Surviving the Cut: Natural Forest Management in the Humid Tropics

Abstract

The World Resources Institutes Center for International Development and Environment investigates forest management failures in humid tropical countries and proposes more productive more sustainable and more equitable forestry practices. Focusing only on sustained timber yield tends to result in failure; e.g. species diversity and watersheds may decline. Instead forest managers must preserve the health of entire forest ecosystems and the welfare of local communities to guarantee a continuous supply of forest products and services. Further development theorists and practitioners need to focus more on the social economic and political dimensions of forest management to make it easier to assess the sustainability of one practice or another. Bans and boycotts sometimes end up hurting forests. The Institute recommends criteria for rating different timber certification proposals. A favorable government policy has the ability to most effectively preserve natural forests since governments own or control almost 80% of tropical forests. The Institute asks nations to follow 3 steps leading to sustainable forestry and enduring economic development. They must redefine the timber concession by providing greater incentives to preserve the longterm health of the forest. Next they need to remobilize and expand those community-based forestry methods which guarantee more rational use of forests and an improved life for the forests human neighbors. Finally nations must develop criteria to assist governments conservation groups and donor agencies to identify sustainable forestry. Existing simple and well-known technologies and management techniques can improve natural forest management without delay and reduce the destructive effects of logging in humid tropical forests.