ITTO highlights updated biodiversity guidelines at a regional biodiversity conference

ITTO led a technical session on biodiversity conservation in tropical production forest landscapes during a recent regional conference held in the Asia-Pacific. © IPBES

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) led a technical session on biodiversity conservation in tropical production forest landscapes during the regional conference Community forests for a biodiverse future: Governance, knowledge and action in the Asia-Pacific region, held in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, from 25–29 May 2026.

Organized by RECOFTC in partnership with the Department of Forestry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR, Cornell University and Oregon State University, the conference brought together more than 100 representatives from 15 countries, including Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs), government agencies, researchers, practitioners and development partners, to explore how community forestry can contribute to biodiversity conservation and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

During the session, ITTO presented the ongoing revision of the ITTO/IUCN Guidelines for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Tropical Timber Production Landscapes. Originally published in 1993 and updated in 2009, the Guidelines are being revised to reflect emerging challenges and opportunities facing tropical forests, including climate change, land-use pressures, advances in biodiversity monitoring technologies and evolving policy frameworks.

Tetra Yanuariadi, ITTO Projects Manager, outlined the proposed updates, which emphasize landscape approaches, stronger participation and decision-making by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, sustainable financing mechanisms, and adaptive management based on monitoring and learning. He noted that biodiversity conservation increasingly depends on how tropical production forest landscapes are managed, given that only a small proportion of tropical forests are under strict protection. In this revised version, the roles of IPLCs are highlighted for their active participation in decision making processes at the site and landscape levels.

The session also featured reflections from Yongyut Trisurat, Professor at Kasetsart University (Thailand) and a member of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Bureau, and Ratih Damayanti, Director of Environment Policy of the National Research and Innovation Agency (Indonesia), who also served as the moderator. 

Professor Trisurat highlighted the strong alignment between the draft Guidelines and findings from recent IPBES assessments, particularly regarding integrated landscape management, restoration, equitable governance, sustainable financing and transformative change. 

Closing the session, Dr Damayanti stressed that the updated Guidelines are not only intended for timber companies or national governments, but also serve as a practical guide in strengthening the role of community forests and local actors in biodiversity conservation. She noted that community forests already manage millions of hectares across the Asia-Pacific region and that integrating them into multifunctional landscape approaches and recognizing them as part of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) to achieve the 30 x 30 global conservation target could significantly advance efforts toward a more biodiverse, equitable and inclusive future.

The importance of community forestry actors in implementing biodiversity-positive management practices and ensuring that conservation efforts are grounded in local knowledge, rights and stewardship surfaced during the discussion with the participants. Feedback gathered during the session will help strengthen the revised Guidelines and improve their relevance to diverse forest governance contexts across the tropics.

The updated Guidelines are expected to provide a practical framework for policymakers, forest managers, communities, companies and development partners seeking to balance biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management and livelihood objectives in tropical production forest landscapes.