Every four years or so forestry experts from the Commonwealth's 54 independent states gather together to share knowledge and experience from managing forests around the world.
Tim Rollinson, Director-General of the British Forestry Commission, which will host the latest conference in Edinburgh, says: “It will be just seven months after the Copenhagen climate change conference put efforts to halt deforestation high on the list of priority actions needed if we are to limit the increase in global average temperatures to less than 20 centigrade."
He adds: “We must act urgently to protect the forests we’ve got left and restore what we’ve lost. The conference is therefore a timely opportunity to explore ways in which we in the Commonwealth - and any other countries that wish to take part - can do to take this vital work forward.”
Conference focus
The focus of the conference will be on restoring the world’s lost forests and how forests can help to resolve some of the world’s most pressing problems, especially climate change.
It will present case studies of successful forest restoration and conservation projects from several countries, and give participants an opportunity to learn from and interact with experts. Among the topics that will be addressed are:
- actions that can be taken now for forests to achieve climate change objectives:
- the role of education and professionalism
- next steps and strategies for delivering REDD
- the importance of communities in delivering forestry objectives
- the role of the private sector in finance and restoration
- the economics of restoration and sustainable development
- the important role of forests in helping to reverse the global loss of biodiversity.
- There will also be a range of field trip options, including a visit to the site of a native forest restoration project in Scotland’s spectacular Trossachs region.
Forestry Speakers
The speaker line-up includes foresters and related experts from Commonwealth and other state forest services, industry, research bodies and non-government organisations (NGOs):
- Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General
- Justin Mundy, Director of the Prince’s Rainforest Project
- Dr Isabella Bovolo and Dr Elizabeth Losos of the ground-breaking Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation
- Adam Whitmore, head of climate change projects for mining giant Rio Tinto plc
- Pavan Sukhdev, Head of the Green Economy Initiative at the UN Environment Programme
- Dr Bill Jackson, Deputy Director-General of International Union of the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- Hosny El Lakany, Chair of the International Partnership for Forestry Education
The forestry conference also includes the Minister of Forests in the Scottish Government and the heads of the Canadian, Indian, Tanzanian, Jamaican and British national forest services. The conference finishes with a reception with the Scottish Minister for Environment at Edinburgh Castle.
Registration
Registration fees start at £100 for 1 day for a student with a discount for early registration (before 12 April). Full details, including a provisional conference programme, are available on the conference website, www.cfc2010.org. Further information is also available from the conference enquiry service, [email protected].