Reducing poverty by connecting small forest enterprises

Duncan Macqueen's Blog (46)

Update on progress towards Fair Trade timber

A new brochure has been produced that summarises progress towards FSC - Fair Trade timber.2009-11_Fairtrade_and_FSC_Joint_Labelling (2).pdf Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on November 27, 2009 at 12:40pm — No Comments

New draft TOOLKIT - a facilitation manual for supporters of small forest enterprises.

Toolkit framework draft 9.pdf Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on August 14, 2009 at 3:28pm — No Comments

IIED job - Senior Researcher - Forests Team - Closes 21 September 2009

Senior Researcher Forests and CC 09-08-13.pdf Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on August 13, 2009 at 5:05pm — No Comments

Dialogue on 'Investing in Locally Controlled Forestry' - 22-25 August 2009 - Panama.

The Forest Dialogue is holding its first field dialogue on Investing in Locally Controlled Forestry. The dialogue will take place in Panama on August 22-25, 2009. For further information please contact: info@theforestsdialogue.org Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on August 4, 2009 at 4:55pm — No Comments

Web 2.0 tools and mobile phones for SMFE market information, banking and business support

PLA Notes 59 Chapter 4.pdfThe most recent edition of Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) Notes describes some of the new internet technologies that are transforming the way businesses, support programmes and civil society campaigns can operate. Check it out on http://www.planotes.org/pla_backissues/59.html. For a contributory article… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on July 13, 2009 at 3:10pm — No Comments

Towards a business model for successful community forestry

As members of the Forest Connect alliance share hands-on experience in supporting small forest enterprises some common ingredients for success have emerged that provide a framework or 'business model' to work with. While inevitably having to be flexible across different contexts, the following briefing note describes some of the features of this business model:… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on June 24, 2009 at 11:24am — No Comments

Ghana Forest Connect team launches ambitious new work plan

On 26-27th March 2009, the first workshop of Forest Connect Ghana gathered an impressive list of participants to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing SMFEs in Ghana. Based on a background diagnostic report (being edited for publication) the Forest Connect Ghana team, led by Tropenbos International Ghana, has now established a working group to push forward some important lines of activity that will help link SMFEs better to each other, to markets, to service providers and to decision-m… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on June 24, 2009 at 10:43am — No Comments

New FSC case studies on successful small, low intensity and community forest operations that have been certified

Following a meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in 2008, the FSC has been working hard to make their certification system more accessible to SMFEs. One of the follow up activities was to document a series of case studies of successful small, low intensity and community forest operations that had achieved certification status. To see these examples, click on the links below:… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on June 24, 2009 at 10:27am — No Comments

New FSC guidance on certification for small, low intensity and community forests

The FSC held a meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in 2008 to discuss how to make FSC certification more accessible to SMFEs. One of the outcomes was a commitment to prepare simplified guidance on a range of topics for SMFEs. The following guidance notes have just been published from that process: 2008-10-24 social impacts briefing no… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on June 24, 2009 at 10:20am — No Comments

Community Portal website to help communities access payments for ecosystem services

Community Portal provides information and resources to help increase the capacity of local communities to participate and benefit in payment and other compensation schemes for their stewardship role over ecosystem services. Here is the site: http://community.ecosystemmarketplace.com/ Also, we invite folks to subscribe to our Community Forum newsletter, sent every 6 weeks, here is the link: http://ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/newsletter/cf_03.11.09.html Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on April 27, 2009 at 5:14pm — No Comments

Community voices influencing the policy environment for community forest enterprise

Community Workshop_Report_Final.pdf A Cameroon forum explored with participants from seven countries and three continents how to develop an advocacy platform to improve the policy envrionemtn in favour of community forest enterprises. Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on March 31, 2009 at 12:12pm — No Comments

New global review of rural community enterprises

Global review of rural community enterprises.pdf An important new review has been published which makes some useful recommendations for those seeking to support small forest enterprises. Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on March 31, 2009 at 11:35am — No Comments

New FAO forest enterprise job in St Vincent - closing date 20 March

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is seeking the appointment of a Forest Management Specialist to assist the Forestry Department of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the implementation of an EC funded Environmental Watershed Project. The project aims to improve forest management in St. Vincent and to assist rural communities to develop forest based income opportunities. Duration: One year with the possibility of an extension for additional 10 months Start Date: April 2009, or as soon… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on March 12, 2009 at 3:30pm — No Comments

IIED job as Researcher (Knowledge Programme Coordinator) for new knowledge programme on small producer agency in the globalized market

See http://www.iied.org/general/jobs/researcher-knowledge-programme-coordinator - Deadline Wednesday 18th March 2009 Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on March 9, 2009 at 10:06am — No Comments

Mozambique small forest enterprise study published

SMFE no 25 web.pdf This new report is part of the Mozambique Forest Connect team's work, led by Centro Terra Viva. Centro Terra Viva and other members of the Amigos da Floresta (friends of the forest) alliance also contribute to the Forest Governance Learning Group (FGLG) which is seeking governance reform towards greater social justice in fores… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on February 3, 2009 at 12:37pm — No Comments

Conference report covering dramatic land rights changes that put South African SMFEs centre stage

Forestry SME Conference 2008 - report final.pdf A conference in Pietermaritzburg from 13-14 November 2008 drew together members of large forest industries, SMFEs, government and non-government agencies to discuss the major impacts that land redistribution and restitution is having on the timber industry there. Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on January 6, 2009 at 11:34am — No Comments

Institutional environment proves pivotal in success of Bolivian community forest enterprises

Benneker.pdf This new thesis (beware the large 6MB file size) provides a very interesting analysis of what actually makes for successful community forest enterprises (CFEs). It looks at market-driven CFEs versus NGO-driven CFEs to show that, despite the higher transaction costs of the NGO-driven CFEs, and limited geographical coverage of the work o… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on November 28, 2008 at 10:10am — No Comments

Malawi's green gold - a new report on SMFEs in Malawi

Malawi's Green Gold.pdf This new report provides information on four categories of SMFEs in Malawi. It further strengthens the case for investing in SMFEs in Malawi following the major study, 'Charcoal: the reality', that highlighted how charcoal entrepreneurs constitute Malawi's third industry after tobacco and tea. Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on November 25, 2008 at 10:47am — No Comments

Appuyer les petites entreprises forestières

Appuyer les petites entreprises forestières.pdf GRET kindly translated into French a summary version of the Forest Connect background report 'Supporting small forest enterprises'. You can download it here. Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on October 24, 2008 at 7:30am — 2 Comments

Lessons from small forest enterprise work, Uganda

Lessons learnt from small forest-based enterprises in Uganda.pdf The NGO Environmental Alert in Uganda has been working to build local management capacities to run economically viable and environmentally friendly small forest enterprises. To date they have 215 Private Forest Owners managing their enterpri… Continue

Added by Duncan Macqueen on October 14, 2008 at 12:04pm — 1 Comment