orests comprise different ecosystems, and have a very important role to play in solving many of the environmental maladies we now face. Recent international conventions on climate change, on biodiversity, on desertification, prominently position forests in their lists of management solutions.

The project aims to develop a sustainable forest management and partnership research program, and to disseminate results from the Word Forests, Society and Environment Program (WFSE). The project director is Prof. Matti Palo, and will bring together three partners - the Finnish Forest Research Institute (METLA), UNU and the European Forest Institute (EFI) in Finland.

Forests are seen as carbon sinks, as stabilizers of climate, as protectors of watersheds, and as conservers of biological diversity.

It will conduct targeted research, and support networking and capacity building on the role of forests in sustainable development in developing and transition countries. It particularly focus on improving linkages between forest science and forest policy processes at the international, national and subnational levels.

The research program covers issues of globally relevant research on world forests, society and environment in support of sustainable forest development and well-being of people. Pursuit of this broad enterprise has established a collaborative relationship with three associate partners - the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Indonesia, the International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) in Kenya, the World Forestry Center (WFC) in USA, and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica.

• WFSE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY [PDF File - 550 KB]
  

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• PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS:
  - European Forest Institute (EFI)
  - Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
  - Finnish Forest Research Institute (METLA)
  - International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)
  - Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE)
  - United Nations University (UNU)
  - United Nations University - Institute for Advanced Studies (UNU/IAS)
  - World Forestry Center
  - World Forests, Society and Environment Research Program (WFSE)
  
  
  
• PAST EVENTS:
  • WFSE Strategy Planning Workshop to be held in Costa Rica held at the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Ensenanza (The Tropical Agronomic Centre for Research and Education - CATIE) from 30 January - 5 February 2001

  • WFSE Satellite Meeting: "How Can Global Research by WFSE Sustain Forest Development?" on 9 August 2000, 19.30 – 21.30 at the IUFRO Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Resources and reports from the meeting will be added soon)

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