Richard Donovan

Smallholder models for certification, for planted and natural forests, have been the focus of many organizations received renewed attention in the 1990’s, and new models are under development even now. Engagement with smallholders faces many challenges that will be talked about here, NOT with the idea that certification is in fact THE answer, but what role it might play in fostering landowner engagement and improving forest practices. Public and private sector models are both instructive, though the future remains daunting.

Speaker Biography

Richard Zell Donovan is an independent forest advisor with 45+ years of experience in forest conservation, rural development, certification and restoration in 50+ countries in tropical, temperate and boreal forests. He was a founding member of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Forest Stewards Guild, and is actively involved in forestry, agriculture, climate, restoration and biomass energy certification programs globally, with emphases on innovation and new alternative approaches for smallholders, loggers and communities, but with a continuous focus on rigorous accountability. He spent 27 years as senior VP and VP of forestry at Rainforest Alliance (where he gained valuable forest auditing experience), preceded by 4 years on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica for WWF/US and the Fundacion Neotropica as a project director, 7 years with an international consulting firm, Associates in Rural Development (ARD, Inc.), 3 years as a forestry consultant and tree feller, and 3 years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay. His Master of Science degree focused on watershed management and community forestry. Richard lives in Jericho, Vermont.

Twitter handle - @RichardZDonovan

LinkedIn handle – Richard (Zell) Donovan

Blog – Pelicanzell