Volume 1 - Forest Europe

42
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
technology transfer and capacity-building; and
promotion of participation of people who possess TFRK in the planning, development and implementation
of national forest policies and programs.
6. Objectives and activities of the Task Force on Traditional Forest Knowledge
In establishing this Task Force, IUFRO aims to help address the need for a systematic, global, effort
to explore and strengthen the linkages between traditional and formal/scientifi c forest knowledge
systems, and to foster effective synergies in forest management applications. Thus, our primary
objective is to increase understanding of the inter-relationships between traditional and formal
(scientifi c) forest-related knowledge and catalyze potential synergistic application to sustainable
forest management.
The Task Force will: (1) review and synthesize information and experiences on how these two (often
quite) different knowledge communities work at various geographic and temporal scales, (2) seek
to identify signifi cant knowledge gaps, and (3) to promote research and collaboration between forest
scientists and the holders and users of traditional forest knowledge based on trust and mutual
respect to address these gaps.
Beginning with this Conference, and continuing over the next 4 years, we will convene a number
of regional conferences and workshops that will serve as platforms for dialogue between the forest
science community and the holders and users of traditional forest-related knowledge. These conferences
will be organized in collaboration with appropriate partners such as intergovernmental, governmental,
and non-governmental organizations representing the interests of indigenous peoples,
forest research institutes, universities, and others.
Specifi c issues to be covered in each regional meeting will vary depending on the regional priorities
and needs, but most will include the following topics:
Context and history of the relationship between western scientifi c forest knowledge and TFK with
respect to forest management;
Application of traditional forest-related knowledge to forest ecosystem assessments and management;
Local and indigenous community priorities for scientifi c study (research) in relation to forest
resource management;
Analysis of case studies on successful integration of traditional and (formal) scientifi c knowledge
in forest management activities;
Experiences and lessons learned related to resolution of confl icts regarding TFK in relation to forest
science and forest management;
Development of good practices for including both traditional knowledge and western science in
forestry education, research and forest management activities.
The outcomes of these regional meetings will be used, along with sources of information, to prepare
a major State-of-Knowledge report as well as other publications and products from our regional
conferences. The State-of-Knowledge report, which we expect to publish in time for the next
IUFRO World Congress in Korea in 2010, will attempt to provide a broad overview and synthesis
of current knowledge and experience on the topics covered in the regional meetings.