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Post-Symposium Update
The Yale
Program on Forest Certification, in cooperation with university
and practitioner partners, recently hosted a collaborative symposium
exploring the social, ecological, and economic effects of forest
certification in developing and transitioning societies. The event
took place at the Yale
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in New Haven, Connecticut
on June 10-11, 2004.
Over 100 experts from 36 countries attended to hear results from
16 country-level case studies from four regions (Asia-Pacific,
Eastern Europe, Latin
America, and Africa), followed by
an analysis by two commentators and an open discussion. The event
drew a diverse group including practitioners, donor agency representatives,
NGOs, the academic community, and the private sector. The presentations
provided a unique opportunity to compare the forest certification
experiences of different countries and regions and identify areas
for further research.
To complement case-study presentations, the Washington DC-based
NGO, Forests Trends, organized a panel on crosscutting themes that
discussed local land rights, traditional land use, local economies,
and governance.
Following the Symposium, the case study researchers, editors, and
commentators participated in a two-day workshop to revise the case
studies and incorporate comments received throughout the Symposium.
A book presenting the case studies as well as regional and overarching
themes will be published by Yale School of Forestry and Environmental
Studies Press within a few months.
The Symposium and Workshop were even more successful than we had
hoped in large part due to the outstanding work and enthusiasm of
all the case-study researchers, commentators, and other participants.
We would like to thank all of them for their contributions.
In an effort to continue the energy and progress initiated at the
symposium, this website will provide updates on networks, projects,
and publications related to the symposium, for as long as funding
allows. See our UPDATES page for symposium materials and updates
currently available.
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photos one and three courtesy of Rainforest Alliance
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