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What is ECTF?

ECTF (The Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests) is a partnership of five Edinburgh based member organisations that takes advantage of their strongly complementary missions and close proximity to share experience and work together on projects. They are:

  • The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
  • The Forestry Commission
  • LTS International
  • Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
  • The University of Edinburgh.

More information is available in the Partners section.

These organisations combine a unique concentration of complementary expertise that is united and promoted by ECTF. Since its establishment in 1990, ECTF has become recognised as a leading research, training and consultancy organisation in the UK and internationally. Over the 14 years since inception, activities have progressively moved from the original focus on tropical forestry to include other areas of work such as rural development, biodiversity, global and environmental studies.

ECTF operates in a flexible way with one or more of its constituent organisations acting in concert as appropriate for a particular contract. It also works with non-member organisations and consultants in situations where external expertise is required.

ECTF is run by a Management Committee with representatives from each partner organisation. The administration, co-ordination and marketing are carried out by the Co-ordinator, based at the Pentland Science Park, south of Edinburgh, Scotland.

What do we do?

  • Facilitate collaboration, lessons learned and communication between member organisations
  • Pool expertise and resources in collaborative research and development projects, management consultancies, training courses and information dissemination
  • Promote Edinburgh as a centre of expertise in forestry and other areas of work
  • Generate income and business for the member organisations through marketing the strength of ECTF's combined resources

Find out more in the Services section.

Most recent ECTF activities

Bhutan Medicinal Plants Project Phase II, EuropeAid, 2004-2008.

ECTF has been awarded a four year contract to support the Royal Government of Bhutan in a medicinal plants project funded by EuropeAid. This contract (managed by LTS) includes responsibility for Technical Assistance and overall project management and administration. The aim of the project is to enhance the availability of high quality medicinal plant products and traditional medicines for both the internal and external markets in Bhutan. The partners in this project are The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and The Universities of Edinburgh and Strathclyde. For further information go to the Bhutan project page.

Darwin Initiative Monitoring & Evaluation Programme (Defra) Phase II, 2003-2009.

Since 1992, the Darwin Initiative has aimed to assist developing countries that are rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources to meet their commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Earlier this year ECTF successfully retained their contract with Defra to monitor and evaluate the progress of the Darwin Initiative and to manage the applications process. Currently in the first year of our new contract, but continuing the work started in 2003, we are continuing to emphasise communicating key lessons for achieving better conservation, and on increasing the impact and legacy of individual projects and the Initiative as a whole. For further information go to the Darwin Monitoring & Evaluation page.

See the Projects section for information about other current and past projects.

Forthcoming Conferences

The next conference has been kindly sponsored by the people at TotallyMoney - the bad credit loan providers. Please see our Events section for information on upcoming meetings.