Significant volumes of timber are illegally felled, processed and traded every year. Illegal logging and associated trade are a complex issue with far-reaching environmental, social and economic consequences. Various stakeholders at the local, national and international levels are making efforts to address the issue. Several governments are in the process of rationalizing their legal and policy framework, building institutional capacity to foster better law compliance and gathering additional data on the extent and nature of illegal operations. Private initiatives such as forest certification, voluntary corporate codes of conduct, independent monitoring of forest operations and log tracking are also contributing to fighting forest crime. This publication provides an overview of these experiences and analyses available knowledge in a set of best practices drawn from 11 country case studies.

Every two seconds, across the world, an area of forest the size of a football field is clear-cut by illegal loggers. In some countries, up to 90% of all the logging taking place is illegal. It is estimated that this criminal activity generates approximately US $10-15 bn annually worldwide.

These guidelines - intended for a global audience of decision-makers, civil servants, policy advisors and other stakeholders - promote urban and peri-urban forests as a way of meeting the needs of cities for environmental services. They will also raise community awareness on the positive contributions that urban and peri-urban forests can make to city life and their essential role in global sustainability.

This guide suggests ways to design and implement forest-based interventions that have the greatest potential to reduce poverty. Areas for action include timber production in both natural and planted forests, non-wood forest products, woodfuel, bushmeat, agroforestry and payment for environmental services. For each topic, the guide outlines key issues, summarizes successful case studies and identifies sources of additional information. The document highlights the importance of using participatory approaches and of tailoring activities to local circumstances. Emphasis is on making changes that will improve the livelihoods of people living in or near forests, and on helping users to gain a better understanding of the forms of rural poverty and of how decisions made at the local level affect segments of poor rural communities in different ways - women, children and the elderly being the most vulnerable. The guide will be of interest to forestry and rural development practitioners and the communities they serve, including district forestry officials, extension workers, local planners and administrators, and owners of small-scale enterprises and their employees.

This book is dedicated to forest ecology and conservation on ecological and conservation aspects of forest. The book is divided into two sections: the first section "Forest Ecology" with four chapters deals with forest ecological aspects, while the second section "Forest Conservation" with two chapters looks into new techniques for conserving the forests. This book will bridge the gaps in the knowledge about some new emerging issues on forest ecology and conservation. It will be an interesting and helpful resource to all those in the field of forestry working for its sustainable use and conservation.

'Graycar and Smith's excellent edited volume studies corruption as a pervasive, global phenomenon. The chapters move from general overviews to in-depth studies of corruption-prone sectors such as forestry, financial markets, public procurement, and trade in diamonds and art. The volume is an important, contribution to the international study of corruption that mixes scholarly analysis with practical recommendations for the control and prevention of corruption – both international initiatives and country – or sector-specific policies.' – Susan Rose-Ackerman, Yale Law School, US 'Corruption is on top of the agendas of practitioners and scholars in public administration all over the world. This volume addresses questions no one can neglect and comes up with answers we should not miss.' – Leo Huberts, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands 'This Handbook will serve as an invaluable resource for scholars, students and public officials interested in understanding corruption and its control.' – James B. Jacobs, NYU School of Law, US Corruption is a global phenomenon with costs estimated to be in the trillions of dollars. This source of original research and policy analysis deals with the most important concepts and empirical evidence in foreign corrupt practices globally. Handbook of Global Research and Practice in Corruption includes research from all continents and provides a critical analysis of the key issues of corruption and its control. Through rigorous analysis and theoretical foundations, this book provides a multi-disciplinary and international account of corruption from the perspectives of public policy, criminal law and criminology, as well as considering principles of prevention and control in both the public and private sectors. With original and empirical analyses, this unique book will appeal to academics, researchers and students in international business and international law, staff of crime and corruption commissions and police integrity agencies, as well as international organisations such as the World Bank, IMF, Transparency International and the World Economic Forum.