In 1995 a survey of research capacity was conducted at institutions undertaking forestry-related research in the SADC countries. This document presents a review of the methods available for the assessment of research capacity and summarizes previous efforts to assess research capacity in the region. The methodology adopted makes use of common indicators thereby allowing comparisons across institutions.

The overarching objective for CIFOR is to ensure that research activities result in significant impacts. A secondary, but very important, requirement is to be able to measure and quantify impact. However, impact assessment at CIFOR is viewed as a component in the broader frame of research evaluation and within the dynamic system of identifying problems, planning solutions, producing outputs, promoting adoption, and securing positive outcomes in line with its mission. In the context of this changing environment, adaptation and learning are key institutional requirements.

Community managed forest systems embody a considerable portion of the wisdom, knowledge, and practical skills and management necessary for the sustainability of forest resources globally. These systems, however, are under threat in many ways, including from the rapid rate of change of their political, socio-economic, and biophysical contexts. Adapting forest management sufficiently quickly and effectively to meet these changes is both urgent and very challenging.

The CIFOR C&I Toolbox series is designed to help people make assessments of management in particular production forests where people live and work in and around the forests. The assessment include aspects relating to management, environment and human well-being. The toolbox has developed a generic set of principles, criteria and indicators, related method and samples.

Community managed forest systems embody a considerable portion of the wisdom, knowledge, and practical skills and management necessary for the sustainability of forest resources globally. These systems, however, are under threat in many ways, including from the rapid rate of change of their political, socio-economic, and biophysical contexts. Adapting forest management sufficiently quickly and effectively to meet these changes is both urgent and very challenging.

The need for new criteria and indicators for the assessment of biodiversity conservation as part of sustainable forest management of tropical forests has been identified as a priority by many international organisations. Those biodiversity criteria and indicators which formed part of a much broader initial assessment by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) (Prabhu et al. 1996) were found to be deficient. This Working Paper contains specific proposals for biodiversity criteria and indicators.

This paper presents the combined results of two separate orangutan survey efforts and an assessment of land cover change analysis in the Danau Sentarum, National Park (DNSP), West Kalimantan, Indonesia These studies show that the DNSP and surrounding areas contain high numbers of orangutans, making these populations of global significance to the species survival in the wild. However, in the park and its surrounding areas, 40,339 ha habitat disappeared between 1973 and 1990, and 32,586 ha between 1990 and 1997.

This report explores criteria and indicators (C&I) for monitoring and assessing the sustainability of community managed forests (CMFs), and offers some insights into methodological tools and conceptual approaches for C&I development. The research was intended to explore the potential value of C&I to forest communities, their partners and their representative organisations to legitimise and enhance management, including strengthening of control over forest resources and facilitating the equitable distribution of the costs and benefits of forest management.

The Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) is designed to minimize the shortage of drinking water in the Kathmandu valley. Although the project was supposed to be completed by 2008, due to various problems, it is still diffi cult to forecast the exact date of completion. This paper quantifi es the downstream effects of diverting water from the Melamchi (Stage-I),Yangri (Stage-II) and Larke (Stage-III) rivers under current as well as future climate scenarios. The Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used in the analysis.