22 July 2011: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) has awarded 25 fellowships to promote human resource development and to strengthen professional expertise in ITTO member countries in tropical forestry and related disciplines.

The awardees, from 20 different countries, include nine female fellows. Most fellowships were awarded for graduate-level research at the Masters and Doctorate levels, while some awards went towards participation in short courses and training programmes. Some fellowships were awarded for participation in conferences related to tropical forests, including on community forestry and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD). The goal of the Freezailah Fellowship Fund is to promote the sustainable management of tropical forests, the efficient use and processing of tropical timber, and better economic information about the international trade in tropical timber. The fellowships are awarded on a biannual basis. [ITTO Press Release]