The International Model Forest Network (IMFN) was announced by Canada at the Rio (UNCED) Summit ten years ago to pilot outside of Canada a promising participatory field-level approach to sustainable forest management then being developed in Canada through its national model forest network. The IMFN has since grown from three sites in two countries (outside of Canada) in 1994 to 19 sites in 11 countries, in addition to numerous additional sites proposed and at early stages of development. Now with the successor event to Rio, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, about to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, there is an appropriate milestone at which to pause and consider its evolution and growth. Among the elements of success attributed to the growth of the network the authors consider the nature of the approach itself as being an innovative re-formulation of widely shared management values, its flexibility across borders and ecosystems, and the support provided in its development by the Canadian Model Forest Network and other domestic and international partners. The article looks at similarities and differences between the international and Canadian applications of this approach and describes some of the lessons learned and difficulties met in applying the approach internationally. Key words: IMFNS, CMFN, International, Networking, Asia, Latin America
Trade, environment and sustainable development: What changed in Doha
