A Model Forest is best understood as a process for bringing a diverse partnership of individuals and groups together to realize a common vision of sustainable development in a large landscape.
Geographically, a Model Forest is a fully working landscape of forests, farms, protected areas, rivers and towns. As a concept, there’s an approach, Model Forests follow six broad principles that combine the social, environmental and economic needs of local communities with the long-term sustainability of large landscapes. In other words, a Model Forest is as much about the people who sustain themselves from the forested landscape and the effects they have on its resources and their human development as it is about trees and forest products.
The stakeholders involved define what sustainability means in 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. In turn, the process nurtures a depth of trust and transparency, increasing the willingness to implement innovative solutions.
Importantly, Model Forests are designed to occupy the middle ground between policy and practice. They are living laboratories where governments and decision makers can test new policies or programs before scaling up to other areas, or where innovative practices developed within the partnership can be shared with decision makers for implementation beyond the Model Forest boundary. They are not a project, but aim to undertake projects.
Fundamentally, Model Forests are about changing the way people think about and interact with each other, as well as the variety of natural resources important to their lives and livelihoods.
How does it work?
In a Model Forest a variety of people with differing interests and perspectives form a voluntary partnership based on the following goal: to manage their own natural resources in a way that makes the most sense to them given their history, economic and cultural identities, and in a way that does not jeopardize future generations.
The partnership defines what sustainability means in their own context, develops a common goal, a transparent governance structure and a strategic plan, then works together to achieve the goals set out in that plan. These goals typically strive to harmonize economic and non-economic priorities alike. In addition, Model Forest partnerships are very effective at identifying economic opportunities not based on timber alone.
A key element in any successful Model Forest is trust in the other partners around the table. Building that trust takes time, particularly if partners have a history of conflict or marginalization. That is one reason why a Model Forest is best thought of as a process rather than a project.
A Model Forest is not a community forest, a demonstration forest, or a protected area but importantly these elements can and do exist within a Model Forest. In other words, geographically a Model Forest must represent a wide variety of uses and values at play within a particular landscape, such as a watershed or several watersheds.
It is important to note that participation in a Model Forest does not affect land tenure, nor do does it imply the creation of new administrative roles. Stakeholders benefit by gaining direct access to landowners and policy-makers who can be influenced by discussions around the Model Forest table. Where land tenure is an important issue to stakeholders, the Model Forest can occupy the space between governments/landowners and communities and offer a forum where challenging or sensitive conversations can take place.
Principles and Attributes
Because the conditions under which the sustainable management of forest landscapes can vary from one site or region to another, the Model Forest concept was designed to be flexible. But if no two sites are identical, what binds these diverse sites together? Model Forests are linked through a common philosophy that forms the basis for networking and knowledge sharing: the Model Forest Principles and Attributes Framework.
The Principles and Attributes Framework provides a baseline as to what a Model Forest is. It was developed at the request of IMFN members to help ensure the Network’s integrity and as a guide for new as well as older sites.