The Program on Forests (PROFOR) announced the release of Financial and Economic Evaluation Guidelines for Community Forestry Projects in Latin America.
The guidelines consider market and non-market costs and benefits, and are available in English and Spanish.
30 January 2013: The Program on Forests (PROFOR) announced the release of a publication titled “Financial and Economic Evaluation Guidelines for Community Forestry Projects in Latin America.” The Guidelines consider market and non-market costs and benefits, and are available in English and Spanish.
Issues covered within the publication include costs, prices and projected profits associated with implementation. Methodologies are explained within the framework of differences between values and valuation approaches.
The Guide suggests a number of steps on economic valuations, including: identifying objectives and processes, collecting data on costs and production, estimating costs of inputs and price of outputs, developing flow tables and establishing budgets, performing sensitivity analysis and assessing risks and uncertainties, considering social factors, making recommendations and implementing and monitoring a selected project.
The Guidelines provide case studies and examples, including a total economic valuation of forests and community forests analysis in Mexico, a forest products analysis of Yerba Mate and Ponderosa Pine and an estimated value of tourism in forests in Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico. [Publication: Financial and Economic Evaluation Guidelines for Community Forestry Projects in Latin America]