• ELECTRONIC DATA SOLUTIONS AND TAYLOR CONSULTING - (http://www.geoposition.com).  They are proud to bring you a new on-line mall of geospatial products and resources. You will find pricing and information for Trimble GPS, ESRI ArcView products, Laser Tech. rangefinders, Juniper Systems Field Computers, DataPlus software, and Hydrolab water quality instrumentation. Go to http://www.geoposition.com/gps_gis_lists.asp for any and all questions regarding GIS, GPS, and Trimble Products, plus additional online support for your products or business.  Let us know how the Internet can help your business and let us assist you with a solution.

• HAGLOF Inc., manufacture of quality forestry measurement instruments.  Their Mantax Computer Caliper enables the user to quickly and accurately measure and store data with one instrument.  For more information on the Mantax Computer Caliper, or other instruments like the Vertex Hypsometer visit Haglof Inc. at www.haglof.net or contact them via e-mail at haglofinc@aol.com .

• THE BEN MEADOWS COMPANY, their 500 paged forestry product catalog featuring over 9,000 products, is the only tool you need as an outdoor professional!  Their products range from compasses to drip torches, visit their web site to order your free catalog at: http://www.benmeadows.com/international/lang.html or request a copy at export@benmeadows.com.   They ship worldwide and maintain stock in their warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, USA for fast delivery to your door.

NATURESERVE - AN ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE - NatureServe is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals, and ecological communities of the United States and Canada. NatureServe provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe is a product of the Association for Biodiversity Information in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network and may be seen at http://www.natureserve.org/

NEW FIU SUBCRIBERS- FIU is pleased to welcome:

• David Camilleri - David is an artist turned activist to protect birds in Malta.  You may visit his web page at http://homepage.mac.com/davidcam/awareness  or contact him at malta@bravenet.net. For information about the Malta Tourist Action - Saving the migratory birds of Europe and Africa see: http://marathonandmore.tripod.com/ornimalta-tourism.html
• John W. Groninger, Assistant Professor of Silviculture, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901 USA. You may reach John at groninge@siu.edu.
• Tim Baker - a tropical forest ecologist working at Leeds University, UK, Tim can be reached at T.Baker@geography.leeds.ac.uk.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

• BIOMASS EQUATIONS SOUGHT - Mi amigo, Javier Martinez-Millán, writes "I am looking for data on biomass equations and biomass components percentages of the following tree species: Castanea  sp., Eucaliptus globulus, Eucaliptus camaldulensis (rostrata), Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus sp., Juglans sp., Olea sp., Pinus sylvestris, Quercus ilex, Quercus robur (and petraea), Populus nigra and Ulmus sp. Could you help me?" Please contact Prof. Javier Martinez-Millán. E.T.S.I. de Montes. Ciudad Universitaria. Madrid. Email: jmmillan@montes.upm.es

• FORESTRY SCHOOL CHRONOLOGY - John Dargavel writes, "We are seeking information about when forestry education started in different countries. So far we have information mainly from Europe and North America, but developing copuntries are under-represented. We would be most appreciative of information about any countries (boundaries as at 2000)."  If you can help please contact John at John.Dargavel@anu.edu.au.

• IMPORTANCE OF AGROFORESTRY - Help! I am trying to get some statistics on the importance of agroforestry globally, regionally or even nationally - how many ha fall under agroforestry management systems and  what percent of the world's food and wood supply comes from such systems. If you have any information or suggestions whom I should contact, please let me know.  Oh, by the way, I have assembled definitions of agroforestry, forest health, sustainable forest management, urban forestry and related terms and posted to the web at  http://home.att.net/~gklund/moredef.htm. Please let me know if you have any additions or corrections. Thanks, Gyde (gklund@att.net).

• WHEN IS CHANGE CHANGE? - Marion Obbink writes, "I am interested assessing change in the 'change processes' occurring in tropical rain forest areas. As you know, high resolution satellite remote sensing data are often used to assess land cover / land use changes in tropical rain forest areas (Landsat TM, Spot, ERS-Sar, etc.). A data-driven approach is mainly applied. This means that the pixel is the measurement resolution, and changes are measured via a pixel-by-pixel comparison. Such a pixel-by-pixel comparison does not reveal any information about change processes operating in tropical rain forest areas. Change processes are for instance, logging, fire, grazing, shifting cultivation, local 'usage',  etc.. These change processes occur often at supra-pixel level. This can be viewed on the image as land cover patterns (the object). So, what I want is to measure if these patterns are moved into other patterns over a period of time and ultimately to give information on change processes in tropical rain forest areas. The problem is to define the level(s) of land cover composites composing such patterns, in order to distinct between internal variation (remaining the same pattern) and external.variation (changing to or moving to another pattern). To define the level of land cover composites one has to define the extent of the change processes. So, what would you consider a change when you had to monitor changes in tropical rain forest areas? For example: just a removal of a tree by local encroachment can be considered as having the same impact as a natural gap, so this is a 'no-change' situation for a forest. But, with increasing human encroachment, when will this turn into a 'yes-change' situation? The example has human encroachment as the process of change but what are the considerations for other change processes operating in tropical rain forest areas like logging, fire, grazing, shifting cultivation, etc? So, when and how to differentiate between 'no-change' and 'yes-change'??"  You may contact Marion at the Laboratory GIRS, Centre for Geo-information, Wageningen University and Research,  PO Box 339,  6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands. Tel: ++31 317 474721. Email: marion.obbink@staff.girs.wag-ur.nl. URL: http://cgi.girs.wageningen-ur.nl/cgi

• SIMPLE INVENTORY TRAINING - Martin Greijmans writes, "We have a 'Partnership in Conservation' component in our program (Forest Genetic Resources Conservation and Management program, FORGENMAP, Thailand) we soon organise a training course in which local people and local foresters will be trained in ecological monitoring techniques undertaken in a participatory way. What I am looking for is some proven techniques to teach simple inventory methods, from which through simple analysis good information for planning sustainable natural resources management becomes available. The areas under this partnership in conservation study, are degraded forest areas in which local people make use of the land, not always in a legal or sustainable way. Through joint activities the study wants to create more trust between the parties and building up respect through joint efforts to understand each other and each others activities in the forest area. This planned forest assessment will hopefully help to create better working relationships for future management activities." If you have any suggestions, please contact Martin at FORGENMAP (room 308), Royal Forest Department, Forest Research Office, Silviculture Research Division, Pahonyothin Road, Chatuchak, 10900, Bangkok, Thailand. Tel/Fax: +02 662 9407396 or 4292-3 ext. 432. Email: mgreijm@yahoo.com. URL http://www.geocities.com/mgreijm

• TWO VACANCIES AT UNEP/WCMC, Cambridge, UK.
• 1. World Conservation Monitoring Centre Divisional Director for Conventions & Policy Support. The new Divisional Director will be responsible for developing vision and strategic direction, and will oversee the work of four Heads of Programmes and their teams. The Divisional Director will have: * International standing in the fora of the biodiversity-related conventions, and an excellent knowledge of their objectives and needs * Sound education in biological sciences or related disciplines, and an appreciation of the need to communicate in policy-relevant terms * Experience in managing teams engaged in policy relevant research and analysis, often in complex projects in association with partner organisations worldwide * Excellent skills in resource mobilisation, management and communication with scientific and policy communities. The position is for a renewable two-year term with a negotiable starting date (preferably 2 January 2001). The position is locally employed (not a UN post) and attracts a competitive salary in the range £36,000 to £45,000 according to experience, plus a pension and life insurance package. Application is by covering letter and detailed curriculum vitae to arrive by 10 October.
• 2. Divisional Director for Information Services. The new Divisional Director will be responsible for developing vision and strategic direction, and will oversee the work of up to four Heads of Programmes and their teams (including a proposed new Programme for Education Services). The Divisional Director will have: * International standing as an information specialist, preferably with experience and contacts in intergovernmental initiatives and conventions, web-based services, education and libraries * Sound education to degree level in information sciences or related disciplines, a commitment to users, and an appreciation of the need to communicate in policy-relevant terms * Experience in managing teams engaged in information services and projects, often in association with partner organisations worldwide * Excellent skills in resource mobilisation, management and communication with scientific and policy communities. The position is for a renewable two-year term with a negotiable starting date (preferably 2 January 2001). The position is locally employed (not a UN post) and attracts a competitive salary in the range £36,000 to £40,000 according to experience, plus a pension and life insurance package. Application is by covering letter and detailed curriculum vitae to arrive by 17 October.
• If you would like more information for either position, please visit our website: http://www.wcmc.org, or contact our Head of Personnel Denise Rowllings.  Initial interviews will be held by telephone during the week of 23 October. Please send all communications to: Denise Rowllings, Head of Personnel, UNEP-WCMC, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK. Tel:+44 (0)1223 277314, Fax: +44 (0)1223 277136. Email: denise.rowllings@wcmc.org .

• INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS SOUGHT - Dr. Muhammad Ashraf writes, "The Government of Sri Lanka Ministry of Forestry & Environment, has received a loan from Asian Development Bank is seeking the services of International and Domestic consultants for their technical assistant input for implementation of and Asian Development Bank funded Forest Resource Management Project . We wish to join other international consultancy firms who may be interested. The staff of M/s..Envoforestry (Pvt) Ltd, Lahore. Pakistan has experience in preparing such plans. Their last contribution was in the preparation of Forestry Sector Master Plan of Pakistan -  a project financed by ADB, FAO & others international organisations. Envoforestry (Pvt.) Ltd. can provide expertise of international standard. We are looking forward to hearing from interested parties. The last dated of receipt of EOI by the concerned is 8th November 2000." If interested, please contact Dr. M. Ashraf, Envoforestry (Pvt.)Ltd.. 415-W, L.C.C.H.S., Lahore - Pakistan. Fax No. 0092-42-5724773. Email: envofor@wol.net.pk

• POST DOCTORAL FELLOW POSITION - A Post Doctoral Fellow position in the area of forest economics and policy is available at the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida. The position is open as soon as a suitable candidate is found. At present funding is available up to four years. Applicants must have an earned PhD in the area of forest economics, resource economics, agricultural economics, or a closely related field. Applicants should have strong quantitative, analytical, and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to conduct research with a high level of independence is required. Experience in environmental economic modeling is highly desirable. The successful candidate is responsible to conduct applied economic research in agriculture/forestry. Some of the possible research topics include, but not limited to: economic analysis of carbon sequestration, outdoor recreation, and soil erosion; forest products trade; and general equilibrium analysis of programs/policies. Salary will commensurate with training and experience. Interested candidates should submit a letter of application, CV, and names and address of three references (including phone number and e-mail addresses) to Janaki R.R. Alavalapati, Assistant Professor, School of Forest Resources and Conservation; University of Florida; PO Box 110410; Gainesville, FL 32611 USA; Tel: +1-352-846-0899; Fax: +1-352-846-1277; Email: janaki@ufl.edu. For more information about the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, please visit http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/mainmenu.html.

• RE-ANNOUNCEMENT - SENIOR FORESTRY OFFICER (Global Forest Resources Assessment)  FAO, Rome, Italy.  Duration of assignment - three years. Organizational Unit  Forest Resources Development Service Forest Resources Division Forestry. VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT No.: 390-FOR. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 27 October 2000 Under the overall guidance of Director Forest Resources Division, support the generation and dissemination of reliable up-to-date information on the state and changes in the world's forest resources as input to the periodic global forest resources assessments. Specifically to: Ensure the further development of the global forest resources assessment programme in collaboration with national, regional, and international organizations, partners and donors; coordinate and supervise data collection, processing and evaluation of forest inventory and forest resources assessment at national, regional and global levels, based on existing, country-derived and other reliable information, objective sample surveys and remote sensing; supervise the further development and ensure the maintenance of the existing electronic information system (FORIS) for data archiving, and processing;  promote the wide use of state-of-the-art technology and foster the development and application of appropriate technologies and techniques in the field of forest resources assessment;  supervise and carry out training and foster capacity building within the context of the forest resources assessment programme;  provide guidance and day-to-day supervision of staff ensuring overall coordination of activities and plan and initiate related personnel and administrative actions;  serve as focal point for collaboration with other divisions and departments concerned with this and related subject matters, and ensure that due consideration is given in the global surveys to the multiple roles and functions of forests, including soil and water protection, environmental and biological diversity conservation, the provision of wood and non-wood resources etc.;  catalyze and help coordinate donor and in-kind support to the forest resources assessment programme,  perform other related duties as required. Qualifications and experience - Essential  Advanced University degree and/or post-graduate studies in forestry, (M.Sc. or above), with specialization or focus on forest inventory, forest mensuration, or forest resources assessment.  10 years of progressively responsible experience in the field of forest resources assessment or forest inventory. Experience in these fields in developing countries. Experience in project development, execution and management, including planning and supervisory work, and preparation and conduct of meetings.  Working knowledge (Level C) of English. French, or Spanish and limited knowledge (Level B) of one or the other two.  Qualifications and experience - Desirable  PhD level degree in subject of relevance to post. Experience of UN activities and procedures, familiarity with forestry activities at international level. Relevant forest resources experience in tropical countries. Experience in data processing, database management, image processing, GIS and electronic information systems. Level P-5 carries a net salary per year (inclusive of a variable element for post adjustment) from US$ 64060 to US$ 76631 (without dependents) and from US$ 68956 to US$ 83216 (with dependents). APPLICATIONS: (in all cases quote the vacancy announcement number) to:  Chief: Forest Resources Development Service (FORM) - FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla - 00100 Rome ITALY - Fax No. +39 06 5705 5137.

• Acharya, B. et al. 2000. Systematic adaptive cluster sampling for the assessment of rare tree species in Nepal. Forest Ecology and Management 137(1-3):65-73. http://www.elsevier.nl/inca/publications/store/5/0/3/3/1/0/index.htt
• Anderson, S.C. et al. 2000. Estimating forest crown area removed by selection cutting: a linked regression-GIS approach based on stump diameters. Forest Ecology and Management 137(1-3):171-177. http://www.elsevier.nl/inca/publications/store/5/0/3/3/1/0/index.htt
• Banner, Allen; MacKenzie, Will. 2000. The ecology of wetland ecosystems. Extension Note 45. 12 p. B.C. Ministry of Forests, Prince Rupert Forest Region, Bag 5000, 3726 Alfred Avenue, Smithers, BC V0J 2N0, Canada. Tel: +1-250-847-7500.
• Blinn,  Charles R.; Burk,Thomas E. 1998. Sampling and Measuring Timber in the Private Woodland. FO-3025-GO. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD3025.html#toc
• Economic and Social Council. 2000.  Integrated Planning and Management of land resources. Report of the Secretary-General. E/CN.17/2000/6.  Eighth session 24 April-5 May 2000. UN Commission on Sustainable Development. http://www.un.org/documents/ecosoc/cn17/2000/ecn172000-6.htm
• Fried, Jeremy S. et al. n.d. GIS approaches to targeted siting of riparian buffer strips: trade-offs between realism and complexity. http://www.sbg.ac.at/geo/idrisi/gis_environmental_modeling/sf_papers/fried_jeremy/friedsf.html
• Ingerson, Alice E.;  Bernstein, Susan. N.d.  Are You Ready for GIS? http://www.icls.harvard.edu/gis/mgmt4.htm#productivity
• Katila, M. et al. 2000.  Calibration of small-area estimates for map errors in multisource forest inventory.  Can. J. For. Res. 30: 1329-1339.  http://www.nrc.ca/cgi-bin/cisti/journals/rp/rp_absy_e?cjfr_x99-234_30_ns_nf
• Lebel, L.; Steffen, W. (Eds) 1998.  Global Environmental Change and Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia: Science Plan for a SARCS Integrated Study.  Southeast Asian Regional Committee for START (SARCS). SARCS: Thailand. http://www.icsea.or.id/issp/isspindx.htm
• MacLean, D.A., et al.  2000. Spruce Budworm Decision Support System: lessons learned in development and implementation. Computers and Electronics in Agric. 27:293-314.
• MacLean, D.A., et al. 2000. Use of forest inventory and monitoring data in the Spruce Budworm Decision Support System. Computers and Electronics in Agric. 28:101-118.
• Ringvall, Anna et al. 2000. A field test of surveyors' influence on estimates in line transect sampling. Forest Ecology and Management 137(1-3):103-111. http://www.elsevier.nl/inca/publications/store/5/0/3/3/1/0/index.htt
• Ruiz Pérez, M.,  et al. 2000. Spatial characterisation of non-timber forest products markets in the humid forest zone of Cameroon. International Forestry Review 2(2):71
• Standen, V. 2000.  The adequacy of collecting techniques for estimating species richness of grassland invertebrates. Journal of Applied Ecology 37(5):884-893.
• WRI. 2000. Canada's Forests at a Crossroads: An Assessment in the Year 2000. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. -  http://www.igc.org/wri/gfw/canada.html

12 October 2000. Capturing the Value of Forest Carbon for Local Livelihoods. Seminar, Washington, DC. 1200-1300 hrs. USDA Forest Service, 1099 14th Street, NW, Suite 5500W, Washington D.C. USA. Tel: Allison Hoover +1-202-273-4738.

12 October 2000. IV Annual FAGIS Conference - Management of Spatial Data - Capturing, Analysis, and Presentation. Contact: Sharon Barkhuizen, Geographical Solutions International,. Tel: +27 51 522 8095. Email: info@gsi.co.za.

17 October 2000. GIS Ireland 2000. GIS and the Environment: Climate Change and other Impacts. Malahide, Ireland. Contact: IRLOGI. Tel: +353-1-6082544.  Fax: +353-1-67730721. Email: info@irlogi.ie. URL: www.irlogi.ie

9-10 November 2000. Local Level Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management:  Putting Knowledge into Practice. Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. Registration: $200. For more info go to  http://www.modelforest.net/e/home_/indexe.html.  You can register directly from the web site at: http://www.modelforest.net/e/what_/nanaimo/form.html or Maureen Whelan, Strategic Projects Coordinator at Tel: +1-613-947-9048 or by e-mail at mawhelan@nrcan.gc.ca

28-30 May 2001. Urban Greenspace in the 21st Century - Urban Greening as a Development Tool. St. Petersburg, Russia. Contact person: Andrey V. Selikhovkin, Prof. Dr., Vice-rector of Forest Technical Academy (FTA). E-mail: Selichovkin@mailbox.alkor.ru

INVENTORY/MAPPING

• The GIS Primer - http://www.innovativegis.com/education/primer/concepts.html
• USDA Forest Service 1999 forest inventory and monitoring biometricians workshop.  Results - http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/ftcol/rwu4804/FIMbio5_99.htm
• Volunteer-Based Urban Forest Inventory and Monitoring Programs -http://wcufre.ucdavis.edu/imwsproc.htm
• Wisconsin Initiative for Statewide Cooperation on Landscape Analysis and Data - http://feature.geography.wisc.edu/sco/wiscland/wiscland.html

• What goods and services does biodiversity provide? - http://www.nrel.colostate.edu/IBOY/goods_services.html
• Values of Biodiversity -  http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/bio65/lec07/b65lec07.htm
• Nature Reserves and Flora - http://www.euronet.nl/users/mbleeker/urlists/natareas.html#asi

REFERENCES

• Power Analysis - http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/stpowan.html#index
• The 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - http://www.redlist.org/
• What is a dollar worth? - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) - http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/economy/calc/cpihome.html

--
H. Gyde Lund
Forest Information Services
8221 Thornwood Ct.
Manassas, VA 20110-4627 USA
Voice: +1-703-368-7219, Fax: +1-703-257-1419
Email: gklund@worldnet.att.net
URL: http://home.att.net/~gklund
"Specializing in Web searches and information synthesis"