In March 2003,
the Minister of Natural Resources of Suriname and the director of
Tropenbos International (TBI) signed an agreement to start the TBI-Suriname
programme.
Objective
of TBI-Suriname
The general objective of Tropenbos
International is to contribute to improved policy and management
of tropical forests for the benefit of people, conservation and
sustainable development. More specifically, TBI aims at ensuring
that forest stakeholders are using sound and adequate information
for formulating appropriate policies and managing tropical forest
lands for conservation and sustainable development. The objective
for TBI-Suriname will be derived from this TBI objective and will
be identified during the programme development process. To achieve
this objective, TBI will set up a programme of research, capacity
building and institutional development.
Partners
Both research and capacity-development institutes and policy and
management organisations with a mandate in the forest sector are
involved in TBI-Suriname. The principal partners that are responsible
for the early development of the programme are the Ministry of Natural
Resources of Suriname, Tropenbos International and the Anton de
Kom Universiteit, represented by the Centre for Agricultural Research
in Suriname, CELOS. (see also Network).
Programme
development
The year 2005 saw TBI-Suriname completing the final steps in programme
development, as well as the start of the first research and capacity
building projects.
The main issues for the research agenda had already been decided
upon in 2004, based on discussions with the Bi National Committee
(BNC) and other stakeholders:
- Industrial forestry and forest utilization ('Forestry')
- Conservation and alternative forest use ('Conservation')
- Livelihoods of forest communities
The BNC met in February 2005 to confirm the results of the priority
setting exercise of research themes that was conducted in 2004 within
Forestry and Conservation and it approved a document on the principles
and approach to shape the livelihoods component.
The BNC approved the following themes for the TBI-Suriname programme:
| F01 |
The definition of sustainable forest management and certification
in Suriname |
| F10 |
Appropriate implementation of CELOS Management System |
| F08 |
Understanding the costs and benefits of timber harvesting
and processing |
| C04/05 |
Effective protected area management |
| C08 |
Sound tools for forest and NTFP management |
| C09 |
Valuation and capturing of environmental services of forests |
| L00 |
Forest-based livelihoods |
A draft Issues Paper was compiled as a first step towards programme
development. In this paper, key issues and the principal potentials
for improved forest management in Suriname were identified. Summary
of the Issues Paper (PDF95 Kb)
Governance and management
The Bi-National Committee
is tasked to oversee the programme, to decide about focus, orientation
and priorities; and to monitor and evaluate progress and impact.
The PTL is responsible for the management of the TBI-Suriname
office and leads the programme jointly with the Programme
Management Unit.
Late 2006 the BNC members completed their term and new members were proposed and nominated by the TBI partner organizations and stakeholders. This new team is awaiting approval from the Council of Ministers and formal installation by the Minister of Physical Planning, Land and Forest Management, which is expected by the end of this year.
Training/fellowships
TBI-Suriname facilitated a Huygens Fellowship for Mrs. S. Ramharakh
of the National Herbarium of Suriname to follow the course 'Systematics
of Neotropical Plant families' at the University of Utrecht, the
Netherlands (8 May till 1 July 2005).
TBI-Suriname supported Dr. R.van Kanten of the Centre for Agricultural
Research (CELOS) to participate in the XXII IUFRO World Congress
(8-13 August 2005) held in the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition
Centre, as well as in the Pre-Congress Training Course "Communicating
Forest Research - Making Science Work for Policy and Management"
(2-5 August 2005).
Call for concept-notes
TBI-Surname received 25 concepts notes for projects in response
to its call (April 2005).
The Bi-National Committee selected seven concept notes, that were
further elaborated by the proponents during a workshop in Paramaribo,
on 6-8 June 2005. Out of this workshop, five full proposals were
developed and approved. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is
co-supporting 3 of these projects. An agreement between TBI-Suriname
and WWF was signed on 27 October 2005.
Contact
TBI-Suriname office
Mail
address
Postbus 4194
Paramaribo Zuid
Suriname |
Visitors' address
Leysweg 14 (Celos Building)
Paramaribo
Suriname
|
Phone: +597-490128 ext. 245 or 263
Telefax: +597- 532001
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