The Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet) is a non-profit international organization dedicated to advancing sustainable forest management and rehabilitation in the Asia-Pacific region.
In spite of increasing awareness of importance of managing forests sustainably toward achieving green growth, reducing poverty and responding climate change, huge gaps still exist in knowledge and capacities at global and regional levels. The establishment of the Organization was proposed in this context by China and co-sponsored by Australia and the United States at the 15th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, in Sydney, Australia, in September 2007. The proposal was adopted by the APEC Leaders and included it in the Sydney Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development to“enhance capacity building and strengthen information sharing on sustainable forest management in the forestry sector”in the region.
The APFNet was officially launched in September 2008, with its arrangement and operations guided by the Operational Framework , evolved from the Framework Document jointly developed by China, Australia and the United States.
Valuing“respect for diversity in development, being action-oriented and thinking innovatively”, the APFNet is committed to helping the economies and people of the Asia-Pacific region by promoting and improving sustainable forest management and rehabilitation.
The purpose of APFNet is expanding forest cover and improving forest ecosystem quality in Asia and the Pacific to promote the multiple functions of forests, help mitigate and adapt to climate change and meet the changing socio-economic and environmental needs of the region.
a) Contribute to the achievement of the inspirational goal of increasing forest cover in the region by at least 20 million hectares of all types of forests by 2020;
b) Help to enhance forest carbon stocks and improve forest quality and productivity by promoting rehabilitation of existing but degraded forests and reforestation and afforestation of suitable cleared lands in the region;
c) Help to reduce forest loss and degradation and their associated emissions of greenhouse gases by strengthening sustainable forest management and enhancing biodiversity conservation;
d) Help to increase the socio-economic benefits of forests in the region.
APFNet strategies are developed are on a five year basis to set and fine tune priories and approaches to achieve periodical targets. In its second strategic Plan for period 2016-2020, APFNet prioritizes
a) Rehabilitating degraded forests and increasing forest cover
b) Promoting sustainable forest management to enhance ecological functions and ecosystem security of forests
c) Enhancing forests' contribution to socio-economic development and to improvement of local livelihoods
d) and continues to carry out work through the four implantation tools, i.e. supporting regional policy dialogues, capacity building, projects and information sharing.
