New and Forthcoming PPI Resources
Here are the most recent PPI publications, organized under Books, PPI Papers, and Knowledge Exchange Manuals. Follow the links in each section to other publications that may be of interest. Please note: PPI books are available through PPI's Amazon Bookstore. Other resources may be downloaded. For all others, please contact the PPI office to obtain a copy.
Books
People and Plants books contain guidelines, methodologies and case-studies on major themes related to the conservation of biocultural diversity. Building on the series of books produced by the 12-year People and Plants Initiative, the People and Plants Conservation Series forms a valuable ethnobotanical library, based on the practical work and experience of PPI collaborators.
Wild Product Governance: Finding Policies that
Work for Non-Timber Forest Products
Sarah A. Laird, Rebecca McClain and Rachel Wynberg 
April 2010
Products from the wild, also known as non-timber forest products (NTFPs), are used as medicines, foods, spices, and a multitude of other purposes. They contribute substantially to rural livelihoods, generate revenue for companies and governments, and have a range of impacts on biodiversity conservation. However, throughout the world NTFPs have been both overlooked and poorly regulated by governments. Inappropriate policies have not only led to over-exploitation but have also generated new forms of inequity. This book reviews these experiences and aims to provide information to support new policy approaches towards NTFP regulation and the broader issues of governance associated with these products. The volume includes cases from around the world, a review of literature and resources, and an annotated bibliography linked to the People and Plants International website.
‘This timely book does a terrific job of providing a context for improving policies related to the harvest and trade of wild resources. What are the major issues, what works, what clearly doesn’t work, and what are the best alternatives? There is a lot to absorb - and hopefully apply - here. The editors are to be congratulated for assembling such a thoughtful and informative collection of papers.’ Charles M. Peters, Ph.D., Kate E. Tode Curator of Botany, The New York Botanical Garden
'It is high time to move from anecdotes and eclectic studies on NTFPs to democratic and sustainable plans that foster diverse livelihoods and new relationships to nature. In an exciting work of truly global scope -- drawing on experiences from Mexico to India -- Laird, McLain, and Wynberg have done just that, assembling readable and cutting-edge proposals, which link grounded cases with general principles to fundamentally rethink the rules that govern forests around the world..' Paul Robbins, Professor and Head, School of Geography and Development, University of Arizona, USA
Purchase a copy here.
A policy brief with findings from this study is available: Wild Product Governance: laws and policies for sustainable and equitable non-timber forest product use. Download PDF English
Human Health and Forests: A Global Overview of
Issues, Practice and Policy
Carol J. P. Colfer, 2008 
This book, written for a broad audience, is the first comprehensive introduction to the issues surrounding the health of people living in and around forests, particularly in Asia, South America and Africa. Part I is a set of synthesis chapters, addressing policy, public health, environmental conservation, and ecological perspectives on health and forests including women and child health, medicinal plants and viral diseases such as Ebola, SARS and Nipah Encephalitis. Part II takes a multi-lens approach to lead the reader to a more concrete and holistic understanding using case studies from around the world that cover issues as important as the links between HIV/AIDs and the forest sector and diet and health. Part III looks at the specific challenges to health care delivery in forested areas including remoteness and the integration of traditional medicine with modern health care.
PPI Papers
Compiled here are recent papers by PPI Steering Committee Members, Associates and Affiliates organized by program area. Most titles are accessible in PDF format. For other PPI papers, please click here. For archived PPI publications, please click here.
HEALTH AND HABITAT
Cunningham, A. B., P. Shanley, and S. Laird. Health, Habitats and Medicinal Plant Use. Chapter in Human Health and Forests: A Global Overview of Issues, Practice and Policy. London, England: Earthscan, 2008. Download PDF English
NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS
Shanley, P. and M. Stockdale. 2008. Traditional Knowledge, Forest Management, and Certification: A Reality Check in Forests, Trees and Livelihoods (18):00-00. Download PDF English
POLICY AND TRADE
Laird, S. and R. Wynberg. 2008. Bioprospecting: Securing a Piece of the Pie in World Conservation 38(1): 28-29. Download PDF English.
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.2008. (authors Laird, S. and R. Wynberg). Access and Benefit-Sharing in Practice: Trends in Partnership Across Sectors. Montreal, Technical Series No. 38, 140 pages. Download PDF English.
Laird, S., C. Monagle and S. Johnston. 2008. Queensland Biodiscovery Collaboration:The Griffith University AstraZeneca Partnership for Natural Product Discovery - An Access & Benefit Sharing Case Study. United Nations University - Institute of Advanced Studies. Yokohama, 58 pages. This study examines the Natural Product Discovery partnership between Griffith University, an Australian university based in the State of Queensland and the pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca. Download PDF English.
Laird, S., S. Johnston and R. Wynberg. 2008. An International Dialogue for Informing Access and Benefit-Sharing in Business 2010 January 2008: 30-31. Download PDF English.
Wynberg, R. and S. Laird. 2007. Bioprospecting: Tracking the Policy Debate in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development 49(10): 20-32. Download PDF English.
Wynberg, R. and S. Laird. 2007. Less is often more: governance of a non-timber forest product, marula (Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra) in southern Africa. International Forestry Review 9(1): 475-90. Download PDF English.
Knowledge Exchange Manuals
knowledge exchange manuals have been created by PPI to assist local groups make informed choices and encourage sustainable and equitable practices. For other knowledge exchange manuals, click here. Please contact PPI to obtain a copy or for more information about them.
Uso y Manejo de los Copales Aromáticos: Resinas y Aceites 
S. Purata Velarde, 2008
This manual is written for people from rural communities to collect or extract copal resins and aromatic oils from different species of Bursera in a sustainable manner. The manual has general information on the production of resins and aromatic oils, historic uses of these materials, as well as explanations of the technical-scientific concepts necessary to understand the principles of sustainable management of non-timber forest products. Download the guide PDF Español
Guía Práctica Forestal de Silvicultura Comunitaria ;)
P. Gerez Fernández and S. Purata Velarde, 2008
This practical forest management guide is directed towards community forests managers who desire to use their natural resources in a sustainable manner. The guide includes topics such as the history of community forestry in Mexico, understanding the ecosystem, conducting forest inventories, sustainable harvesting and other benefits or uses of forests such as carbon sequestration and ecotourism. Download the guide PDF Español.