Partners
Tropenbos Suriname
Tropenbos Suriname (TBS) strives for a world in which tropical forests and trees are sustainable managed by strong institutions and individuals at all levels.
As a member of the Tropenbos International network, TBS has been carrying out project activities in Suriname since 2003 with the mission of promoting sustainable management of tropical forests and trees for the benefit of healthy ecosystems and human well-being.
TBS has 15 years of experience in supporting the forest -and nature sector in Suriname, with a transformation of the focus from sustainable forest management, productive landscapes and forest dependent livelihoods towards: Climate-smart landscapes, healthy ecosystems and resilient communities.
Applying a landscape approach is central to achieving the TBS mission. This is an integral approach that looks at different landscape elements and linked human-nature sub-systems. This enables TBS to build on its experience with projects on timber legality, sustainable timber harvesting and inclusive land use planning with the help of Participatory 3-Dimensional Modeling. The role of forests and trees is also important for the coastal plain (e.g. the protective factor of mangrove forests) and the (semi) urban areas. The urban environment also contains biodiversity and ecosystem services coming from these urban forests and trees.
As a knowledge broker, TBS works on research, advocacy, partnerships and capacity building, to contribute to informed decisions and improved management practices in the forest and nature sector.
Universiteit Twente – ITC
The faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation of the University of Twente (UT-ITC) is the oldest center for earth observation for global development. UT-ITC first existed as a UNESCO institute and became part of the university as a faculty. ITC has been conducting research since the 1960s and training students to support decision-making with relevant and good maps and other spatially explicit information. For decades, the focus of UT-ITC has been on proposing spatial solutions to complex challenges that people are increasingly confronted with, such as climate change, population growth and the scarcity of natural resources. The faculty specializes in the international exchange of knowledge, capacity building and multidisciplinary problem-oriented spatial research.
The theme of "Green in urban areas" is already part of the ITC research and education.
The Natural Resources and Urban and Regional Planning departments work on ecosystem services, urban development and climate adaptation in developing countries and emerging economies. UT-ITC benefits from good cooperation with organizations that closely match its mission with strong contacts in the country, such as TBS.
Generating and making knowledge available to support a green and livable society is therefore central to the working methods of TBS and UT-ITC. The collaboration between TBS and the UT-ITC is aimed at laying a foundation for a long-term process of knowledge exchange and collaboration through the Twinning project.
Partners in Suriname
Dr. Rudi van Kanten. Director, Tropenbos Suriname
Lisa Best MSc., Researcher Sustainable Landscapes Tropenbos Suriname
Davita Obergh, Project medewerker, Tropenbos Suriname
Partners in the Netherlands
Prof. Dr. Wieteke (Louise) Willemen. Full Professor, Department of Natural Resources of the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente
Dr. Nina Schwarz. Assistant Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente
Robert Ohuru MSc, Developer, Department of Geo-Information Processing of the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente