A Model Forest is a voluntary association of people that live in a particular territory, and are interested in discovering, defining, enhancing and guarantying its sustainability; and in sharing their experiences and their knowledge to contribute to global environmental goals.
Each Model Forest of the network is unique due to its ecosystem, its resources management history, and the cultural and political realities in each one. However, they all share the same objectives. Based on these objectives, dynamic work environments are generated, and patterns of collaboration between members are established.
The exchange of knowledge, the cooperation in common interest areas and the collective development of innovative capacities are generated too.
The Network and its Model Forest cooperate in the development of their activity programs. They are in permanent communication to avoid environmental conflicts and they aim to promote global sustainable development opportunities, in the framework of international commitments and agreements.
The Network has the objectives to promote the Model Forest concept and to support the development of Model Forest in the Mediterranean region.
And to take advantage of the opportunities that networking provides, to share knowledge, to promote innovative initiatives and to join efforts to work in the development of a more sustainable world.
The goals of the Network are to ensure that each Model Forest fully represents the environmental, social and economic characteristics of each territory on which it is developed, and to ensure the balance between the concepts of territorial sustainability and global scale sustainability.
The members Mediterranean Model Forest Network work together toward a common goal through the promotion of teamwork, cultural knowledge exchange and the development of new ways of learning and collaboration: the compatibility of the social, cultural and economic needs of local communities with long-term sustainability of the forest landscapes.
The International Model Forest Network (IMFN) was first brought to the world's attention at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992. Twenty years later, it includes over 55 Model Forests in 24 countries. Thousands of partner organizations have embraced this idea.
The IMFN is a global community of practice whose members and supporters work toward the common goal of the sustainable management of forest-based landscapes through the Model Forest approach. The IMFN is comprised of all member Model Forests around the world.
