To meet growing global demands for food without losing more forests to conversion, we need innovation in forestry practices to keep space for productive forests while meeting ever-growing societal needs. This presentation explores the potential of multiple use forests for reducing tropical forest loss – because despite technical, managerial and regulatory challenges, ‘multiple use’ has proven to be beneficial in many areas. CIFOR scientist Manuel Guariguata gave this presentation during Tree Diversity Day, held on 11 October 2012 at the 11th Conference of Parties for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP11). Tree Diversity Day was organised by the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry. For more information visit www.worldagroforestry.org/crp6/events/tree-diversity-day-cbd-cop11

1. Reducing tropical forest loss through
multiple-use?
Manuel R. Guariguata

2. 20 years ago in Rio…
“Forest resources and forest lands should be
sustainably managed to meet the social,
economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual
needs of present and future generations.
These needs are for forest products and
services, such as wood and wood products,
water, food, fodder, medicine, fuel, shelter,
employment, recreation, habitats for
wildlife, landscape diversity, carbon sinks
and reservoirs, and for other forest
products.”

3. • Food supplies will expand 70 % by 2050 and
demand for wood and fiber will concurrently
increase
• How can we sustain enough productive forest
and land available for agriculture to meet
current demands without further forest
conversion?
• Keeping space for productive forests will
require innovation in forestry practices while
meeting ever‐growing societal needs

4. How are forests being used?
Strict protection Multiple use Indigenous territories
(IUCN I-IV) (IUCN V-VI)
Nelson and Chomitz (2011)

5. Who owns the forest?
Sunderlin et al. 2008

6. How do deforestation and degradation
fit in the current scenario?
• In Latin America and Asia, strict forest
protection substantially reduced fire
incidence but multi‐use areas were even
more effective
• Across the tropics, deforestation rates in
protected areas were significantly larger than
in multi‐use protected areas
Nelson and Chomitz 2011; Porter‐Bolland et al. 2012

7. Multi-use: challenges
• Technical and managerial capacities differ for
different forest products and market
opportunities
• Local communities and small‐scale operators
struggle to adjust their practices to meet
official regulations—which in turn show little
harmonization for multiple objectives
• Spatial planning for long term production is
usually disregarded—particularly for multiple
uses and multiple views
• Ossified tropical forestry curricula

8. In Guatemala, ten years after
the implementation of
community forest concessions,
those with the highest degree
of product diversification
and social organization are
better able to buffer economic
uncertainty
Radachowsky et al. 2012

9. In Peru, segregation of production objectives was not effective

10. Policy dimensions
Aichi Target 5: Rate of loss of all natural
habitats, including forests, is at least
halved …and degradation and
fragmentation is significantly reduced
Aichi Target 11: Terrestrial areas are
conserved…and integrated into the
wider landscapes and seascapes
• Management tradeoffs are complex
and acute in multiple use systems
• Social learning and multi‐stakeholder
dialogue is essential
• Spatial approaches for planning