Activities and events

Unit 5.06.01

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There are currently no activities or events involving 5.06.01 planned for 2007.

Training courses. In 2006, there was training programme conducted in Baringo District, Kenya, involving chainsaw milling of Prosopis juliflora, an exotic, drought-tolerant but invasive tree species. See the training report at http://chainsaw.gwork.org/. Those interested in organizing further training courses including chainsaw milling or other small roundwood or small-scale timber processing should contact the Coordinator.

Demonstrations. Demonstrations of chainsaw milling, appropriate for dry area timber have been conducted in 2006-07 to audiences in Africa and Europe. Four half-day demonstrations were conducted in different locations in Kenya in 2006, and several more are planned in 2007. The techniques were demonstrated at the 20th meeting of the Farm Woodland Forum in the UK in 2006, and the largest demostration of its kind, with eight different chainsaw mills, was demostrated at CIRAD, Montpellier in March 2007. Others can be arranged on request.

Workshops. Requests are invited from interested parties for the possible organisation of a meeting or workshop, from individuals and organisations, both public and private, on the theme of 'Utilisation of dry area timber'.

Books. Discussions are underway with potential publishers for the production of a book, provisionally entitled 'Desert Hardwoods – Production, Quality and Marketability'. Experts in dryland timber species who may wish to contribute a chapter, or who have suggestions as to other potential titles, are invited to contact the Coordinator.