Event Information
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives around the world, with significant implications for forest use and management. In many countries, sudden lockdowns spurred widespread urban to rural “reverse” migration, while negative economic impacts have brought great hardships for many rural populations. Both trends are likely to increase pressure on forests, which have long served as a critical safety net for rural populations in times of distress.
At the same time, moments of great upheaval can present valuable opportunities for change, and many have argued that forests have a critical role in the “green recovery” from COVID-19 and beyond. To date, however, there is no consensus about what a green recovery might entail or about the role of forests and forest communities in realizing these objectives.
The pandemic and its direct and indirect effects are still evolving, and actors in research, policy, and practice are mapping and analyzing this development to provide recommendations for short and long-term responses. In this process, dialogue and collaboration between actors working at different levels with these issues is crucial. Considering the rights of forest users and indigenous groups and including their voice is fundamental.
To facilitate global knowledge exchange and sow the seeds for further joint action, Focali and SIANI now call for knowledge and narratives on current developments and search for answers to questions that need more focus ahead in research, policy, and practice. The incoming suggestions will serve as a basis for the first dialogue in the Focali – SIANI dialogue forum and continued exchange.
The meeting will be held in English with the option of Spanish translation.