Two regional workshops on chainsaw milling were recently concluded in Accra, Ghana (25-26 May, 2009), and Georgetown, Guyana (8-9 July, 2009). Each workshop presented case studies on the causes and consequences of chainsaw milling and the way in which this practice has been managed in a variety of countries in Africa, the Guiana Shield and the Caribbean. Participants identified best practices and discussed options by which governments could balance the positive and negative aspects of chainsaw milling.  More than 150 participants from forest departments, researchers, chainsaw operators, sawmillers, forest communities and numerous other stakeholders participated in these workshops.

The experiences from these regional meetings will be summarized in a synthesis paper with recommendations on policy options and models for aligning the chainsaw milling practice with sustainable forest management and rural livelihoods. The synthesis paper will be discussed and refined during a global e-conference. The outputs of these exercises will be documented in a publication of the European Tropical Forest Research Network (ETFRN) News.

Proceedings
Case studies and country reports
Draft synthesis presentations
Opening statements