Forest biological diversity: recommendations to the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP6)

IUCN document which calls on the Conference of Parties (COP) to move from a research orientated work programme on forest biological diversity towards a more action orientated programme. It identifies conservation, sustainable use, sustainable livlihoods and equity as key issues and therefore calls for the work programme to be supported by policies which address the cultural and other social values of forests, and promote tenure arrangements that recognise and support indigenous and common property resource management systems

Elements which the paper identifies as important to the new CBD work plan include:

• using the ecosystem approach, at a landscape level, as the primary framework for action on the conservation and sustainable use of forest biodiversity and ecosystems
• maintenance of adequate and effective forest protected area networks which incorporate both effective management and ecological representativeness.
• the use of the forest landscape restoration (FLR) approach to restoring forest biological diversity in forests and other landscapes.
• the mitgation of negative impacts of climate change on forest biodiversity
• prevention and mitigation of the adverse effects of forest fires and fire suppression
• tackling unsustainable use such as the illegal harvest of forest resources, including non-timber forest products, and specifically wild meat, as well as timber
• reducing threats from Invasive Alien Species,
• recognising the important role that the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation can play in securing the sustainable use and conservation objectives within the work programme on forest biological diversity

This paper is one in a series prepared by different components of IUCN as a contribution to the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP6).