Covering community forest management
A workshop for Mexican Journalists
Oaxaca, Mexico, April 3-6

Deadline: February 20, 2008

En Español:

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) presents a workshop on covering community forestry and forest conservation. Applications are welcomed from Mexican journalists who wish to sharpen their skills for reporting on communal forest management. Approximately 80 percent of Mexico’s forests are managed by communities, mostly called “ejidos.” Researcher David Bray has described these as potentially global models for sustainable management of tropical forest lands.

Up to 18 selected journalists will meet in Oaxaca City April 3 and visit three communities that are managing their forests sustainably for timber and furniture production, ecotourism, biodiversity conservation or ecological services. Community leaders will brief them in each setting, as will professor Bray and leading experts on environmental issues and forestry in Oaxaca. Journalists will discuss techniques for covering this kind of story, will engage in writing exercises, and will hear about new environmental reporting initiatives in Mexico. Participants will return home Sunday, April 6.

The Ford Foundation-Mexico sponsors this program and others to nurture better environmental coverage in Mexico. The program will cover all travel, lodging and food for accepted applicants.

Deadline: February 20, 2008

Questions may be sent to:

Talli Nauman, co-director of Periodismo para Elevar la Conciencia Ecologica at: talli@hughes.net; 605-269-2206
Miguel Ángel Torres, codirector de Periodismo para Elevar la Conciencia Ecológica: balam56@yahoo.com; 449-974-5761
Or Rob Taylor, ICFJ’s director of Science & Environment programs, at: rtaylor@icfj.org; 202-349-7601