Appendix D - Agenda of the In-Session Seminar: In Search of Excellence: Exemplary Forest Management in Asia and the Pacific

Background and Tentative Timetable

The Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) launched the In Search of Excellence: Exemplary Forest Management in Asia and the Pacific initiative in November 2001. The objective of the initiative was to identify and document specific examples of continuous improvement in the management of forest areas in the Asia-Pacific region.

In Search of Excellence received more than 170 nominations from 20 countries. Thirty nominations were identified for in-depth case studies to assess experiences with regard to innovative management experiences, characterizing a full range of management objectives, and representative of a broad range of countries in the region. The initiative was supported by FAO and the Regional Community Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC) collaborated in supporting the initiative, in cooperation with APFC member countries.

The 20^th Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission will convene a half-day in-session seminar on the In Search of Excellence initiative to review the initiative and to share findings with respect to elements and factors constituting excellence in forest management. Three case studies will be presented to illustrate concrete examples of innovative and progressive management practices and approaches. Participants will have the opportunity to examine the elements of forest management that contribute to, or constitute, “excellence in forest management”, to discuss their own experiences with such best management practices, and to consider opportunities for broader application.

Overall findings of the In Search of Excellence initiative will also be presented and compared with the those of a parallel initiative supported by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) under its, ”Sharing of Information and Experiences on Private Sector Success Stories in Sustainable Forest Management” project.

One of the nominators, Timbercorp Ltd., is speaking about why they nominated their forests, how the process of the initiative has been beneficial to them, particularly in terms of reflecting on what constitutes excellence in their operations.

Tentative Timetable

Opening session: searching for excellence