11:09 a.m.
Dear IUFRO Working Party on Resource Data in the Tropics:
Below is an announcement that may be of interest.
Regards,
Sheila Ward
Coordinator
IUFRO WP 4.02.01 - Resource data in the tropics
https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-4/40000/40200/40201/
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Tue, Oct 10, 2023 at 12:32 AM
Subject: [IUFRO Div 2] New Asia Policy Brief Calls for Better Integration
of Health Benefits of Forests
To: Dear Reader of IUFRO News <div2(a)lists.iufro.org>
<https://www.iufro.org/>
* International Union of Forest Research Organizations *
New Asia Policy Brief Calls for Better Integration of Health Benefits of
Forests
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/science/gfep/human-health-2023/policy-brief/gfep-fhh-policy-brief-asia-press-release-231010.pdf>
- *There is a lack of awareness in Asia and elsewhere of the vital
relationship between forests and human health.*
- *It is crucial that decision-makers in both forests and health sectors
better understand the contexts that deliver health benefits, because there
are no simple, one-size-fits-all solutions.*
- *Asia can be considered a cradle of more integrative and
close-to-nature healthcare, which is a good foundation for adopting
approaches such as the One Health framework.*
(*Vienna, 10 October 2023*) A new expanded Policy Brief published by the
Science-Policy Programme (SciPol
<https://www.iufro.org/science/science-policy/>) of the International Union
of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO <https://www.iufro.org/>) presents
consolidated scientific evidence on the relationship between forests and
human health in the Asian region. It aims to support policymakers and
stakeholders in Asia and beyond, including government officials at all
levels as well as global international organizations, in their ambition to
ensure sustainable development that takes into consideration the health of
humans and nature.
*Download the Policy Brief
<https://www.iufro.org/science/science-policy/regional-activities/forests-for-human-health-in-asia/>*
The publication titled "Forests for Human Health in Asia. An Expanded
Policy Brief" is based on the detailed analysis of information contained in
the global assessment report "Forests and Trees for Human Health: Pathways,
Impacts, Challenges and Response Options" (IUFRO World Series Volume 41,
March 2023), which was developed in the framework of the Global Forest
Expert Panels (GFEP) joint initiative of the Collaborative Partnership on
Forests (CPF). Additional research focusing on Asia was carried out to
complement the findings of the global assessment.
*Download the Global Assessment Report*
<https://www.iufro.org/science/science-policy/gfep-initiative/panel-on-forests-and-human-health/>
The global assessment confirms that forests, trees, and green spaces have
immense potential to contribute to the mental, physical, and social health
and wellbeing of humans at all stages of life, from the prenatal stage to
the elderly. They provide nutritious food and medicines, support climate
change mitigation and adaptation, filter air and water pollutants, and
offer areas for recreation. At the same time, poor practices of
conservation and management of forests can result in adverse effects on
human health with the emergence of zoonotic diseases, forest fires, and
allergic outcomes.
"While forests are an important component of climate change and
biodiversity policies, there is a lack of awareness in Asia and elsewhere
of the complex and vital relationship between forests and human health and
wellbeing. Decision-makers need to include forests and human health
relationships in relevant policies urgently, as the various global and
regional challenges continue to influence both sectors," says *Dr.**Xiaoqi
Feng, *Professor, University of New South Wales, Australia.
"Decision-makers in both forest and health sectors should also adopt more
integrated approaches such as the One Health framework, which recognizes
that the health of humans and the health of animals, plants, and the wider
environment are closely linked and interdependent. Asia can be considered a
cradle of more integrative and close-to-nature healthcare, which provides a
strong foundation for adopting such new frameworks," says *Dr. Payam
Dadvand**, *Associate Research Professor, Barcelona Institute for Global
Health (ISGlobal).
Health outcomes of forests and trees differ between urban, rural, and
forest-dependent communities. In the context of Asia, although most forests
are publicly owned (90% in South and Southeast Asia and 88% in Western and
Central Asia, for example), a significant population in the region are
forest-dependent communities. Approximately 481-579 million Indigenous
People and Local Communities (IPLCs) in Asia depend directly on forests for
food, medicine, and livelihoods, all of which affect health and wellbeing.
"Therefore, attention must be paid to ensuring equitable access to
resources and improving local livelihoods through tenure rights, as
increased access to forest resources can have a significant impact on human
health, particularly among forest-dependent communities," says *Dr.
Unnikrishnan Payyappallimana*, Professor, Transdisciplinary University,
India.
Asia has also seen large-scale transitions recently, such as a population
shift from rural to urban areas. The speed and scale of urbanisation and
population growth in cities across Asia over the last 50-70 years have been
unprecedented.
This has coincided with a shift in disease burden, where increase in life
expectancy and decline in some communicable infectious diseases and infant
mortality have been replaced by rising levels of non-communicable diseases
(NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. In
fact, the rise in NCDs in Asia is among the highest in the world and aligns
with processes of urbanisation that have fostered car dependency, sedentary
and stressful lifestyles, and the adoption of caloric 'Westernised' diets.
"There are no simple, *one-size-fits-all* solutions for the design and
planning of forests and green spaces for health, as contexts are very
different across Asia. It is crucial that decision-makers in Asia in both
forests and health sectors understand the contexts that result in positive
health and wellbeing impacts to ensure that policies and strategies
effectively secure and enhance them," says *Dr. Shureen Faris Abdul Shukor*,
Associate Professor, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Several case studies of natural ecosystem restoration and reconstruction in
Asia have already demonstrated the potential to strengthen synergies
between health and other benefits from forests while minimising trade-offs.
"Successes and lessons learnt from such cases can inform strategies to
promote sustainable economic development while maintaining the
sustainability of forests and enhancing the provision of essential
ecosystem services that contribute to human health and wellbeing,
especially among vulnerable population groups," says *Dr. Cecil
Konijnendijk*, Honorary Professor, University of British Columbia, Canada.
*Download regional media release for global forests and human health
assessment*
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/science/gfep/human-health-2023/gfep-Forest-Health-Media-Release-AsiaOceania.pdf>
*About IUFRO*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO
<https://www.iufro.org/>) is a non-profit and non-governmental worldwide
network of forest scientists, who work together on a voluntary basis to
enhance the understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of
forests and trees. IUFRO unites more than 15,000 scientists in more than
630 Member Organizations – mainly public research centers and universities
– in 115 countries and is a member of the International Science Council.
The organization was founded in Germany in 1892 and has been headquartered
in Vienna, Austria, since 1973. The 26th IUFRO World Congress
<https://iufro2024.com/> will take place in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2024.
*About IUFRO's Science-Policy Programme*
The Science-Policy Programme <https://www.iufro.org/science/science-policy/>
(SciPol) of IUFRO provides a mechanism for effectively mobilizing
scientific expertise and information to equip governments and
intergovernmental processes with solid knowledge for making decisions that
affect forests, trees, and land use regionally and globally.
*For more information*, please contact: Gerda Wolfrum at +43-1-8770151-17
or wolfrum(at)iufro.org
[image: Photo John Parrotta for IUFRO: Medicinal plants offered on a market
in India.]
Photo John Parrotta for IUFRO: Medicinal plants offered on a market in
India.
[image: Photo Sital Uprety for IUFRO: People visiting the serene
Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan]
Photo Sital Uprety for IUFRO:
People visiting the serene Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan
[image: Photo Alexander Buck for IUFRO:Urban development in Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia]
Photo Alexander Buck for IUFRO:
Urban development in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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