Traditional Forest Knowledge

Task Force Coordinator:

John Parrotta, United States

Deputies:

Robert Doudrick, United States

The primary objective of the Task Force on Traditional Forest Knowledge has been to increase understanding of the inter-relationships between traditional and formal (scientific) forest-related knowledge and catalyze potential synergistic applications to sustainable forest management. Towards this goal, the Task Force, during the period 2006-2011:

  1. prepared a state-of-knowledge report that covered a range of issues relevant to the objectives of the Task Force;

  2. organized a series of regional conferences in collaboration with partner organizations that served as platforms for discussion and sharing of experiences between forest scientists and holders and users of traditional forest knowledge, and

  3. identified opportunities for IUFRO to contribute in substantial ways to forest policy forums and processes on issues related to traditional forest-related knowledge and its application to sustainable forest management. In 2010, two new Working Parties focusing on traditional forest-related knowledge were established within the IUFRO Division 9 Research Group "Forest History and Traditional Knowledge" (9.03.00).

Send comments to John Parrotta (Task Force Coordinator)