Forests have an important role to play in reducing world poverty, according to a CD-ROM just published by the Forestry Commission.
The CD, which represents the proceedings of the 17th Commonwealth Forestry Conference held in 2005, says the scale of the Asian tsunami might have been significantly lower if mangrove ecosystems and coastal forests had been protected.
The report says there are “inescapable links” between the world’s forest resources and the well-being of society. But it adds that forestry is under-performing on poverty reduction.
The report’s foreword was written by Forestry Commission director-general Tim Rollinson, who is also chairman of the Standing Committee on Commonwealth Forestry.
Mr Rollinson said: “No amount of good intentions or words on paper will make a difference unless we are able to translate the dialogue into action. There is a real need to focus attention on strategic and co-ordinated implementation on the ground.”
