Transcript Document

From sustainable forest management to sustainable mining: Using lessons learned of the Tropical
Forest Foundation and Virginia Tech to develop a joint research and outreach program
Tom Hammett, Department of Wood Science and Forest Products [email protected] and
and John Chermak, Department of Geosciences [email protected]
The Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF) has developed a system
that fosters sustainable forest management through best timber
harvesting practices. The system, Reduced Impact Logging (RIL),
ensures that forests are harvested using efficient utilization and harvest
techniques including road building, skidding, and log merchandizing.
Trial operations and training centers have been established in Guyana,
Brazil, Indonesia and Central Africa. Several large forest products
companies agreed to use the system and label their forest products as
meeting the RIL standards. Many private sector and donor
organizations support training local forest land managers and harvest
equipment operators on how to minimize the impact of timber
harvesting through RIL. We have found that RIL has had numerous
positive impacts on the environment which include; decreased soil
erosion, improved water quality in down gradient streams, harvesting
practices that do not encourage wildlife or valuable plant poaching.
There is need to develop a similar set of guidelines for
sustainable mining practices. The joint TFF/VT program focused on
issues surrounding sustainable mining that will involve faculty and
students from several VT units including the departments of
Geosciences, Wood Science and Forest Products, Forestry, and Mining
Engineering. One of the goals of the program will be to reduce
environmental impacts caused by mining in developing countries. The
joint strategy will include a verifiable system to minimize the
environmental impact of mining. For instance, training programs may
include how to collect baseline data before mining operations begin,
monitoring operations as they occur, and measuring the impacts and
defining the needs to remediate at the completion of operations.
Our poster describes efforts –based on the RIL experience - to set
sustainable mining standards and conduct training for the mining
sector. Opportunities for research, extension/outreach, and study
abroad and on-campus education and training programs will be
explored and defined.
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Key questions include:
1) Is sustainable mining possible?
2) Do you have experience in issues associated with or
related to sustainable mining?
3) Are you interested in collaborating on this effort?