(k) Identify and implement measures to enhance cooperation and cross sectoral policy and programme coordination among sectors affecting and affected by forest policies and management, with a view to integrating the forest sector into national decision making processes and promoting sustainable forest management, including by addressing the underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation, and by promoting forest conservation

The Executive Secretary stressed that any policy on sustainable forest management must aim at preserving existing forests and ensure that reforestation and afforestation policies were addressed and promoted.

There are a number of existing international arrangements that have succeeded in strengthening long term political commitment to sustainable forest management and led to significant improvements in national forest policies, legislative frameworks and standards in line with the principles of sustainable forest management.

Effective policies, rule of law and transparency are prerequisites for sustainable forest management.

Forest management.

Forest ownership in the US is diverse it includes extensive private forests, federally managed forests and public forests managed by state and local governments as well as forests owned by native Indian tribes.12

The reform of forestry policy is introducing two important innovations (i) preparation of forest management plans and (ii) adoption of forest certification and labelling systems.

The Mauritius Strategy makes specific reference to the intergovernmental forest policy process, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests Intergovernmental Forum on Forests proposals for action, affirming in a separate paragraph the strong commitment of small island developing States to sustainable forest management and the work of the Forum.

(r) Strengthen the contribution of science and research in advancing sustainable forest management by incorporating scientific expertise into forest policies and programmes

(e) Forest law enforcement, governance and conflict management

Building on international and regional activities, cooperation has extended to areas such as developing forest policies, plans and programmes building capacity for effective forest management good governance and forest law enforcement use of satellite data and mapping participatory management and intersectoral coordination within Governments.

Action has been taken to promote stakeholder participation at various levels in policymaking through the preparation of codes of practice through local consultation on forest management decisions in respect of publicly owned forests and through mechanisms, such as certification, that have increased consultations on the management of privately owned forests.

Another important factor is changing forest ownership and management and what this means for decision making on forests.

Forest applications include forest area estimation and mapping, forest monitoring, forest fire assessment and forest management.

Despite substantial progress in the formulation and implementation of national forest policies, deforestation and forest degradation continue at an alarming rate.

Some progress has been made to achieve the integration of the principles of sustainable forest management into country policies and programmes, such as national forest programmes or similar strategies.

The global forest crisis continues unabated despite more than 10 years of global forest policy dialogue in the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (from 1995 to 1997), in the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (from 1997 to 2000) and, finally, in the United Nations Forum on Forests (from 2000 onward).

Improved coordination of policies and the development of a harmonized framework for national commitments towards achieving sustainable forest management, including international goals and targets and strong national reporting mechanisms on implementing sustainable forest management will help establish a level playing field for the forest products sector and will greatly assist public and political recognition of steps on the road to sustainable forest management.

(b) Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management

Stronger coordination of forest policies

In many countries, forests and forest management have a low priority in economic, social and political agendas.

(a) Develop, implement, publish and, as necessary, update national forest programmes or other strategies for sustainable forest management which identify actions needed and contain measures, policies or specific goals, taking into account the relevant proposals for action of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests Intergovernmental Forum on Forests and resolutions of the United Nations Forum on Forests

In addition, considerable efforts are being made to improve natural forest management and recover forest loss through the Forestry Incentives Programme of the National Forestry Institute (INAB).

In some reports, however, it is noted that poor financial returns from forests can threaten the capacity to manage them in regard to other benefits.

Financing sustainable forest management

quot CARFIX Sustainable Forest Management quot

This would influence other national development policies and bring greater political attention to the management, conservation and sustainable development of forests.

(a) Sustainable management of forest and afforestation reforestation area of forest growing stock and

C. Greater recognition of sustainable forest management and forest products trade

Of particular value is the broadening of the range of stakeholders with an interest in forests and the development of innovative mechanisms for equitable involvement of these stakeholders in the formulation of forest policy and programmes and in forest planning and management.

IPF and IFF agreed on over 270 proposals for action for sustainable forest management.

(j) Promoting improved forest practices through strengthening sustainable forest management standards

Decentralization in the forest sector should not be implemented in isolation from a general national forestry strategy such as national forest programs.

The Ad Hoc Expert Group on Finance and Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies also noted that the achievement of sustainable forest management can be greatly hindered by policies established outside the forest sector.

(d) Create a stronger enabling environment for the implementation of forest policies by establishing new financial mechanisms for financing sustainable forest management activities and projects

(f) Promote complementarity among national forest programmes and action plans under the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development related Conventions to further mainstream sustainable forest management in cross sectoral policies

Almost 20 classes have been detected distinguishing different forest types in combination with forest management practices.

Major groups note that the work of the Forum has enhanced forest policy development, which has expanded well beyond traditional forestry policy issues, and that new ideas introduced at the Forum can be quickly transmitted to countries.

They are also responsible for determining national priorities, policies and targets for sustainable forest management as well as for setting up a process to implementing it.

Subprogramme 9

(e) Achieving sustainable forest management also depends on good governance at all levels

Promote genuine community based forest management that empowers forest peoples.

Other measures identified by Parties included the planting of high biomass crops, such as sugar cane, soil and watershed conservation, rehabilitation of wetlands, forest research, forest management, bans on bush burning during land clearing and the promotion of fast growing tree species, review of current forest and land management policies, forestry legislation, forestry administration plans and tax incentives for encouraging reforestation, and sand dune stabilization.

Coordination of forest policies is needed to ensure some degree of consistency among the different international policies and programmes that directly or indirectly concern forests and the forests products sector.

(b) Each State is responsible for the sustainable management of its forests and for the enforcement of its forest related laws