EARTH SUMMIT+5 Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise the Implementation of Agenda 21 New York, 23-27 June 1997 PROGRAMME FACT SHEETS

	Forest Trees and People Programme
	Responsible Organization(s)	Policy and Planning Division Department of Forestry Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
	Description	The activities of the Programme are focused on improving the livelihoods of women and men in developing countries, especially the rural poor, through sustainable management and utilisation of tree and forest resources. Its goal is to reinforce national and regional institutions that in turn work to strengthen local people's ability to manage and use their natural resources.
	Issues addressed	Problems of deforestation, unsustainable agriculture and the degradation of productive resources can best be addressed through full involvement from and participation by local populations. Through community forestry activities there exists a great potential for improving the environment as well as the production capacity and standard of living for rural people.
	Objectives	to deepen knowledge and develop more effective strategies, methods and tools for the participation in forestry activities by rural people, especially the poor; to strengthen human and institutional capabilities to more fully assess issues in local community forestry situation; adapt strategies, methods and tools to specific conditions; and, provide sustained support for participatory forestry efforts. to disseminate information about participatory forestry approaches and experiences through networking, improved communications and distribution of publications.
	Results achieved	The Forests, Trees, and People Program has greatly expanded its scope since its inception in 1987. It now consists of a Global programme administered from FAO in Rome, as well as four regional programmes covering Asia, East Africa, West Africa and Latin America. Conceptually, many topics have made explored and developed, including forestry and food security/nutrition, gender and forestry, participatory assessment, monitoring and evaluation, conflict management, communal management and farmers research and extension. The programme has developed a wide range of materials that focus on these and related topics and its 50 publications (to date) include concept papers, case studies field manuals, audio visuals, children's educational materials and training materials. The FTPP quarterly Newsletter, produced in English, Spanish and French is the mechanism through which the approximately 10 000 members of the FTPP network share their experiences in 125 countries. On conflict management, the Programme organised an e-mail conference over 4 months in 1996. The conference encompassed over 400 participants in 55 countries and covering all regions of the world.
	Lessons learned	The participatory methods and tools that have been and continue to be developed are being increasingly applied by development agencies, NGOs, extension agents and foresters world wide. It is expected that this trend will continue in response to the increasing proportion of programs and projects that are adopting a participatory approach in project appraisal, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and management. The current success of the programme has been the result of a strategy to promote people's participation in forest management and utilisation, institutionalise its basic philosophy, concepts and methodologies, to develop and distribute relevant publications, and to identify collaborative institutions and agencies that share its vision and objectives.
	Financing	The Programme benefits from the FAO regular budget as well as a multidonor Trust Fund (Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy).
	Contact	Dr. Katherine Warner Community Forestry Unit Forestry Department FAO Tel: 5225 2769/3256 Fax: 5225 5514 e-mail: katherine.warner@fao.org