Three Regional Focal Point Organisations (RFPOs)
In order to ensure that the RFPOs have adequate resources to fulfil their
roles as pivotal links in an interregional network of operational research
structures, the project will support a number of activities aimed at
strengthening the capacities of regional research structures to attract and
support forest-related research initiatives.
Central Africa: Institute for Research on Tropical Ecology (IRET/CENAREST,
Gabon)
- Representative to the Steering Committe:
Dr Ludovic Ngok Banak (Director, IRET)
- FPP:
Dr Joseph Okouyi Okouyi
Guiana Shield: Iwokrama International Center (IIC, Guyana)
- Representative to the Steering Committe:
M. Dane Gobin (CEO, IIC)
- FPP: Ms Vanessa Benn
Pacific region: Forest Research Institute (PNGFRI, Papua New Guinea)
- Representative to the Steering Committe:
M Terry Warra (Director, PNG FRI)
- FPP: M. Roy Banka
In particular support will be
provided to strengthen the capacities of the three RFPOs to develop and
implement trans-regional research programs, a number of which were identified as
priorities during the course of the feasibility study for this project:
- Reduced impact logging (RIL);
- Reforestation of degrade sites;
- Promotion of lesser known timber species;
- Management of natural resources
- Capacity strengthening of local people to manage Forests;
- Optimisation of revenue generation from forest products and services.
These topics are indicatives and should be finalised and agreed at the start
up workshop of the SC.
That list should, in this occasion, be amended by a focus on documenting
forestry biodiversity in the public domain, preferably in web-based archives, in
order to ensure all other lines of work operate within a meaningful framework.
In this context, the project activities could benefit from on-going and planned
international efforts to improve biodiversity research and its public access.
In this context the project will provide the essential resources that the
research structures need in order for them to become dynamic and operational
structures capable of attracting motivated researchers and providing them with
the environment in which viable research activities can be conducted. This
support, the details of which will be decided by the Steering Committee, will
therefore aim to consolidate management structures by providing key equipment
and funding essential operational costs. Through the RFPO and the guidance of
the Steering Committee’s Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) (set up of criteria and
mechanism) the project will also provide support for developing and promoting
scientifically sound research proposals, will mobilise “seed funds” to initiate
priority common research themes and will provide mentoring of ongoing research
activities (see also § 4.1 – “Implementation method” for further details on role
and responsibilities of the SAG).
The project will also fund the costs of essential equipment and operational
costs necessary to strengthen and consolidate the networks linking the research
organisations of the 3 regions. These will include essential computer and
communications equipment and recurrent costs for the regional coordinators
appointed by the RFPOs (see § 4.1 for further details of the role and
responsibilities of regional coordinators).
| 
Print Version