The Forest and the European Union Research Network (FERN)

The Forest and the European Union Research Network (FERN) was created by a coalition of NGOs in Europe (the Forest Movement Europe) and in the South (the World Rainforest Movement), and works to achieve greater environmental and social justice, with a focus on forests and forest peoples' rights, within the policies and practices of the European Union. FERN monitors EU policies and practices and co-ordinates and service European NGOs and NGOs in the South. The main areas of work are: combating illegal logging; improving EC development aid; reforming trade and investment policies, including Export Credit Agencies; combating climate change; promoting credible forest certification schemes; and improving EU forest and biodiversity policies. In virtually all of the world's forests there are conflicts between local peoples and companies. As a result, a blunt law enforcement approach can reinforce existing injustices rather than promote the interests of the poor.

SwedBio currently supports the project ""Promoting Good Governance in the Forest Sector"". This project started in July 2007 and will run until December 2008.

The objectives of the project are:

• To support legal, institutional, and policy reform in relation to forest governance, especially in relation to local and indigenous peoples' access to forest resources, within the framework of the EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT).
  
• Provide more clarity on land and tenure rights in a number of countries and supporting local communities to advocate their rights, as well as supporting local and national NGOs to actively participate in FLEGT negotiations at national level.
  
• Support local and national NGO facilitation of local communities' demands for recognition of access and tenure, in line with stated EU policies.
  
• Create an international network of NGOs active in advocacy work, and build capacity of local and national NGOs to ensure that national and international level advocacy work is strongly linked to grassroots experiences.
  
• Inform EU Member States governments and European financial institutions about the impact of their own policies and activities on (tropical) forests and forest dependent communities and suggest ways in which they can play a more positive role in controlling illegal logging.

The project includes work in three countries:

• Cameroon (Local/national partner: CED - Centre pour l'Environnement et le Developpement)
  
• Ghana (Local/national partner: Civic Response)
  
• Malaysia (Local/national partner: IDEAL - Institute for Development and Alternative)