Dry forest and woodlands cover 54% of Africa and support 64% of its people with a wide range of environmental goods and services. Despite their importance, particularly for tackling climate change and food insecurity, these forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. In response to these challenges (and opportunities), CIFOR, in association with its partners and key stakeholders, convened a Dry Forests Symposium on 1 December 2011 alongside the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties in Durban, South Africa. Edmund Barrow, from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), gave this presentation as a keynote address at the symposium. Barrow has worked in Africa for over 35 years. His work is increasingly focused on the links between people's livelihoods and their natural environments, demonstrating the importance of environmental assets at different levels.

1. Trees, Woodlands & Resilience
in the Drylands
Edmund Barrow, IUCN
International Union for Conservation of Nature 1

2. Global distribution of drylands
Approximately 40% of terrestrial
surface of the planet
International Union for Conservation of Nature 2

3. Resilient trees
• Species – diversity, adapted to
risk – produce more and higher
quality in dry times
• Adapted, able to bounce back
• Valuable products – non-timber
forest products, basis for land
use
• Dry forests as key assets for risk
reduction and resilience
enhancement
• Conversely – can tip to
degradation or/and bush land
(tipped to new system)
International Union for Conservation of Nature 3

4. Resilient people
• Diverse livelihood options
• Spatial and temporal uses –
wet, dry, drought, famine
• Trees for all seasons –
management and
ownership
• Trees (and management)
enhance adaptive
capacities of people
(products, importance at
critical times)
International Union for Conservation of Nature 4

5. Resilient systems
• Trees core component of
many systems
• Produce (or/and retain
quality) more and for
longer in times of
hardship
• Livestock (esp. dry times)
• Products (gums, shea
butter)
• Foods (people, sale)
• Medicinals
(people, livestock, sale)
International Union for Conservation of Nature 5

6. Resilient institutions
• Diverse land-use options
• Wet-dry-drought time
management strategies and
rules
• The customary governance
means – capacity to make
and enforce rules
• But short term “projectised”
approaches undermine
International Union for Conservation of Nature 6

7. So what’s going/gone wrong???
12/3/2011 7

8. Lack systems thinking
that dryland users
have
• Governance – foundation of
sustainable land management
• Many rights lost
(decisions, management, land)
• Insecure rights weaken
• Systems/governance are a
process not a project
• Understanding of what makes
system work being lost and
replaced by “one way silver
bullet thinking” and short-
term approaches.
International Union for Conservation of Nature 8

9. Silver bullets don’t work
• Want silver bullets (irrigation, or farming in
wrong zones, livestock)
• Often best lands expropriated
(irrigation, farming)
Outcome of herbivore exclusion on the Santa Rita
Experimental Range, Arizona (Western U.S.)
International Union for Conservation of Nature 9

10. Best Lands may be
expropriation for
Forests, Reserves, Par
ks
Respect various forms
of community
conserved areas
International Union for Conservation of Nature 10

11. Impact of misunderstanding “mistaken received wisdom”
(pastoralism, dryland use – antiquated, past its sell-by date)
International Union for Conservation of Nature 11

12. Challenges for us “Tree People”!
• How can we validate and enhance value of existing
customary/indigenous knowledge and institutions?
• Why are trees/forests so important for dryland
systems? Why is that importance “hidden”?
• How resilient are these systems, and how can
resilience be further promoted?
• How – within pillar-like sectoral policies – can we
achieve system approaches that promote resilience?
International Union for Conservation of Nature 12

13. Challenges for us “Tree
People”!…continued
• How can we better secure rights, strengthen
governance, to support Sustainable Forest
Model/Community Forest Management and enhanced
livelihoods?
• What incentives can we put in place for dryland forest
management and why?
• How can we optimise the increasing importance of “dry
forests” in the face of climate change?
International Union for Conservation of Nature 13

14. Perspectives on drylands:
Multi-functionality – Forests a key asset
International Union for Conservation of Nature 14