In February, the IMFN Networking Committee (INC) met in Joensuu, Finland to review proposed Network Initiatives, agree on priority areas and a process for moving forward on the Initiatives, and to develop a draft work plan for networking activities. It was agreed that the INC needed to consider both: i) viewing model forests as recipients of networking (including identification of opportunities and obstacles for this), and ii) examining the networking mechanism(s) in greater detail.

Three key themes were identified for Network Initiatives at the 2008 IMFN Global Forum: i) Ecological Goods and Services, ii) Climate Change, and iii) Community Sustainability. Discussions papers on ecological goods and services, and carbon financing for communities are under development to provide background information for those Initiatives. The INC agreed to also have a high-level discussion paper prepared on climate change (i.e., examine adaptation vs mitigation options).

Knowledge sharing was also identified as a key IMFN activity and priority at the 2008 IMFN Global Forum and represents one of the focal areas for the INC. New publications to highlight model forest success stories were agreed to and will be developed in the coming months. The IMFN Secretariat will be preparing an INC work plan which will be shared with the Network once developed.