The need for sound scientific information in the development of public forest policies at the local, national and international levels has grown significantly in recent years. So too has the need for such information within the private forestry sector and among non-governmental organizations, whose role in the development, sustainable management and conservation of forest resources in all regions of the world, including mountain forests, is steadily increasing in importance. In order to generate value for society, research results should be used by someone – policy- makers, forestry practitioners, landowners, investors, educators and other researchers. The science-policy interface is all about utilising scientific knowledge more effectively.

With this in mind, the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) in cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, Austria will organise a training workshop for forest scientists from developing countries in one way or another involved in research and development of mountain forests. During the two-day training event, held at BOKU University from March 31 to
April 1, 2008 participants will learn about concepts and methods on how to plan, conduct, and organise research activities so that results can more quickly and easily be transformed into usable information for problem-solving and policy-making.
The training is based on the work of international experts convened by IUFRO in its Task Force on Science-Policy Interface. In addition, resource persons from various national and international research institutions will present a wide spectrum of case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America that demonstrate successes and challenges of working at the science-policy interface. Examples include ongoing international policy processes, national forest programmes as well as pro-poor policy making at the level of rural communities.

More information and registration for the workshop under: http://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/actpro/wkspmal07/wkspvienna/

Deadline for registration for the workshop: January 30, 2008

In cooperation with:

SPDC - Special Programme for Developing Countries