CSFEP Newsletter, November 2024

In this issue, we cover:

• A year of biobased construction innovations in Africa?
• A multi-media exploration of forests and forest products?
• A report exploring the promise of a forest-based bioeconomy in Africa?

CSFEP and Partners on the Ground?

2024: A year of biobased construction innovations in Africa?

Throughout 2024, African businesses and collaboratives continued to drive exciting innovation across the continent.

In this article, we share three inspiring stories of progress:

In 2024, BOXA Possibilities completed its first Tanzanian project using a pioneering mass timber building system. The system uses engineered timber components and designs that substantially reduce?embodied carbon, environmental impact, and life-cycle costs. The model allows for rapid assembly and disassembly, requires?no water?or?cement, and generates no?waste on site.

In South Africa, Growing Timber Connections launched a recurring series of collaborative events, by the same name to grow regional collaboration. Since 2023, the group has produced a timber construction conference, colloquium, and design competition.

Meanwhile, Easy Housing expanded to Kenya, bringing ?its model of affordable, sustainable biobased housing model from Uganda, where it is anchored. Operating across a growing number of countries—including Mozambique, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania—and now Kenya—the company offers two, three,?and?four-bedroom homes to suit diverse family needs.

To read more about what each of these organisations are doing– and learn more about the growing momentum for biobased construction on the African continent – visit the article.

These organisations are part of the Biobased Construction Africa learning community, facilitated by CSFEP. For information about joining that community, contact Bongiwe Shongwe at [email protected].

Science-to-Action?

The Future of Timber: A multi-media exploration of forests and forest products?

Evolving Forests has launched a new multi-media platform that explores the future of timber through a comprehensive research project. This initiative, which involved conversations with over 200 stakeholders from across the European timber value chain, seeks to bridge the gap between those who grow timber and professionals in the built environment.??

The project highlights five themes: species; bioregionalism; responsibility; investment; and radical realism.???

In the “species” section, for example, Evolving Forests explored how changes in forestry practices will shape the future of the timber supply chain.??

Currently, in response to climate change--and to reduce the risk of catastrophic forest collapse caused by relying on just a few species--many foresters are turning to species diversification. Over time, these practices will impact timber availability, requiring built environment professionals to expand their use of different wood species.??

For instance, in Europe, where most construction relies on softwoods, foresters are increasingly introducing hardwoods better suited to the new conditions. As a result, buildings of the future may need to be designed by first asking, “What mix of species are available regionally?” The platform highlights one example from Lugo, Spain, where a building was designed using spruce, pine, and eucalyptus—because these were the species found in the nearby forests.??

The Future of Timber project was undertaken with support from Built by Nature , Forestry Commission , The Scottish Forestry Trust , and EGGER Group .??

To explore the platform yourself, visit: https://www.evolvingforests.com/future-of-timber?

In the News?

New report explores the promise of a forest-based bioeconomy in Africa

A new report, Building a sustainable bioeconomy in Africa through forest products—trends, opportunities, and challenges, by 联合国粮农组织 and Dalberg Catalyst , examines the potential of Africa’s forests to support a sustainable bioeconomy--if the continent can overcome its unique challenges.??

The report highlights promising opportunities for industries such as wood processing, construction, and domestic ecotourism to increase use of wood, a renewable resource, in lieu of high-carbon alternatives like concrete and steel. This shift could add $1T to the economy and 100M new green jobs by 2050.??

For a successful transition to a forest-based bioeconomy, write the report’s authors, Africa must focus on the sustainable management of natural forests and plantations, plant new forests, and increase use of agroforestry. Currently, Africa has the highest deforestation rate in the world, as a result of activities such as agricultural expansion or fuelwood collection—themselves driven by local population growth and global demand.??

In addition, Africa must enhance forest resilience to climate change—and address obstacles related to its complex land tenure systems, limited technology use in forest value chains, and a shortage of high-level skills.??

To read the full report, visit the FAO webpage.??

About CSFEP

The Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) partners with communities, small businesses, governments, and actors in the enabling ecosystem to create local coalitions that redesign forest-related value chains for climate, biodiversity, and prosperity.? It envisions a different future for forest economies: one that restores, not depletes, natural resources; reduces, not increases, emissions from value chains; and safeguards, not exploits, interests of smallholder and forest-dwelling communities[1].

We are always open to new partnerships – please contact us to discuss further.

[1] Clay K, Cooper L.?Safeguarding against Harm in a Climate-Smart Forest Economy: Definitions, Challenges, and Solutions.?Sustainability. 2022.