In an article published in the Américas Magazine, the Organization of American States (OAS) outlines activities carried out in celebration of the International Year of Forests.
May 2011: The Organization of American States (OAS) has released a summary of its activities in celebration of the International Year of Forests.
Published in the May/June issue of the Américas Magazine, the article states that OAS is joining the UN in its efforts to increase awareness about the importance of forests as an integral part of the sustainable development of the planet and about the economic, sociocultural, and environmental benefits that forests provide.
It notes that OAS member States emphasized in the 2010 Declaration of Santo Domingo the need to continue strengthening cooperation between member States on matters relating to the sustainable management of forests and enhanced action under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The article further explains that the OAS Department of Sustainable Development has developed a number of initiatives, including: regional exchange of information, experiences and lessons learned; the incorporation of sustainable systems of agriculture and forest management at the national level; generation of relevant data, such as on ecosystems species and protected areas; and a series of panel discussions in the context of preparations for the Rio+20 Conference. [Américas Magazine Article]