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Forest ecosystems are essential to life, yet they are endangered and disappearing along with their wealth of living species. Why are governments stalled in their ability to save the world's forests? What needs to be done to shift the dynamics? This issue of Developing Ideas will explore some of the recommendations and solutions being put forward by the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development (WCFSD)—an independent international task force hoping to change this unfortunate course of events.

Article #1 provides an overview of the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development: why the Commission was instituted and what it hopes to achieve. Article #2 explores a proposed citizens forum called "ForesTrust" that would be charged with safeguarding the public interest in forests and their vast resource. The third article is on the formation of the Forest Security Council—an organization meant to provide strong international leadership and solutions for forest-related problems—by countries holding most of the global forest resources or controlling the majority of the forest trade. Article #4 examines the development of a Forest Capital Index (FCI), a tool deemed necessary for the proper valuation of forest ecosystem services. In article #5—Putting People Back in the Forest—the need to integrate indigenous knowledge systems with modern forestry management systems is investigated with India's joint forestry initiative being used as a model. Last, the Trend Watch examines what progress has been made in attempts by the world's governments to reach an international agreement on forests.

The writer for this issue is an Indian environmental journalist, Damandeep Singh, who lives and works in New Delhi. Mr. Singh brings a seasoned understanding of environmental problems and we would like to thank him for his contribution.

The articles that follow cover several ideas that will be presented in full in the forthcoming report of the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development (to be published by Cambridge University Press in April 1999). Aptly called Our Forests, Our Future, I encourage you to obtain a copy when it is released. The ideas and recommendations contained in it and this issue of Developing Ideas are sure to stimulate much-needed discussion and action for sustainably managing our forests. You can also contact the WCFSD Secretariat at IISD in Winnipeg for further information about the Commission's work and its follow-up projects.

Please send me any comments. I would like to hear from you.

Managing Editor,
Marlene Roy

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