This assessment found that few large intact forest ecosystems are left on the planet, and that many of these last frontiers are threatened by logging, agricultural clearing, and other activities. But the news is not all bad: even after thousands of years of forest clearing and degradation, some frontier forests remain. The opportunity to protect a priceless natural inheritance for ourselves and future generations is still ours.

But this assessment also suggests that unless we take action quickly, this opportunity is likely to pass. Against a backdrop of population growth and mounting human needs, preventing further frontier losses will require a new and balanced approach to forest management -- one that protects forests' biodiversity and other assets while simultaneously providing for people and ecosystem services.

A stewardship approach to forest management would achieve such badly needed balance. (See A New Vision of Frontier Forest Stewardship.) Such an approach should, in fact, be applied to all of the world's forests because non-frontier forests also provide humans with a range of important functions and many are high conservation priorities. Stewardship will mean pursuing different options in different parts of the world. Where few large, intact forest ecosystems remain -- in temperate regions, for example -- frontier forests should be largely protected in parks or reserves. Where human needs are pressing and where very large tracts of frontier forest remain, careful development is still an option if ecologically viable core areas of forest are protected and surrounding lands managed sustainably. (See Figure 7: Stewardship options for managing frontier forests). Activities such as logging should cause minimal environmental damage and return maximum economic benefits to local people.

How much frontier forest does the world need? At a minimum, we must maintain representative samples of all types of forest ecosystems. There are no substitutes for living examples of how each system functions or for refuges for most of the world's forest species.

As "insurance," we recommend that nations:

• Maintain more than one tract of each ecosystem type.

• Protect frontiers even when neighboring countries maintain ecologically similar forests.

• Manage land outside protected areas in ways that protect the ecological integrity of forest frontiers; and

• Try to restore fragmented and degraded forests. (See Restoring Frontier Forest: The Guanacaste Example.)

If forest management is to reflect the needs of all, successful stewardship must include the active participation of these and other stakeholders.

National and local governments:

Government policies must promote economic development without destroying the resource base and the environmental services provided by forests. Specifically, they should:

• Immediately halt further loss of frontier forests and restore degraded forests;

• Expand and better manage protected area systems;

• Create incentives for the private sector to manage frontier forests sustainably;

• Monitor forest quality to measure the success of management programs; and

• Encourage stewardship and educate the public about frontier forests.

National and international donor organizations:

To promote the survival of global treasures that also provide significant environmental benefits -- including carbon storage and biodiversity protection, donors should:

• Increase support for forest-rich countries, particularly neglected ones;

• Coordinate efforts among donors to maximize impact;

• Form partnerships among organizations -- including the private sector -- working toward forest stewardship; and

• Support projects that promote both conservation and the sustainable use of frontier forests.

Business and the private sector:

Traditionally viewed as enemies of conservation, private industry -- from logging, mining, and oil companies to trade and retail industries -- can become an agent of sound forest management if it is willing to protect jobs and cultivate long-term profits by:

• Working with non-governmental organizations, governments, and others to develop markets for products from well-managed forests;

• Avoiding investments in projects that degrade or destroy frontier forests; and

• Lobbying and encouraging governments to try policies that promote forest stewardship.

Citizens:

As voters and consumers partly responsible for the fate of the world's last large intact forests, citizens should:

• Ensure that decision-makers manage forests with the general public's needs in mind (at least in countries where citizens have voting power and can directly influence their leaders);

• Keep informed about policy issues affecting frontier forests; and

• Voice their concerns -- through protests and boycotts, if necessary -- when governments mismanage these forests.

Especially within wealthy countries, consumers can create demand for products that come from well-managed forests if they:

• Purchase only wood, paper, and other forest products that are independently certified as sustainably harvested;[75]

• Demand that retailers make such products available; and

• Reduce pressure on frontier forests by recycling and limiting consumption -- not only of wood and paper, but also of energy and mineral resources from forested regions.

Frontier peoples:

People who live within and near the world's last frontier forests stand to lose the most if these ecosystems are destroyed. Managing forests for non-timber products, ecotourism, or even sustainable logging and other resource extraction could both protect these forests and provide local income now and for future generations. As on-the-spot forest stewards, local populations should demand that the government and private sector provide opportunities for long-term economic and cultural security without environmental destruction.

Non-governmental organizations, including advocacy groups:

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can mobilize critical support for conservation and stewardship. Information is one of their most powerful tools. By assessing and monitoring forest health and use, for example, NGOs can uncover evidence that governments, private industry, or others are mismanaging forests -- or for that matter, doing their jobs. These organizations also should collect and disseminate information on forest stewardship in practice. Given limited time and financial resources, NGOs must coordinate their efforts and form partnerships with government agencies and private businesses.

References and notes

75. David Tenenbaum, "The Guanacaste Idea," American Forests, Vol. 100, Nos. 11-12, November-December 1994, p. 28.