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In theory, the UNFF is an important intergovernmental instrument for protecting the world's forests. However, its track record has disappointed many. The mandate of the UNFF is to promote the management and sustainable development of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end. Its main objectives are to:

• facilitate the implementation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests/Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IPF/IFF) Proposals for Action at national, regional, and international levels
• provide a forum for continued policy dialogue on forests among governments
• monitor and assess progress at the national, regional, and global levels through reporting by governments and regional and international organisations.

FERN is concerned about the increasing gap between stated objectives of the forum and actual action. Our UNFF campaign aims to ensure:

• a focus on the participatory implementation of the most relevant IPF/IFF Proposals for Action including the establishment of an effective monitoring and evaluation mechanism for such implementation
• the creation of enhanced means of participation for civil society and major groups in the forum itself and in the implementation processes, at both national and international levels
• that forest issues are handled in a holistic manner
• that the work is co-ordinated with other forest-related instruments like the Convention on Biological Diversity ;
• that the debate is not hijacked by further dialogue on a forest convention.