The Model Forest concept, which has been adopted in more than 60 landscapes in nearly 30 countries, represents an important and quite successful approach to addressing the concerns you raise. Model Forests are specifically set up to be multi-scale, multi-stakeholder and multi-sector landscapes that do not create new administrative units or power structures but rather establish a mechanism for cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperation. Ultimately, what they (governments, scientists, private sector, indigenous communities, everyone else) do is jointly create a shared vision of sustainability that is relevant to their circumstances and their landscapes – and then agree on a process to pursue that vision. People, and the values that they and their landscapes represent – economic, social, and environmental – are central to this process. Its generally not easy, but, in our experience, there is no substitute for it. We need to put the work of sustainability into many hands across our landscapes, build the ownership that must ultimately reside there, and work together to achieve our objectives. Our experience is that this is quite do-able.

After 20 years, there is much to learn from the Model Forest experiences but there is also much more to learn and do. In addition to dialogue on the landscape, it is important for organizations and initiatives such as CIFOR and the IMFN to engage in dialogue at the international level to share knowledge, and to register these important points to policy and decision makers. We look forward to a continued strong and beneficial relationship between IMFN and our many collaborators and partners, including CIFOR, in support of this important work into the future.

Peter Besseau
Executive Director,
International Model Forest Network Secretariat
Ottawa, Canada