Forest Certification in Developing and Transitioning ... - UTas ePrints

forest certification in bolivia
303
Forest Certification in Bolivia
Lincoln Quevedo*
abstract
Forest certification has been widely adopted by Bolivian stakeholders as a result of a
strong combination of policy, training, technical assistance, and economic incentives
for responsible forest management. The new Forestry Law of 1996 and associated
regulations, the national dependency on foreign exports, and national and
international support of forest management and certification together facilitated the
development of forest certification in Bolivia. Several benefits result from certification:
improved forest management practices in the field; reduction of social conflicts among
timber companies and local communities; maintenance of existing markets or access
to new ones; reduced enforcement costs for state agencies; and support of the new
Forestry Law and its norms. Almost 1.5 million hectares have been certified by the
Forest Stewardship Council, of which 96 percent belong to large timber firms. Only one
of the 13 certificates is associated with a community-based operation. The promotion
of community participation in forest management and certification processes is still
needed, as well as the identification of High Conservation Value Forests and additional
research on forest ecology and silviculture.
* Lincoln Quevedo, M.Sc.
President, FSC Bolivian
Initiative
Lecturer, Gabriel Rene Moreno
University
UAGRM-FOMABO Project
Universidad Autonoma
Gabriel Rene Moreno Casilla
4749, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
lquevedo@ufl.edu
yale school of forestry & environmental studies