Mersmann, C. 1999. National forest programmes as an integral
part of the political debate. Entwicklung und Landlicher Raum.
1999, 33(5): 7-9. (In German)
Abstract: National forest programmes are intended as
an orientation framework for forest management in the sense of
an overarching model of sustainable development. They offer an
innovative approach to implementing global obligations such as
the UN Earth Summit resolutions on a holistic and comprehensive
policy targeting the conservation and sustainable management of
forest resources. Drafted by an international team, the concept
behind national forest programmes focuses primarily on national
actors and their institutions, in the hope of generating the requisite
framework conditions via a participatory approach and of resolving
existing conflicts via a consensus-oriented process. National
forest programmes are not hard-and-fast rules that have to be
obeyed, but a framework agreement which is to be equipped with
process-oriented, country-specific features within the scope of
national development planning and the respective cycles of planning.
They are not donor programmes either, but, in line with UNCED,
target all countries the world over. The concept with its holistic
approach makes a lot of demands on the partner institutions in
respect of their advisory inputs - demands that DC first has to
come to terms with itself.
Keywords: National forest programme, Forest policy; Sustainability,
International agreements.
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