International Model Forest Network (IMFN)

IUCN is collaborating with the International Model Forest Network Secretariat to technically backstop select model forests in Asia, Africa and Latin America. IUCN support in model forests in Bolivia, China, Cameroon and Thailand will boost forest and landscape restoration (and related sustainable forest management and conservation) action on the ground that is gender-smart and generates measurable benefits for climate, biodiversity and economies. 

From 2024 to 2026, IUCN will design and implement tailored intervention packages for each Model Forest, focusing on enhancing their FLR planning, monitoring, and implementation capacities. A pivotal component is the integration of a gender-forward approach, initiating a specialized incubation and acceleration initiative to strengthen women's roles in FLR.

Community Engagement in Model Forests
The community-based approach to sustainable management in Model Forests nurtures trust and transparency, increasing the willingness to implement innovative solutions. The Model Forest management process relies on voluntary participation from public, private and volunteer sectors, community organizations, academia, and research institutions. Stakeholders in the Model Forests define what sustainability means within their own context, identify a common vision and set of goals, devise a governance structure and strategic plan, then work together to achieve the goals set out in that plan.

This website and associated knowledge products have been made possible with financial support from the Government of Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program and through the International Model Forest Network (IMFN) Secretariat’s IMFN Climate initiative which supports efforts to scale up forest and landscape restoration, enable inclusive landscape governance, and equip the next generation of forest leaders to address the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.