Sustainable forest management: nature-based solution by excellence

ITTO Executive Director, Sheam Satkuru, delivering the opening remarks via video at the Japan Pavilion at the 29th Conference of the Parties to United Nations Climate Convention (COP29).

Yokohama, Japan, 27 November 2024: Sustainable forest management (SFM) emerged as a beacon of nature-based solutions during a seminar at the Japan Pavilion at the 29th Conference of the Parties to United Nations Climate Convention (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Held on 15 November, the event, “Sustainable Forest Management for Nature-based Solutions”, highlighted the critical role of forests in mitigating climate change and enhancing resilience against its impacts.

The seminar was co-organized by Japan’s Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).

Forests at the Core of a Sustainable Future

In her opening remarks, ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru underlined the pivotal role of forests in transitioning to carbon neutral economies. She noted that forests provide not only timber, one of the most environmentally friendly materials, but also an array of ecosystem services, including:

• carbon sequestration and storage,
• biodiversity conservation,
• freshwater supply,
• recreation,
• soil erosion prevention,
• disaster risk reduction.

"Forests are integral to building circular bioeconomies and a sustainable future”, she remarked in her video message, emphasizing the multifaceted benefits of sustainable forest management and forest landscape restoration (FLR).

Japan’s Approach to Resilience

Ms Miho Echizen, Assistant Director of Japan’s Forestry Agency spotlighted the growing frequency of natural disasters, and how nature-based solutions can enhance disaster resilience. She presented Japan’s Fundamental Plan for National Resilience which focuses on:

• promoting forest conservation,
• enhancing river basin disaster resilience,
• reinforcing forest conservation facilities, and
• leveraging new technologies.

She explained that forests recharge water sources, mitigate landslides, and protect coasts, among other critical functions.

Coastal Forests: A Case Study in Tsunami Protection

Dr Koji Tamai, Director of FFPRI’s REDD+ and Forest Disaster Risk Reduction Research Centre illustrated how coastal forests shielded land areas during the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Research revealed that a 200-meter line of coastal forest could significantly reduce tsunami damage. He shared a case study from Viet Nam, showcasing coastal forests as effective tools for disaster prevention and mitigation.

Empowering Communities Through Restoration

ITTO Director of Forest Management, Jennifer Conje, discussed how restoring degraded tropical forests and adopting SFM practices address global challenges while improving livelihoods. She highlighted projects under the Joint ITTO–CBD Collaborative Initiative for Tropical Forest Biodiversity, including:

• Mangrove Restoration in Fiji: This community-driven initiative in the Rewa Delta restores mangrove forests in cyclone-affected areas while creating sustainable livelihoods.
• Reforestation in Costa Rica: A project promoting commercial afforestation and reforestation with multiple benefits such as timber production and enhanced ecosystem services.
• Women-Led Agroforestry in Togo and Benin: These initiatives empower women, enhance food security and boost incomes through agroforestry and landscape restoration practices.   

Ms Conje also introduced the ITTO Guidelines for Forest Landscape Restoration in the Topics and lessons and experiences from implementing FLR projects, a vital resource for practitioners.

Mangroves: Guardians of Coastal Resilience

Mr Noriaki Sakaguchi from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) elaborated on mangroves’ role in climate-change mitigation and adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Mangroves act as carbon sinks and protect communities from tsunamis and storm surges, as well as their importance in community livelihoods. He shared insights from JICA’s mangrove conservation efforts across ten countries, emphasizing the importance of assessing and valuing the multiple services mangroves provide.

Empowering Women Through Forestry

Ms Cécile Ndjebet, President and Founder of the African Women’s Network for Community Management of Forests (REFACOF), provided a compelling account of the ITTO projects in Togo and Benin.

These initiatives restored around 100 hectares of degraded landscapes in Togo’s Lakes and Blitta regions, involved over 150 women, and introduced agroforestry systems that enhanced food security and diversified incomes. “These projects not only increased forest cover but also strengthened women’s confidence, social cohesion, and livelihoods,” she said following an expression of gratitude to Soka Gakkai, the donor of the projects.

Key Takeaways

Panelist reflected on lessons learned for scaling up successful initiatives and integrating non-forestry sectors into nature-based solutions. They raised these critical factors for success:

• importance of local coordination,
• clear land tenure and usage rights,
• understanding deforestation drivers during project design,
• active community involvement,
• emphasizing ecosystem services and livelihoods.

The seminar underscored that SFM offers a pathway to resilience, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation—an invaluable nature-based solution for creating a sustainable and equitable future.

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