on HIV/AIDS-affected households?. Our results indicate that: HIV/AIDS-related morbidity and mortality appears to increase an affected households dependence on forest biodiversity (although further research is required); the death of a wage earner versus a resource harvester could impoverish a household by making it more reliant on collected natural capital that could previously have been bought; and the loss of forest biodiversity can threaten livelihood sustainability by reducing the availability of important medicinal plants, forcing people to skip meals to compensate for a lack of firewood for cooking, and requiring more physical labour to acquire forest resources such as firewood.

Exploring the Links between HIV/AIDS and Forests in Malawi: Morbidity, Mortality, and Changing Dependence on Forest Resources

Abstract Purpose By bringing together aspects of sustainable forest management, population health, and local livelihoods, the purpose of this study was to characterize how household dependence on forest resources changes through three phases: the period before HIV became a problem in the household, the period during HIV-related morbidity, and after AIDS-related mortality. Methodology/approach Sixty semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of unaffected and HIV/AIDS-affected households in four case study districts in Malawi. Findings This study demonstrates that the relationship between HIV/AIDS and dependence on specific forest resources appears to correspond closely with the stage of the disease. Firewood and water were consistently ranked as being one of the three most important resources, regardless of HIV-affectedness. During the morbidity phase, respondents reported their need for medicinal plants increased substantially, along with other resources. The importance of timber increased significantly after HIV-related mortality. Social implications Interview respondents themselves suggested key interventions that would assist households in the HIV/AIDS-mortality phase, in particular, to obtain the forest resources they require. These interventions could address the impacts of HIV/AIDS on the sustainability of important resources, compensate for a decreased availability of household labor, and foster greater access to these resources for vulnerable households in the four study sites. Originality/value of chapter In spite of the fact that forest resources can play a crucial role in enabling a household to control and adapt to the disease, research on the environmental dimensions of HIV/AIDS remains limited. This chapter helps to address this knowledge gap, suggests practical, innovative interventions that could alleviate some of the disease burden on rural Malawian households, and offers insight into potential areas of further inquiry in this research domain.

PZ Wilmar and palm oil expansion to West Africa

Synopsis In 2014, PZ Wilmar announced a new oil palm business worth

Using a community-driven approach to identify local forest and climate change priorities in Teslin, Yukon

650 million in Cross River State, which would aggressively expand Nigeria’s palm oil production. In July 2015, a year after the plan was announced, a report jointly released by Friends of the Earth US and Environmental Rights Action Nigeria alleged that Wilmar was not complying with Nigerian laws, and accused them of human rights violations, environmental destruction, fraud, and land grabbing. The multifaceted nature of the “Cross River State crisis” permits “close-ups” from different vantage points to analyze the economic, environmental, social, and governance implications of palm oil expansion from a corporate sustainability perspective. Research methodology The case was researched utilizing secondary data, all materials are readily available to the public. There is no disguise of any actual person or entity and no relationship between the authors and the organizations or individuals mentioned in the case. Relevant courses and levels The case is best used at graduate level. It is very well suited for a MBA-level sustainability, business and society, or corporate social responsibility, or business ethics courses. Theoretical bases The case is grounded on the stakeholder theory, yet offering a fresh perspective, leveraging on the uniqueness of the Nigerian context. The authors argue that, while the assessment of the stakeholder salience of environmental groups operating in Nigeria might be different vis-a-vis other countries with sounder institutional environments, the normative question on whether the company should address these claims persists. The authors also draw from the social movements literature and bring forth the idea that the characteristics of the Nigerian context may jeopardize the prospects of success of adversarial tactics such as the issuing of lawsuits and extensive media exposure, which have been deemed effective elsewhere.