FO:LACFC/2002/7

INTRODUCTION

1. The XII World Forestry Congress will be held from 21 to 28 September 2003 in Quebec City, Canada, and has as its theme Forests, source of life. Within this overarching programme, the technical programme will include:

Congress Theme A - Forests for People

2. Address the many expectations that people place on forests and focus on how different socio-cultural values influence the way that forests are perceived and managed.

• A1 Human needs and demands
  
  Food and energy security; health; products and services; employment; heritage, self-achievement; influencing factors and trends.
• A2 Economic aspects
  
  Contributions to economic and social development including alleviation of poverty; valuation of environmental benefits; market access; benefit sharing; efficiency in resource use; substitution.
• A3 Social, cultural and spiritual values
  
  Cultural diversity; values and behaviour; traditional knowledge; sustainable living; forest-dependent communities.
• A4 Development of human potential
  
  Acquisition and sharing of knowledge; capacity building; appropriate technology; outreach; empowerment; governance; valuing forest work; working conditions.
• A5 Role and responsibilities
  
  Leadership; public awareness; responsible consumption; certification; best management practices; compliance to rules and regulations.

Congress Theme B - Forests for the Planet

3. Examine the state of the world's forests and their capacity to provide a wide range of goods and services and fulfil essential functions.

• B1 Status and trends
  
  State of the resources, services and functions; ownership patterns; underlying causes of deforestation and degradation; future needs for forest lands.
• B2 Environmental functions
  
  Maintenance of biodiversity; water and soil conservation; climate regulation; carbon sequestration and storage; protection of wetlands and coastal habitats.
• B3 Conservation, protection and restoration
  
  Conservation inside and outside of protected areas; fire management; prevention and control of illegal logging, poaching and smuggling; combating desertification; watershed management; habitat restoration.
• B4 Management and development of forest lands
  
  Ecosystem management; silviculture; tree improvement; afforestation; non-wood forest products; wildlife management; recreation and tourism; reduced impact logging.
• B5 Agroforestry, trees outside forests, low forest cover
  
  Conservation, management and use in low forest cover countries and lands; agroforestry systems; production of firewood; urban forestry.

Congress Theme C - People and Forests in Harmony

4. Identify improvements to institutions and policies necessary to move forward.

• C1 Sustainable management models
  
  Participatory decision-making and management; conflict resolution; multiple-use; adaptive management; partnerships; enterprise models: cooperatives, small/medium size, multinationals.
• C2 Forest related policies and institutions
  
  Review, implementation and control of policies; incentives and financing; stability of forest administrations; interface between decision makers, land owners, stakeholders and the public.
• C3 Cross-sectoral policies
  
  Land tenure, rights and use; agriculture; natural resources, environment; regional development; fiscal and trade policies; infrastructures; interagency coordination.
• C4 Research, technology and education
  
  Science-policy dialogue; institutional capacity building; technology transfer; innovation; reform of earth sciences education programs; interdisciplinary approaches.
• C5 Global thinking in action
  
  Implementation of international commitments; global monitoring of the state of forests; international cooperation; political will and public support; balancing human needs and forest capacity; future needs for and role of forests.

General Information

5. The World Forestry Congress serves as a forum to exchange views and experiences and to discuss a wide range of factors impacting forestry and the pursuit of sustainable forest management. It is open to participants from all member countries of FAO as well as the United Nations and any of its specialized agencies.

6. The Congress is not an intergovernmental meeting and has no formal country delegations. Still, as a key international forestry event, an emphasis is given to a sense of ownership from all constituencies in all geographic regions. While the recommendations of the Congress are non-binding, the outcome of each Congress is brought to the attention of the FAO Conference.

7. Canada and FAO are giving special attention to encouraging high quality voluntary papers and posters from the range of interested parties throughout the global forestry community. It is very important that papers are received from all regions and countries, so that this is truly a World Forestry Congress. These contributions enrich the exchange of scientific information; increase our understanding of the role that traditional knowledge plays in sustainable forest management; and promote greater awareness of specific conditions that exist at regional and sub-regional levels. Delegates to the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission are encouraged to submit voluntary papers to the Congress, and to disseminate information about the Congress to as many people in the region as possible.

8. The Congress will be organized in plenary sessions, working groups and poster sessions, aiming to keep groups small in order to encourage productive discussions. Activities before and during the event will be accessible electronically to promote involvement of interested parties not able to participate in person.

9. The Congress will feature exhibits, a number of associated events and study tours both during and after the event. The Congress will offer interpretation in English, French and Spanish during plenary sessions with the main background documents provided in those same languages.

10. Details of the technical programme can be found at the website for the Congress www.wfc2003.org  alongside information on the registration process, side events and call for voluntary papers. Additional printed copies of Congress materials will be provided at the session of the Commission.

11. Although FAO cannot provide financial assistance for participation in the XII World Forestry Congress, the host country is exploring various possible forms of support with potential sponsors, informing individuals and groups of eligibility requirements once these are established. Individuals who seek financial assistance to participate in the Congress should contact the Secretariat in Quebec.

12. Further information can be obtained from the Secretariat, World Forestry Congress 2003, 800 Place d'Youville, 18eme étage, Quebec, Canada G1R 3P4. Fax: +1 418-694-9922; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.wfc2003.org.