May 2010

Between 2010-5-16 and 2010-5-28 two Chinese forest colleagues take part on a forestry expert dialogue at Hessen-Forst in Kassel.

One of our colleagues works for the Forestry Economics and Development Research centre of the Chinese State Forest Administration and is coordinator for technical cooperation with GTZ. The other colleague works with the provincial forest department of Hainan and deals with geo-information system and satellite inventory.

During their first week both got information about the structure, tasks of Hessen-Forst centre in Kassel and important forestry laws and acts, promotion of private and communal forests and the work of provincial, district and sub district forest stations. The second week is designated to the forest planning, data collection and data storage, forestland and forestland management.

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Februar-Mai 2010

Tadschikistan

GTZ commissioned Hessen-Forst to conduct a forestry sector study for Tajikistan to provide orientation for the international donor community supporting the forestry sector. The entire country is almost without any fuelwood resources left. The poor rural population burns more and more dried dung as energy source in their households. This dung is urgently needed as fertilizer for crop production. The study points out that a nation-wide afforestation program with the active involvement of participating smallholders is compulsory for the near future. A precondition is the ecologically sound pasture management schemes will be established that do not permit "open access" to forests for anybody.

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April 2010

Nationalpark Project in Central-Vietnam

Also in 2010 foresters from Hessen-Forst supported a national park project in Central-Vietnam carried out by the German Consulting firm AHT commissioned by KfW. The Hessian support puts emphasis on communal forest management, nursery establishment and management and planning of afforestation. A special issue is the wide-spread burning of natural forest areas to reforest them with fast growing and high-yielding species, to obtain higher revenues. Hessian foresters will have to do a lot of convincing that these methods come to an halt.

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October 2009 – May 2010

Hessen-Forst implements EU-Twinning Light Project in Bulgaria

Strengthening of the regulatory framework of the Bulgarian Forestry Sector for the safeguarding of sustainable management and multifunctional use of the Bulgarian Forests based on European best practices

On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Nutrition, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Hessen- Forst implements a Twinning Light Project of the EU in Bulgaria. The goal of this 6-months project is to deliver support to the Bulgarian State Forest Administration in its efforts to reform forest administrative and forest act. Pro and Cons for different solutions in the organizational reforms will be presented and facilitate the decisions. Comparison with “best practices” in Europe show fields of action. Key issues for the advisory services are a) economy of the independent forest enterprises, b) number of forest enterprises, and c) steering by forest agency (forest authority). In the framework of the project, arguments for different solutions are collected and recommendations for the amendment of the forest act are discussed with the Bulgarian partners. Three Hessian and one Austrian experts are deployed.

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May – November 2009

Hessen-Forst supports efforts to combat illegal logging in Georgia

In the framework of the GTZ project “Sustainable Management of Biodiversity in South Caucasus” an expert of Hessen-Forst advised measures to combat illegal logging in Georgia. In cooperation and coordination with the Georgian forest administration, controlling systems were presented, discussed, adapted to the local conditions. At present they are under trial in practice.

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November 2009

Hessen-Forst advises Forest User Groups in Mongolia

In Mandal Soum, a region in the north of Mongolia, the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) supports the local administration and population in forming Forest User Groups (FUGs) with the aim of sustainable forest resource management – participatory forest management. Besides the consultancy to provide the legal frame for participatory forest management, GTZ supports the FUGs directly. In the framework of cooperation with the German Development Service (DED), GTZ offers a training program for the local user groups to meet the high demand on capacity building. The issues range from forest management techniques like planting, and nursery management to sustainable resource management. In the last two years, an expert of Hessen-Forst was responsible for the extension services.

Within a short-term consultancy, a Public Private Partnership concept (PPP) was developed to encourage the marketing of fuel wood and non-wood-forest-products of the FUGs. The PPP project proposes the cooperation with a business partner in the capital who contributes the contacts and develops a marketing strategy for the FUGs. With this, the user groups earn their first income from their forests.

Hessen-Forst develops a community based forestry strategy in Vietnam

On behalf of AHT/KfW, an expert of Hessen-Forst assisted the project ‘Nature Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resource Management in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park’ ’ in Central-Vietnam in particular the Project Management Unit (PPMU) in the development of a community forestry strategy.

A number of field visits concentrated on selected communes adjacent to the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park to evaluate (i) the potential forest area available for community forestry, and (ii) land use planning (LUP) and forest land allocation (FLA) results. The elaboration of the community forestry strategy considered the following aspects: (i) review of the legal framework, (ii) design of project specific community forestry guidelines, (iii) identification of issues and constraints related to community forestry, (iv) analysis of possible impacts from relevant provincial and/or national projects, (v) design of an organisational structure.

Hessen-Forst expert leads Project Progress Review in Vietnam

An expert of Hessen-Forst headed a Project Progress Review (PPR) team for GTZ in Vietnam. The team was composed of three German and one Vietnamese expert. There task was to evaluate project success and to develop recommendations for the follow-up phase of the project. The mission included field visits to the north-western provinces as well as meetings in the Ministry of Agriculture as the implementing agency.

Hessen-Forst advises Vietnam on the development of new forest administrational structures and improvement of the Forest Extension Service

Within the consultancies a comprehensive proposal was submitted for a new administrational structure of a unified Forest Management Board, adjusted to regional requirements and serving as a pilot project. The recommendations include schedules of responsibilities and suggestions for guidelines for specific forest sites of national relevance. Further more the consultancies presented proposals for the revision and development of existing forest management regulations.
The identification of knowledge gaps and the development of a resulting training program were the second major focus of the mission. Moreover a first approach for the advancement of forest reproductive material was submitted.

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July und September 2009

Tadschikistan

Two assignments of GTZ for Hessen-Forst brought an expert to the Pamir region for supporting the project ‘Sustainable Rehabilitation and Development of Flood Plain Forests in Gorno-Badakhshan’. The tasks of the short-term consultancies focussed during the first assignment on the preparation of a business plan (BP) for the state forest agency leskhoz in the autonomous region of Gorno-Badakhshan .

The second assignment concentrated on assistance in the preparation of a new Forest Code. The revision of the existing obsolete forest law included the country’s recent directional shift in forest management towards joint forest management schemes. Special attention was given to contractual arrangements with smallholders who are supposed to manage the (leased) forests based on medium-term forest management plans and annual plans of operation.

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September 2009

Forest expert from Turkmenistan visits Hessen-Forst

Mr. Batyr Mamedov of the forestry administration of Turkmenistan visited Hessen-Forst HQ on 21 September. Afterwards, he visited the tree seed centre and central nursery in Hanau-Wolfgang. Since early 2009, Turkmenistan and Hessen-Forst cooperate closely on forestry issues.

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August 2009

Vietnamese Delegation visited selected forest districts of Hessen-Forst

A Vietnamese delegation comprising 14 forest experts visited selected forest management units of Hessen-Forst. The study tour was organized by the German consulting firm GFA/Hamburg. The group consisted of professional foresters, local politicians, and administrative personnel from the northern Vietnamese provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An. In the district forest offices Herborn and Biedenkopf the guests were introduced into the concept of forest management in private and communal forests. In Weilburg the training concept for lumbermen was presented.

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July 2009

Hessen-Forst advises the establishment of a forest tree seed centre in Ethiopia

In July, a Hessian Expert for forest reproductive material has advised the Ethiopian Ministry for Agriculture on the establishment of the regional tree seed centre Awassa. Based on a needs assessment, extent and design of the centre was developed and discussed with the relevant offices and constructors. Further recommendations, especially with regard to capacity development of the future field and laboratory personnel were given.

Georgian-Hessian expert dialogue on sustainable forest management and tree breeding

Four directors of the Georgian forest administration met with Hessian expert to exchange experiences on sustainable forest management and forest tree breeding. Reforestation after storm, tending, mechanized operations and timber tracking were topics dealt with as well as vocational training, forest tree propagation and seed collection and storage. For comparison, a big private forest company, Solms-Braunsfels, was visited.

Expert dialogue National Park Kellerwald-Edersee – Tam Dao National Park / Vietnam

Vietnamese conservation experts from the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Tam Dao National Park talked the development of a NP management plan and the integration of the NP into regional development over with their colleagues from Kellerwald-Edersee National Park. The guests had the opportunity to meet with local entrepreneurs and politicians and to visit the installations of the National Park.

Head of Forestry Department of the Pamir Region visits Hessen-Forst

A forest delegation from Tajikistan, including the head of the Forestry Department of the autonomous Province Gorno-Badakshan paid a visit to Hessen-Forst from July 12 until 19, 2009. The visit focused on: (i) organisation and structure of Hessen-Forst, (ii) management of state forests, (iii) seed centre in Hanau-Wolfgang, (iv) management of private and communal forests, and (v) the National Park Kellerwald-Edersee.

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June 2009

Chinese Delegation visits District Forest Office Wiesbaden-Chausseehaus

Two high ranking representatives of the Chinese timber and forestry association followed an invitation of the Deutscher Forstwirtschaftsrat and visited the District Forest Office Wiesbaden-Chausseehaus on 11th of June 2009. Both the guests, Mr.Wang Man (second from the right) and Mr. Ju Hongbo (on the right) were impressed by the beech management concept practiced in the State of Hesse. The concept was impressively presented at four different pictures. The afternoon focused on a cultural-historical program with a visit to the Limes, the ancient Roman fortification line. Forest management in harmony with cultural-historical conservation targets was explained.

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March and May 2009

High-ranking environment experts from the Philippines visited Hessen-Forst

Two delegation of the Philippine Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources led by the Presidential Advisor on Climate Change and Global Warming and former Minister for the Environment of the Philippines, Hon. Sec. Alvarez, and the Undersecretary for field operations visited Hessen-Forst and informed himself on principles and organisational setup for sustainable forest management / biodiversity protection in State of Hesse. Forest and climate change issues were discussed. Field trips to the Forest Management Unit Wolfhagen concluded the visits.

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March and May 2009

Turkmenistan

Hessen-Forst was entrusted by GTZ with advisory services for the project ‘Sustainable Forest Management in Turkmenistan’. The tasks of the short-term expert’s assignments focussed on: (i) selection of pilot plots for reforestation, (ii) site/species matching and species selection, (iii) nursery techniques, (iv) planning of a seed centre, (v) preparation of a detailed rehabilitation plan for 2009/2010 planting season, and (vi) elaboration on issues pertaining to land use rights, land tenure security for individuals, households and communities.

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December 2008

Georgian Foresters visit Hessen-Forst

In December 2008 five Georgian foresters visited Hessen-Forst. The delegation received first hand information on timber production, processing and marketing at the district forest office Wolfhagen. An excursion to a sawmill in Northern Hesse concluded the programme. The visit intensifies the technical cooperation of the Georgian State Forest Administration and Hessen-Forst.

November 2008

Hessen-Forst supports Georgia to rehabilitate degraded Forest Areas

The forests of the Dedoplistskaro-Region in southeast of Georgia have been overexploited during the last centuries, in particular through fuel wood and pasture. Wind breaks to protect agricultural land against erosion were cut for fuel wood during the nineties. Some 30 000 people live in the region and continue to exploit the degraded forest resources, which urgently need suitable rehabilitation measures. In October 2008, Hessen-Forst sent a forestry expert to Georgia to discuss suitable mitigation measures with the Georgian State Forest Administration. Recommendations of the Hessian expert included, among others: (i) improvement of the natural regeneration potential , (ii) promotion of natural regeneration, (iii) establishment of wind breaks, and (iv) planting of fuel wood species. Technical discussions focused on the identification of suitable seed provenances, quality of nurseries, cooperation with national partner organisations as well as costs for the proposed measures. Hessen- Forst and the Georgian State Forest Administration will extend and intensify their cooperation in 2009.

October 2008
Hessen-Forst advises Reform of Vietnamese forest sector reforms

The expert dialogue between Hessen-Forst and a delegation of forest experts from Viet Nam under the leadership of the responsible Vice Minister, Mr. Hua Doc Nhi, in May 2008 (see below) supported the considerations of the Vietnamese Government on structural reforms in the forestry sector. The dialogue gave reason to awarding advisory services to Hessen-Forst in the framework of a GTZ project:

a) Comparative study for analyzing reforestation projects with German support (German Development Bank, KfW) in the framework of the forestry programmes of the Vietnamese Government since 1995;

b) First recommendations for improving forest services by means of a unified district forest management unit in one pilot district;

c) Recommendations on improving the extension services in two pilot provinces. The missions of the Hessian experts took place March and September 2008. The cooperation shall be continued in 2009.

Expert Dialogue Vietnam – Hessen-Forst
Hessen-Forst organized Study Tour for Vietnamese Planning Experts

In September Vietnamese planning experts from the Mekong Delta visited the Rhine-Main- Region to study coordination, cooperation related to regional planning in a densely populated area. Various user groups exploit the Mekong Delta which often results in numerous conflicts over land uses (e.g. mangrove management versus aquaculture). Hessen-Forst introduced the visitors in the theoretical principles of planning which were widely discussed. Field visits to selected district forest offices, to the Geopark Bergstrasse-Odenwald, and Planungsverband Ballungsraum Frankfurt explained the overall problems based on practical field examples. The visitors showed particular interest in the way how different state planning agencies cooperate to ensure optimal results. Hessen-Forst intends to intensify the dialogue with Vietnam concerning the planning issue.

Expert Dialogue China - Hessen-Forst
Chinese forest experts informed themselves on the Hessian site classification system

In September, Hessen-Forst organized a 10-days long expert dialogue with foresters from the Provinces Hainan, Hunan and Fujian. Thematic issue was the development of a preliminary, simple method for site classification for the three Provinces based on the Hessian system. Such method should provide Chinese forest offices and extension services a quick and safe basis for silvicultural decisions and recommendations. At the forest inventory and planning institute in Gießen, the theoretical basis was presented and discussed. In the Forest Offices of Weilburg and Herborn, practical examples illustrated the issue. Here, the extension services and management for communal and private forests were also presented. Moreover, in the Forest Office Neukirchen, the bio-energy concept of the region and the related role of the forests as well as that of the Forest Office were demonstrated.

Expert Dialogue Indonesia – Hessen-Forst

The consulting services of Hessen-Forst for the re-organization of forest administration and forest management were continued by a second visit of experts from Indonesia. This time, participants came not only from the Ministry of Forestry but also from the Ministry of Home Affairs, responsible for the decentralization processes in Indonesia, and from two pilot districts, among them the Bupati of Banjar District, South Kalimantan, Borneo. Intensive working sessions with representatives from the Hessian Ministry for Environment, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection (HMULV), the forestry department of the Province of Darmstadt, the Hessen-Forst Board of Directors were complemented by a visit to the Hessen-Forst Inventory and Planning Agency (FENA), where the Hessian forest management planning system was discussed. A visit to the District Forest Office of Kirchhain on the issue of communal and private forest management completed the work-intensive week.

Hessen-Forst advises the development of a site classification system in China

The forest sector reforms of the past years have undoubtedly reversed deforestation and improved environmental quality and rural livelihoods. However, (natural) forests are extremely under-stocked. Structure and species composition of uniform plantations jeopardize forest health and vitality.

The need for re-orientation of the mid-term management planning towards a close-to-nature forest management has been recognized and initiated by the responsible Chinese authorities. In this relation stands the assignment for Hessen-Forst on behalf of a GTZ supported project: Advice and support to the development of a site classification system for derivation of management guidelines and species-site matching.

From mid September until end of October 2008, two experts of Hessen-Forst conducted the related services in the Provinces of Hunan and Hainan.