Announcement

Workshop on Forests for People:
the role of national forest programmes and the Non-legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests

A Country-led Initiative by the People’s Republic of China
in Support of the United Nations Forum on Forests

17-20 November, 2009
Guilin, China

Background
Consistent with its multi-year programme of work, the ninth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), taking place 24 January – 4 February 2011, will focus on “forests for people, livelihoods and poverty eradication”. This theme corresponds particularly to the second of four global objectives on forests contained in the non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests (NLBI) which the UN General Assembly adopted in December 2007 after agreement was reached by the UNFF in April earlier that year.

Forest management is becoming more people-centred and, in addition to the economic importance of these resources, society is placing greater emphasis on their environmental, social and cultural values, a shift which calls for closer collaboration across sectors. The NLBI provided a much needed global framework for SFM. In this regard, national forest programmes or similar processes are effective mechanisms for a wide range of stakeholders to address sustainable forest management in an integrated manner and for facilitating implementation of the NLBI.

Objectives and expected outcomes
The workshop is designed to share experiences and lessons learned in the use of national forest programmes to achieve sustainable forest management and as a means to implement the NLBI. Conclusions and recommendations arising from the meeting will provide the basis of a summary report that will be submitted to United Nations Forum on Forests to be included as documentation to facilitate and inform discussions at its ninth session.

Host and co-organizers
The People’s Republic of China is organizing and hosting this country-led initiative (CLI), in collaboration with Austria, Finland, Germany, and the United States of America. Technical support is provided by the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the National Forest Programme Facility (the NFP Facility), World Wide Fund (WWF), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Steering Committee
In addition to the countries and organizations noted above, China will invite representatives from other relevant parties to form a compact steering committee which will guide the planning and implementation of the initiative.

Participation
The meeting, conducted in English, will be by invitation of the People’s Republic of China. The programme of work (attached) is oriented to governmental officials, relevant Major Groups , and members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests.

Travel assistance
The co-organizers will provide travel support for one participant from a limited number of developing countries and countries with economies in transition on a “first come, first served” basis. Such assistance will include the economy fare of a round trip by the most direct route, local accommodation, meals and pocket money.

In order to facilitate travel arrangements, including the issuance of visas, countries are requested to provide the following information through their national UNFF focal point on the representative they wish travel support to be provided: complete name, date of birth, job title, passport number and contact information. All participants interested in attending the workshop are kindly requested to complete the attached form by 23 October 2009.

Additional information about the meeting will be posted soon at: http://www.apfnet.cn

Contacts

Ms. Yang Shuo
APFNet
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ms. Lu Qian
APFNet
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Tel: (0086) 10-8423-8108
Fax: (0086) 10-8423-6958

¹ As identified in Agenda 21: Women, Children and Youth, Indigenous People, NGOs, Local Authorities,
Workers and Trade Unions, Business and Industry, Scientific and Technological Communities, Farmers