|    **No. 1** - October 1998 The **International Programs News** presents highlights of policy,    research, technical cooperation, development and conservation activities in which the    Forest Service is involved worldwide. Its purpose is to demonstrate the breadth and    importance of international collaboration on natural resource management issues and to    share information within the Forest Service and with our partners in the United States and    around the world.  The **Office of International Programs** (IP) is dedicated to applying    the wealth of skills within the Forest Service to foster sustainable forest management    globally. We are responsible for linking the Agency's researchers, foresters, wildlife    biologists, hydrologists, policy makers, and disaster specialists, with partners overseas    to work on assignments in the areas of technical cooperation, policy assistance and    disaster coordination. Our focus is on key natural resource problems and issues in    countries with significant forest resources and important forest-related trade with the    United States. International cooperation results in improved sustainable natural resource    practices in partner countries, develops the skills of Forest Service personnel, and    brings back knowledge and innovative technologies to the United States.    
**Letter from the Director**                    The Office of International Programs links the expertise of Forest Service personnel with        countries around the world on natural resource issues in the areas of technical        cooperation, research, policy, and disaster assistance. We strive to integrate U.S.        domestic natural resource priorities with international efforts. Our partners, including        the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank and others,        fund cooperative projects and provide technical assistance and training to countries        around the world. Our goal is to provide not only expertise to countries but to gain the        benefit of their knowledge, technology, and experience as well. The 21st century will be a        time of rapid globalization of environmental and economic issues. We hope to help the        Forest Service to meet this challenge through international involvement.                    Our newsletter will highlight some of the Agency's work overseas and illustrate the many        successful partnerships we have forged to improve results on the ground. We will feature        articles that demonstrate the importance of this work to countries around the world and to        the people and natural resources of the United States. We welcome your comments.             Val Mezainis, Director         International Programs
       **Fire Management Response to Wildfires in Mexico**           On May 15, 1998, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a disaster    declaration due to an unprecedented outbreak of wildfires in Southern Mexico. Many small    wildfires had been burning in Mexico for months, but the start of the agricultural burning    season, accompanied by high wind, pushed the fires to the catastrophic point. In response    to the disaster declaration, the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)    immediately sent a seven-member assessment team made up of USDA Forest Service, Texas    Forest Service and USAID/OFDA personnel. The assessment team found that the wildland fires    during 1998 had neither precedent nor antecedent and immediately mounted a major response    effort to assist the Government of Mexico's firefighting authority (Secretaria de Medio    Ambiente, Recursos Naturales y Pesca or SEMARNAP) in the states of Oaxaca and    Chiapas.     "It was the most difficult, demanding and challenging    job of my career and the most rewarding," reflected Paul Weeden (Deputy Forest    Supervisor, San Bernardino National Forest, and Forest Service leader on the USAID/OFDA    Disaster Assistance Team), sent to Mexico to assess the wildfires. "Every day we    identified tasks that seemed impossible to do and people pulled together [in the field],    in Mexico City, and in Washington, D.C. to make all these things happen."  
On the job training for    Mexican firefighters in mountainous dry forest areas. Photo    by Tom Rios.         Forty-one people from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National    Park Service, and States of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, as well as Los Angeles County,    began arriving in Mexico in late May to assist with combating the extensive wildfires.    "It was a seamless integration of staff into the Mexican fire management    system," commented Mike Dudley (Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Management Staff),    who spent two weeks in Mexico City coordinating efforts. "Everyone wore the same    nomex clothing and since all of the initial team was fluent in Spanish, there was no    language barrier to interfere with communication," he said.               From January through early May, firefighters from SEMARNAP, the military, and    volunteers had successfully worked to control more than 11,448 fires that charred more    than 657,600 acres throughout Mexico. Between May 12 and 15, hundreds of human-set fires    were started for agricultural purposes. A strong weather system swept through the southern    states of Chiapas and Oaxaca during this time bringing strong winds, but no moisture. The    winds rapidly pushed the field-clearing fires into forest areas. "Mexico handled the    problem very professionally from January through May; however, the tremendous set of new    fire starts combined with the worst drought in 70 years and the remoteness of the area,    overwhelmed the response abilities of the Mexicans," stated Weeden. "It was very    similar to the fire season in 1987 in the Sierras in California," he reflected,    "where a couple thousand fires started in a short period —the only significant    differences were that the California fires were all natural starts and California had a    tremendous logistical system in place to support suppression efforts."               In the initial weeks of the U.S Government response, U.S. fire specialists    advised the Mexican fire organization in strategic resource decisions, ordered critical    tools and equipment for the suppression effort, and conducted on-the-job training    exercises for Mexican firefighters. Through USAID funding, the National Interagency Fire    Center provided SEMARNAP with equipment and supplies for 3,000 firefighters including    radio start-up kits, handheld radios, portable water pumps, and collapsible water tanks to    be used in support of helicopter operations. USAID also funded two fixed-wing aircraft    with infrared cameras to map fire areas and plan proper fire strategy.               "We learned to fight fire in totally new vegetation, how to live with    less helicopters and retardants, how to be more creative, and use alternate ways to get    the job done," stated Weeden. The initial U.S. team remained in place for three weeks    and was replaced by a second team of 33 fire suppression specialists, followed by another    group of 31. "Were it not for a rotation requirement many of the U.S experts would    gladly have stayed longer," commented Dudley.               As a result of fire suppression efforts as well as the advent of rains in    mid-June, on June 14 all U.S. government personnel were transferred out of the incident    command posts and those who remained shifted to provide additional on-the-job training.    Training included radio/communication set-up and maintenance, helibase training focused on    aviation safety and training for ground crew technicians, first aid training, instruction    on the use of Global Positioning System equipment, use and maintenance of portable water    pumps, and training on the safe operation of chain saws. The official closeout date for    the U.S Government response was June 30. 
Forest Service staff and    counterparts discuss strategy for combating wildfires in Southern Mexico. Photo by Tom Rios.
   The assessment team attributes a large part    of the success of the suppression efforts in Southern Mexico to regional fire training    programs sponsored by SEMARNAP and the Forest Service over the past 15 years. In regions    where training courses were conducted, the fire organization structure was notably    stronger than in those without training. The last regional course was held in Chiapas in    1992.               The United States and Mexico have already begun discussion on follow-up    training and technical assistance to the spring wildfire crisis. In cooperation,    USAID/Mexico, USAID/Washington, SEMARNAP, USDA/FS and USAID/OFDA are developing a    comprehensive training program to strengthen the capacity of SEMARNAP to manage multiple    fire events over an extended period of time. The program will also strengthen coordination    across states as well as local level efforts in fire prevention and suppression.         
**U.S. Natural Resource Leaders Support Firefighting Efforts in Mexico**            On June 4, Mike Dombeck (Forest Service Chief ), traveled with Dan        Glickman (Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture--USDA), Brian Atwood, (USAID        Administrator), David Hales (USAID Deputy Assistant Adminstrator for the Global Bureau),        and Denny Truesdale (Acting Staff Director, Forest Service, Fire & Aviation Management        ) to observe the efforts to combat the wildfires in Mexico. They met with Julia Carabias        (Minister of the Environment for Mexico) in Mexico City before traveling to an incident        command post in the southern state of Chiapas. There, they discussed ongoing suppression        efforts with Forest Service and Ministry of the Environment fire suppression specialists        and viewed a helicopter base operation in the town of Cintalapa. The visit by agency        leaders confirmed support by USAID and USDA to develop a cooperative program focused on        Mexican preparedness for fire management and on the restoration and conservation of areas        affected by the fires. 
       **International Model Forest Network Creates Partnership Opportunities **         "The concept of model forest was not attractive to me    when I first heard about it," stated John Gordon (Acting Dean, Yale School of    Forestry and Environmental Studies) in his keynote speech at the *International Model    Forest Network (IMFN)* meeting in Wemme, Oregon, March 31-April 5, 1998. "[But],    Model Forests, I found, were to be designed by people directly concerned with actual    forests... the idea was not to create a template-plan for all forests, but rather to    create and implement a strategy for a specific forest and document and use what is learned    in the process," he elaborated.     So began a successful week of networking and learning at the    IMFN meeting sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service and the    Oregon State Office of the Bureau of Land Management. The meeting brought together an    enthusiastic group of partners from 14 different countries. It marked the sixth year of    the organization's existence and showcased existing Model Forests and the progress they    have made toward collaborative management of forest areas. Launched by Canada in 1992, the    IMFN promotes cooperation and collaboration in the advancement of management,    conservation, and sustainable development of forest resources through a network of    landscape-level Model Forests. The International Network now includes Canada, Mexico,    Russia, Malaysia, the United States, Chile, Argentina, Vietnam, and Japan.     The Model Forest concept is based on the use of adaptive    management at the landscape level to encourage the development and testing of technical    and social approaches to achieving desired ecological, economic, and other social    objectives. All model forests are built on partnership groups that include among others,    local industries, environmental groups, community associations, indigenous peoples,    landowners, and governments. This approach enables all stakeholders to share their    knowledge, understand better the sometimes conflicting practices used to manage the    multiple forest values, and collectively find new approaches to meet their needs.     Each Model Forest is different depending on the objectives of    landowners, managers and user groups. In the United States, adaptive management areas    (AMAs) in the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest Regions are all part of the IMFN. The    Cispus, Hayfork and Applegate AMAs are formal model forest sites. The Applegate in Oregon    was established in 1993 and is made up of 500,000 acres of land, with 7,000 citizens. The    Applegate partnership formed because people grew tired of the conflicts over land use. Sue    Rolle of the partnership stated at the meeting that "before Applegate, the BLM was at    the center of whatever controversy was current. Now, instead of [the agency] being in the    center, the issue becomes central and the agency is one of the participants who deal with    the problem at hand." Partners agree to work together to find solutions to their    problems.     The IMFN conference gave model forest practitioners the    opportunity to learn from each other. In the next years IMFN will help strengthen existing    model forests and help new entrants develop partnerships and join the Network. In addition    they will increase the role of the Network in global forestry initiatives.     *For more information about Forest Service involvement in    AMAs contact Tim Tolle (U.S. Model Forest Field Representative and Regional Coordinator,    Ecosystem Management, USDA/FS/PNW Region), at tel: (503) 808-2274, at e-mail: [email protected] or look up the AMA website at http:www.teleport.com/~amanet/ ** **   For more information about the IMFN contact them at the    International Development Research Centre, 250 Albert St., 13th floor, Ottawa, Ontario,    K1G 3H9 Canada, tel: (613) 236-6163 ext. 2521, fax: (613) 234-7457, e-mail: [email protected]. The IMFN Web site is http://www.idrc.ca/imfn. *           **Forest-Level Test of Criteria and Indicators**           A small team of forest scientists and managers from the    United States, Canada, and Mexico gathered in Boise, Idaho, June 8 through July 10, to    conduct a field-level test of criteria and indicators on Federal, State, and industrial    forest lands in the greater Boise area. "We are directly involved in sustainability    issues with the revision of forest plans for three adjacent forests," stated Dave    Rittenhouse (Forest Supervisor, Boise National Forest), "we felt participating in    this test would definitely help us."     The test looked at whether a specific set of criteria and    indicators provided useful and cost-effective information for forest managers and whether    they could be generalized to a wide array of forest types and management objectives. It is    hoped that the test will help provide information about potential criteria and indicators    that land managers may voluntarily wish to use to monitor the effects of their actions and    determine if their forests are being managed sustainably. "The criteria and    indicators test will be a great communication tool for us in discussing social, economic    and ecological issues," reinforced Rittenhouse. "My job is to try and balance    those three needs - like trying to balance a 3-legged stool by getting the three legs the    same length at the same time," he said.     Dr. Alex Moad described the test as highly successful because    it clearly establishes a link between United States and global efforts on sustainability.    The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) located in Bogor, Indonesia,    developed the set of criteria and indicators used in the test. The Idaho test completes a    series of tests that CIFOR has been conducting in major biomes of the world, including    forests in Indonesia, Canada, Ivory Coast, Brazil, Germany, and Australia.     "One of our main interests in getting involved [in the    test] was to see whether all forest lands in southern Idaho were practicing sustainable    forestry," stated Herb Melaney (Chief Regional Forester, Boise Cascade Corporation).    "We believe we are achieving most of the criteria, but what about the State and    National forest land?" he commented.     The USDA FS Inventory and Monitoring Institute organized the    test. Information on forest management and status were provided by the Boise and Payette    National Forests, the Idaho Department of Lands, and the Boise Cascade Corporation.    Participants in the study team included represent-atives from these organizations as well    as Parks Canada, and the Mexican Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock    Research. Financial support for the test and the follow-up conference, which looked at    preliminary results (held in Boise on September 14-17), was provided by the Forest Service    Office of International Programs, Forest Service Research and Development, and USAID    Global Bureau Environment Center. Preliminary results will also be presented in    Washington, D.C, on October 21, 1998 along with a presentation at the bi-annual meeting of    the North American Forestry Commission in Villahermosa, Mexico in late November.  *For further information on this activity please contact Dr. Tom    Hoekstra, tel: (970) 498-2370, e-mail: thoekstra/[email protected]    or Lyn Morelan, tel: 208) 373-4170, e-mail: lmorelan/[email protected] *

  

**Congo Basin Non-Wood Forest Products Workshop**  More than 50 regional and international experts gathered at the    Limbe Botanic Gardens in Cameroon May 10-15, 1998, to attend the Forest Service sponsored,    *International Expert Workshop on Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) in Central Africa*.    Mark Buccowich (Africa Program Coordinator, IP) and Laurie Clark (Rocky Mountain Research    Station, Moscow, Idaho) designed and coord-inated the workshop and provided logistics    support. Additional financial and logistical support came from the USAID Central African    Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE), Food and Agriculture Organization of the    United Nations (FAO), Limbe Botanic Garden, and Mount Cameroon Project. 
NWFP workshop participants    finish a trek through a mangrove forest near Limbe, Cameroon. Photo    by Laurie Clark. 
   The workshop focused on NWFPs of plant    origin. Workshop participants shared their experience and knowledge of NWFPs, developed    informal networks, and worked toward a consensus on short- and mid-term actions to promote    the sustainable use of NWFPs within the Congo Basin. Four working groups were organized    around the focus areas of ecology, socio-political issues, market-economy, and networking    and information exchange. The thread binding these areas together is the common desire to    promote the sustainable use of NWFPs to benefit local communities and conserve forest    biodiversity.        *For a copy of the proceedings please contact Mark Buccowich at e-mail: [email protected]. *      **Trees for Africa, Community Forestry Programs in South Africa**       At the invitation of Trees for Africa (TFA), Rita Schoeneman (USDA Forest    Service, Cooperative Forestry) traveled to Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa,    January 16-27, 1998, to recommend future collaborations on community-based forestry    efforts. Rita found that specific needs exist in the area of dissemination of information    on community forest stewardship and that technical exchange visits between the United    States and South Africa would be beneficial for community leaders as well as technical    specialists and researchers.         TFA is a South African non-governmental organization that facilitates    coalitions among local citizens, national government, and corporations to address    community greening issues. Projects of TFA involve a wide array of activities and address    a myriad of environmental and social situations. Included among them are developing a city    park, supporting environmental education field trips, and establishing permaculture    projects in villages and urban centers. TFA projects have helped recapture community    spirit and hope in townships such as Alexandra and Tembesa, where poverty, lack of    resources, and inadequate shelter and utilities leave many citizens frustrated.         TFA's work includes building an informed and educated public through    environmental education activities and community workshops. They havecontributed    significantly to national environmental policy by developing the Key Issue Paper on Urban    Forestry for the South African National Forestry Action Program.        **Technical Exchange on Sakhalin Island, Russia**       A Forest Service team traveled to the Island of Sakhalin in Russia in late    June to review management practices and look at emerging natural resource issues. The team    consisted of Dave Heller (Fisheries Biologist, Portland, OR), Ken Roby (Watershed Analyst,    Lassen NF, CA), Phil Aune (Silviculturalist, Redding, CA) and Andrei Rykoff (Russia    Program Coordinator, Washington, DC). Dave Heller said that the team was very impressed    with the land ethics and commitment of the Federal Forest Service of Russia. He noted in    particular how there is only enough money to pay salaries and any other forestry work is    funded by individual initatives. For instance, one forest conducts thinnings and then    processes the wood in their own sawmill. Other forests have individuals who sell milk,    eggs, and garden produce to raise money. One Forest Supervisor just obtained approval to    conduct shore-based pink salmon fishing using a gillnet. Before leaving Sakhalin, the team    and their Russian counterparts put together and signed an agreement for future technical    exchange in the areas of silviculture, reforestation, timber stand improvement, road    management, riparian restoration, and prescribed burning. The next step will be for a team    from Sakhalin to visit the Northwest Region of the United States.        **Control of Invasive Pests from China **       Several Forest Service Units are involved in research to control and    eradicate invasive pests from China which include the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), and    the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). They are also working closely with China in a reciprocal    agreement to control the *Oricella* (mealy bug) which is attacking southern longleaf    pine in the Southeastern Region of China. Bob Haack (Entomologist, Forest Service, North    Central Research Station), is working on the ALB research and Kathy Shield and Mike    Montgomery of the Northeastern Center for Forest Health Research are working on the HWA    research. The Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry office is assisting ALB survey    and eradication efforts in New York and Chicago, and is helping local partners to regreen    locations where infested trees have been removed. For more information on woolly adelgid    work see the HWA Newsletter at web site: http://gypsy.fsl.wvnet.edu:80/fhp/hwa/hwa.html.           **Monarch Butterfly Exchange**       The Gainesville Middle School and the Chatahoochee-Oconee National Forest in    Georgia have been working with the Oyamel Model Forest near Angangueo, Mexico for the past    two years on a Monarch butterfly hibernation study. Rachel Schneider (Public Affairs    Specialist, Forest Service) and Cindy Smith, (Project Leader, Gainesville Middle School)    have been working closely to develop the program and establish a partnership with the    Quetzalcoatl School in Mexico City. The School is currently raising funds to send four    students, their teachers, and Ms. Schneider to Mexico in the Spring of 1999 to identify    conservation issues regarding Monarch butterfly hibernation sites. The school group will    develop a website and communication methods for sharing their knowledge and project    results. For more information contact Rachel Schneider at tel: (770) 536-0541.        **Forest Management in Siberia**       A 4-person Forest Service team composed of Steve Eubanks (Forest Supervisor,    Nevada City, CA), John Brissette (Silvicultural Researcher, Durham, NH), Rich Lasko (Fire    Management Specialist, Missoula, MT) and Andy Gillespie (Forest Inventory National Program    Leader, Washington, D.C.), traveled to the Kraznyarsk region of Russia for two weeks in    late May as part of the Central Siberian Sustainable Forest Management Project. The team    met with their counterparts in the Federal Forest Service of Russia. Annual visits have    taken place since 1993 to help advance the project. This trip focused on specific project    areas, including inventory of resources using Geographic Information Systems, use of    prescribed fire for forest management, and working with partners on silviculture practices    such as harvest prescription and harvest systems. In addition, the team and their    counterparts have been developing a sustainable forest management plan, which looks at    both ecosystems and economics. Like forest users in the United States, Russians have many    other interests outside of timber including harvest of mushrooms, nuts, and plants, as    well as fish and game. The team also helped their Russian counterparts purchase some    computer equipment and software.        **Humanitarian Response to Flood Disaster in East Africa **       Heavy El Nino rains in the Fall of 1997 caused flooding in Kenya and Somalia    which destroyed homes and crops, isolated communities, and caused disease in animal herds.    The U.S. Ambassador declared a disaster in December 1997, and requested that USAID/OFDA    coordinate the U.S. Government humanitarian assistance efforts. Forest Service employees    Ron Libby (Disaster Response Specialist, Washington, D.C.) and Deanne Shulman (Fire    Management Specialist, Kernville, CA) served as the liaison officers coordinating efforts    between U.S. military units and other partner organizations involved in relief efforts    from January 29-March 19, 1998. Based in Mombasa, Kenya, Ron and Deanne worked closely    with the U.N. World Food Programme as well as Air Force and Marine Corps teams    transporting relief items. Approximately 1,000 metric tons of relief supplies were    delivered during this period including food, water, and tarps. 

  

***BEETREES database***The International Exchange Program of the National Agroforestry Center,    based in Lincoln, Nebraska developed the BEETREES database containing information on    sub-tropical and tropical woody species that serve as major pollen and nectar sources for    insects. The database and bibliographic references (BeeREF) can be found at the web site: http://www.unl.edu/nac/intern.htm. A related    link is the International Bee Research Association at web site: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/ibra/index.html  ***Ecoforestry Journal ***The International Journal of Ecoforestry is published by the Ecoforestry    Institute Society. The Journal promotes the practices, science and philosophy of    ecologically responsible forest use. Annual subscriptions range from $20 to $60. For more    information contact EIS at: P.O. Box 5070, Station B, Victoria BC, Canada V8R 6N3; tel:    (250) 477-8479; e-mail: [email protected]  ***Evolution of Tropical Forestry: Puerto Rico and Beyond***Frank Wadsworth has worked for 50 years in the field of tropical forest    management. In 1992, when the International Institute of Tropical Forestry was founded in    Puerto Rico, the Forest History Society sent Harold Steen to interview Dr. Wadsworth. This    book is a summary of that interview and touches on a number of different aspects of    tropical forestry. A copy of the book can be obtained for $5.50 from the Forest History    Society, 701 Vickers Ave., Durham, NC 27701; tel: (919) 682-9319.  ***FAO Synopsis of Short Courses on Forestry and Related Subjects***The Food and Agriculture Organization recently updated their short course    database for courses planned for 1999. The database includes courses provided by various    public, private and non-profit institutions. You can access this database at: http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/forestry/free/shorcours/synopsis.htm  ***Forest Production for Tropical America***by Frank H. WadsworthUSDA Forest Service Agriculture Handbook 710, published in December 1997,    is the first comprehensive book on tropical forests and forestry in the New World. The    author reviews socio-economic values of the forests, their biology and silviculture, and    management of secondary forests and plantations. He also discusses agroforestry, future    research needs, and goals for improved forestry practices. Copies of this book may be    obtained from Gisel Reyes, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, P.O. Box 25000,    Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico 00928-2000.  ***U.S. Geological Survey Mapping Products***The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Land Cover Characterization Program at    the EROS Data Center recently completed a global cover map for the world with a resolution    of one kilometer. The data set includes 30-40 different types of maps that can be used to    overlay different information. The web site address is: www.cr.usgs.gov/landdaac/glcc/glcc.html.    The e-mail address is: [email protected]   In addition, a new USGS web site now provides online maps    showing the available geographic coverage for selected digital and aerial photography    products. See web site: http://mapping.usgs.gov/www/products/status.html.    This site also links customers directly to pages where products can be purchased or    downloaded as well as search tools that provide access to map and image inventories.  ***People and Plants Handbook No. 3 - Community and Environmental    Education***The People and Plants Initiative of World Wide Fund for Nature, United    Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,    England, recently published Issue No. 3 of the People and Plants Handbook, Community and    Environmental Education. No. 4 is under preparation and focuses on methods of assessing    biological resources and local knowledge. For more information please contact Mr. Gary    Martin, People and Plants Initiative, B.P. 262, Marakesh, Medina, Morocco; fax: +(212)    4-301511; e-mail: [email protected]  ***Useful Trees of the Tropical Region of North America eds.*** R.    Burns, M. Mosquera, and J. WhitmoreThis report, published by the North American Forestry Commission in March    1998, is the result of an exchange of technical information on such topics as    silviculture, insects, diseases, forest genetic resources, atmospheric change, fire    management, neotropical migratory species, and forest products. The report is in both    English and Spanish and can be obtained from the Office of International Programs, (see    address on cover). Copies may also be obtained from: Policy, Planning and International    Affairs Branch, Canadian Forest Service, 580 Booth, 8th Floor, Natural Resources Canada,    Ottawa, Ontario K1A OE4; or Director Aprovechamiento Forestal, Progreso No. 5, Col. del    Carmen, Coyoacan, 04100 Mexico, D.F. Mexico. 

  

**International Experts meeting on Protected Forest Areas,** March    15-19, 1999, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Governments of Brazil and the U.S. are sponsoring    this meeting with the purpose of contributing to the work of the United Nations Commission    on Sustainable Development Intergovernmental Forum on Forests by developing a better    understanding of issues related to protected forest areas. One objective of the meeting is    to formulate options for obtaining information globally on protected forest areas and    their contributions to the sustainable management of all types of forests. Additional    objectives include understanding definitions and classification systems for protected    forest areas; defining the benefits--ecological, social, and economic, of protected areas    and discussing effective management techniques. For further information please contact    Karin Theophile or Joy Berg at e-mail: [email protected]    or [email protected].  **International Centers Week,** October 26-30, 1998, Washington, D.C.    The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is hosting their    annual "Centers Week" in Washington, D.C. at the World Bank Main Complex,    Preston Auditorium, 1818 H St. NW. Centers Week includes formal business meetings of the    CGIAR system along with a variety of satellite meetings and center evaluations. See web    site: http://www.cgiar.org for detailed registration    and agenda information.  **Toward a Unified Framework for Inventorying and Monitoring Forest    Ecosystem Resources,** November 1-6, 1998, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The goal of    this symposium is to build on the best science and technology available to assure that the    data and information produced in future inventory and monitoring programs are comparable,    quality assured, available, and adequate for their intended purposes, thereby providing a    reliable framework for characterization, assessment, and management of forest ecosystems    in North America. For further information see the web site at: http://www.agnic.org/mtg/1998/tufi.html    or contact Dr. Cele Aguirre-Bravo (Ft. Collins, CO) (970) 498-1168 or Ing. Manuel de los    Santos Valadez ( Mexico City) (5) 554-5958 or Dr. Ramon Martinez Parra (Guadalajara City)    (3) 640-3086.  **Tropical Restoration for the New Millennium,** May 23-28, 1999, San    Juan, Puerto Rico. This international conference sponsored by the USDA Forest Service    International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF), and the Society for Ecological    Restoration will be held in conjunction with the 4th Annual Puerto Rico Forestry    Conference, whose theme will be "Tropical Urban Forest Ecosystem Restoration."    For more information on these conferences visit the conference web site through IITF's    homepage: http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/welcome.htm/    or contact the Conference Program Chair, Dr. John Parrotta at [email protected]   
Office of International ProgramsUSDA Forest Service 1099 14th St. NW, Suite 5500WWashington, DC 20005-3402 Phone: (202)273-0374Fax: (202)273-4749e-mail: [email protected]web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/global/*Editor: Robin Maille* 
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