Posted 6:21 PM by Luigi
Regional Sandalwood Workshop

SPC Land Resources Division will be convening a regional workshop on “Sandalwood Research, Development and Extension in the Pacific Islands and Asia” from 28 November to 01 December 2005, in Nadi, Fiji.

OBJECTIVES

• Share and discuss the latest sandalwood research and development, and extension work undertaken by Pacific island countries and territories and other regional programmes and agencies.
• Discuss ways on how results of the above research and development work could be applied to support efforts towards sustainable rural development.
• Strengthen and explore opportunities for collaboration amongst PICTs and other organisations present.

THEME

“Enhancing Sandalwood contribution to sustainable rural development through better research and development, and extension”.

BACKGROUND

Sandalwood (Santalum spp) has considerable cultural and economic importance to many communities in Pacific island countries and territories. It is for this reason that conservation of the species is an important issue and deserves added input to ensure its sustainable management. The species high economic value coupled with its amenability to cultivation, in agroforestry systems and in plantations, has the potential to make a significant contribution to rural economies.

Sandalwood was heavily exploited in the past in the Pacific during the first half of the 19th Century. However its initial trade commenced with the introduction of Buddhism into China from India in the first century and with it came the practice of burning incense (produced from sandalwood) in temples. Later the trade expanded to the Pacific when Americans and Australians began trading with China. This trade led to the discovery of sandalwood in the Pacific, including Hawaii, and Australia. Sandalwood has also been used and traded in Indonesia for over 1000 years.

As much of the initial stands have been exploited through the Pacific, there is concern now for its survival and the habitat in which it grows. The natural regeneration or artificial establishment is dependent on suitable host plants as well as a suitable forest and agricultural environment. As Santalum species usually grow in drier open forest and woodland communities, their conservation and management will determine the conservation status of many of the Santalum species in Asia-Pacific. Santalum is generally vulnerable to fire and grazing animals, both of which are common in its habitats. For this reason, greater research and input into ways of improving stand management, introducing sandalwood in agroforestry systems, and policy requirements to conserve both the species and its habit are required.

Over the last decade, CIRAD-Foret in New Caledonia, ACIAR in Australia and Indonesia, CSIRO/SPRIG in the Pacific region and several other PICs have been carrying out research and undertaking field plantings of sandalwood. In August 1994, a regional workshop was organised by the South Pacific Forestry Development Programme in association with CIRAD-Foret and ACIAR in Noumea, New Caledonia to provide “hands-on” training on sandalwood seed, nursery and planting technology.

In 2002, SPC, with the support of CSIRO/SPRIG, ISSS-Australia, CIRAD-Foret – France, CIFOR and IAC – New Caledonia, organised a regional workshop on sandalwood which brought together participants from sandalwood-growing countries of the Pacific and Asia with the main aim of reviewing existing sandalwood research and development activities and to determine future prospects. This workshop was presented with a lot of useful work in progress, and provided an ideal opportunity to discuss this work. The workshop also made recommendations on areas that needed urgent attention.

Since 2002, a lot of work has progressed both in research and development and also extension. The planned regional workshop this year will be a timely opportunity for the relevant PICTs and agencies to present and discuss current developments with a view to determine future areas of focus.

VENUE

The workshop will be held at the Mocambo Hotel in Nadi, Fiji Islands.

DATES

The workshop will be held from 28 November – 01 December 2005.

PROGRAMME

The provisional programme is being worked out in consultation with relevant PICTs and agencies, but will be based on the following draft agenda items:

• Overview of sandalwood management and use worldwide
• Pacific perspectives
• Country reports
• Agency reports
• Technical presentations
• Field visits/demonstrations
• Discussions on how sandalwood work can be further expanded in the Pacific Islands
• Identify common grounds and agreement on a possible regional project

STRUCTURE

• The first and third days of the workshop will be set aside for presentations of country reports, agency reports, technical presentations, and follow-on discussions
• The second day will be field visits.
• The final day of the workshop has been set aside to develop recommendations for future direction, and a possible regional project to implement recommended further work on sandalwood.

SPONSORS/ORGANISERS

The workshop will be organised by the SPC Land Resources Division, and with funding support from the following programmes and agencies:

• SPC/GTZ-Pacific German Regional Forestry Project
• SPRIG/AusAID
• ACIAR
• IAC – New Caledonia

PARTICIPANTS

Participants will be from the Pacific island countries and territories, including Cook Islands, Fiji Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Niue, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and Wallis & Futuna. In addition, representatives from Australia, Indonesia, Hawaii and Timor Leste will also be invited to participate in the workshop. The main target group will be technical officers of the respective forestry agencies who are currently involved in sandalwood research and development, and extension work in their countries and territories.

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

The SPC Land Resources Division with funding support from the SPC/GTZ-Pacific German Regional Forestry Project, SPRIG/AusAID, ACIAR and IAC will sponsor the participation of all of the government nominated participants from the invited Pacific island countries. The number of participants from each participating country will be specified in the invitation letter, forming the covering letter to this Announcement. The sponsorship will include:

• A round trip or return airticket by the most direct and economical route from his/her capital town to Nadi. All tickets must be used as issued or authorized.
• Accommodation on a single or twin-share basis at the Mocambo Hotel.
• An allowance to cover all food and other personal expenses.
• An allowance to cover food, accommodation and other expenses for obligatory stopovers to and from the meeting on the basis of the travel itinerary booked by the SPC Land Resources Division.

All other participants will have to participate in the workshop at their own expense, but will still need to submit a completed registration form.

FURTHER INFORMATION

SPC Forests and Trees Adviser: spforest@spc.int