The IMFN Secretariat added its name to a list of supporters seeking to conserve biodiversity by strengthening implementation of the Program of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA).
Members of the informal group will work on a range of activities—individually and collectively, where appropriate—to assist State parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the World Heritage Centre implement both conventions, with particular emphasis on the PoWPA.
While IMFN currently includes only two world heritage sites (Foothills Model Forest, Canada and Dja et Mpomo Model Forest, Cameroon) virtually all Model Forests have significant protected areas within their boundaries. The IMFN experience and success in integrating these protected areas into larger landscapes are viewed as a valuable learning tool.
Signatories include: