STATE OF THE WORLDS FORESTS 2003 International Union of Forestry Research Organizations: Research needs to be selective the leading international forest research network IUFRO is 110 years old and has grown into the largest intemational "Research will need to avoid the peren- on-governmental forest research network, encompassing virtually nial temptation to glorify all small-scale all aspects of forest research. Membership consists of 15 000 scien- nterprises. In fact, many such activities tists from 700 institutions in 112 countries Much of IUFRO's work are mere disguises for open unemploy is carried out by divisions and working groups that are organize ment;refuges for the desperate deprived according to the various disciplines. However, task forces are also of options; are poverty traps with no po- established to examine such cross-disciplinary issues as: tential to bring real well-being in the long environmental change term; or offer little room for helping those forests in sustainable mountain development; t upon the hieve tech- management and conservation of forest genetic resources; logical and institutional upgrading. It · water and forests: I be essential to be selective and to global forest information services; favour activities some improvement public relations in forest science; the role of forests in carbon cycles, sequestration and storage; Kowero, Spilsbury and Chipeta, 2002. formation technology and the forest sector. formulation and implementation of scienc more comprehensive approaches to address the olicy. Many developing countries have basic purpose of research. Many are finding it established science and technology departments, hard to make changes in their portfolios and are and their policies acknowledge the need to therefore making only cosmetic changes.Most increase research capacity. However, substantial projects and programmes still focus on products efforts are still required to integrate forest or disciplines. Only recently has IUFRO, for research so that it is not undertaken as an example, started paying more attention to cross isolated activity with limited links to research in disciplinary issues other sectors. Moreover, within wider policies concerning economic and social development, Eme of large corporate play most countries, especially developing ones, have In the context of globalization, forest industries yet to link priorities and strategies for forest uring through mergers, acquisitions esearch to outcomes and impacts on society and and diversification(ILO, 2001). Some of the the environment larger players are investing in developing countries and positioning themselves to take Continued focus on traditional areas advantage of low labour costs and economies of a major thrust of forest research has been the ale, especially in technology development improvement of timber production, largely in Producing for a global market means plantations through enhanced technology standardizing products and processes, which to Neither research institutions nor those some extent limits the pursuit of a diversified concerned with science policy formulation have and broad-based research agenda. Experience been able to adapt adequately to the need for most sectors, including agriculture,2003 FORESTS S’WORLD THE OF STATE 102 the address to approaches comprehensive more it finding are Many. research of purpose basic are and portfolios their in changes make to hard Most. changes cosmetic only making therefore products on focus still programmes and projects for, IUFRO has recently Only. disciplines or .issues disciplinary￾cross to attention more paying started, example players corporate large of Emergence industries forest, globalization of context the In acquisitions, mergers through restructuring are the of Some). 2001, ILO (diversification and developing in investing are players larger take to themselves positioning and countries of economies and costs labour low of advantage .development technology in especially, scale means market global a for Producing to which, processes and products standardizing diversified a of pursuit the limits extent some in Experience. agenda research based-broad and ,agriculture including, sectors most scale-small all glorify to temptation nial￾peren the avoid to need will Research“ activities such many, fact In. enterprises deprived desperate the for refuges; ment￾unemploy open for disguises mere are long the in being-well real bring to tential￾po no with traps poverty are; options of those helping for room little offer or; term It. upgrading institutional and nological￾tech achieve to them upon dependent to and selective be to essential be will improvement some with activities favour “.potential .2002, Chipeta and Spilsbury, Kowero international largest the into grown has and old years 110 is IUFRO virtually encompassing, network research forest governmental-non work s’IUFRO of Much. countries 112 in institutions 700 from tists￾scien 000 15 of consists Membership. research forest of aspects all organized are that groups working and divisions by out carried is also are forces task, However. disciplines various the to according :as issues disciplinary-cross such examine to established ;change environmental• ;development mountain sustainable in forests• ;resources genetic forest of conservation and management• ;forests and water• ;services information forest global• ;interface policy–science the• ;science forest in relations public• ;storage and sequestration, cycles carbon in forests of role the• .sector forest the and technology information• science of implementation and formulation have countries developing Many. policy ,departments technology and science established to need the acknowledge policies their and substantial, However. capacity research increase forest integrate to required still are efforts an as undertaken not is it that so research in research to links limited with activity isolated policies wider within, Moreover. sectors other ,development social and economic concerning have, ones developing especially, countries most forest for strategies and priorities link to yet and society on impacts and outcomes to research .environment the areas traditional on focus Continued the been has research forest of thrust major A in largely, production timber of improvement .technology enhanced through plantations those nor institutions research Neither have formulation policy science with concerned for need the to adequately adapt to able been selective be to needs Research: Organizations Research Forestry of Union International network research forest international leading the