The International Institute for Environment and Development has published a short guide to ways forestry can contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development.
"Human wellbeing depends on ecosystem services such as those provide by forests," writes the head of IIED's Natural Resources Group, James Mayers. "These services are the foundation for the Millennium Development Goals - but they are not treated as such."
The six-page report highlights forestry projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America that are contributing to the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Mayers writes that such evidence points to the need for greater recognition of the value of sustainably managed forests.
The guide shows that there are plenty of good news stories about forestry in developing nations but that there are many recycled assumptions and missing facts about the importance of forests to human wellbeing.
You can download it here: http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=17004IIED
Also last month, Mayers and colleagues published a progress report from a pioneering initiative that is working to improve forest governance in ten nations by connecting the people who control forest resources with those who depend on them. You can read more here: http://www.iied.org/mediaroom/releases/070404FGLGupdate.html
Best wishes
Mike
Mike Shanahan
Press Officer
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H 0DD, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7388 2117
Fax: +44 (0)20 7388 2826
Email: [email protected]
http://www.iied.org
