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Working Group Meeting Report

AIDE-MEMOIRE
19th Montréal Process Working Group Meeting
Moscow/Rostov, Russia
November 6-10, 2008

The Montreal Process Working Group on Criteria and Indicators for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Temperate and Boreal Forests held its 19th meeting in Moscow and Rostov,Russia, November 6-10, 2008. The Montreal Process includes Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Russian Federation, United States of America, and Uruguay, which together represent 50% of the world's forests.

1. Participation.

The meeting included 20 participants, including representatives from 9 Montréal Process countries. The meeting was greatly enhanced by numerous Russian participants. A list of participants is attached as Annex A (PDF, 20 KB).

2. Meeting Opening.

In Moscow on November 6th, Andrey Filipchuk, Deputy Head, All-Russian Research Institute of Silviculture and Forestry Mechanization, Director of International Forest Centre opened the meeting. He introduced dignitaries, Boris Bolshakov, Deputy Head, Federal Forestry Agency and Alexander Panfilov, Director, Forestry Department, Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation who welcomed the group to Russia. They presented a brief overview of the proposed forest code for Russia which introduces a new system of forest planning, increased efficiencies in utilization of forest products, and protection of natural forests. Montréal Process members from New Zealand, Australia, United States, and Canada presented their country experiences and potential recommendations for the application of the Montréal Process criteria and indicators. Informative presentations from Russian participants, Sergei Chumachenko, Yuri Lakhtikov, Dmitry Politov, Tatiana Yanitskaya, and Valentina Semyashkina were also warmly received.

In Rostov-the-Great on November 8th, Chair Maria Palenova, Head of Biodiversity Section, All-Russian Research Institute of Silviculture and Forestry Mechanization, Russia and Montréal Process Liaison Officer Yuichi Sato introduced the tentative agenda, which was adopted by the Working Group. The agenda is attached as Annex B (PDF, 123 KB).

3. Recent experience by individual countries.

Countries shared briefly their progress and achievements since the 18th Working Group meeting related to criteria and indicators. Shared highlights included progress on the development of new national reports, incorporation of Montréal Process criteria and indicator information into national policies, utilization of Montréal Process criteria and indicators at regional and sub-regional levels, and the promotion and interaction of the Montréal Process criteria and indicators with other international processes and fora.

Some countries reported that community perceptions of the environmental benefits from both protection and production forests were changing. Also reported was an increased government emphasis on sustainability issues across all sectors, including recognising the role of wood products as appropriate building material, an energy source, and the role of the forest sector within specific countries’ emission trading systems.

Other common issues presented and discussed included:

  1. forest health issues resulting from natural disasters and insect damage;
  2. progress and challenges with translating technical notes and other material into member country languages;
  3. incorporation of Montréal Process criteria and indicators into existing national data gathering efforts and international reporting requirements;
  4. strategies for the effective communication of Montréal Process criteria and indicators to varied stakeholder groups; and
  5. a shared desire to assist member countries of the Montréal Process Working Group that are not fully engaged in the Process.

The opportunity to share and learn from other countries experiences was recognized as a major benefit of meeting together and the Working Group members agreed to continue share experiences as a regular agenda item for future Working Group meetings.

A number of countries were able to demonstrate an evolution in the debate on the sustainable management of forests from discussing data to considering the broader concepts of the sustainable management of forests.

4. Adoption of the revised Criterion 7 indicators with rationale statements and approaches to measurement.

Technical Advisory Committee Convenor Dr. Tim Payn, introduced a revised set of Criterion 7 indicators which included rationale statements and approaches to measurement. The Working Group reviewed and discussed the revised Criterion 7 indicators. The Working Group endorsed the chapeau and a revised set of indicators and rationale statements for Criterion 7. See Annex C (PDF, 30 KB).

The Working Group expressed its appreciation to New Zealand for hosting the 11th Technical Advisory Committee meeting (Rotorua, New Zealand - August 2008), as well as to Dr. Payn, along with the Technical Advisory Committee members, for their hard work and outstanding contribution.

5. Finalize the format, content, and the specific steps to produce the 2009 Overview Report.

Technical Advisory Committee Convenor Dr. Tim Payn introduced a proposal outlining the format, desired content, and specific steps to produce the Montréal Process “2009 Overview Report”. The Working Group refined the purpose and objectives of the report, agreed on key audiences, highlighted priority issues, developed strategies to communicate those issues, established a drafting group, convenor (Mr. Peter Gaulke), and timetable, and identified resource requirements and sources. See Annex D (PDF, 44 KB). The “2009 Overview Report” will be presented at the World Forestry Congress in Argentina in October 2009.

To assist in preparation of the report Japan offered to host a drafting committee meeting in March 2009 and graciously offered to provide travel support, if needed, for drafting committee members.

6. Adoption of the Strategic Action Plan.

Mr. Simon Bridge (Canada) provided on overview of the draft Strategic Action Plan, with an emphasis on contextual sections (A, B, and C,) and the Implementation Annex. The Working Group reviewed and discussed these additional sections and the Implementation Schedule. The Working Group endorsed the Strategic Action Plan to guide and focus the work of the Montréal Process for the period 2009-2015. The Implementation Schedule was accepted in principle.

The Working Group made two decisions with respect to the Implementation Schedule. The first was to prepare a second edition of the Technical Notes to replace the first edition released in 2000, the second was to prepare the fourth edition of the Montréal Process Booklet. Details are contained in Annex E (PDF, 25 KB). The Working Group also agreed that the second edition of the Technical Notes would be produced in a simple format (no professional editing, design, or layout) and posted on the Montréal Process web site as a *.pdf file. It will not be published as a paper document. If countries who translate the Technical Notes into their native language wish to have that translation posted on the Montréal Process web site, they will furnish the electronic file, in *.pdf format, to the Liaison Office who will post it. Countries are under no obligation to provide a translation for the web site.

The table of contents for the second edition of the Technical Notes will include the following sections:

  1. Introduction
  2. Conceptual Basis for Montréal Process C&I
  3. General Guidance for Use of the Technical Notes
  4. Learn More About the Montréal Process
  5. Criteria (including the Criteria 1-6 indicators agreed to at the 18th WG meeting and the Criterion 7 indicators agreed to at the 19th WG meeting)
    1. Chapeaux
    2. Indicator Titles
    3. Indicator Rationale Statements
    4. Approaches to Measurement
  6. Glossary

The Working Group agreed to prepare a fourth edition of the Montréal Process Booklet to replace the third edition, dated December 2007 and released on the Montréal Process web site. The Working Group also agreed that fourth edition of the Booklet will be prepared using professional editing, design, and layout. It will be printed as a paper document and posted on the Montréal Process web site, as a *.pdf file of the final printed format. The USA and the Liaison Office will work together to prepare and print this document. If countries who translate the booklet into their native language wish to have that translation printed as a paper document, they may do that at their own expense. If they wish to have the translation posted on the Montréal Process web site, they will furnish the electronic file to the Liaison office who will post it. Countries are under no obligation to prepare a translation, print a translated paper document, nor post a translated version on the Montréal Process web site.

The table of contents for the fourth edition of the booklet will include the following sections:

  1. Introduction
  2. Background
  3. Criteria (including the Criteria 1-6 indicators agreed to at the 18th WG meeting and the Criterion 7 indicators agreed to at the 19th WG meeting)
    1. Chapeaux
    2. Indicator Titles
    3. Indicator Rationale Statements

The Working Group expressed its appreciation to Canada, Mr. Simon Bridge, and the reviewers for their hard work and outstanding contribution.

7. Participation in the 2009 World Forestry Congress.

The Working Group agreed to participate in the World Forestry Congress by hosting a Montréal Process side event and a display booth. To achieve this, the Working Group agreed that:

  1. the United States will be the lead organizer and will work with the Liaison Office in organizing the event;
  2. the Liaison Office will invite selected attendees including decision makers, NGOs, and inter governmental organisations (e.g. ITTO, FAO, MCPFE). Member countries will provide contact details of desired invitees to the Liaison Office by December 20th 2008 with the intention of invitations being issued by 30th January 2009;
  3. the Liaison Office will coordinate the logistics of the event such as registration, meeting room, display booth, and refreshments;
  4. the primary emphasis of the side event will be the “2009 Overview Report” with examples of country experiences in using C&I in addressing priority issues (climate change, energy, water, biodiversity); and
  5. the number of speakers would be limited to three with ample time for interactive engagement with the audience.

8. Assignment of TAC convenor.

The Working Group recognized the excellent job of the TAC Convenor, Dr Tim Payn and endorsed his continuation for a term of three years. Funding of the position will be partially met by New Zealand. The Working Group will update terms of reference for the TAC Convenor, at the 20th Working Group meeting.

9. Liaison Office.

The Working Group acknowledged the fine work of the Liaison Office and Liaison Officer, Mr. Yuichi Sato. The Working Group requested the Liaison Office to:

  1. make all necessary preparations for Montréal Process participation in the World Forestry Congress as described in #7;
  2. prepare and deliver a statement on behalf of the Montréal Process Working Group at the Committee of Forestry Organizations in Rome, March 2009 and United Nations Forum on Forests, April 2009. While these fora are valuable opportunities for more extensive interaction, current workloads and resource constraints preclude more intensive activity at these events;
  3. prepare the Montréal Process booklet and the Technical Notes as described in Annex E, and
  4. support the development of the “2009 Overview Report”.

10. Technical Advisory Committee Activity.

The Working Group tasked the Technical Advisory Committee Convenor to:

  1. finalise approaches to measurement for Criterion 7 to align with format used for Criteria 1-6;
  2. complete the Glossary for Criterion 7 indicators;
  3. combine technical notes for Criterion 7 with technical notes for Criteria 1-6; and
  4. forward technical notes to Liaison Office to load on the web site by end December 2008.

There will be no TAC meeting before the 20th Montréal Process Working Group meeting.

11. 20th Working Group Meeting.

The Working Group welcomed the offer by Korea to host the 20th Montréal Process Working Group meeting in June 2009. At this meeting, the Working Group will:

  1. approve the “2009 Overview Report”;
  2. finalize preparation for the World Forestry Congress presentation;
  3. review and amend as needed the Implementation Annex work plan;
  4. prepare for the 2010 IUFRO Conference;
  5. finalize terms of reference for the TAC Convenor;
  6. share country experiences in the application of criteria and indicators, and in the development of 2009 country reports; and
  7. receive presentations from countries that are considering different mechanisms to convey to senior decision makers the key factors from indicators for the sustainable management of forests.

Expression of Thanks

The meeting expressed its deep appreciation to the Chair of the Working Group, Dr Maria Palenova and to the people of the Russian Federation, and the Government of the Russian Federation, represented especially by the Forestry Department, Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, Moscow State Forest University, and the All-Russian Research Institute of Silviculture and Forestry Mechanization for their hospitality in co-hosting the 19th meeting of the Montréal Process Working Group.