Melbourne School of Land and Environment Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science

Cossey Yosi

Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science
The University of Melbourne
500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
Email: c.yosi@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
Web: www.forestscience.unimelb.edu.au/

Degree

PhD

Thesis title

Scenarios for community-based management of cutover native forests in Papua New Guinea

Supervisors

Prof Rod Keenan
Dr Julian Fox
Dr Andrew Haywood

Project Outline

There is an increasing demand for multiple objectives to forest management world-wide. In the context of tropical forest management, these are usually compounded by a wide range of stakeholder expectations and requirements. Because of the complexity of tropical forests, existing approaches to forest management, for example, modelling and projection may not be able to meet these demands. Therefore new approaches are required to meet these changing situations. In Papua New Guinea (PNG) there are many problems associated with forest management. For example, apart from stakeholder demands, land and forest ownership issues are a complicated system. As natural forests are being exhausted in PNG through commercial timber harvesting and other land uses such as large-scale forest conversion to agriculture and shifting cultivation, forest management will begin to focus on cutover forests. A major challenge is the development of sustainable management systems for cutover forests that meet the needs of community forest owners.

This research study will involve use of scenarios which is a new approach that requires participatory approach to forest management in PNG. This approach has been considered appropriate for the PNG situation because landowners expectations and requirements have not been taken into account in forest planning and management in the past hence this study anticipates to bridge this gap.

The general aim of this research is to provide information in ways that support community decision making regarding the future use of cutover forests in PNG. In order to achieve these, a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) framework will be adopted to develop and demonstrate practical science-based methods that will support community-based planning and management of cutover forests in PNG.

There are two main objectives of this research. The first is to develop scenario analysis and evaluation as a tool for assisting decision making in community-based management of cutover native forests in PNG. In consultation with stakeholders, the MSE framework will be used to analyse stakeholder interests and expectations. Based on this consultation, management scenarios will be developed. These will be tested and analysed using existing management and planning tools. Effects of scenario analysis will be compared and evaluated, and feedback will be given to stakeholders in workshop-based exercises. Secondly, scenario analysis and evaluation tools developed under the first objective will be tested in two case study areas in cutover native forests in PNG. The two case study areas have been selected in a pilot region where extensive timber harvesting has taken place in the past. Scenario outcomes from this exercises will be integrated into a management and planning system. 

Qualifications

BSc (Forestry), PNG University of Technology, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
MSc (Environmental Forestry), University of Wales, Bangor, UNITED KINGDOM

Publications

Reports:

  1. Management and Development of Eaglewood Resource in the Western Province: Eaglewood Resource Inventory and Assessment in the Middle and North Fly Districts, Western Province, Papua New Guinea. Consultancy Report for PNG Sustainable Development Programme LTD. PNG Forest Research Institute, Lae. March 2006.
  2. Final Status Report - PSP Database Management. ITTO Project PD 162/91 Internal Report. PNG Forest Research Institute, Lae, November 1999.

Workshop / Seminar Proceedings:

  1. Data Processing Systems for ITTO plots in PNG. In: Proceedings of the International Workshop on PSPs and Growth Models for Lowland Tropical Forests in PNG, held at FRI.11-13, November 1998. Edited by O. Gideon & F. Oavika.          
  2. ITTO Permanent Sample Plots Data Management Systems. In: Proceedings of the Workshop on Permanent Sample Plots in Logged-over Natural Forest in PNG, held at PNG Forest Research Institute. 23-24, March 1995. Edited by F. Oavika.

MSc Thesis:

  1. Impact of logging on short-term trends in forest structure, composition and population of lowland tropical forest in Papua New Guinea. MSc Thesis. School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences. University of Wales, Bangor, United Kingdom. September, 2004.

Previous work experience

Worked with PNG Forest Research Institute as a Scientific Officer for 13 years (www.pngfa.gov.pg) before pursuing PhD studies at the Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science, University of Melbourne. His research in PNG include study of growth and yield of tropical native forests and as a collaborating Scientist with Australian Center for International Agriculture Research project (www.aciar.gov.au). In PNG he also worked as a forest inventory officer with a timber company and as a small-scale sustainable forest management officer with an NGO (Village Development Trust, (www.global.net.pg/vdt/). He also initiated a community conservation project in PNG (www.coralcayconservation.org/wariavalleyproject/) which is being funded by the UK government’s DEFRA through its funding body, the Darwin Initiative.

Awards / Scholarships

 

Postgraduate index page

 

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