Application of Landscape Approaches in Latin America: Model Forests

Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate ChangeEcoAgriculture Side Event

November 5, 2010

Jose Joaquin Campos, Director General

John Beer, Director of Research and Development

Ronnie de Camino, President, Iberoamerican Model Forests Network

Fabrice De Clerck, Environmental Livestock Group

Tamara Benjamin, Agroecology Group

• Generate scientific knowledge related to needs in Latin America and the Caribbean

• Form leaders capable of solving problems in a complex and changing world

• Implement projects that contribute to agricultural development and conservation of natural resources

• Contribute to public policy at municipal, national and international levels through scientific knowledge

• Work in strategic alliances with more than 200 public and private partners

• Serve as a regional platform for the development and implementation of local solutions for global priorities

What we do

Sustainable livelihoods,

landscapes, and ecosystems through system approaches

6. Collective action throughlocal governance and comanagement

1. Agriculture and forestry systems

2 . Restoring degraded pasturelands

3 . Inclusive value chains

4. Economic and market-based instruments

5. Locally led biological corridors

A virtuous circle for sustainable development

What are Model Forests?

A diversity of values on the landscape

Partnerships working towards a common vision

Developing and testing approaches to sustainability

Networking and knowledge sharing

Model Forests: Key Attributes

• Partnerships;• Commitment to sustainable

development;• Landscape level (watershed or

sub-watershed);• Scope of activities reflect

stakeholder needs and values;• Transparent and accountable

governance structure;• Commitment to networking:

cooperation, sharing, and capacity-building.

Reventazón Model Forest

RMF: Biophysical Profile

• Approx. 300,000 ha, 6% of CR landbase;• mid-upper slopes of the Reventazón

watershed;• other watersheds – Pacuare and Tárcoles;• elevation of between 410m - 3500m;• avg. precip: N slopes 1500mm, S. half

7000mm;• 2 active volcanos - Irazú and Turrialba;• Holdridge zones:

– premontane moist forest - montane rainforest - paramo

• Land uses: – primary/ secondary forest, coffee, pasture,

sugar, annual crops, horticulture, urban

Importance of Watershed

• 11% of the total value of the country’s agricultural exports are produced

• 38% of its hydroelectric energy • 50% of its cement• 50% of the water used by the

metropolitan area of San José

Photo: F. De Clerck

Portion of the Reventazon Model Forest

Photos: T. Benjamin, M. Decker

• Vision: • “Communities, organizations and citizens

working in an integrated manner to advance sustainable management of our natural resources in order to achieve a better quality of life for the habitants of the Reventazón Model Forest”

• Objectives:• Strengthening local conservation

initiatives, values.• Promoting governance

mechanisms that facilitate greater participative management by stakeholders and consensus based decision-making.

• Improving the quality of life for local people.

Key Stakeholds in Reventazon Model Forest

• Local, provincial, and national government agencies– Ministry of Environment and Energy– Municipalities of Cartago– Sewage and Water services

• Producers (Agriculture, Forests, Agroforestry)• Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Tourism, and

Services• Donor groups• Educational system (elementary, high school,

universities)

Photo: F. De Clerck

Support Participatory Processes

Biological Corridors

Management of Protected Areas

Community Rural Agro Tourism

Analog Forestry

Municipal Environment Management

Biological Corridors

Management of Protected Areas

Community Rural Agrotourism

Analog Forestry

Restoration of degraded areas

Demonstration sites, including in technical high schools.

Nursery establishment

Training the trainers and innovative farmers

Municipality Environmental Management

Thank youDank U