| [Back to front page] | Forests and
Policies The people who make decisions about forests – government ministry officials, leaders of national programmes, leaders of forest communities and forest managers at all levels – need the highest-quality information possible. They need to know how their decisions are likely to affect the health and sustainability of the forest itself, as well as that of people who depend on the forest. Their need for knowledge extends well past the forest boundaries. They must know, too, about social trends such as population growth and shift, technical change, and fluctuations in the market (all the more important in the present era of global trade). Without such basic information, the makers of policy are not well equipped to evaluate and, if necessary, change present policies that may have unintended negative effects on forests and their people. One of CIFOR’s main objectives is to provide independent analysis, information and advice to assist in making policy decisions about forests and land use. Each of CIFOR’s research areas contributes toward this goal. The Center is ideally situated to serve as a resource and clearing house for information that is useful to decision makers. As an independent, international research institute, it has a comparative advantage in seeking out forest information, analysing it, and making it available to those who form policy, both nationally and internationally. |