Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet)

1st Meeting of the APFNet Council in Myanmar, April 27-29, 2015

The Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet) was proposed by China and co-sponsored by Australia and the United States at the 15th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Sydney, Australia in September 2007. The APEC leaders adopted the proposal and included it in the Sydney Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development to promote and improve sustainable forest management and rehabilitation in the region through capacity-building, information sharing, regional policy dialogues and pilot projects. In September 2008, APFNet was formally launched with its Secretariat located in Beijing. 

Since its launch, APFNet has made strides in over six years, from an initiative to an action-oriented regional organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management in the Asia-Pacific region. More than 20 demonstration projects have been launched, 50 APFNet scholarship students got the opportunities to pursue Master’s degree in forestry, over 200 forestry officials received on-the-job training through APFNet’s thematic workshops, and the regional commitment to forestry has also been strengthened through high level policy dialogues supported by APFNet. APFNet working mechanism is via focal points and Interim Steering Committee during its transitional period.

Under the auspices of the Interim Steering Committee and the Focal Points meeting in May 2014 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the Plan of Establishing the Council of APFNet was finalized in August 2014.

APFNet meets annually.