Dear Colleagues, we are happy to announce the launch of a new research programme on global forest governance, which focusses on the international forest regime-complex. This research programme is coordinated by Dr. Lukas Giessen (Forest Policy Göttingen/Germany, Deputy of IUFRO Unit 9.05.02 on Forest governance; see http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/350489.html <http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/350489.html> ) and is core-funded by a joint research project, which is described below. New Joint Research Project on Fragmentation on Global Forest Governance Within the thematic area of IUFRO Unit 9.05.02 on Forest Governance, which is coordinated by Prof. Bas Arts together with Prof. Karl Hogl, Dr. Andreas Ottitsch and Dr. Lukas Giessen, a joint research project on "Fragmentation of the international forest regime-complex" has been approved by the German Research Foundation (DFG). This interdisciplinary project will be operational from 2012 to 2015. The joint research project is coordinated by Prof. Max Krott and Dr. Lukas Giessen (both Forest Policy, University Göttingen/Germany). It will i) describe the fragmentation of existing international forest-related policies (i.e. a regime-complex), ii) explain this fragmentation by political, legal, technical and ecological factors, iii) analyze the steering consequences of fragmentation with regard to specific policy goals and iv) develop options to remedy fragmentation of international forest policies. This interdisciplinary project brings together researchers from different forest science disciplines: Prof. Christoph Kleinn (Forest Inventory, University Göttingen) will analyze the use of forest-related information from forest inventories within the policy process and its contribution to international policy fragmentation. Prof. Peter Tobias Stoll (International Economic and Environmental Law, University Göttingen) will analyze the fragmentation of forest-related international and European law and its legitimacy. A policy analysis on multi-level forest policy discourses across policy sectors will be conducted by Dr. Georg Winkel (Forest Policy, University Freiburg/Germany). Finally, Prof. Max Krott and Dr. Lukas Giessen (both Forest Policy, University Göttingen) will analyze the politics of national and international bureaucracies in the formulation and implementation of the international forest regime and their contribution to fragmentation. The members of the joint research project "Fragmentation of the international forest regime-complex" are looking forward to cooperate with other IUFRO groups, such as the former Global Forest Expert Panel "International Forest Regime", which has been chaired by Prof. Jeremy Rayner (University of Saskatchewan/Canada). For further information please contact the Coordinator Dr. Lukas Giessen under lgiesse(a)uni-goettingen.de <mailto:lgiesse@uni-goettingen.de> or visit the website of the Working Group "International Forest Regime: Politics and Policies" at the Chair of Forest and Nature Conservation Policy in Göttingen under URL http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/350489.html <http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/350489.html> . Best wishes Lukas ------------------------------ Lukas Giessen, Ph.D. Post-Doctoral Researcher Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group, Wageningen University and Chair of Forest and Nature Conservation Policy, University of Göttingen Mobile: +49 (0)163 4878000 or +31 (0)6 83366130 Web Lukas: http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/135009.html <http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/135009.html> Web Working Group: http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/350489.html <http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/350489.html>