The "drought" in research and publications within the forestry sector

Abstract

The term "drought" refers to the absence of water in a specific location over a certain period. I would like to draw an analogy between this term and the research and publications occurring in the forestry sector in Bolivia.

Upon reviewing the various studies and publications from the past two decades, one encounters an impressive volume of information produced during the BOLFOR I, BOLFOR II, and PROMAB phases, which span from 2000 to 2007. Between 2005 and 2012, other institutions such as CIFOR and IBIF contributed to the generation of knowledge that is now available in various formats. From 2000 to 2012, knowledge was created and documented in scientific articles, books, technical documents, and bulletins. The majority of this knowledge pertains to aspects of forest management, the application of silvicultural treatments, forest ecology, reviews of lesser-known timber species, non-timber products, and economic and social aspects. Indeed, the foundation for academic and scientific analysis, as well as decision-making on various forestry issues, necessitates a mandatory review of the information from that period.

Following that era, only a few institutions have contributed to the generation of information. Occasionally, some publications referred to as "grey" literature emerge, such as technical documents or theses produced by universities, which often do not undergo the rigorous review process that scientific articles typically do.

This is the reason that inspired me to write about this issue, which I believe affects the forestry sector. It is not that knowledge is not being generated; rather, it is not being published. Therefore, the adage holds true: "knowledge that is generated but not published is knowledge that does not exist." Today, more than ever,