Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission meeting at Dehradun from Apr 17

New Delhi, Apr 13 (UNI) More than 200 international delegates are gathering at Dehra Dun from April 17 to 21 to discuss crucial forestry issues at the 21st meeting of the Asia Pacific Forestry Commission(APFC) against a backdrop of FAO findings that the region has continued to lose its natural forest cover, though recording highest rate of forest plantation.

Created in 1949, the APFC is one of the six Food and Agricultural (FAO) regional forestry commissions which is a forum for advising and taking action on the key issues facing the sector.

It is an important mechanism to support member countries in implementing Sustainable Forest Management (SFM).

The Commission at its Dehradun meeting will take stock of international commitments to establish financial mechanism for implementing programmes to achieve SFM, particularly for developing countries.

It will also discuss international co-operation on fire management and role of forests in providing livelihood opportunities to the people living in and around forests through non-timber products management.

The issue of putting in place a mechanism to include the value of ecological services into national resource accounting will also come up for discussion.

The APFC, which consists of 30 countries of the Asia-Pacific region, including India, meets every two years in a general session to review progress, discuss the problems of mutual concern and set new agenda.

It identifies key problems of regional significance, commissions studies on them, determines the strategic priorities and endorses and supports the implementation of recommendations.

UNI NAZ ARB GC1850