The United National Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 recognized that forest resources in most of the countries are not being managed in a sustainable manner. It therefore developed a set of "Forest Principles" that demanded worldwide sustainable forest management (SFM) in conformity with multiple functions and values of forest resources. It noted that "Forest resources and forest lands should be sustainably managed to meet the social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations." Further, that "these needs are for forest products and services, such as wood and wood products, water, food, fodder, medicine, fuel, shelter, employment, recreation, habitats for wildlife, landscape diversity, carbon sinks and reservoirs, and for other forest products." The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) has taken this task further by promoting the development of MAR on SFM, recognizing that such MAR should be simple in reporting and action-oriented both at the international and national levels. At the international level, it should provide opportunities to share experiences among countries and other stakeholders and to identify actions that could be taken at various levels to support SFM. At the national level, it should catalyze national discussions, analyses and actions that promote SFM. Finally, at all levels, the MAR, should help to clarify the contribution of forests to global environment and to human well-being.

This project collaboration with the forest agency of Japan contributes to the global mandate given to the FAO Forestry Department, by the Committee on Forestry (COFO), to develop a globally harmonized framework, guidelines, structure of database for monitoring assessment and reporting on sustainable forest management. These outputs from the project will be tested and applied in the Asian Pacific region only but they have effective capacity and computability for later replication in other regions of the world.

The project gives the technical basis to improve sustainable forest management in Asia Pacific region. It benefits several international processes related to forests, and facilitates countries in developing their forest related monitoring, assessment and planning systems. The Project emphasizes the role of forest management in sustainable development, including linkages to the Millennium Development Goals and supports to the implementation of major UN forest-related conventions. It takes the agreed international concepts of sustainable management of forests into action on the ground.

Source: http://www.fao.org/forestry/mar/34849/en/