Completed ITTO projects show substantial results
Highlights for Wednesday, 4 December 2019
A subregional ITTO project has helped build human resource capacity for achieving the sustainable management of tropical forest ecosystems in the Congo Basin.
The project was one of seven declared completed today at a meeting of the Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management. The Committee also reviewed the progress of 14 ongoing projects and pre-projects as part of its work at the 55th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council, which is being held in Lomé, Togo, this week.
The Congo Basin project upgraded facilities at seven forestry training institutions in the subregion that are part of the Network of Central African Forestry and Environmental Training Institutions (RIFFEAC). It also developed training modules and programmes and associated teaching methodologies; convened an international conference on forestry training in Congo Basin countries attended by more than 100 experts from Congo Basin countries and other ITTO member countries; and established six thematic working groups in 23 RIFFEAC member training institutions, including those not directly supported by the project.
Read more about the project here.
Video: ITTO improves human resource capacity for SFM in the Congo Basin (in French only)
Video: Traceability system improves forest governance in Panama
Also declared complete today was a project implemented by the World Wildlife Fund in the Darién region, Panama, the objective of which was to support the implementation of the Strategy for Illegal Logging Prevention and Control, which had been developed by a previous ITTO project.
Among the achievements of the latest project were the creation of the National Committee on Forest Management to support the uptake of mechanisms for illegal logging control and to improve forest governance and accountability; the establishment of a traceability and chain-of-custody system for verifying the origin and movement of timber from production sites to final processing; the introduction of a streamlined system for issuing forest harvesting permits; the instalment of 24 checkpoints along transportation routes in the Bayano and Darien regions, and associated training of personnel; the finalization of purchasing policies for the use of timber from sustainably managed forests; and the development of a cross-sectoral forest governance agreement with forest supply-chain stakeholders, which will help ensure the sustainability of governance improvements achieved through project implementation.
Read more about this project here.
Also declared complete today was a project implemented by the World Wildlife Fund in the Darién region, Panama, the objective of which was to support the implementation of the Strategy for Illegal Logging Prevention and Control, which had been developed by a previous ITTO project.
Among the achievements of the latest project were the creation of the National Committee on Forest Management to support the uptake of mechanisms for illegal logging control and to improve forest governance and accountability; the establishment of a traceability and chain-of-custody system for verifying the origin and movement of timber from production sites to final processing; the introduction of a streamlined system for issuing forest harvesting permits; the instalment of 24 checkpoints along transportation routes in the Bayano and Darien regions, and associated training of personnel; the finalization of purchasing policies for the use of timber from sustainably managed forests; and the development of a cross-sectoral forest governance agreement with forest supply-chain stakeholders, which will help ensure the sustainability of governance improvements achieved through project implementation.
Read more about this project here.
The aim of a project in Malaysia, also declared completed today, was to promote sustainable forest management in the Sungai Medihit Watershed in Sarawak by building community capacity and improving governance in community development. Among other things, the project conducted baseline surveys, identified the needs of the target communities, encouraged sustainable community forest management, improved local infrastructure, including electricity supply and road access, and assisted in the development of alternative livelihood activities. At project completion, the incomes of villagers had increased, villagers had better access to markets for their products, and a participatory community forest management mechanism was ready to be operationalized given formal approval by authorities. An internal ITTO evaluation found evidence that many of the project activities were being continued beyond project completion.
Read more about this project here.
Also today, the Council addressed several agenda items, including on enhancing the financing architecture and fundraising of the Organization, matters related to the appointment of the Executive Director, and the impairment of ITTO funds. The Committee on Finance and Administration also convened during Wednesday.
