Catalyzing native forest regeneration on degraded tropical lands

Forest clearing, forest degradation through human disturbance, and the deterioration of land productivity due to inappropriate agricultural practices is a major problem in the tropics. Restoration of ecosystem health and productivity has generally relied on abandonment of land and subsequent natural for succession. In recent years there has been consideration of management options to accelerate recovery and restore productivity, biodiversity and other values. The use of tree plantations to catalyze restoration of degraded forests and lands in the tropics was addressed at a symposium in Washington DC in June 1996. The conclusions and suggestions for future research to develop appropriate management options are reported. There is strong evidence that plantations can facilitate forest succession in their understories through modification of both physical and biological site conditions. Changes in light, temperature and moisture at the soil surface enable germination and growth of seeds transported to the site by wildlife and other vectors from adjacent forest remnants. Development and design of management options to assist this process are required, taking into account socio-economic realities, development priorities and conservation goals

Forest biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem goods and services: translating science into policy

Biodiversity is integral to almost all ecosystem processes, with some species playing key functional roles that are essential for maintaining the value of ecosystems to humans. However, many ecosystem services remain nonvalued, and decisionmakers rarely consider biodiversity in policy development, in part because the relationships between biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services are not generally appreciated. To date, the majority of work in which the functional importance of biodiversity has been examined has been conducted in relatively species-poor systems. Focusing on forest and agroforest systems, we synthesize recent research on the role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem services and provide examples of biodiversity science that informs ecosystem management and policy. Finally, we highlight barriers to the transfer of knowledge from scientists to decisionmakers and suggest that scientists can be much more effective at informing policy and improving resource management by asking policy-relevant questions and providing timely and consistent information to decisionmakers and the public on the linkages among biodiversity, ecosystem services, and their value to people

Future socio-economic impacts and vulnerability

The projected impacts of climate change are significant, and despite the uncertainties associated with current climate and ecosystem model projections, the associated changes in the provision of forest ecosystem services are expected to be substantial in many parts of the world. These impacts will present significant social and conomic challenges for affected communities and society as a whole, particularly among the forest-dependent poor, who are already highly vulnerable in many countries throughout the world. This chapter discusses how the likely effects of climate-induced changes on the provision of forest ecosystem services may affect the economic and social well-being of society, including forest-dependent people, with specific reference to the production of wood and non-wood products, hydrological regulation and water quality, human health and well-being, spiritual and cultural values, recreation and ecotourism. The role of governance is discussed as a key factor that will profoundly influence social and economic impacts and vulnerabilities, and the adaptive capacity of societies to deal with the effects of expected climate change-induced shifts in the quantity and quality of forest ecosystem service