Representatives of family forest owner organisations gathered to the annual meeting of the International Family Forestry Alliance (IFFA) on September 8th in Helsinki, Finland. They decided to formalize their global co-operation and accepted by-laws for the alliance. The decision strengthens the co-operation which started as an informal network in 2002. The founding members of the new organization come from 20 countries and three continents. IFFA communicates the values and challenges of family forestry to public and forest policy makers. The formalization of the organisation of IFFA will enable it to apply for recognized NGO Status in international forest related processes. IFFA will strengthen its participation in the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNNF) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and seek more active co-operation with the international organisations promoting sustainable forestry. It will continue the collaboration with the Global Alliance of Community Forestry, which started in May 2005. More emphasis will be put on communication and information, e.g. with the creation of the IFFA web-page.
Family forest owners are one of the most important groups for the implementation of sustainable forest management. Family forestry contributes substantially to local welfare and social and cultural well being of communities in large parts of the world. Many of the services and benefits which family forests produce for the society are still not recognized and remain undervalued.
Family forest owners should be recognised as important partners in national, regional and global processes concerning the development and implementation of sustainable forest management. Partnership and genuine consultation with family forest owners and local communities on all levels from local to global will increasingly lead to a constructive implementation of international and national commitments to sustainable forest management.
Members of the board
The members of the International Family Forestry Alliance (IFFA) are
Mr Bob Simpson, chairman, USA
Mr Ivar Korsbakken, vice chairman, Norway
Mr Peter deMArsh, Canada
Mrs Ute Seeling, Germany
Mr Antti Sahi, Finland