SUMMARY

1. This Strategic Plan describes the Mission, Goals, Implementation Strategies and Vision for the future to orient FAO's programmes in forestry over the next decade - a time in which the sector is expected to be facing increasingly complex issues but at the same time to be in a position to profit from new opportunities. This Strategic Plan provides overall direction upon which the more detailed implementation plan - the biennial Programme of Work and Budget - will be based.

2. The mission of FAO in forestry is: To enhance human well-being through the sustainable management of the world's trees and forests.

3. FAO has three goals in forestry, as follows:

• environmental - the maintenance of the biological diversity, health and environmental services of forest ecosystems and wooded lands;
• economic - the realisation of the full economic potential of the multiple goods and services of forests and wooded lands, without impairing their sustainable productive or protective capacities;
• social - the creation of partnerships among forestry agencies, communities, the private sector, land owners and other interest groups to work together for sustainable forest management and an equitable sharing of benefits and costs of trees and forests.

4. FAO's implementation strategies for meeting these goals are:

1. fulfilment of mandated roles (facilitating policy and technical dialogue through the provision of a neutral forum, serving as a source of information, providing technical assistance and policy advice, providing investment advice, and research support);

2. setting priorities (prioritising a small number of focal activities - in global forestry statistics and information, technologies and methodologies for the conservation and use of trees an forests, and institution strengthening); and

3. building partnerships with others.

5. The vision for the future of FAO in forestry is to be recognised for leadership and partnership in promoting the sustainable management of the world's trees and forests. FAO will be widely perceived as an effective and technically competent service organization, alert to new trends, and a catalyst of action in current and emerging areas of need in forestry. The scenario for the future to aim for is a slowing of the rate of deforestation in the tropics, and a decrease in forest degradation world-wide.

I. INTRODUCTION

6. FAO's Strategic Plan for Forestry has been prepared at a time of heightened international concern over continued forest degradation and loss; of rapid and complex political, institutional and technological change; of unprecedented public commitment to forest conservation; of increasing public involvement in forest management decisions; and of a growing number of organizations involved in global forestry issues. In this period of change there are conflicting demands on forests and on forestry agencies, but promising new approaches, policies and attitudes have also arisen, supported by methodologies and technologies to facilitate sound forest management.

7. The Strategic Plan seeks to provide a coherent orientation for FAO's programme in forestry and related fields. It is the strategic plan of the entire Organization, not only that of the Forestry Department, although the Forestry Department will have the lead responsibility for ensuring its implementation. The Strategic Plan, which will be revised periodically, looks ahead to the medium term (approximately 10 years). It will be the basic document from which the implementation plans, FAO's biennial programmes of work and budget, will be developed.

8. FAO takes a comprehensive view of forestry. Forestry deals both with forests and with trees in the landscape. Forestry is concerned with the multiple economic, social and environmental benefits of forests. Activities are carried out not only in forests, but also on farms, rangelands, barren watersheds and in other ecosystems not traditionally considered forests. The commercial aspects of forestry address the many steps from production, to processing, marketing and trade. As the future of forests is determined as much by developments outside as within the sector, the Forestry Strategic Plan of FAO must look beyond the forest, and its Forestry Department must work closely with other disciplines and agencies to ensure the optimal use and conservation of forests and associated lands. FAO also takes an inclusive view of forest stakeholders, supporting a variety of informal and formal organizations as potential partners in sustainable forest management. In defining the strategic plan, FAO thus seeks to meet the needs of its member countries and other clients, to foster interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary work, and to facilitate collaboration with and among other organizations.

9. FAO itself does not manage forests and trees; rather, its role is to facilitate, catalyse and provide information, guidance and assistance for the actual managers of the resource. FAO's primary clients are national governments representing its member states; but the Organization also serves other concerned and responsible voices for forestry, including Non-Governmental Organizations, private companies, foundations, universities and rural people's organizations. FAO seeks to assist these and others to achieve a better understanding, use and management of the world's trees and forests. Through its own efforts and partnership with others, FAO aims to facilitate progress toward sustainable management of all types of forests.

II. ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

KEY ISSUES

10. The demands on many of the world's trees and forests today are greater than ever before. Managing forests to provide for the economic, social and environmental well-being of the Earth's rapidly expanding population, while also conserving them for future generations, is one of the most challenging and complex tasks of modern times. Conflicting views on the approaches, objectives and techniques of forest management are, increasingly, the subject of heated controversy. Economic, political, demographic and social trends which are evolving outside the sector are affecting the forest resources and shaping their management, while influencing national forest policy formulation and institutional arrangements. The wide differences of opinion on the desirability of the introduction of a "Forest Convention", such as a legally-binding instrument on all types of forests, illustrate the conflicting views that exist.

11. Factors external to the sector, such as the growth in population and changing consumption patterns, are likely to continue to have more influence over the extent and condition of the global forest resource than factors internal to, and directly controlled by, the forestry sector itself. Inevitably some existing tropical forests will be converted to agriculture, highlighting the need for sound land use classification and land use planning and the identification of trees and forests in land use systems. The sustainability of agriculture will be increasingly recognised as a key to sustainable forestry.

12. Controversy is especially likely to arise in the future over water supplies, not only in terms of access to and control of water but also in terms of the absolute quantity available for societies that are increasingly urban and industrial. The role of forests in flood control or in rainfall interception on catchments and watersheds and in controlling erosion will assume even greater importance, requiring better knowledge and quantification.

13. Other services provided by forest ecosystems may assume even greater importance such as for example the use and ownership of the genetic potential of forest trees and plants or problems of over-use arising from greater access to forests by the urban population for recreation. The major role of urban forestry will be recognised.

14. The urban population will be increasingly out of touch with rural life; there will be strong interest in forestry issues and an even greater need for reliable information and analysis in order to promote informed participation in discussions and decision making.

15. More forest products will come from intensively managed plantations or agroforestry systems. Tree breeding will have a major role in increasing productivity. Natural forests will be managed for longer-rotation, high quality timber but also for a wide range of other goods and for services. Forest industries, as regards logging and processing, will more and more be guided by codes of conduct, and trade in forest products by certification or by eco-labelling.

16. Forest cover has stabilised in most industrialised countries but deforestation will continue elsewhere. Between 1990 and 1995, the area of natural forests in developing countries decreased by an estimated 13.7 million hectares per year. In the coming decades, pressures for increased food production are expected to lead to continued conversion of forest land to agriculture in many developing countries. Infrastructure development will also contribute significantly to the continued loss of forests. Apart from the question of forest cover, is that of forest condition; large areas of forest world-wide are being degraded by overharvesting, overgrazing, pests, disease, wildfires, and air-borne pollution.

17. At the same time as global forest cover is decreasing and forests are being degraded in many places, demands on forests and trees to supply wood and non-wood products and social and environmental services are increasing. Global consumption of wood increased by 36 percent between 1970 and 1994, and is expected to increase by another 20 percent by the year 2010. Greater emphasis is being put on the services and benefits which forests and trees can provide, including soil and water conservation, sequestration of carbon for mitigation of climate change, conservation of biological diversity, combating of desertification, enhancement of agricultural production systems, improvement of living conditions in urban and peri-urban areas, food and income, and provision of educational and recreational opportunities. Forests will continue to provide an income for those employed in the forest and timber industries, and will remain an important source of food and income for the rural poor as well as being the home to indigenous forest dwellers for some time to come.

EXAMPLES OF PROGRESS

18. Despite the formidable challenges confronting forestry today, a number of positive developments give cause for optimism. There have been considerable improvements in the efficiency of processing, in diversification into other woody raw materials and greater recycling and use of wood residues. Forestry is benefiting from unprecedented levels of attention, energy and commitment from thousands of formal and informal, global to local, governmental and non-governmental organizations around the world. New communication technologies are facilitating dialogue between people no matter how far apart they live, and are speeding the exchange and dissemination of crucial information on forestry. In many areas, local expertise in some aspects of forestry has been significantly developed. The concepts of participation in decision-making in forestry policy and planning and of shared responsibility for forest management are being put into practice in many countries.

19. A key element in the response of the world community to the challenges and opportunities facing the world's forests lies in the development of the concept of sustainable forest management and its relation to sustainable (human) development. Extending the concept of sustainable development as outlined by the Brundtland Commission, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 developed the theme of sustainable forest management. This was further elaborated by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and its Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. The concept of sustainable forest management seeks to bring better balance between the environmental, economic and social dimensions of managing forests. It is the most important concept currently guiding the future of all the world's trees and forests.

NEEDS

20. Achieving sustainable management of the world's trees and forests will not only depend on political will and commitment, but also upon the following fundamental elements: access to accurate information, institutions which can provide the necessary guidance and support for forestry; improved technologies for managing the resource and for use and conversion of forest products; new or adapted processes to achieve wide participation in decision-making related to forest management; and expanded investment in the sector.

• More and improved information is needed on the status and value - economic, environmental and social - of the world's forests. It will serve as a basis for policy and management decisions in response to socio-economic, technological and political changes, many of which lie outside the sector itself. Assessments of forest cover, condition and productivity, biological diversity, and the supply and demand for wood and non-wood forest products and services will be important to guide decisions and measure progress towards achieving sustainable forest management. Tracking and analysing the effects of demographic trends, land use changes, and economic developments will be needed for appropriate policy formulation.
• Capacity building, or assistance in improving institutional capabilities to plan and manage the forestry sector, must be given increased priority if sustainable forest management is to become a reality. Despite progress in many places, insufficient or inadequate national and local forest policies, strategies and plans are important constraints to implementing sustainable forest management in many countries. Forest laws and land use policies are often weak or inconsistent, and, in developing countries in particular, relatively few forests are being adequately protected and managed. Greater interdisciplinary effort is needed to account adequately for forestry in national development planning and to integrate trees and forests in land use plans. Many countries have forestry departments and forestry research, education and extension programmes which are under-funded and have inadequately trained staff. There is a need to strengthen such institutions, promote responsible private sectors, ensure that non-governmental organizations and local groups are involved, and encourage cross-institutional collaboration. Forest institutions and other organizations involved in forestry must also adapt to new trends, including economic globalisation, political and economic liberalisation, decentralisation, the continued rapid evolution of information systems, and pluralism, or shared responsibility for action.
• New science and information on methodologies and practices for the forestry sector will also be required. While certain areas have seen much progress, further development is needed in such areas as ecosystem or multipurpose management as well as in meeting the growing demand for wood products through intensified management of secondary forests, increased plantations production, and in some countries, farm forestry and agroforestry. Further work is needed in developing environmentally sound harvesting techniques for all the products of the forest and more efficient and environmentally sensitive wood products processing technologies. Research is also needed in socio-economic issues, such as land and tree tenure and marketing. Research and extension institutions will need to be strengthened to develop and transfer such knowledge.
• Public participation is essential for successful forest management. For effective participation to occur, policies, strategies, approaches, and methods are needed to support the involvement of people in managing forest resources sustainably - not to keep them out. While progress has been made, policies, rules, regulations, and procedures are still evolving and further work is needed on how to actually implement participatory forest management. This will require the development of methods and tools for a partnership approach that links government, non-government, and local organizations and the sharing of lessons learnt, especially among those countries undergoing decentralization and restructuring of the public sector.
• Sustainable forest management demands a higher level of investment than is allocated today. The mobilisation of resources from a variety of sources will depend on the development of ways to realise and quantify the value of the multiple products and services of forests and the development of policies which encourage investment.

21. Achieving sustainable forest management on a global scale will not be easy. It will require joint and enduring commitment of governments, international organizations, private industry, land owners and non-governmental groups to overcome constraints and capture opportunities. This document explains how FAO will contribute to this end.

III. FAO'S MISSION, GOALS AND KEY ASSETS IN FORESTRY

FORESTRY MISSION OF FAO

22. Taking into account the current and future issues and opportunities facing the world's forests, the mission of FAO in forestry is:

FORESTRY GOALS OF FAO

23. FAO has three goals in forestry, as follows:

• environmental: the maintenance of the biological diversity, health and environmental services of forest ecosystems and wooded lands;
• economic: the realisation of the full economic potential of the multiple goods and services of forests and wooded lands, without impairing their sustainable productive or protective capacities;
• social: the creation of partnerships among forestry agencies, communities, the private sector, land owners and other interest groups to work together for sustainable forest management and an equitable sharing of benefits and costs of trees and forests.

KEY ASSETS OF FAO IN FORESTRY

24. To carry out this mission, the FAO forestry programme has a cadre of 75 full-time professional staff plus about 250 contracted employees with a diverse range of skills in forestry, wildlife resources, watershed management, genetics, economics, public administration, anthropology, forest products utilisation and engineering. This broad skills-base allows the Organization to address the full spectrum of environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainable forest management. Linkages of the forestry programme to the agriculture, economics, fisheries and sustainable development programmes in FAO also facilitate cross-sectoral approaches to major issues, such as food security, rural development and integrated land use.

25. Since its founding in 1945, FAO has grown to include 174 member countries. It includes all the major forested countries of the world except Russia, which currently has a special liaison status. This broad membership makes FAO a truly global organization and allows it to address issues facing all the world's forests - boreal, temperate, subtropical and tropical; forests in developed and developing countries; dry forests and humid ones; high altitude forests and mangroves; even trees on farms and in cities.

26. Another key asset of the FAO forestry programme is the synergy between normative and operational work. The importance of the normative, information-gathering, function lies not only in its use in global or regional planning and in detecting trends in the forestry sector, but also in the use of information to advise member governments on policy and technical matters. Similarly, the field programme is a major source of information itself and is an important mechanism for maintaining the relevance of FAO staff to the practical realities of its member countries. This ability to assemble information globally and to work directly with countries to help them apply it locally is one of the most vital assets of FAO in forestry.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

27. In order to reach the Organization's forestry goals, FAO will:

1. continue efficiently and effectively to execute its mandated roles;

2. set clear priorities for its work; and

3. build mutually-beneficially partnerships with other organizations.

IV.I FULFILLING FAO'S MANDATED ROLES

28. At its creation in 1945, it was envisioned that FAO would undertake its work by serving as a facilitator, or neutral forum, for policy and technical dialogue; as a source of global information; and as a provider of policy advice and technical assistance. These continue to be the Organization's primary means to carry out the forestry mission of FAO, complemented by its work in investment advice and support to research.

A neutral forum for policy and technical dialogue

29. Serving as an informed facilitator and providing a neutral forum for policy and technical dialogue on forestry are major roles of FAO. At the global level, the Committee on Forestry (COFO) and other statutory bodies are the major fora for policy and technical dialogue. At the regional level, the six regional forestry commissions fulfil similar roles. The objectives of these bodies are to identify emerging policy and technical issues in forestry and related natural resources, to seek solutions and promote action and to advise FAO. Their work programmes are set by the bodies themselves, but a vital ongoing function is to keep the UNCED process alive by sustaining the consensus and commitment on sustainable forest management that prevailed in 1992.

30. FAO will continue to develop the role of COFO in advancing the global forestry policy dialogue and the role of the regional forestry commissions in addressing regional issues. Efforts will be intensified to welcome the active participation of a range of interest groups in the meetings of the regional forestry commissions, in COFO and in all FAO forestry meetings and to ensure that meetings are vibrant, efficient and effective fora for important policy and technical dialogue. Opportunities will be actively sought to promote wider interchange between participants through the organization of satellite and informal meetings at the same time as main FAO meetings. As the need arises, FAO will again convene special fora of forestry ministers, non-governmental organizations and private sector, as was done in 1995.

A source of global information and knowledge

31. Two general types of information are provided by FAO: statistical, descriptive and analytical information on forests and the forestry sector world-wide; and information on technologies, methodologies and best forest practices.

Information on the world's forests and forestry sector

a) Statistical information is compiled on forest products and on forest resources world-wide. These global and regional studies help monitor progress toward achieving sustainable forest management, identify major problem areas, and predict future needs. The "State of the World's Forests" report, issued every two years, is FAO's primary vehicle for making current and comprehensive policy-relevant information on the forestry sector easily accessible to scientists, students, practitioners, and especially decision-makers.

b) FAO currently collects and publishes other global and regional information on forest genetic resources, forest fires, and educational and research establishments. It plans to collect and make available more information on forest health and condition. More attention will be paid to collecting and storing information in ways that can be readily analysed and used in trend studies and in forecasting.

Information on technologies, methodologies and best practices

a) FAO produces information on methodologies, technologies and best practices related to the forestry sector. The emphasis will continue to be on the production of technical information on:

• Best practices for forest management, including protection of natural areas and biological diversity, forest health, soil and water conservation, plantations, and agroforestry.

• Identification and harmonisation of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.

• Guidelines for efficient and environmentally sound harvesting and utilization of forest resources, and on increasing the value of forests for non-wood products, eco-tourism and non-market benefits.

• Approaches, methods and tools that support participatory forest management and equitable benefit sharing through the development and implementation of activities that are designed, implemented, monitored, evaluated and revised in a partnership of local communities and external agencies.

• Institutional arrangements and extension, education and research methodologies.

Technical assistance and policy advice

32. FAO provides direct assistance to member countries to develop institutional capacity for the formulation of policies, strategies, and programs for sustainable forest management. In the future, technical advice is likely to be concerned with the strengthening of research capabilities and with the transfer of technology (both of advanced technology and of traditional knowledge). While there will be greater emphasis on policy, legal and institutional matters concerning national forestry sectors.

33. FAO's field programme is one of its main means of providing technical assistance to developing countries. FAO implements some 235 projects in all developing regions of the world, covering a wide spectrum of policy, institutional and technical needs.

Investment advice

34.FAO supports member countries in forestry sector reviews, and in project identification, preparation and implementation through the FAO Investment Centre, the Forestry Department and other Departments. The decentralization of many of the functions of FAO and its increasing involvement with the private sector will serve also make a major contribution to this activity.

Research support

35. FAO provides support to member countries in forestry research through capacity building and the strengthening of research institutions, the provision of information, collaboration with Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centres concerned with forestry research and, more recently, through networking. This support to forestry research will continue, especially through the expansion of networks and promotion of co-operative programmes on subjects of common interest and of a strategic nature where they do not presently exist, to facilitate the exchange of information between national research institutions.

IV.2 SETTING PRIORITIES

36.The current orientation of FAO's forestry programme is a reflection of the experience of FAO gained through its work in global forestry, of its assessment of critical issues of the day and emerging trends, and of advice and requests from governments, private industry, environmental and developmental organizations, other organisations, and individuals. The Committee on Forestry, which meets every two years, plays the major role in setting the technical direction and priorities of the programme. This Strategic Plan, which outlines the envisioned direction of the Forestry Department's work over the medium-term, is consistent with the direction already given and provides for responsiveness to anticipated needs in the future. It is the basis from which more specific, detailed and shorter-term activities will be identified in the biennial Programme of Work and Budget for the Forestry Department.

37. The key message from UNCED is the need to recognise the interdependence of the environmental, economic and social dimensions of forestry and the linkages between forestry and other sectors. The ability to address this range of issues in an integrated manner and on a global scale is an important and unique feature of the FAO forestry programme.

38. FAO intends to maintain its broad and comprehensive programme, which allows it to address a range of technical areas related to forest development and sustainable management. This will enable the Organization the ability to respond to a variety of requests from its members and will give it the flexibility to build new areas of emphasis as future needs and opportunities arise. This is consistent with FAO's commitment to remaining both comprehensive but also flexible enough to address emerging priorities. It will also ensure that FAO will be able to remain aware of the work of other organisations and a source of expertise in a wide range of technical areas.

39. FAO will maintain its capacity in forest management; environmental services from forests; forestry for rural development; forest products development and processing; forestry research, education, training, and extension; and forestry policy and planning.

40.While maintaining broad capabilities in sustainable forest management, FAO will focus on certain activities which respond to urgent calls from governing bodies, or as in the case of the UNCED process, to international demand. Such priority activities are sometimes permanent features, but can also be time-limited. When they are partly or fully accomplished, reduced attention or re-focusing may be warranted. The priority activities identified for the medium term fall into three categories:

1. Global forestry statistics and information

Global forest resources assessment
41. FAO's global forest resources assessment (FRA), a major source of global data on forest cover, deforestation and forest degradation, is conducted every five years. The emphasis of the next FRA, which will be issued in the year 2000, will be on: continuing the improvement of data accuracy; increasing the capabilities of national and regional assessment facilities; and, where methodologies exist and financial resources permit, broadening the assessment to include additional quantitative and qualitative information on productivity, as it refers to sustainable production levels and net changes in productive capacity; indicators of forest health; and forest-based biological diversity.

Forestry sector outlook studies
42. Continued priority will be given to the collection, analysis and dissemination of statistics on forest products: processing capacity, production, consumption and trade. In the future, increasing emphasis will be placed on improving the quality of such data, broadening its scope to include non-wood forest products, strengthening the statistical collection and analytical capability of national institutions, and providing further analysis and interpretation of the data in a policy-relevant form. Current studies include the Global Fibre Supply Study and the Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study.

2. Technologies and methodologies for the conservation and use of trees and forests

43. This focal activity will concentrate on developing technical materials, tools and methodologies for sustainable forest management. Three areas will be emphasised during the short- to medium-term:

• developing and harmonising criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management. Criteria and indicators are tools for the conceptualisation, implementation and monitoring of progress for sustainable forestry management. FAO will support the further development, field testing and implementation of criteria and indicators at national, sub-national and forest management unit levels and the co-ordination between the various international and regional/sub-regional initiatives.
• encouraging the adoption of codes of environmentally sound harvesting and utilisation practices, and increasing conversion efficiency thus reducing pressure on the resource. Forest harvesting is one of the most important interventions in natural forest management and is fundamental to sustainable forestry.
• developing non-wood forest products (NWFP), including their management, utilisation and marketing. NWFPs contribute to sustainable management of the world's trees and forests, to the conservation of biological diversity and to national and household economies and food security. FAO will become a `Centre of excellence' on NWFPs, will continue to exchange, gather, analyse and disseminate technical information on specific NWFPs and relevant issues, including the collection of data on their production and trade for better appraisal of their full socio-economic contribution; the assessment of harvesting and processing technologies; the identification of development opportunities for NWFPs; and their valorisation, including improved marketing practices.
  

3. Institution strengthening

National forest programmes
44. The preparation of National Forest Programmes (NFPs) is the foundation for the sustainable development of member countries' forestry sectors. Activities include assistance in policy development and strategic planning, and in cross-sectoral and land-use planning.

45. Special emphasis will be given to assisting developing countries and countries with economies in transition in:

-improving their institutional capabilities to develop policies and to plan and manage their forestry sectors;

-addressing cross-sectoral issues, with particular reference to integrated land use planning and the role of forestry in food security;

-creating an investment climate that will attract the necessary financial resources to implement NFPs, mainly through the identification and preparation of investment projects.

Community Forestry Programme
46. Community forestry is concerned with forest management within the context of sustainable rural development. The Community Forestry Programme will work to improve the capacity of institutions involved in forestry to incorporate social and economic dimensions into the planning and implementation of their programmes. As a means of achieving sustainable forest management, it will continue to develop and promote participatory approaches which enable local people and other stakeholders to be involved in forest planning and management. Emphasis will be put on developing an enabling policy and institutional environment for effective locally-based management. Continued effort will be made to encourage equity in benefits and decision-making, especially as related to gender.

IV.3 BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

47. In implementing the Strategic Plan for Forestry, FAO will proactively seek to reinforce and/or establish partnerships with other organizations carrying out related work. Collaboration and partnership are vital because no single organization has the necessary financial resources or the full range of technical skills needed to adequately address all the global forestry issues. In particular, strong partnerships will be sought among the following:

-FAO member Governments, including national research centres, universities and other institutions;

-International organizations, both those within and outside the United Nations system;

-Non-governmental environmental, development and research organizations; and

-Private sector, including industry and landowners.

48. Special attention will be given to fostering a collaborative environment within the United Nations system on forestry, consistent with FAO's roles as Task Manager for the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) on forests and sustainable mountain development and with the sense of harmony among international organizations that has emerged through the work of the informal, ad hoc Interagency Task Force on Forests (ITFF). In particular, emphasis will be given to collaborative leadership of the ITFF in implementing the proposals for action of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, and for example, in support of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests.

V. VISION FOR THE FUTURE

49.FAO intends to increase its effectiveness in the forestry sector over the next decade using this Strategic Plan as a guide, and in doing so, will contribute to improved management of trees and forests world-wide. This section describes both a vision of FAO's role in global forestry and of the desired future state of the world's forests.

50. FAO will be recognised by governments of its member countries, and by organizations and interest groups involved in the forestry sector, for its leadership and partnership in promoting the sustainable management of the world's trees and forests. It will be recognised and trusted for its facilitation of discussion of forestry issues in a neutral forum, for its ability to collect and disseminate reliable and relevant information, as a contribution towards the discussions, for its capacity to provide technically sound and policy-relevant analysis of such information, and for its provision of unbiased and timely advice, studies and forecasts.

51. FAO will be seen as an innovative organization, and one which is abreast of new developments and able to anticipate trends. It will be seen as a reliable partner in responding to the needs of its member countries and it will be seen both as a leading advocate and example of use of the partnership approach among interest groups. It will be known for its ability to work in a truly cross-sectoral fashion. Its field programme and its normative activities will complement each other, providing synergy between concepts and practice.

52. The scenario for the future to aim for is a slowing of the rate of deforestation in the tropics, and a decrease in forest degradation world-wide. The location, extent, composition, health and value of many of the goods and services represented by forest ecosystems and trees in the landscape will be more accurately known. Informed and constructive debate between a wide range of interest groups will be increasingly used to develop consensus on forest management, particularly in defining sustainable forest management and in striking a balance between environmental and developmental objectives. Policy changes will help remove restrictions on forestry development, will promote participatory approaches towards their management, and will encourage the equitable distribution of benefits. The role of trees and forests in contributing to food security and environmental protection will be enhanced and better recognised. More forests will be under controlled management and periodic assessments of indicators will show a trend towards long-term sustainability. There will be a greatly increased flow of investment into the sector, particularly in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

1

This draft was prepared as the result of a wish expressed by members of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) at its 13th session (March 1997). The draft has been sent for comments to members of the FAO's Regional Forestry Commissions and copies were made available to FAO Member Countries, some NGOs and international organizations. This document will be placed on the agenda of the meetings of each of the Commissions in 1998 and the draft will be revised, taking into account the comments received from the Commissions, in order to present it for final approval to the 14th session of COFO in 1999.