Background and Agenda
View PublicationThe purpose of the conference is to discuss market-based strategies to promote sustainable forest management and a sustainable forest industry in the Russian Far East and to catalyze connections between potential partners in sustainable commercial forestry. The conference will address critical issues facing the forestry sector in the Russian Far East, including: the status of timber trade between the Russian Far East, Japan and China; growing market opportunities offered by the international movement Commercial Forestry in the Russian Far East Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 18 – 20 September 2001
2 for independent, third-party certification; the risks to industry and communities from unsustainable practices and illegal logging; and approaches to enhance the contribution of forestry to the economic development of local communities. The conference will be hosted by international and Russian Far East business leaders, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and regional forest government agencies. The meeting will also build on develop the themes advanced at the conference in held Khabarovsk in September 2000 on sustainable forestry and the joint Russian – Chinese – North American conference in Chita, also September 2000 on combating illegal logging.