Forests

The WWF/World Bank Global Forest Alliance works to ensure that the quality of the world's forests is maintained and progressively improved by focusing its efforts on a set of ambitious targets to be achieved between 2006 and 2010:

• 25 million ha* of new forest protected areas established, giving priority to closing gaps in representation within the world's most outstanding, least represented and highly threatened forest ecoregions;
• 75 million ha of existing forest protected areas under demonstrably improving management that achieves better conservation and development outcomes; and
• 300 million ha of forest outside of strict protected areas under improved forest management, to be achieved through a combination of independent forest certification, stepwise approaches to improved forest governance and management, community-based forest management, and restoration of degraded forest lands.

To ensure that Alliance-supported activities are not simply causing displacement of deforestation to other areas, the Alliance goal is to achieve at least a 10% reduction in the global rate of natural forest loss by 2010. This achievement will serve as a milestone toward reaching a level of zero net annual deforestation by 2020 (an equilibrium between conversion and re-establishment), and to increase forest cover and quality by 2050 beyond that which existed in 2000.

The cumulative impact of the three targets will result in conservation of 400 million ha. of natural forest: 100 million ha. of strictly protected areas, and 300 million ha. under responsible management to ensure the maintenance of valuable and threatened forests while contributing to poverty alleviation through the increased capacity of communities and indigenous peoples to manage their forests and retain a larger share of revenues from forest use.

In the first phase of the Alliance (1997-2005), 55 million ha. of new protected areas were established, 70 million ha. of protected areas were brought under improved management, and some 31 million ha. of forests outside protected areas were brought under sustainable management.

*1 hectare = 2.47 acres