Project purpose

Two predecessor projects practically demonstrated close-to-nature and multi-purpose forest management at pilot locations, and trained stakeholders (local decision makers, practitioners, smallholders) in silvicultural and operational principles and procedures. However, further dissemination of the demonstrably successful concepts, procedures and instruments is hampered by capacity deficits - Chinese FMUs face the challenge of adapting advisory services to their respective conditions and translating them into evidence-based management decisions.

The project will specifically provide knowledge products and modular training programmes that address forestry personnel, practitioners and graduates of forestry training institutions. In addition, the project provides knowledge transfer and international exchange of experience. These services are used via two dissemination axes. In the province of Jiangxi, FMUs are supported on a case-by-case basis with advice on solving concrete management problems. The Ningbo Close-to-Nature Forest Research Centre (Zhejiang Province) is supported in the development of a needs-based service profile which, in addition to networking, publications and awareness raising, also includes various dissemination activities (e.g. training, advisory support to forestry stakeholders). Learning experiences from project implementation are prepared specifically for political decision-makers at national and provincial level.

Our activities

The project will be implemented through four processes:

1. providing demand-oriented knowledge products,
2. developing modular training offers,
3. providing demand-oriented advice to forest enterprises,
4. providing conceptual support for the Ningbo forest innovation and training centre.

The project implementation builds directly on the project services already achieved at permanent pilot and demonstration sites in Jiangxi and Zhejiang (e.g. a silviculture manual and pocket primer for forestry practitioners). The aim of the project is to institutionalise and consolidate the achievements of the German-Chinese forestry cooperation in such a way that they can be used and further developed independently and self-reliantly by the Chinese partners beyond the end of the project. The central criterion for success is the consitent orientation towards the policy goals and priorities of the national master plan for forest sector development 2016-2050.