Aboriginal peoples are increasingly being invited to participate in sustainable forest management processes as a means of including their knowledge, values, and concerns. However, it is justifiable to ask if this participation does lead to changes in forest management plans and to outcomes in management activities. We review four forest management plans over 10 years (1999–2009) in Labrador, Canada, to determine if increasing involvement by the Aboriginal Innu Nation has led to changes in plan content. We also compare these plans with three plans from another forest management district where there is no Innu presence and with two provincial forest strategies . Analysis shows that Labrador plans prepared since 2000, when the Innu and the provincial government established a collaborative process, are different from all other plans reviewed. Four principal characteristics distinguish these plans: a structure based around ecological, cultural, and economic landscapes, a network of cultural and ecological protected areas, increased attention to social and cultural values, and greater emphasis on research and monitoring. This suggests that Innu involvement has in fact influenced the contents of these plans, developing an innovative approach to implementing ecosystem management and demonstrating the utility of involving Aboriginal peoples in forest management planning processes.

African forest-based beekeeping has a long tradition, has been practiced in Cameroon for centuries, and contributes on average to 52% of household incomes of beekeepers in the Adamaoua savannah and Northwest montane forests. Livelihoods, regulatory and policy framework, business environment, and forest management are intricately linked in the chain from beekeeper to consumer. However, it has not been a route out of poverty; despite support, the majority of beekeepers subsist on $2 a day. An energetic, innovative, and entrepreneurial group named Guiding Hope is leading a new wave of indigenous social entrepreneurs revitalizing the apiculture sector with the aim of improving this situation. The story of how they developed, the challenges faced, and how they have translated multidisciplinary scientific findings into action is recounted. The combination of participatory action research, a value chain approach, monitoring, and learning from traditional knowledge has lead to positive societal and ecological benefits that extend from Cameroon to an international level.

African forest–based beekeeping has a long tradition, has been practiced in Cameroon for centuries, and contributes on average to 52% of household incomes of beekeepers in the Adamaoua savannah and Northwest montane forests. Livelihoods, regulatory and policy framework, business environment, and forest management are intricately linked in the chain from beekeeper to consumer. However, it has not been a route out of poverty; despite support, the majority of beekeepers subsist on $2 a day. An energetic, innovative, and entrepreneurial group named Guiding Hope is leading a new wave of indigenous social entrepreneurs revitalizing the apiculture sector with the aim of improving this situation. The story of how they developed, the challenges faced, and how they have translated multidisciplinary scientific findings into action is recounted. The combination of participatory action research, a value chain approach, monitoring, and learning from traditional knowledge has lead to positive societal and ecological benefits that extend from Cameroon to an international level.

Our research explored the impact of forest machinery on soil when trafficking off-road through forest stands. In particular, we assessed soil compaction caused by harvesting operations. This study had two objectives: (i) Quantify the increase of soil bulk density (absolute and relative density) by forest machinery; and (ii) Analyze the persistence of soil compaction over a 5-yr period. Our research was innovative in three respects; 1. We assessed in-place soil density at exactly the same locations pre- and posttreatment with a nuclear moisture and density gauge. In this context, we consider treatment as forest machinery (harvester and forwarder) trafficking on forest soil. 2. After the treatment, we monitored soil density at identical locations through yearly assessments for 5 yr to identify possible natural rehabilitation patterns. 3. We related the measured field bulk densities to site specific maximum bulk densities derived by standard Proctor tests (concept of relative bulk density) to get a better understanding of the severity of off-road traffic impact on soil density changes. Our key findings on two research sites were: 1. On average, dry soil bulk density increased by 19% in machine tracks. 2. Machine impact was not just limited to vehicle tracks; we noticed an increase of soil bulk density >10% in 14 of 65 (21.5%) locations extending up to 1 m away from tracks. 3. Due to machine impact, field bulk density increases exceeded the 80% maximum bulk density threshold at 32% of all track locations, mostly in soil depths of 20 to 30 cm. 4. Monitoring soil density for 5 yr after the treatment indicated no natural rehabilitation (decrease) of soil density down to pretreatment levels.

The lecture-discourse discusses innovative science and policy programs to promote forest restoration of mine-affected sites. The multi-billion dollar investment could be a boon or bane to the economy and environment if not properly managed and administered. The environmental hurdles of restoring mined-out sites were presented side by side with the essential principles of mine rehabilitation, which should put paramount importance to the restoration of forests back to a functional and productive state after the life of the mining project. Restoration science has available theories and practices in its arsenal to address the enormous challenges of restoring mine affected areas. Among those discussed in this lectures are local and foreign case studies which highlight the options available to restoration managers which include the following: restoring biodiversity, use of soil seed banks, stabilizing slopes, use of indigenous species, use of beneficial microorganisms, and use of indigenous knowledge. The paper explained also the critical role of monitoring rehabilitation work. Ideally, it should commence with the undisturbed state of the forest so that rehabilitation success criteria or indicators could be established. A tool, called 'Land Function or Ecosystems Function Analysis' was discussed as a potential instrument for use towards this goal. Success indicators were likewise discussed considering that the current policies are vague in this aspect. Discussions on the polices focused on the RA 7942 or The Mining Act of the Philippines. The features of the law particularly on mine rehabilitation were described. Gaps in the current policy were identified which include issues regarding: decisions on the final land use, monitoring and evaluation standards, rehabilitation success criteria, cumulative environmental impacts, rehab works in small-scale mining operations, and collaboration between agencies in charge of implementing rehabilitation policies. The lecture concluded by describing how to better promote restoration of mine affected forests namely: Capacity building in determining the best/optimum final land-use; Determining the required period for care and maintenance of rehabilitated areas; valuation of ecosystem services vis-à-vis mineral resources extraction and development; Realistic and optimum cost of rehabilitation; Package of technologies to address specific rehabilitation challenges and needs; Identification and testing of appropriate assessment tools to evaluate cumulative environmental impacts; Developing standards for biodiversity assessment, and development of rehab success standards.