Darwin Initiative Monitoring and Evaluation / Management of Applications Process, 2003-2010, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

On behalf of the Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests, LTS is implementing the Monitoring and Evaluation and Management of the Applications Process for the Darwin Initiative for the UK Department for Food and Rural Affairs. The Darwin Initiative was launched at the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. The Initiative funds £5-7 million worth of projects per annum carried out by UK institutions in developing countries, Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom and countries whose economies are in transition. Successful projects are collaborative - involving local institutions and/or communities, promote and demonstrate sustainable use to contribute to poverty reduction, leave a lasting legacy and act as a catalyst for action. Building on from a successful Phase I, LTS now provides the overall technical and managerial inputs for the monitoring and evaluation project on behalf of ECTF and the Darwin Secretariat of Defra.

This assignment was undertaken as part of the Eliasch Review: an independent review that will report to the (UK) Prime Minister on the role of global forests in tackling climate change through existing and new financing mechanisms. The study covered 25 tropical countries worldwide and required the LTS team to assess the national capacity and capability for measuring and monitoring forest as a requirement for reporting on REDD under IPCC guidelines, as well as the cost implications for defined scenarios for measuring and monitoring the major forest nations' forest carbon. The team conceptually mapped the suitability of existing tropical forest for logging and agricultural conversion uses and also calculated the resulting CO2 emissions. A variety of monitoring techniques were used including visual interpretation of satellite data, indirect approaches on satellite data to detect degradation, models of satellite data (e.g. NDFI), Radar use and Lidar use.

Best Practice Guidelines - Sacred Natural Sites: Guidelines for Protected Area Managers, 2007, IUCN-UNESCO.
Focus Areas:

The IUCN Best Practice Protected Area Management Guidelines are recognised at the definitive work on protected area management, offering advice based on syntheses of worldwide experience by a team of international experts, and subject to a rigorous peer review. LTS is now the lead editor and is providing management services to the drafting of IUCN-UNESCO Best Practice Guidelines - Sacred Natural Sites: Guidelines for Protected Area Managers. This includes reviewing tasks of all editors, developing a work-plan, liaising with World Congress on Protected Areas Best Practice Series editor and the IUCN publications unit. Support the facilitation of a consultation process with key stakeholders, especially indigenous custodians of sacred sites. It also includes a literature review and the development of case studies for inclusion in the guidelines. The final product is a print ready text with the inclusion of graphic materials. The role also includes the raising of supplementary funds for the guidelines.

Evaluation of DFID's Ten Year Renewable Natural Resources Research Programme, 2004-2005, UK Department for International Development.
Focus Areas: 

LTS, in collaboration with the Oxford Policy Management Institute and the Norwegian Agricultural University, was selected to conduct an evaluation of DFID's ten year Renewable Natural Resources Research Programme. This evaluation constitutes an important opportunity to reassess and redirect DFID's RNRR programme and strategy within the context of DFID's agenda and priorities as stated in DFID's Research Funding Framework for 2005 to 2007 (final draft/May 2004). Our methodology is process based and designed to identify the impact of the Renewable Natural Resources Strategy on all its stakeholders, across the different disciplines and at practice and policy levels. We will identify key components of the research programmes that impact on poverty. Participatory methodologies will be used to ensure attribution of impacts to different stakeholders and draw together the lessons learnt from all components and relate them to the different stakeholders' interests.

 

Today, nearly all countries have forest sector strategies of some form or another, most of which have elements of an NFP process. Participation is widely accepted as an essential principle for such processes, however there is a wide and diversified understanding about what participation means. Furthermore there is only very little knowledge and information available to provide guidance for those organisations which intend to conduct participatory processes. FAO and other national and international organisations have set up a "Community of Practice" on "Enhancing Stakeholder Participation in NFPs" to exchange information, build partnerships and collaboratively work on related topics. In support of the Community of Practice, LTS developed guidance with the Forestry Policy and Information Division at Food and Agriculture Organisation designed for use by nfp coordinators, forest sector planners in respective ministry policy units, government agency leaders involved in reform, policy makers and strategists, monitoring specialists, experts with an interest in participation, and advisors on governance and poverty in related sectors in both developed and developing countries.

Study on the Impact of Market-Based Instruments and Initiatives on the Trade in Forest Products and Sustainable Forest Management, 2003, Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Focus Areas:   

This research was part of the FAO's global study entitled "The Impact Assessment of Forest Products Trade in the Promotion of Sustainable Forest Management". The LTS study identified and described relevant market-based initiatives and analyzed their impact on forest product trade and sustainable forest management. The study also identified trends for future evolution of market-based instruments that promote sustainable forest management.

Evaluation of Finnish Forestry Sector Development Cooperation, 2002 - 2003, DIDC Finland.
Focus Areas:        

LTS fielded a team of 11 national and international consultants to evaluate Finnish forestry development assistance from 1990 to 2002. The aim was to focus on the programme as a whole using individual country programmes as sources of information. The target countries were Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania and the SADC Colleges programme in Africa: Laos, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam in Asia and Mexico. Overall the findings were of high quality technical projects and good professional staff but a tendency to operate in isolation from wider issues. As a consequence, the wider impact was limited. There were several development policy changes applied by Finland during the period reviewed. The Team concluded that Finland has an important role to play in forestry development and a number of comparative advantages from its own history and its favourable political system. Nine recommendations were made to improve the focus and strategic delivery of forestry assistance within the current wider development framework. If adopted, the Team considers that there would be significantly greater wider impact from well-designed, well-managed interventions.

Worldwide, Medium and Long-term Outlook for the Tropical Timber Market, 2000-2001, International Tropical Timber Organisation.
Focus Areas:    

Since the 1997 Asian currency crisis, economic conditions and currencies have stabilised, exports are growing and confidence has returned to the tropical timber trade. This study for ITTO was to provide a reassessment of the outlook for the tropical timber market in relation to the factors affecting global supply and demand for tropical timber and wood products. Extensive market research in producer and consumer countries was undertaken, followed by preparation of forecasts of supply and demand under various assumptions, using existing and redefined economic models as appropriate.

Evaluation of International Certification Standards, 1998, Private.
Focus Areas:    

This study was undertaken to provide a critical assessment of international forest certification standards, including the perspective of industry on the future development of certification. LTS conducted market research to examine the views of the forest products industry, environmental NGOs, independent observers, retailers and certification organisations. A critical assessment was made of current certification standards and the future of certification.

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