Norberto Sanchez-Mejorada and F. Barrientos
Norberto Sanchez-Mejorada (left was Assistant Secretary-General of the Ninth World Forestry Congress, and F. Barrientos (right) acted as Consultant to the Congress.
Norberto Sanchez-Mejorada and F. Barrientos (FAO)
· The Ninth World Forestry Congress was held in Mexico City from 1 to 10 July 1985. There were 2 210 participants from 105 countries, including not only official delegations from these countries but also representatives of many national and international organizations, institutions and associations, and a large number of private individuals. Participants included professional foresters, scientists, educators, students, politicians, industrialists, workers and bankers.
The natural environment of the organizing country provided an exceptionally appropriate setting for a world meeting of this kind. Within its 2 million km2 of territory. Mexico contains large areas of temperate coniferous forests, tropical leafy forests and arid and semi-arid subtropical formations. This potential is far from being fully used and the population thus does not derive as much benefit from it as it could. The country as a whole suffers from a deficit of finished forest products despite its productive potential. At the same time, deforestation is continuing, particularly in the tropical area.
Under the general theme "Forest resources in the integral development of society, the Congress spent ten days analysing the situation of the forestry sector throughout the world. its problems, and new advances and trends in resource management, productivity, forestry institutions and rural development. The Congress opened with the first general session, which was a solemn inaugural ceremony in the National Auditorium of Mexico City, conducted by Dr Miguel de la Madrid, President of Mexico, Mr Edouard Saouma, Director-General of FAO, and Dr Eduardo Pesqueira Olea, Mexican Secretary of Agriculture and President of the Organizing Committee. In his message of welcome Dr Pesqueira emphasized the importance of forest resources as the heritage of humankind and their strategic role in the ecological balance and socio-economic development of nations, particularly in rural areas.
Mr Saouma emphasized that "the forest is both agent and victim of development". "Never" he said. "has the mere survival of the forest been under so great a threat over so wide an area. For this reason. FAO had proclaimed 1985 International Year of the Forest, as a means of underscoring the principal problems affecting forests through out the world. Responsibility for their solution, he said, should be shared by forest technicians, planners, politicians and others through initiatives and immediate action. In conclusion, he warned that "the future of the forest is central to the future of humankind There is not a moment to lose".
During the 20 sessions of the three technical commissions into which the Congress was divided, 20 agenda items were discussed, with the presentation of 22 basic documents and 160 special documents.
The long list of subjects studied included the increasing destruction of tropical forests, the dramatic shortage of fuelwood in arid and semi-arid zones, forest fires, the threat posed by degraded mountain areas, atmospheric pollution of forests, and the deterioration of the environment in highly industrialized countries. Among the methods and techniques studied to deal with such serious problems were the new advances in the fields of remote sensing, forest genetics, wood as a source of energy, prevention and control of forest fires, forest hydrology and industrial uses of timber.
Stress was laid on the importance of strengthening institutions as a means of meeting the challenges confronting the sector, including the improvement and development of forest services, the improvement of education and research, and joint participation by the public and private and social sectors in forestry activities. Special emphasis was also placed on improving channels of communication between governments and forestry institutions and between these and society in general. Perhaps the most important of all the points raised was that forestry projects should endeavour to encourage the participation of those people most directly affected by forestry development.
Besides the sessions of the Congress itself, a series of satellite meetings was held, including the Expert Consultation on the Role of Forestry in Combating Desertification, the International Forum of Forestry Youth, the meeting on Prospects for International Financing for Forestry Programmes, the first International Symposium on Forest Fauna, the thirteenth session of the FAO Advisory Committee on Forestry Education, the Latin American Round Table on Forest Genetic Resources, and the Meeting of the International Society of Tropical Foresters. These activities, together with those of the Congress itself, contributed to making Mexico a living workshop for the study of problems and possible solutions in forestry.
All information on the proceedings, conclusions and recommendations of the Congress was passed to the Policy Committee which, on the basis of this information, drafted the final document of the Ninth World Forestry Congress, "The Manifesto of Mexico" (pp. 34-44). Adopted unanimously, it expressed succinctly the concerns of the participants with regard to the future of forest resources and their direct influence on the development and survival of humankind.
The Manifesto took into consideration the results and recommendations of previous meetings such as the Eighth World Forestry Congress in Jakarta, which recognized that forests were for people; the Eighty-sixth Session of the FAO Council, which recommended that special attention be paid to the conservation and proper use of forest resources; the content of the Action Plan on Tropical Forests adopted by the FAO Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics; and the objectives of the declaration of 1985 as International Year of the Forest by the FAO Council. In adopting these recommendations, it urged governments to support them.
On the basis of these and other considerations, the Congress set out in 23 paragraphs the actions it considered should be taken by countries to solve the serious problems arising. It emphasized the need for a change of policy, pointing out that only through a framework of integrated rural development, including forest management and utilization in harmony with agricultural activities, would it be possible to contribute simultaneously to social progress and to the conservation of natural resources. It also mentioned the importance of the participation of all social sectors, including women, in all aspects of forestry.
Within this same group of actions, emphasis was given to the need for the forestry profession and technology to adapt to the new challenges represented by the sector in the context of the changes confronting humankind. High priority should be given to research and the dissemination of new technologies, with special attention to critical areas. There was also a need for more intensive international cooperation.
STUDENTS IN ECUADOR A global need for more foresters (S. LARRAIN/FAO)
