Tropical Forests Sustaining Communities Around the World
Bob Johnston does not seem an excitable man at first glance, but ask him about sustainable forestry, and he lights up. It's clear what his passion is, and although we are sitting in a dimly lit conference room, you can almost see the forest when he talks about the work of the Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF).
"TFF was created to combine science, environmental groups, and industry to try to find common cause. We all realized there was a need to find ways to sustain tropical forestry," he says. Representatives from those groups first came together at a workshop co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and IWPA. He explains how since TFF's founding in 1990, it has helped bridge the lines between environmental activists and industry, uniting them in the need to work with communities around the world to improve tropical forest management.
Degradation in tropical forests around the world is historically difficult to quantify. Recent research from the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has shown the primary drivers of deforestation are subsistence and commercial agriculture. Particularly where subsistence farming is concerned, the community surrounding the forest is integral in managing the forest resources.
Increasingly, there has been an emphasis on the economic value of tropical forests for the forest-dependent communities that surround them. As Johnston tells me repeatedly over the course of our interview, "In order to remain valuable as forests, there has to be a sustainable approach to forestry." Johnston believes that TFF is slowly, but surely, getting that message out.
"TFF was created to combine science, environmental groups, and industry to try to find common cause. We all realized there was a need to find ways to sustain tropical forestry."
Q: It seems clear what TFF stands for, but can you talk a little bit about what the Foundation actually does on the ground?
Johnston: TFF has established on-the-ground training schools in four countries: Guyana, Brazil, Gabon, and Indonesia. Each of these training centers offers classroom as well as on-the-ground training in sustainable forestry, specifically through Reduced Impact Logging (RIL).
Q: Can you explain Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) a little more? How specifically does it contribute to sustainable forestry?
Johnston: RIL works to minimize the impact logging has on the environment (including wildlife), as well as minimizing the damage to potential future crop trees. There is also an emphasis placed on the regeneration of the forest. It's really an inclusive approach.
There are quite a few tenets of the program, so I won't go into them all here – you can read our website for more information. Some of the more easily recognizable aspects are the emphasis on legal documentation, establishing a good pre-harvest inventory, and of course, the training of the workforce, which is where our centers come in.
Q: So this really is a comprehensive approach that TFF takes? It isn't just certification or just the social aspects: it's everything.
Johnston: That's absolutely true. TFF strongly believes that logging can be a conservation process. Sustainable forestry is a conservation practice. When we practice sustainable forestry, and a community adopts those practices, that stops deforestation in its tracks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF)?+
TFF is an organization founded in 1990 that combines science, environmental groups, and industry to find common ground on sustaining tropical forestry. It was created following a workshop co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and IWPA.
What are the primary drivers of tropical deforestation?+
According to recent research from the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the primary drivers of deforestation are subsistence and commercial agriculture. Communities surrounding forests play a key role in managing these resources, particularly in areas dominated by subsistence farming.
Where does TFF operate its sustainable forestry training centers?+
TFF has established on-the-ground training schools in four countries: Guyana, Brazil, Gabon, and Indonesia. Each center offers both classroom and field training in sustainable forestry practices.
What is Reduced Impact Logging (RIL)?+
Reduced Impact Logging is a forestry approach that minimizes the impact of logging on the environment and wildlife, while reducing damage to potential future crop trees. It also emphasizes forest regeneration, making it an inclusive approach to sustainable forestry.
What are the key components of Reduced Impact Logging?+
Key components include an emphasis on legal documentation, establishing a thorough pre-harvest inventory, and training the workforce through centers like those operated by TFF.
How can logging serve as a conservation practice?+
TFF believes sustainable forestry is itself a conservation practice. When communities adopt sustainable logging practices, it helps stop deforestation by maintaining the economic value of forests as forests.