| WORLD FOREST ORGANIZATION
Alliance for Peace and Prosperity on the Planet
The World Forest Organization (WFO) forges alliances across continents, countries and communities about forestry, environment and development. It serves as a bridge between global thinking and local action. This involves governmental and inter-governmental agencies, academic and research institutions, and civil society –including local authorities, foundations, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. It is sponsored by the Geneva-based World Organization for Peace to fill the gap in global arena for an independent international organization exclusively dedicated to forests and forestry.
WFO undertakes and assists projects and programmes through its (i) Forestry Programme, inter-alia, including 12.5 billion tree planting campaign; (ii) Forests, Trees and People Programme to promote partnerships for peace and prosperity, biodiversity conservation, combating climate change, and addressing the vulnerability of forest dwellers and poverty afflicted people; (iii) Agro-forestry Programme targeted on food security, optimal land-use and fragile ecosystems; and (iv) Forest Products Programme for stakeholder stewardship of sustainable production, processing and marketing of wood and non-wood forest products. A Global Forest Fund shall support pertinent activities world-wide.
Vision, Mission & Goal
Harmony between humanity and the environment is the vision of the World Forest Organization. It is devoted to trees and forests for peace and prosperity on the planet.
The mission of the Organization is to promote sustainable forest management, conservation and development. The aim is poverty alleviation, income generation and environmental services, with due consideration of biodiversity conservation and climate change challenges.
Its goal is to serve as a global policy platform and an action-oriented centre of excellence for programmes, projects, knowledge networking and awareness-raising about the role of trees and forests for human wellbeing.
Background
Forests account for the 31 per cent of the land cover. Deforestation and degradation of forests and related resources, and concurrent economic and ecological refugees, cultural erosion and social exclusion escalate into crime and crises. Holistic approach is warranted to address security concerns and to promote peaceful progress on the planet. More so because nearly half of the world's population subsist on less than two dollars a day, with over a billion and half 'forest-dependent' people. Fuel from trees and forests are the source of energy for over two billion people, with 65 percent in the South 'dependent' on forest products for their health and nutritional needs. But their resource base is diminishing and 13 million hectares are deforested annually. This accounts for up to 18 percent of global green house emissions.
Forests are habitat for over two thirds of the earth's biodiversity. Deforestation is causing loss of about 100 species daily, and desertification and soil erosion, while over a billion people already suffer from hunger and malnutrition. Hunger and anger can be addressed concomitantly through food, fuel and fibre from forests, wood for housing, water for life, gainful employment and payment for environmental services.
Activities
WFO activities include:
Advisory assistance, studies and awareness-raising regarding cultural, environmental, economic, human security and societal issues of forests and trees for attaining peace, prosperity and millennium development goals;
Pilot testing, training and demonstration for developing and disseminating appropriate technologies for holistic forest resources management;
Recognition of rights, role and responsibility of forest dwellers, forest fringe villagers, indigenous and local communities;
Safeguarding globally and locally important forest landscapes, scenic sites and sacred tree groves, agricultural and agro-forestry heritage systems and traditional knowledge;
Leveraging the potential of products from trees and forests, their processing, branding and marketing; and
Undertaking and assisting the planning, execution, monitoring and review of forest policies, programmes and projects devoted to: afforestation, reforestation and sustainable forest management; agro-forestry, food security and landscape management; bio-diversity, wildlife and nature conservation; climate change mitigation and adaptation; deserts, drylands, mangroves, mountains and tropics; eco-tourism, ecosystems services and benefit sharing; forest certification, trade and markets; governance and law enforcement; green economy and energy; human resources and organizational capacity; livelihoods and human well-being; public-private-people partnerships; REDD & related mechanisms; soil and water conservation; sustainability science, technology and investment; and tree planting and forest restoration in rural, urban, and peri-urban areas.
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