APFNet advances intl forestry cooperation

The Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation has funded more than 50 demonstration projects across over 20 Asia-Pacific economies, with total investment exceeding $45 million.

The figure was revealed by Gong Yumei, director of the APFNet coordination center, an affiliate of China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration, at a news conference on Thursday.

The briefing was held ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meeting on Forestry, which is scheduled to take place in Shenzhen from July 27 to 28.

Under the theme "Building a Green Asia-Pacific, Sharing Ecological Well-being", the high-level meeting will bring together regional leaders to discuss sustainable forest management and ecological governance.

"In recent years, China has actively supported and participated in forestry exchanges and cooperation under the APEC framework, promoting practical collaboration among member economies in key areas such as forest restoration and sustainable management, ecosystem conservation, community livelihood improvement and capacity building," Gong said, citing APFNet as an example.

She said the demonstration projects, supported by the administration, explore effective models for forest restoration based on the needs of developing member economies, with priorities including degraded forest rehabilitation, multifunctional forest enhancement and community livelihood improvement.

One such project is an urban forestry demonstration initiative in Bangkok's Bang Kachao area, Thailand, which aims to explore effective approaches to protecting and restoring the "urban lungs" of densely populated cities.

"These projects serve both as 'test beds' for locally tailored forest restoration and as 'green seeds' that spread ecological civilization concepts and technologies across the Asia-Pacific, generating ecological benefits, community prosperity and sustainable development," she said.

Gong said capacity building is another priority of APFNet's work.

Working with forestry universities in China, APFNet has launched a scholarship program that has brought more than 200 young forestry officials and scholars from over 20 economies to China for master's and doctoral studies in forestry, she said.

The network has also organized specialized training programs for about 440 forestry officials from 25 economies, she added.

These efforts have helped cultivate a skilled, capable and collaborative workforce to advance regional forestry cooperation, Gong said.

Officially launched in September 2008, APFNet is a nonprofit international organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management and rehabilitation across the Asia-Pacific region.

The establishment of APFNet, proposed by China, was endorsed at the 15th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting held in Sydney, Australia, in September 2007.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn