TradiTional Knowledge and BiodiversiTy - UNU-IAS - United ...

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Learning for Conservation and Revitalisation of Natural and Cultural Resources
the project is currently managed with a zero budget,
relying exclusively on stakeholders’ resources. Around 30
organisations are enrolled: municipalities, landowners,
forestry, environmental and social non-governmental
organisations, companies, governmental organisations,
education institutions and political parties. Several
of these organisations are officially in charge of woodland
management, allowing the project a good degree
of sustainability.
During the planning period it could be observed that
mutual acknowledgment of the responsibilities, available
resources, difficulties and opportunities took place and
exchange between actors increased (projects, ideas, etc.).
In addition, the debate about making the project happen
and the role each organisation would play in it generated
a collective learning and action process, based on
dialogue and collaboration. The few initial gaps were
figured out and, as a result of this process, the regional
social capital grew richer. Several of the previously
diffuse activities of tree-planting and caring were
upgraded and integrated.
Public participation in the project has been surprisingly
positive. Around 1,900 participation records (800
individual volunteers) were registered in tree planting
and caring (160 hours) and 76 people made a long term
commitment to give 40 hours per year to these activities.
Besides this, more than 100 people attended the Forest
Ambassadors training course and 49 completed it. Some
of these Forest Ambassadors offered woodland related
ideas and initiatives. One such case is the kindergarten
(Casa do Cuco) which created a cork collection programme
for children to help recycle this tree product and learn
about trees and forest, planted 32 native trees in a nearby
riverside area with the help of families and created a task
calendar for subsequent tree caring activities (watering,
weeding). The 100,000 trees project is being replicated
elsewhere in the country as of 2012. The Common Forest
Project (a nationwide project promoted by a nongovernmental
organisation and the government office
for nature protection and forests) was launched in March
2012 and its guidelines and procedures reflect the lessons
learned over the development of this project.
Experience to date shows that moving towards
sustainability through a two-prong approach
(simultaneous enhancement of social and natural capital)
anchored on an agreed tangible goal is desirable and
possible. Progress, however, has been achieved in small
steps and more data needs to be collected.
The project’s qualitative assessment is based on semistructured
interviews to be conducted amongst partners,
volunteers and Forest Ambassadors. With this assessment,
complemented with the quantitative results already
presented, an understanding can be reached about how
the project makes a difference, both in people’s awareness
and practical knowledge about trees and woods and in
terms of social change, long-lasting public participation
and social capital improvement.
References
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1992. Assessing the Benefits and Costs of the Urban Forest. Journal of
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[Accessed 24 May 2012].
Vibrant Cities and Urban Forests Task Force 2011. Vibrant Cities and Urban
Forests Report. Available through: http://vibrantcities.org/
[Accessed 12 January 2012].
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