The Organizing Committee of the International Conference on the Contribution of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management: The Way Forward" (CICI-2003) (Instituto Nacional de Bosques, Guatemala, FAO, ITTO, US Department of State, US Forest Service, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland) would like to extend its sincere appreciation to the Government of Guatemala, including the Ministry of Agriculture and the national Immigration and Foreign Affairs authorities, for their active contribution to the organization of the International Conference that lead to its success.
Appreciation is also extended to the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Conference, Chairpersons and Rapporteurs of the Working Groups, the Keynote speaker, and the authors and presenters of the background papers and case studies.
Throughout the planning period of CICI-2003, a great number of useful and constructive suggestions were received from the members of the International Advisory Committee of CICI-2003 and from other experts of various countries and organizations. The success of this meeting could not have been possible without such support.
It is hoped that the results of this Conference will serve to enhance the development, implementation and use of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management as tools for monitoring, assessment and reporting on forest conditions and trends by countries, as well as for influencing national policies and practices and international cooperation and collaboration in pursuing sustainable forest management - the forest sector's contribution to sustainable development.