Forest Concession

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 273-365

Forest Concession -  a contract, license, or permit granted to a firm or a person to extract and market timber (timber concession) or other produce commercially from a defined area of the forest within a given period —note a timber concession may specify the number, type, and size of tree that may be harvested



Forest concessions have been an important element of forestry, and forest management in many countries, including many developing countries.

 More often than not, the concessions experience of these countries has not been successful, and, improving their performance is not likely to be popular. 

The forest concessions involve both forest utilization contracts, and forest management services contracts.

Africa


Concessions in Africa have a long history and mixed records. Initially, under colonial era, concessionaires were granted by Westerns Governments a given – and generally huge – area on which they received privileges to use natural resources as private assets, the trade monopoly on resources they gathered, and often the right to levy taxes and use hard labour.

After the Independence, the relationship between private actors and the State evolved into a more balanced one. 

The concession timber sector is a significant contributor to the Government budget, although the revenues derived from this sector look modest compared to revenues derived from oil.
Forest taxes are totalling annually between $3.85 million for DRC to $40 million in Cameroon and up to $50 million in Gabon. In Congo-Brazzaville, forest taxes compare to theoretical oil revenues in proportion of 1 to 100. 

The concessions sector is still dominated by the Europeans, but with an increasing prominence of Asian companies, which are already dominant in Equatorial Guinea, CAR and South Congo.
The size of the concessions, the demographic patterns, and the land allocation history  are closely related. West African countries are more densely populated than those of the Congo Basin. 

In the Congo Basin, since the mid 90’s for Cameroon, and the beginning of the decade, the fiscal reform promoted by the World Bank and backed by the IMF has lead to changes in the taxation structure pattern, with an introduction or an increase of the area tax. 

Since most of the forest sector in West and Central Africa is export-oriented, with the largest part of the production (in value) still going to Europe (except for Equatorial Guinea), the issue of “environmental norms” (certification) – which includes legality requirement – should not be underestimated. And small-scale logging and processing is, currently, unable to meet these escalating  requirements. 

Outside the boundaries of national parks and reserves, many areas of the Congo River Basin have been allocated for forestry concessions. But logging is also taking place inside protected areas, with dire consequences for people and wildlife. 

By far the greatest threat is the demand for timber by some Asian and European-owned trans-national logging companies, which take advantage of weak forest legislation and law enforcement. 

They are not alone in this process. International banks and financial institutions are also implicated in the deforestation of the Congo Basin’s ancient forests.

How the logging process works

The governments of Congo Basin countries grant companies, usually foreign-owned, rights to log areas of the forest. These areas are called forest concessions and they vary in size and cost millions. 

Between 1959-2000, 80% of Cameroon’s forest was allocated for logging in this way. This 'license to log' is only granted for a set number of years, after which the companies need to re-apply.

There is no guarantee that documenting an illegal activity will bring any consequence.Over 80% of the violation cases brought before the judiciary were dropped after “the intervention of an influential person”.

Climate Change

We are currently experiencing, without a doubt, the greatest crisis to face human kind. Indications of climate change are being seen around the globe: accelerated melting of the Arctic sea ice, rapidly receding glaciers, rising sea levels, warming oceans and ocean acidification, more frequent and longer-lasting droughts, stronger and more frequent storms, higher temperatures than ever recorded, and a rapid extinction of species are direct result of a warming climate.

Taken for granted in the climate change discussion is the assumption that nature or the environment is something that can or should be commodified, yet the structure of society seeks to commodify everything, including human life (labor) and the environment (land and natural resources). The commodification of nature and the environment, is problematic in its own right.


Conclusion

So if we want to understand deforestation we need to follow the money.


Links

http://dictionaryofforestry.org/dict/term/forest_concession

http://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/pdf/10.1596/0-8213-5170-2

Loggers cut Down the Oldest Tree in Amazon Forest

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 272-365

On 6 December 2014, World News Daily Report published the sad news that Loggers cut Down the Oldest Tree in Amazon Forest


What can we do to prevent the destruction of the forest in the future?
We need to create a critical mass of people around the globe that have the life of the planet at hearth where the financial benefits of few are not more important that the existence of the forest and the subsistence of animals and other plants that use it.

How can the public opinion change the mind of the governments and other power players that see the profit in logging?

Illegal loggers at the frontier of the Peruvian and Brazilian border have mistakenly cut down what experts claim is the world’s oldest tree after allegedly not noticing they were logging deeply in Matsés Indigenous 

Reserve, an area where logging is illegal, infuriating local conservation organizations and native indigenous communities. 

The giant Samauma tree that is thought to be over 5,800 years old judging on its concentric rings and estimated to be close to 40 meters in height was a major part of the native tribes cultural landscape, countless generations of natives having witnessed the long duration of the tree and having included it in their own culture. 

«It is the Mother spirit of the rainforest, from this spirit-tree came the life force of all things living. They have destroyed Aotlcp-Awak, they have brought darkness upon not only our people, but the whole world» explains local tribesman leader Tahuactep of the Matsés tribe.

Native communities alarmed local media outlets and conservation groups when Aotlcp-Awak, or Mother tree in local dialects, was reported sawed down by heavy machinery

«For many generations, the Mother tree has brought my people health and good fortune. The roots of the Mother tree spread throughout the rainforest and bring its life spirit to the world. What will be left of the animals, of the plants and of our people now that the Mother spirit is gone» asks Kalahuaptl, a local shaman. «They have murdered the Mother spirit knowingly, they have done this to kill our people and take the spoils of the land» he adds, visibly shaken by the destruction of the millennia-old Samauma tree.

Anna Golding, local researcher for non profit organization and conservancy group Rainforest Protection Coalition (RPC), an initiative stemming from Berkeley University in California, believes the ‘incident’ was intentionnal. « There are large portions of this national reserve that are rich in oil and natural gas. 


There has been committed action by energy corporations to lobby the government to exploit the area for years. The protected zones have been cut in half over the past decade and this is only their latest attempt to get rid of the local populations who are fighting to preserve their cultural heritage and lifestyle» she admits.

«These actions are clearly perpetrated with the consent of local authorities and the government. If this wasn’t the case, why are local enforcement agencies not prosecuting these corporations? Why are these loggers free to keep doing what they are doing? That is the bigger question» she adds.

Between 1991 and 2014, the total area of forest lost in the Amazon has more than tripled, with most of the lost forest becoming pasture for cattle. Rainforests are the richest places on earth holding the majority of the planet’s biodiversity, yet 100 acres of rainforests are cleared every minute, estimates a recent 2014 World Resources Institute report.

Samauma tree 

In the Amazon forest, there grows a giant tree called Samaúma, referred to by the indigenous people as the "mother of trees". 

Majestic Samauma trees grow between 100 and 160 feet high and to nearly 20 feet in diameter. The local people refer to the tree as the "Queen of the Forest" because of its immense size.

The Samaúma is a very tall tree in the forest, and is very easy to notice high above the surrounding greenery, it´s branches reaching out over the plant life underneath like a mother caring for her children. One of the largest living trees known to the human race, the Samaúma has a special purpose in the natural world. 

The trunk of the Samaúma is hollow, and generally has a bulge in its center as if it were a full belly. Within the trunk is stored a large quantity of water, which in times of drought is released into the ground through its roots, giving life to the surrounding area. In this way the forest is able to survive until the next rainfall.

Conserving water with rain barrels and cisterns has a similar effect to the Samaúma tree within our society. By having these containers ready for rain, we can store water in them until it is needed in dry periods. Like this, we can preserve the lives of our plants as well as cut down on our usage of the water that grows more precious every day.

 The mammoth roots of the trees are used by indigenous people to beat out messages that echo throughout the rainforest. Illegal logging operations have taken thousands of trees from pristine areas of the ancient forest. 

Who is buying?

Timber operators use the trees for a cheap source of plywood for Brazil, Asia, Japan and the United States.

Wayfaring Tree Viburnum lantana Medicinal Uses

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 271-365

Other Name Viburnum lantana

The Viburnum lantana is a medium to large, deciduous shrub that is native to Europe and western Asia. This multi stemmed, spreading shrub grows 10 to 15 feet high and produces a somewhat rounded outline. Its thick, green leaves are opposite, simple oval to lanceolate, and are 2 to 5 inches long with finely serrated margins and white, silky-haired undersides. Clusters of creamy white, 5 inch, flat-topped flowers canvas the shrub from May to June. Berries are green, flushed with red, then turn black in early fall, often showing all three colors at once. The fruit can be eaten either raw or cooked. Common uses of this tree include rootstock and twine.

Wayfaring Tree is covered in stunning creamy white flat-top flowers at the ends of the branches in mid spring. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. The large fuzzy pointy leaves turn an outstanding deep purple in the fall. The red fruits are held in abundance in spectacular clusters from late summer to late fall. The smooth gray bark is not particularly outstanding.

Landscape Attributes

Wayfaring Tree is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Wayfaring Tree is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• Mass Planting

Reforestation

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but is ill-adapted for poor soils and for dry situations

Propagation
Propagate by seed, softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden typesHedging & Screens Low Maintenance Wildlife Gardens

Wildlife

Bees, butterflies and hoverflies visit the flowers. A variety of bird species including blackbirds, fieldfares and waxwings eat the berries, as do the Dormouse and the Wood Mouse.

Medicinal Uses

Gemmotherapy is a modern method of draining the organism. It uses plant bud extract and other embryonic plant tissues to open cellular detoxification pathways. It employs buds, inner bark, rootlets, or very young shoots of plants from various woodland trees and shrubs. They are harvested in the spring, throughout the period of cellular division and plant growth. During this stage they contain the highest concentration of active growth factor hormones, auxins, and gibberllins. These hormonal agents contain valuable informative matter required for the drainage of various organs and tissues at the cellular level.

 

In order to extract the embryonic substance from the fresh buds, fresh plant material is macerated in a solution of 50/50 glycerin and alcohol for three weeks. It is then filtered and diluted. It is prescribed in the fist decimal potency for maximum effect. Gemmotherapy extends the drainage of toxins beyond the excretory organs. It takes in the detoxification of the skin, bones, heart, and nervous system. Gemmotherapy can be used alone or in combination with other modalities.

 

Viburnum lantana is used for :Asthma, chronic spasmodic rhinitis, hyperthyroidism, bronchitis

Viburnum Lantana is a remedy for chronic allergies that are evolving towards asthma, eczema, or chronic spasmodic rhinitis. It is the intermediate remedy between Rosmarinus Officinalis and Ribes Nigrum. This remedy is indicated for conditions such as hyperthyroidism, smoker's cough with blood in sputum and some types of rheumatoid arthritis.

Indications

• Acute Asthma
• Asthma
• Basic Support for Allergies
• Cigarette Coughs
• Coughs
• Eczema
• Hyperthyroidism
• Rhinitis
• Support for Symptoms Due to Smoking