Natural Resources Management

Challenges

Sustainable management and the protection of forests and other natural habitats are key activities in mitigating the impacts of climate change and land degradation while conserving their biodiversity potential. The challenge is to balance these ecological concerns with the need for economic and social development, and poverty reduction. This can be achieved by boosting local stakeholders’ management capabilities and amplifying the value of products and environmental services so they can compete with non-sustainable and other types of land use. For example, when a conservation area is established, the nearby population has to balance its commitment to biodiversity protection vis-à-vis alternative sources of income and improved livelihoods.


GFA Approach and Services

The GFA approach is firmly rooted in the globally renowned German practices of sustainable forest management and nature conservation. GFA is the only German company accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council to certify forests and wood products. We put people right at the center of natural resources management. Our long-standing experience is combined with international best practices and local knowledge. GFA experts apply natural resources management (NRM) in line with economic, social and ecological criteria. We pay particular attention to national policies and institutions as crucial key factors for sustainability.

GFA addresses cross-sector and institutional issues on a global and national level. Our teams safeguard soil and water conservation as well as climate adaptation and mitigation. Reducing industrial, urban and agricultural effluents is equally important to developing multi-cropping and agro-forestry systems. Our core expertise lies in sustainable forest management. Our well qualified experts assist in forest policy reform and governance issues. Over the years, they have helped administer and manage boreal and tropical natural forests covering hundreds of thousands of hectares. Also, we support reforesting degraded lands and develop income-increasing strategies for communities dependent on forests. GFA started offering expert services related to carbon credit sales from Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) projects. This approach provides an alternative to cutting down natural forests of high ecological value to the private sector or local communities alike.

GFA experts have also been involved in a large number of nature conservation projects as technical advisors and fund managers. Our services include facilitating a dialog with local people living nearby conservation areas. Related village development concepts focus on poverty reduction and livelihood improvement. An important feature of many conservation projects implemented by GFA is the direct involvement of local communities in park management, e.g. as rangers or as entrepreneurs.