Forest Caucus Report

A Newsletter of the Canadian Environmental Network Forest Caucus

Canadian ENGO Participation at the World Forestry Congress
Allyson Brady, CEN Forest Caucus Steering Committee

Bonjour tout le monde!

Twenty-seven participants of the Canadian Environmental Network received travel and registration subsidy to attend the XII World Forestry Congress, which took place September 20-28 in Quebec City.

The World Forestry Congress (WFC) is the “Olympics” of forestry conferences - it happens every five years and is international in scope. The Congress is sponsored by the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization and is touted as “the most important gathering of the principle forestry sector players”.

Over 4000 participants from around the world came to Quebec City in order to hear from government, industry, academia, aboriginal and non-governmental organizations about the current issues and trends in our forests, as well as to create broad recommendations and strategies for the future.

The theme of this Congress was “Forests, Source of Life”. Presentations and discussions were focused into three categories: Forests for the Planet, Forests for the People, and People and Forests in Harmony. One hundred and eighty-two (182) presenters delivered their ideas on the above topics, and 150 side events and 180 exhibitors provided their initiatives as well. Three books containing the conference proceedings are available in French, English or Spanish languages from the WFC Secretariat: sec.gen@wfc2003.org or check out the Congress website.

Prior to the Congress, in 2001, CEN was asked to select two delegates from our Forest Caucus to be part of the Program Committee (one of the many WFC committees). Henri Jacob from the Réseau des Groupes Ecologistes and myself, Allyson Brady of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society participated on the Program Committee of the WFC for the past two years. Our primary tasks were to plan and implement the activities of the program of the Congress. For example, we took part in determining the themes and structure of the program; identified priority issues; determine speakers; and served as facilitators, secretaries and resource people during the Congress.

Chantal Bois, Canadian Environmental Network’s Forest Caucus Coordinator did a fantastic job of finding the necessary funds to support ENGO representatives from across Canada to attend and participate in the Congress. These ENGO participants met regularly to debrief of various issues discussed during the Congress and produced the following ENGO statement (HYPERLINK). The statement outlines several international commitments that many of the governments represented at the WFC have already agreed to but have yet to implement. The groups called on governments to attach to these agreements measurable targets, binding timelines, objective evaluation systems and requirements for community-based decision-making.