Evidence-Based Forestry: Approaches and Results in the Asia-Pacific RegionWen Zhou, Research Officerw.zhou@cgiar.org

Introduction to the Evidence-Based Forestry initiative

Initial findings from EBF systematic reviews Group exercise

Outline

What is evidence-based forestry?

What is evidence-based forestry? Systematic reviews

What are systematic reviews? Question framing Define what is to be examined and how; determine policy relevance with stakeholder involvement

Rigorous review methodologyComprehensive, transparent, and replicable

Engage wider community with findingsPolicy makers, academics, and other stakeholder groups

Systematic review methodology

When is it appropriate to conduct a systematic map/review? Where there is large amount of research on a topic but where

key questions remain unanswered When there is uncertainty about effectiveness of a

policy/service AND where there is some existing research In early stages of policy development to assess likely effects of

interventions To generally survey evidence on a topic or explore evidence

gaps for future research To assess past methodologies as part of new method

development

The Evidence-Based Forestry initiative Initiated in 2013 as a collaboration between six organizations

Draws upon examples from other sectors where systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials are considered the ”gold standard” of evidence

Year Title Field1993 Cochrane Collaboration Medicine1993 EPPI Centre (UK) Social policy2000 Campbell Collaboration Social policy

2003Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation Environment

2007Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Environment

2009 3iEInternational development

2013Evidence-Based Forestry Initiative

Forestry and landscapes

Top 20 Questions for Forestry and Landscapes

Top Questions in Forestry and Landscapes1. How can degraded ecosystems be restored to meet the

objectives of biodiversity conservation, ecosystem function, ecosystem resilience, and sustainability of rural livelihoods?

2. In the context of high human density and scarcity of farming land, how can we address the question of sustainable management of tropical forests?

3. How can we integrate sustainability into trade regulation and law?

Call for second tranche of systematic maps and reviews based on T20Q has just concluded, and will be conducted over the next year.

Progress thus far18 systematic maps and reviews underway, with the following team compositions:

Key findings from selected systematic reviews Swidden transitions in Southeast Asia China’s Conversion of Cropland to Forests Program Factors influencing community forestry outcomes Oil palm and biodiversity

Swidden transitions in SE AsiaDave Wilson and Wolfram Dressler, ex-ICRAF & University of Melbourne

The first systematic review of the linkages between the drivers, impacts and outcomes of the various transitions from long-fallow swiddens in upland Southeast Asia

93 studies included in review, >17,000 search results

Key findings Livelihood impacts: largely negativeDetrimental to customary practices, socioeconomic well-being, narrowing of livelihood options, and decreased staple yields; however, there is also increased household income from switch to cash crops Environmental impacts: negativeDecreased soil fertility (soil organic carbon & soil cation exchange capacity) and declines in above-ground carbon Policy implications: Long-fallow swiddens must be reframed as legitimate sources of livelihoods and biodiverse landscapes. This requires the support of formal state policies that advocate land-sharing approaches.

Evaluation of impacts since 1999 to inform next phase of program implementation, in partnership with China’s State Forestry Administration (FEDRC)

42 studies included in review from 879 search results; Chinese literature remains to be evaluated!

China’s Conversion of Croplands to Forests Program (CCFP)Lucas Gutierrez-Rodriguez, Nick Hogarth & Louis Putzel, CIFOR

Socio-economic impacts: Although farmers incomes have increased, there has also been reports of increasing social inequality

Environmental impacts: Increases in forest cover and carbon storage in China, and reports of reductions in soil erosion and flooding. However, there may be losses in biodiversity and ecosystem services that require further research.

Research gaps and quality issues:• Predominance of socioeconomic studies and concentrated

research in a few provinces further research on long-term environmental impacts and in southern and western provinces needed

• Lack of consideration of confounding factors (i.e. underlying trends of economic growth)

• Poor sampling methodology does not always ensure the selection of representative populations

Key findings

Biophysical, socio-economic, and institutional factors influencing community forestry outcomesReem Hajjar & Johan Oldekop, International Forestry Resources & Institutions (IFRI), University of Michigan

What is the role of socioeconomic, market, and biophysical factors in shaping both land cover change dynamics as well as individual and collective livelihood decisions?

697 cases from 267 publications; 445 cases were located in the Asia-Pacific region, of which 82% were from either India or Nepal

Key findings Substantial gaps in the availability of data linking population dynamics,

market forces, and biophysical characteristics (besides forest type and size) to environmental and livelihood outcomes; much of the literature focuses on institutional factors

Higher reporting on environmental outcomes, particularly forest condition and changes in biodiversity, than on livelihood outcomes

Livelihood outcomes have predominantly been assessed using qualitative methods; such perceptions-based data make it difficult to conduct comparative assessments of intervention outcomes across sites

THINKING beyond the canopy

Effects of oil palm production on biodiversity and ecosystem functionSini Savilaakso, CIFOR

Key questions Are biodiversity and ecosystem

functions adversely affected by palm oil production?

Are biodiversity impacts similar in different regions?

Do different management or certification practices have different impacts?

Results25 studies found to meet quality and eligibility criteria from 9,143 search results, of which 20 were from Malaysia

THINKING beyond the canopy

Key findings• The evidence base is limited both in terms

of research effort and geographically• Oil palm plantations have fewer species

than primary or secondary forests.• Overall abundance of individuals may not

be impacted.• Species composition is different between

plantations and forest areas• There is not enough evidence to

determine causes of differences or relate the changes to ecosystem functions. Moths

DungbeetlesBeetlesBeetlesDungbeetlesBatsMean effectBirdsIsopodsBeetlesBeetlesBirds

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0

Species richness (secondary forest)

The estimated magnitude of the re-lationship

Evidence of impact> 9000 accesses thus far!

Reaction from the Malaysian Palm Oil Council 7/2014: "Biodiversity has recently re-emerged as a topic of discussion for palm oil in international media. This is a direct result of the publication of a recent paper by the Centre for International Forestry (CIFOR) in Indonesia....The CIFOR report received significant international media coverage for what was in essence a literature review that ultimately confirmed the existing state of knowledge, and contributed very little constructive knowledge to biodiversity and landscape management."

Lessons learned Narrower is better than broader reviews! Defining the question at the beginning allows clear parameters to

be set (PICO) Interdisciplinary teams needed to answer interdisciplinary

questions SRs require committed human resources and time, including

planning for dissemination SRs and SMs can serve as a good starting points for new/further

research Prevailing gaps and weaknesses in the evidence base

• Many null results in initial reviews• Lack of high quality studies (i.e. frequent absence of

experimental controls)

Break for questions

Group exercise1. Brainstorm questions/ideas individually2. Form small groups and discuss your individual

questions3. As a group, select one that you agree on to be high

priority and develop further4. Select a spokesperson to present the question your

group has selected5. Audience comments after each group presentation

Group exercise1. Proposed review question: Population, Intervention,

Comparator, Outcomes2. Background: Describe the problem you seek to

address and its context in terms of regional/global interest

3. Current research & policy landscape: Indicate the main strands of current thinking in this area

4. Results and dissemination: Describe the target audience or intended users of the results, as well as desired impacts of research uptake

Thanks for your attention!Website: www.cifor.org/ebf Email: CIFOR-EBFInitiative@cgiar.org