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Actors' perception on future wood production in a cross-border Amazonian region: challenges for a sustainable production

Castro Euler A.M., Pacaud N., Sabbadin D., Guedes M., Nicolle S., Gazel Yared J.A., Doff Sotta E., Blanc L., Descroix L.. 2017. In : Book of Abstracts IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress 2017. Baden-Württemberg : Forstliche Versuchs- und Forschungsanstalt (FVA); IUFRO, p. 260-260. 125th IUFRO Anniversary Congress, 2017-09-18/2017-09-22, Freiburg (Allemagne).

We conducted a study in a cross-border region of Amazonia to analyze the future role of natural forests in producing wood products. French Guiana and the state of Amapa are sharing similar geographical properties. A predominant area of these two territories are dominated by undisturbed tropical forests. In both regions, over 70% of forest areas is under public ownership. Currently the forestry sector in both regions do not have a key role in local economies, with low legal wood production in French Guiana (75 000 m3) as well as in Amapa (around 120 000 m3). Although in Amapá there is a high level of illegality in the sector (85%). In French Guiana and Amapa, forestry activities might represent an economical opportunity to promote endogenous development. The forest sector, including private and public actors, will face strategic choices to respond to increasing demand in wood supply for the coming decades. Strategic choices, based on strong political decisions, include the volume of wood to be produced locally, type of actors involved (i.e. communities, private companies), type of production (timber vs fuelwood) and origin of wood (plantation vs natural forest). Based on a prospective approach, we identified various scenarios, for each region, to reach the wood supply by 2045. First, we interviewed key actors of the forestry sector to obtain the view from their perspective. Second we selected the key variables to construct the scenarios and validated the resulting scenarios through a discussion with all actors. The scenarios identified in French Guiana had the implementation of tree plantation with local species as alternative to natural forest management, while in Amapa they focused on forest management associated with public policy and social factors. These scenarios are providing a framework of discussions that could help actors to focus on long term and to imagine the likely impact of current policy choices on the socioeconomy and conservation of natural forests.

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