Committee on Forestry - 12th session
Meeting with non-governmental organizations
Meeting of the private forest industry sector on UNCED follow-up
Expert Consultation on Non-wood Forest Products
North American Forestry Commission - 17th session
European Forestry Commission - 27th session
Twentieth IUFRO World Congress to be held in Finland, August 1995
The full text of the Rome Statement on Forestry, adopted unanimously by the Ministerial Meeting on forestry which was convened by FAO in Rome on 16 and 17 March 1995, is presented below.
1. On the 16 and 17 March 1995, a Ministerial Meeting on forestry, the first under the framework of FAO, was held in Rome at the invitation of the Director-General of FAO to highlight the importance of forests to sustainable development at local, national and international levels and to give political support to and further elaborate the Rio consensus on the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests, as well as to give direction to FAO in the area of forests. The Ministerial Meeting expressed its appreciation to the Director-General of FAO for his timely initiative.
2. After reviewing recent developments, the Meeting recognized action taken so far at the national level in policy and strategy formulation and in preparation and implementation of national forest programmes, and action already promoted at subregional, regional and international levels through various initiatives and international cooperation. It considered, nevertheless, that further enhancement of national capabilities and international cooperation and coordination as well as the formulation and implementation of appropriate policies are required in order to meet the challenges in the field of forests. In this context, the Ministers reaffirmed the importance of applying a holistic approach to forest issues, in accordance with the UNCED Forest Principles, and of fully assuming their sector's responsibility for the forest-related provisions of Agenda 21, in order to pursue an integrated and balanced approach between the environmental and developmental functions of forests, with due regard for the special needs of indigenous and other local communities living in and around forests.
3. The Ministerial Meeting felt that, in order to meet the expectations of the international community on forests, further efforts must be made to build upon the foundation laid by UNCED. This requires the full and urgent implementation of UNCED's decisions by all states and all other parties concerned, and the mobilization of the United Nations system, avoiding any duplication of work. The Ministers affirmed their determination to apply their political will to attain UNCED objectives in the shortest time possible.
4. The Ministerial Meeting underlined the areas for action which are essential to the achievement of this goal. In particular:
5. The Ministerial Meeting called upon FAO, whose competence in matters relating to forestry is clearly established and whose mandate and role within the UN system in this field are fully recognized, to muster its technical expertise to advise and to cooperate with member countries in developing their capacity in the management, conservation and sustainable development of forests. It recommended that FAO identify priorities in the field of forestry in light of its recognized strengths, and seek an integrated approach to its activities concerning environment and development. The Ministerial Meeting also recommended greater utilization of FAO's Regional Forestry Commissions, increased work with all interested parties in sustainable forest management, as well as enhanced cooperation with other organizations. It supported the proposed increase in the proportion of FAO's resources, both human and financial, devoted to forest-related activities.
6. The Ministerial Meeting trusts that the UN Commission on Sustainable Development will, at its third session, show significant progress in discharging its functions as the political body mandated to review and promote the implementation of UNCED's decisions in the field of forests in their entirety. In this connection, the Meeting welcomed the proposal to consider the establishment of an open-ended intergovernmental panel on forests, under the aegis of the CSD, to provide an assessment of action already undertaken to combat deforestation and forest degradation and to promote management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests, including environmental and socio-economic impacts; and against that background to propose options for further action. The Meeting recommended that FAO, as Task Manager within the UN system for land, fragile ecosystems (sustainable mountain development), forests and sustainable agriculture and rural development, should respond positively to that proposal and be prepared to participate in this process. It is requested that this statement be forwarded to CSD for consideration at its third session and that the Chairman of the Ministerial Meeting speak to the statement during the review of sectoral issues and explain its views at the high-level segment of the third session of CSD.
7. The Ministerial Meeting invited the Director-General to consult with members from all regions on the subject of calling other ministerial meetings as required.
Participation
The meeting was attended by 54 Ministers from Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Estonia, Fiji, Gabon, the Gambia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jamaica, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, the Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Swaziland, Sweden, Thailand, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Viet Nam and Zaire.
Senior officials also participated from Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Cameroon, Chad, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, European Community, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea (Republic of), Laos, Libyan Arab Jamahariya, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania (United Republic of), Togo, Tonga (Kingdom of), United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
Committee on Forestry - 12th session
The 12th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) was held at FAO headquarters, Rome, from 13 to 16 March 1995. The session was attended by delegates from 114 Members of the Committee, by observers from 15 other Member Nations, one United Nations Member State and the Holy See; by representatives from the following UN organizations: Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) and the World Bank; and by observers from 18 intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations. It was open to the general public. A summary of the major agenda items and related Committee recommendations is presented below.
Major forestry policy issues
The Committee was informed of the recommendation of the ad hoc intersessional working group of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) to "establish an intergovernmental panel on forests under the aegis of the CSD and to determine its terms of reference and modalities for its establishment" and recommended that FAO be prepared to participate in this process.
The Committee was informed of the results of the Expert Consultations on Non-Wood Forest Products and on the Harmonization of Criteria and Indicators and the meetings held to seek the views of the private forest industry sector and of NGOs on the issues, before COFO. The Committee urged FAO to continue to work in an open and transparent manner with these and other interested groups.
The Committee indicated that FAO should continue to work closely and build partnerships with other international organizations and agencies, including UNEP, UNDP, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), the World Bank, and the secretariats of the conventions on biological diversity, climate change and desertification, as well as a number of regional organizations. Moreover, the Committee stressed the importance of the full participation and involvement of indigenous and other local communities, the private sector and NGOs in the planning, design and implementation of policies and programmes relating to sustainable forest management. The Committee highlighted the need to consider gender issues in this regard.
While discussing the idea of a legally binding instrument on forests, some delegations stated their support, others thought it premature or undesirable. The Committee agreed that, considering these differences of view, the way forward should be based on consensus building in a step-by-step process.
The Committee noted that forests influenced the social, economic, cultural and environmental make-up of countries, but were themselves affected by a range of external factors, and felt that greater recognition was needed of these external effects and that it was necessary to plan forestry interlinking with other sectors in a holistic manner.
Many delegations reported a major increase in interest and activity in national, regional and international initiatives and progress in implementing the UNCED agreements.
The Committee emphasized the need for raising awareness at all levels of the multiple functions of forests through the dissemination of information and agreed that there was need to value properly the multiple benefits derived from forests and subsequently to include them in the system of national accounting.
The Committee noted the need to define clearly the basic principles of sustainable forest management in order to facilitate enhanced understanding both within and outside the forestry sector. The development of guidelines, and of criteria and indicators, would help provide a common understanding and a conceptual framework for describing and assessing national progress in achieving sustainable forest management. A holistic approach should include cultural, environmental, social, economic and institutional aspects.
While acknowledging the need for further development of the many initiatives on criteria and indicators, some delegates expressed concern about premature attempts at harmonization. The Committee requested FAO, in collaboration with the other international organizations concerned, to promote the exchange of information, research results, data and experience between and among such initiatives, and to involve countries which had not to date been part of ongoing international initiatives.
The development of policies and actions related to the formulation of criteria and indicators at national and forest management unit levels was recognized as the responsibility of sovereign nations although international action could provide guidance and catalyse action. The Committee requested FAO, in collaboration with other international organizations, to assist countries in this respect, as relevant.
The Committee agreed that trade and environmental issues are interrelated, and that it is essential to ensure that policies and programmes in these areas are mutually supportive. The importance of addressing and resolving conflicting issues was stressed, as was the need to ensure that environmental policies were not used as disguised trade barriers.
The Committee recognized that forest products certification could be a potentially useful means of encouraging trade in products from sustainably managed forests. Some delegations stressed that, to be effective, certification programmes must be practical, transparent and non-discriminatory and should be applied to products from all types of forests. These programmes, based on internationally agreed criteria, should be developed through the cooperation of all affected parties and be voluntary in application. Some delegations considered it important to ensure that certification was not used as a non-tariff barrier to trade.
FAO's forestry programmes
After reviewing FAO's work in forestry, the Committee requested the Organization to concentrate on the areas where it was felt FAO had a comparative advantage. In order to direct its efforts to high priorities and remain within its budget, FAO would have to reduce activities in lower-priority areas, including those which are better left to other institutions with more-specialized technical competence and in which FAO has no normative role.
Comparative advantages were seen to include the collection, analysis and dissemination of data and information, policy advice and FAO's coordinative and advocacy role in the forest sector and technical assistance in its fields of concentration.
A primary consideration in the determination of detailed priorities must be the provision of appropriate support to the follow-up to UNCED and the implementation of the Forest Principles. Specific areas of priority importance included: the Global Forest Resources Assessment, technical information needed by countries to implement UNCED commitments and to develop criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management, the community forestry programme, strategic planning and policy formulation, National Forestry Action Programmes as a vehicle for capacity building and planning, intersectoral land-use planning and enhancing the value of forest products through better management practices.
FAO must give special priority to its CSD task manager role for forestry and in support of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, if such a panel is created.
The Committee stressed the importance of coordinating forestry activities with other sectors for integrated land-use planning and management as an essential aspect for the protection of forest resources and biological diversity because many threats to the forestry sector originated from outside the sector.
Within the above-mentioned priorities, support was also given to FAO's work on biological diversity in forests, forestation and reforestation, watershed management and sustainable mountain development (as Task Manager for UNCED Agenda 21, Chapter 13), and urban and peri-urban forestry.
With regard to the ongoing restructuring of FAO, the Committee noted the transfer of the Forestry Operations Service to the Technical Cooperation Department, which was intended as an effective means to strengthen both the normative and operational activities. The Committee endorsed the enhanced decentralization of FAO activities as a means of providing greater regional support.
The Committee recognized the important roles of the Regional Forestry Commissions and welcomed FAO's efforts to strengthen and expand the activities of these commissions. The Committee supported the concept of networks among members to pursue specialized topics such as forestry research, species management and the development of products and FAO was urged to increase support for such technical networks.
The Committee supported the work of the Advisory Committee of Experts on Pulp and Paper which ensured collaboration with industry and the private sector, welcomed the potential expansion of the work of this committee into other forest product areas and encouraged the fuller participation of developing countries in the activities of this Advisory Committee.
The Committee was informed of the proposal for the broadening of the mandate of the FAO Commission on Plant Genetic Resources to include other categories of organisms used for food and agriculture. It stressed the importance of continuing the activities of the Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources, given the specificity of approaches and strategies in this field.
The Committee noted the positive contribution of the High-level Panel of External Experts on Forestry, which was convened by the Director-General in 1994, and urged FAO to convene such a group regularly.
The Committee endorsed the continuation of FAO's activities relating to the integration of forestry and food and nutrition issues. The Committee specifically encouraged the development of methodologies to analyse the socio-economic and biological aspects of community-based management of forest resources.
The Committee noted the need for continued attention to and support for public relations and awareness campaigns in forestry and urged FAO's support in this area, especially in the regional context.
Meeting with non-governmental organizations
On 10 and 11 March 1995, in conjunction with the session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), representatives of conservation- and development-oriented non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at both the national and international levels met at FAO headquarters, as part of FAO's renewed commitment to ensuring the participation of all interest groups in sustainable forestry development and particularly in the follow-up to UNCED. During the FAO/NGO meeting a range of views was expressed by local, national and international NGOs, including NGO networks and indigenous people's organizations. The following is a summary of the views of the various NGOs.
NGOs welcomed the opportunity to make a contribution to COFO and the Ministerial Meeting, and hoped for a continued dialogue, including in other fora. They expressed appreciation for the convening of the FAO/NGO meeting but stated that there had been limitations on their ability to participate and input effectively into the COFO and ministerial meetings.
NGOs were concerned that high-level FAO policy decisions had, in some cases, undermined effective on-the-ground NGO-FAO collaboration. Field projects that included good local participation had been more effective than those that did not. Critical concern was expressed by some NGOs about FAO's poor record in building broad-based consultative mechanisms on forestry issues at the local level in some countries.
New kinds of formal and informal (and flexible) consultation mechanisms were felt to be urgently needed at all levels. Participation in international policy discussions should include local communities, indigenous people and other local and national major groups, not just international NGOs.
Task Manager's Report on Forests
NGOs expressed concern about deficiencies in FAO's Task Manager's Report on Forests, which was prepared for the third session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), held in April 1995. Some concerns were: inadequate analysis of the root causes of deforestation; lack of consideration of the rights, role, participation and viewpoints of forest-dwelling people; false analysis of the status of temperate and boreal forests and a denial of the role of industrial forestry in degrading these forests; inadequate discussion of the relationship between forest loss and consumption patterns; superficial and inadequate analysis of countries with economies in transition; lack of analysis of the role of transnational companies and large national companies in forest loss and degradation, and their relationship with local communities; inadequate analysis of the role of international financial institutions and their impact on forests; a promotion of the green revolution through plantation forestry, ignoring the environmental and social impacts of such practices; and inadequate coverage of national governments' follow-up to UNCED Forest Principles.
Indigenous people's and local community rights
NGOs expressed support for the need to respect the full rights of indigenous people, including their territorial rights and their rights to self-representation and equal participation in all decision-making regarding land uses impacting them, and of the rights to own and control the uses of forest resources on their customary territories, on which they depend. In the discussion about the establishment of an international or intergovernmental panel on forests through the CSD process, it was stated that such a panel must recognize the fact that the people who live in the forest are the appropriate managers of forests and the appropriate spokespeople on forest management issues.
FAO and the need for a legally binding instrument on forests
Many NGOs believed that FAO should not be attempting to revive the idea of a legally binding instrument on forests. Others felt that international cooperation, on the other hand, was urgently needed. It was stated that any new instrument must take, as a starting point, full respect for the rights of indigenous people and local communities. The process must be initiated at the local level and must be based on the fundamental principle of the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, at all its levels.
FAO in the future
Many NGOs believed that decision-making on forests in the CSD process should not be the responsibility of any single United Nations agency. Some suggested that the UN Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development should be the focal point for coordinating a working panel on forests. Most NGOs considered that FAO was not an appropriate organization to take the lead on forest issues arising from the third session of CSD because of its record in forest management and its attitudes expressed in the Task Manager's Report on Forests. Others felt that FAO was an appropriate agency to be the Task Manager provided it worked through or within a participatory process.
Many NGOs expressed concern that FAO was seeking a mandate to harmonize the criteria and indicators processes and the possible development of a forestry convention based on this harmonization.
Trade mechanisms
NGOs strongly opposed the idea that ministerial meetings might recommend delegating the responsibility of resolving forest product trade and environmental issues to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and FAO. NGOs believed that the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and WTO had no record of allowing NGO and other major groups' participation. Further, these organizations do not have the competence in integrating trade and environmental issues. However, if discussions do occur on this topic, in any forum, at the international, regional or national level, local communities and indigenous people must be able to participate fully. If trade mechanisms are used, they must pay as much attention to northern countries as to those in the south, as trade mechanisms have historically been to the detriment of southern countries and peoples.
Meeting of the private forest industry sector on UNCED follow-up
On 8 March 1995, in conjunction with the 12th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), representatives of private forest industry from both developing and industrialized countries met at FAO headquarters, as part of FAO's renewed commitment to ensuring the participation of all stakeholders in sustainable forestry development and particularly in the follow-up to UNCED. A summary of the major discussion points and recommendations of the meeting is presented below.
Representatives of the private forest industry sector emphasized the sector's firm commitment to participate actively in the continuing implementation process of the forestry-related agreements adopted by UNCED.
Strong support was expressed to FAO as Task Manager for the UNCED recommendations. The forest industry is committed to continue assisting FAO in their practical implementation.
Industry representatives strongly endorsed FAO's activities in promoting sustainable forest management, recognizing FAO as an independent organization with a global mandate for the whole forestry sector. In the future, the necessary financial resources in FAO's budget should be allocated to this important work.
The meeting endorsed the preparation of a forecast study on global wood supply up to the year 2010 to allow future planning of sustainable forest utilization at the government and industry levels and as a supplement to the global forest resources assessment.
The industry sector endorsed the continued efforts in the harmonization process of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management. FAO was called upon to place emphasis on this work.
Special attention should be given to the development of criteria and indicators as practical and operational instruments understandable to people in the field and in trade and to the public as a whole.
It was clearly stated that non-discriminatory trade policies are necessary for the promotion of sustainable forest management and development. Bans, boycotts and other trade restrictions reduce the value of timber, thus diminishing the incentive for practising sustainable forest management.
Recognizing the special role of forest products trade in improving living standards in all countries, the meeting called for a renewed international effort to achieve free trade in the forest products sector.
The forest industry drew attention to the importance of further enhancing public awareness on issues related to UNCED recommendations. The industry is devoting increasing resources to this effort.
It was unanimously agreed that plantation forests were one means of achieving sustainable forest management. They contribute to supplying present and future generations with wood products and, at the same time, provide water quality protection, enhancement and protection of wildlife species, conservation of biological diversity and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
It was stressed that practical education in sustainable forest management, wood processing and marketing should be further promoted in the public and private sectors at all appropriate levels. The meeting strongly recommended that efforts should be made, particularly in developing countries, to strengthen the capabilities of the work force at all levels.
Following UNCED recommendations, and at their own initiative, forest industries had introduced codes of conduct and practices which directly contributed to the sustainability of resources.
At the request of the international community and its own statutory bodies, FAO, in collaboration with the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), hosted the Expert Consultation on the Harmonization of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management from 13 to 16 February 1995. The meeting included experts from countries and organizations involved in ongoing international initiatives on the formulation of criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management, and experts from those regions and ecological zones which are not currently involved in international post-UNCED initiatives in this regard. A summary of the major discussion points and recommendations of the meeting is presented below.
The Expert Consultation was specifically aimed at: reviewing thematic and geographical coverage of ongoing international initiatives; discussing substantive technical and policy issues related to the harmonization of initiatives at the global level; seeking ways of involving countries and regions currently not covered; and developing proposals and a time frame for future action.
The meeting first reviewed initiatives under way, including the ITTO guidelines and criteria for the sustainable management of tropical forests, and the criteria and indicators for European forests under development for national level actions within the framework of the Helsinki process and, for other boreal and temperate forests, within the framework of the Montreal process.
The meeting stressed that the efforts for global harmonization should not supplant ongoing efforts, which should continue unimpeded, but that global action should build upon the varied backgrounds and history of the existing international initiatives. International work should concentrate on harmonizing initiatives at the national level, within a global framework. The meeting also recommended that vigorous action be taken to involve countries and ecological regions which had, to date, not participated in ongoing initiatives. In this regard, the meeting recognized that capacity building was an essential element in the process towards sustainable forest management.
The meeting noted that the criteria identified under the various initiatives were very similar and could be grouped into four basic clusters: criteria related to the forest resources; criteria related to productive and protective functions of the forest; criteria related to social and economic functions of the forest; and criteria related to the legal and institutional framework. Each criterion of sustainable forest management may be characterized by one or more related indicators (qualitative, quantitative or descriptive). Specific indicators will need to be determined at the level of application (national or forest management unit) and the role of the specific area as determined by the national land-use plan, but there should be consistency between indicators across all levels.
The meeting recommended that FAO, ITTO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) be requested to act as facilitators in the continuing process of harmonization of criteria and indicators, and that FAO assume the role of focal point in the work.
Future action identified included one or more meetings before the fifth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development in 1997 specifically for countries and/or regions not involved in existing initiatives, and one or two meetings to review and promote convergence among ongoing international initiatives.
Expert Consultation on Non-wood Forest Products
An International Expert Consultation on Non-wood Forest Products was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 17 to 27 January 1995. The consultation was attended by 56 experts and 42 observers from 44 countries/organizations. Participation reflected a wide range of expertise, from resource conservation to trade and marketing, economic statistics, anthropology, pharmacology, biochemistry, nutrition, industrial development and research management. This international consultation was the first world-level meeting exclusively to draw attention to non-wood forest products (NWFPs) and represented the culmination of a series of regional expert consultations for Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. These regional consultations had strongly highlighted the need for: interregional exchange of information; a generally accepted international definition and classification for NWFPs; national and international initiatives for resolving problems common to many countries; and broad guidelines and directions for post-UNCED actions in forestry related to NWFPs.
Objectives
The International Expert Consultation on Non-wood Forest Products had the following objectives:
Discussion highlights
The consultation emphasized the importance and major role of NWFPs for: meeting the basic needs of indigenous and rural communities for a variety of goods (including foods) and services and providing them with income and employment, thereby contributing to household food security and nutrition; supporting environmentally sound management of forest resources; contributing to value addition through downstream processing and foreign exchange earnings. It noted that the development of NWFPs is a challenging field because it involves a fundamental change in approach to ecological, silvicultural, socio-economic and trade issues associated with forestry.
The consultation underlined the need for: managing NWFPs as part of the total ecosystem; rational use of biological diversity including biological diversity inventories and information management; ensuring "eco-efficiency", social equity and sustainability. These have to be achieved through rational policy measures and strategies, economic incentives, cost-effective technology and community participation.
The consultation further noted that: NWFPs can prove to be the key to the management of forest resources in a sustainable way; sustainable management of NWFPs, especially of those occurring among the biological richness and ecological diversity of natural forests, is extremely complex; harvesting medicines, phytochemicals, edible products, honey, gums and resins, mushrooms, etc. and their postharvest treatment involves complex technology; variation in the level of processing of NWFPs is considerable with corresponding variation in process technology; marketing of non-wood goods and services of forests calls for a higher level of capabilities; quality standards for internationally traded NWFPs tend to be rigid; sustainable management and utilization of NWFPs are highly demanding on scientific knowledge, statistical information, technology, skills and research support.
Recommendations
The consultation made recommendations addressed to government policy-makers, international organizations, donor agencies, NGOs and financial services, in order to: enhance socio-economic benefits of NWFPs; promote their sustainable management, marketing and utilization; improve scientific knowledge, technology and skills relevant to developing NWFPs; develop appropriate policies and strategies to support their development; improve and expand basic statistical and other information on production, value addition and trade in NWFPs; establish networks for the exchange of information; introduce rules and regulations to promote decentralization of resource management through active community participation; establish other institutional mechanisms, including access to resources and credit; and strengthen research capabilities. The consultation also identified priority areas for research and development of NWFPs. It further requested international funding and technical assistance to support new initiatives in the area of NWFPs.
For more information on FAO's work on non-wood forest products, please contact the:
Non-wood Products and Energy Branch,
Forest Products Division,
FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla,
00100 Rome, Italy
fax: +39(6) 57055137.
North American Forestry Commission - 17th session
The 17th session of the North American Forestry Commission (NAFC) was held in Jasper (Alberta), Canada from 26 to 30 September 1994. The session was attended by 22 participants from the three member countries of the Commission, as well as an observer from the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO). A summary of Commission recommendations and conclusions related to the major agenda items is presented below.
Follow-up to UNCED in forestry: progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles
The Commission stressed FAO's important role in the field of forest policy at the regional and global levels through its regional forestry commissions. It noted the need for FAO to develop partnerships with other international institutions that are active in forest conservation and development and to give increasing priority to its global forest resources assessment programme.
The Commission decided that a report should be provided on regional UNCED follow-up activities related to forestry. Canada agreed to coordinate this activity and submit the report as soon as possible, on behalf of the Commission, for the forest review by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in April 1995, and to include study group activities relevant to the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles, note major country achievements and highlight similar initiatives among the three countries.
The Commission recommended that cooperation be extended to other regional forestry commissions, in particular the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission, by attending its sessions and through the exchange of information on programmes of work.
The Commission also agreed that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should contribute to issues and should be encouraged to participate in future meetings, on a selective basis. Noting the valuable contributions that NGOs were making in various study groups, it was further agreed that they should fully participate in these deliberations also. It noted that national NGOs could be part of the appropriate country delegation in the regular sessions of the Commission.
Technical items
The effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement on wood products industries
The Commission recognized the importance of this subject. It suggested that its scope needed to be broadened to include environmental and other forest issues and recommended that ways be explored of studying them further, taking into account the need for North America to be well aware of the global market for forest products.
Coordination of strategies to provide adequate ecological reserves for preserving biological diversity on a continental scale
While supporting, in general, the proposal for a unified system of classification of protected areas, the Commission noted that there were other issues involved than just those related to forests or classification and suggested that a step-by-step approach be adopted.
Criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management
The Commission agreed that international criteria and indicators should be simple in terms and associated methodologies, and that NAFC was well positioned to enhance technical information through study group activities.
Review of study group activities
Study group on atmospheric change and forests
The Commission suggested that the work of the group be aimed at standardizing monitoring protocol among member countries.
Study group on forest genetic resources
The Commission recommended that the group prepare a priority list of species needing protection and provide guidelines for the genetic protection of threatened species.
Study group on multilingual vocabulary
The Commission agreed to complete the multilingual vocabulary study. It noted FAO's offer to: provide support for the development of a user's guide and publication of the vocabulary and to evaluate the possibility of sponsoring the conversion and maintenance of the vocabulary into international lexicographic format.
Study group on fire management
The Commission supported the participation of the group in the 1996 International Wildland Fire Management Conference, to be held in British Columbia. It suggested that the group develop information on prevention strategies relevant to global warming and maps that identify high-risk fire areas.
Study group on light-frame structures
The Commission proposed that copies of the manual on wood-frame construction be sent to the heads of Forest Services of member countries of the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission.
Study group on neotropical migratory species
The Commission suggested that the group contact the World Conservation Union in Montreal and the World Wide Fund for Nature for potential information and funding.
Study group on forest products
The Commission approved the establishment of the study group on forest products, and recommended that it develop the proposal further to clarify its scope of work, including an action plan and budget.
Other matters
Change of title of the North American Forestry Commission
The Commission proposed that its title in English be changed to "North American Forest Commission", without change in the title in Spanish as it translates faithfully the proposed new title of the Commission in English.
European Forestry Commission - 27th session
The European Forestry Commission (EFC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization held its 27th session in Antalya, Turkey from 25 to 28 January 1995. The session was attended by delegations from 20 members of the Commission, by observers from the Czech Republic, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the Slovak Republic, and from the European Forest Institute (EFI), the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO) and the Union of Foresters of Southern Europe. A summary of the Commission's recommendations and conclusions related to the major agenda items is presented below.
Follow-up to UNCED and progress in the implementation of the Forest Principles
The Commission stressed the crucial importance worldwide of UNCED follow-up for the forestry sector as a whole and urged FAO to assume fully its leadership role in this process. The Commission stressed the importance of ensuring that those with responsibilities in the forestry sector participate fully at both national and international levels at all stages of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) process: preparation of documents and issues, decision-making as well as implementation and monitoring of decisions taken. If there was not effective participation, there was a significant risk that the results would not achieve the desired balance between conservation and development objectives.
The Commission recommended that the forthcoming session of the Committee on Forestry make recommendations to the associated Meeting of Ministers responsible for forestry on:
Fifth Study of European Timber Trends and Prospects (ETTS-V)
The Commission welcomed the presentation by the secretariat of the review draft (the study would be completed in early 1996). It agreed to be associated with the Timber Committee in the system to be set up to evaluate the whole ETTS-V process.
Strengthening the Regional Forestry Commissions
The Commission supported the strengthening of the role of the Regional Forestry Commissions and highlighted the value of cooperation between them as many concerns were common to several regions. It recommended that representatives of all the other commissions be invited to meetings of the Regional Forestry Commissions. The Commission welcomed the intention of the North American Forestry Commission to continue to cooperate with it and to extend its cooperation to the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission.
Activities of permanent subsidiary bodies and teams of specialists
EFC Working Party on the Management of Mountain Watersheds
The 19th session of the Working Party on the Management of Mountain Watersheds was held in Jaca, Spain from 4 to 8 July 1994, including a one-day symposium held jointly with IUFRO, followed by a study tour from 9 to 15 July. It proposed: to continue to support the implementation of Resolution No. 4 of the Strasbourg Conference, Adapting the management of mountain forests to new environmental conditions, through its three subregional groups (alpine, eastern and northern Europe and Mediterranean); to prepare additional studies on the application of Geographic Information Systems; and to support the implementation in Europe of UNCED Agenda 21, Chapter 13, Sustainable mountain development.
AFWC/EFC/NEFC Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions - Silva Mediterranea
The 16th session of Silva Mediterranea was held in Larnaca, Cyprus from 13 to 17 June 1994. It officially launched the Mediterranean Forest Action Programme (MED-FAP), an international framework aimed at facilitating the formulation and implementation of national forest action plans or programmes by Mediterranean countries with the support of the international community. The future programme of work proposed by the Committee included the overview of the implementation of MED-FAP in the coming years and continued support to the established regional research networks on forest fire management, the selection of multipurpose species for arid and semi-arid zones, silviculture of cedar, silviculture of stone pine and cork oak and the exchange of seeds of coniferous species.
Other activities
The Commission welcomed the initiative to set up an intersecretariat working group on forest and forest products statistics, with the aim of reducing the reporting burden on countries, improving comparability of international data and guaranteeing that international data sets did not contradict each other.
The Commission stressed the political importance of the work on non-wood goods and services, and urged that it be pursued vigorously despite the acknowledged methodological problems. It endorsed the method chosen by the team of specialists on this subject (preparation of national case-studies according to a common format) and urged countries which had not participated so far to offer a contribution along the lines laid down.
The Commission welcomed the Timber Committee's decision to set up a team of specialists on the certification of forest products, as one of the objectives of certification was to encourage sustainable forest management. It agreed that the report being prepared be circulated also to EFC members and that the topic be put on the agenda of the Commission's next session.
The Commission attached great importance to public relations, which are an increasingly important feature of the whole sector. It welcomed the results of the work of its team of specialists on public relations, notably the "toolkit" on communications strategies, which should be distributed to all EFC members. It urged the secretariat and national public relations experts to devote attention to improving public knowledge and understanding of international forest issues. It requested the team of specialists to consider the feasibility and modalities of a common European public relations exercise, with the same message conveyed in different countries.
The Commission welcomed the activities of the team of specialists on countries with economies in transition in establishing needs and priority areas for assistance. It was stressed that countries in transition themselves should formulate their needs for further promotion of cooperation and should actively disseminate available information within their countries.
EFC's programme of work
The Commission approved a programme of work for the period 1995 to 1999 and a list of priorities to guide the secretariat in the allocation of resources if they were not sufficient to complete the approved programme.
Twentieth IUFRO World Congress to be held in Finland, August 1995
The theme of the Congress is "Caring for the forest: research in a changing world". Plenary sessions presided by world-renowned experts and subplenary groups will discuss issues of ecological management and ecobalance, global climatic change, biological diversity, economies in transition, utilization of forest resources and research in times of austerity. The major part of the Congress will be dedicated to discussion of the various IUFRO divisions and their subject groups, project groups and working parties.
During and after the congress week, participants will be able to become acquainted with local forestry, forestry research and sites of cultural interest during excursions in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Baltic countries and the Russian Federation.
For more information and registration forms, contact the:
IUFRO 20th World Congress Secretariat,
Finnish Forest Research Institute,
Unioninkatu 40 A,
FIN-00170 Helsinki,
Finland;
tel. +358(0) 85751;
fax +358(0) 625308;
E-mail [email protected]
