FAO FORESTRY COMMITTEE 2005 AND MINISTERIAL

UNCLAS ROME 001521

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

USDA FOREST SERVICE FOR FOREST CHIEF BOSWORTH, V.
MEZAINIS, J. LEVI AND D. INGRAM
STATE FOR IO/EDA KOTOK AND OES/ENV CASWELL AND MCALPINE
USDA/FAS FOR LYNN REICH
NAIROBI FOR UNEP PERMREP

E.0. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EAGR AORC EAID FAO
SUBJECT: FAO FORESTRY COMMITTEE 2005 AND MINISTERIAL
MEETING ON FORESTS

REF: (A) STATE 042552, (B) STATE 039649


1. Summary. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) Ministerial Meeting on Forests, which immediately
preceded the Committee on Forestry, resulted in a
ministerial statement calling on FAO to maintain its
leadership role in the Collaborative Partnership on
Forests and to report to the United Nations Forum on
Forests (UNFF) regarding the outcomes of the Ministerial
Meeting. The 17th session of the FAO biennial Committee
on Forestry (COFO) featured an address by the Prime
Minister of Finland and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai.
The more than 100 members engaged in an innovative and
effective format of formal and informal dialogues. The
members participated in sessions regarding technical
issues and forestry program areas of interest, as well as
policy issues important to the global forest community.
Two specific issues addressed by the Ministers and the
Committee were the international commitment to
sustainable forest management (SFM) and FAO's role in
meeting that commitment. Members also provided critical
emphasis on the need for increased international
cooperation on fire preparedness and wildland fire
management. COFO's focus on crosscutting issues such as
forests and bioenergy, other emerging issues and follow-
up to the recommendations of the 16th session,
facilitated members' deliberations on the Program of Work
and Budget for medium and long-term activities in
forestry. Members supported FAO's continuation of
enhanced roles for the Regional Forestry Commissions.
These efforts included, in addition to the regularly
scheduled Regional Forestry Commissions' meeting the
Saturday prior to COFO, a side event plus a plenary multi-
region panel that discussed their strengths and
weaknesses and identified models of success where FAO and
other international partners can engage in advances for
addressing SFM. End Summary.


2. Ministers and officials from 126 countries attended
the Ministerial Meeting on Forests on Monday, March 14,

2005. The Ministers participated in two concurrent
sessions in the morning and afternoon regarding
international commitments to SFM and international
cooperation on forest fire preparedness. U.S. Permanent
Representative to the U.N. Agencies, Ambassador Tony
Hall, highlighted the need to commit to effective
combating of illegal logging with examples of U.S.-led
initiatives and partnerships such as the Liberia Forest
Initiative and the Congo Basin Forest Partnership.
Ambassador Hall also reiterated U.S. commitments to the
UNFF process and to working with countries to develop an
effective international arrangement on forests. USDA
Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the
Environment, Mark Rey, participated in the discussions on
forest fire management. He emphasized the need for
enhanced international cooperation on forest fires,
especially for developing countries. Under Secretary Rey
also highlighted the U.S. experience with bilateral and
regional cooperation that has been very productive and
positive, as well as domestic developments that can serve
as a model for other countries -- the National Fire Plan
for protecting communities, forest and habitats at risk
from wildfires.


3. A ministerial statement was adopted that called for a
reconfirmation of commitments to the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Forest
Principles and the Plan of Implementation on Sustainable
Development (WSSD). Additionally, key issues and points
of emphasis within the statement included: recognition of
the progress made in several areas of SFM; further work
required in areas of law enforcement and governance
regarding wood and non wood products, including wildlife;
the need to strengthen political commitments on cross-
sectoral cooperation, participatory processes engaging
the private sector and civil society; continued
assistance for developing countries to improve
sustainable use of their forests, technical assistance
and capacity-building; maintaining high level of global
awareness about forests, including the upcoming UNFF5
deliberations in May 2005 and recognizing the important
role of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests in
support of the UNFF; the need for greater attention on
forest fires, their impact on ecosystems, as a management
tool, economic and environmental impacts and context of


overall sustainable development; the need to further
existing models of regional and international fire
management cooperation in research, training and exchange
of personnel as key to bridging the gaps of knowledge and
practice; and additional areas of progress and continued
work in monitoring, assessing and reporting on forests,
reducing duplication in efforts, addressing invasive
species impacts, regional/international cooperation, and
supporting the National Forest Program Facility.


4. The 17th Session of the FAO's Committee on Forestry
(COFO) held its biennial meeting in Rome on March 15-19,
2005, preceded by meetings of FAO's Regional Forestry
Commissions and the 2005 FAO Ministerial Meeting on
Forests. The two U.S. delegations, in addition to
Ambassador Hall and Under Secretary Rey, included the
USDA Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth, Valdis Mezainis,
Director, Jerilyn Levi, Assistant Director, Denise
Ingram, Economic Policy Advisor of International Programs
of the USDA Forest Service; Denny Truesdale of the USDA
Forest Service State and Private Forestry; Lynn Reich
(USDA/FAS); Stephanie Caswell, (State/OES); Jan McAlpine
(State/OES); Alicia Grimes (USAID/ENGAT); and private
sector advisors Michael Buck of the National Association
of State Foresters, Mary Coulombe of the American Forest
and Paper Association and Paul Elkan of the Wildlife
Conservation Society. The full delegation lists are
provided in reftels.


5. Ambassador Flavio Miragaia Perri, outgoing Chair,
(Brazil) opened the meeting and welcomed the remarks of
the Under Secretary of Agricultural Policy in the Italian
Ministry of Agriculture regarding the importance of
addressing major issues beyond forests but also related
to sustainable development. Abdelazim Lirghani Ibrahim
of Sudan was elected to the Chair, and David Rhodes as
First Vice-Chair. COFO delegates addressed a number of
topics further detailed below.

State of the World's Forests (SOFO) Report
--------------


6. Hosny El-Lakany, FAO Assistant Director General for
Forestry, presented a brief overview of the SOFO Report
and invited delegates to submit suggestions for the 2007
report. Delegates affirmed the importance of realizing
economic benefits from forests and applauded SOFO's wide
coverage, including experiences and lessons on enhancing
benefits from agroforestry, the economics of wood energy,
invasive species, and the links between violent conflict
and forested regions. FAO was commended for the
extensive number of outside collaborators involved in the
preparation of the Report. Two themes came out of the
discussion for FAO to consider in its next report: the
role of ecological services and national forest resources
accounting.


7. Dale Bosworth, Chief of the USDA Forest Service, gave
opening remarks on behalf of the U.S. Delegation that
underscored the importance of addressing fire
preparedness and wildland fire management and their
contribution to meeting the internationally agreed
development goals such as those of the Millennium
Declaration. He also emphasized the role of forestry and
wildlife management in international development,
including that local communities are a key knowledge
base, and that initiatives (such as those in the United
States) reflecting the diverse ownership objectives and
community are key. Chief Bosworth also recognized FAO's
accomplishments with the SOFO Report and its reflection
of recommendations from the 16th session of COFO and the
insight and review of topics such as forest governance,
international forest policy dialogue and forest
contributions to sustainable forest management.

Regional Forestry Commissions
--------------


8. The United States supported FAO's conclusion that the
Regional Commissions are vital to the institutions and
partnerships for achieving sustainable management of
forest resources. FAO included a separate side event for
the Commissions, in addition to the multi-region panel to
address COFO during the plenary sessions. The delegates
supported recommendations to FAO for increased support to


the Regional Offices and their work with the Commissions.
Delegates also appreciated the achievements of the
Commissions and suggestions to utilize working groups
structures along thematic lines, such as (but not limited
to): fire management, invasive species, wildlife
management and bushmeat, forestry education and illegal
logging. A variety of suggestions surfaced to build on
the synergies among the regions and other international
organizations to increase cross-sectoral activities. In
particular, the delegates urged FAO to support
reactivation of the "Silva Mediterranea" and
Mediterranean forestry questions by the Africa Forest and
Wildlife Commission, the European Forestry Commission and
the Near East Forestry Commission.

Forest Fire Preparedness
--------------


9. Delegates commended and expressed appreciation to FAO
for including the topic of forest fires on the agendas
for both COFO and the Ministerial Meeting on Forests.
They noted the importance of recognizing the different
roles that fires play in different forest types and that
countries have complex arrays of social, economic and
environmental values that drive potential fire management
solutions. Member countries emphasized the need for
stakeholder involvement and community-based approaches
for effective fire management, including public
awareness, education, preparedness, suppression and
rehabilitation. Delegates recognized the importance of
fire management as a national responsibility, while
highlighting excellent models of regional and
international partnerships that other countries can use
to address forest fire preparedness and management.


10. FAO was encouraged to recognize the special needs of
developing countries and to include forest fire
management in the dialogue with international assistance
sources. The United States underscored key points made
by Canada -- as Chair of, and on behalf of the North
American Forestry Commission -- that FAO should help
countries strengthen existing mechanisms for
collaboration on forest fires, such as bilateral and
regional agreements, but that resources and effective
solutions would not be best served by adopting an
international fire accord. There were robust discussions
during the COFO plenary on this subject and the different
views were noted. Several of the leading regional and
international strategies for cooperation on forest fire
management were noted, including the United States and
our three-pronged approach of planning, training and
research. Examples of U.S. work in these areas with
countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, China, India,
Honduras, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Vietnam, Australia,
New Zealand and Indonesia, were cited.

The Role of Forests and the Millennium Development Goals
-------------- --------------


11. The FAO was commended for its role in demonstrating
the importance of forests in addressing internationally
agreed development goals such as those in the Millennium
Declaration, and its work on guidelines to enhance the
contributions of forestry to poverty alleviation and food
security. The United States strongly urged FAO to
integrate forests and agroforestry into Poverty Reduction
Strategy Papers, and with other delegates recommended
that FAO improve inter-sectoral cooperation and
coordination on the national level. Recommendations to
the FAO by the delegates included strengthened technical
assistance on governance, institutional frameworks and
sustainable community-based management; further work with
the Collaborative Partnership on Forests to collect,
analyze and disseminate data on forests that raise
awareness and demonstrate their contributions to
development goals. Delegates recommended that FAO place
a focus on quantifying and capturing the economic value
of environmental services provided by forests. It was
also noted that Brisbane, Australia, would host the XXII
IUFRO World Congress in August of 2005.

Defining Objectives and the Medium-Term Plan and Key
Crosscutting Areas of Work
-------------- --------------


12. Delegates welcomed the opportunity to comment on the
FAO Program of Work and provide feedback and
recommendations to the Forestry Department. They agreed
that a new focus on bioenergy was important and should be
included in an integrated approach to related issues.
Delegates recommended that FAO continue to draw on its
comparative strengths, taking a leadership role in the
Collaborative Partnerships on Forests and future
international arrangements on forests. They also
commented that the provision of technical assistance,
capacity-building and knowledge dissemination on best
practices continue to be important to FAO's participation
on key areas of focus. These areas include monitoring,
assessment and reporting on forests, development of
national forest programs, and the interactions between
forests and water, climate change, combating
desertification, halting land degradation, drought,
bioenergy, poverty alleviation, food security,
participatory forestry and sustainable livelihoods.
Delegates also requested that FAO increase allocations of
resources in its work program to the Regional Forestry
Commissions. With regard to the budget, member countries
held diverse views on the future trends in resources,
with the United States encouraging FAO to give more
emphasis to forestry within its current budget.

XII World Forestry Congress
--------------


13. The Governments of Panama and Argentina submitted
requests to host the XII World Forestry Congress in 2009.
FAO will take forward formal presentations of their
proposals to the FAO Council in June for selection.

Post-Tsunami Rehabilitation and Reconstruction
-------------- -


14. Delegates urged FAO to play a leading role through
its regional offices in an integrated approach to coastal
area management and restoration of livelihoods through
forest-related rehabilitation activities with other
international organizations.

HALL


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2005ROME01521 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED