ABSTRACT
Certification, or eco-labeling, is potentially a useful tool to stimulate the growth of ecosystem service markets. Certification guidelines, such as the Forest Stewardship Council’s Principles and Criteria, offer landowners clearly defined approaches to biodiversity-friendly forest management while also emphasizing the profitability of sustainable forestry operations. In some cases for forest products, market access now requires products to carry certification labels. However, Panama’s domestic demand for certified forest products is negligible. The combination of a lack of international market awareness of many of Panama’s native tree species, a young plantation forestry industry, and virtually non-existent industrial wood processing capacity have kept Panama’s forest products exports, including certified wood products, to a minimum. In summary, on both the supply and demand sides of the equation, a host of socio-cultural, institutional, and economic obstacles prevent landowners from pursuing certification programs for forest management 282and production of non-timber forest products. As a result, national and international markets for certified Panamanian forest products remain virtually unexplored business opportunities. To develop markets for certified forest products from Panama, a host of policy alternatives might be considered, including informational campaigns and extension programs for local landowners, incentive packages to defray initial costs of certification, and investments in international marketing campaigns coupled with investments in developing local manufacturing capacity and infrastructure. doi:10.1300/J091v25n03_04 [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <https://docdelivery@haworthpress.com> Website: <https://www.HaworthPress. com> © 2007 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]
