BFS at the Eco Forum Global Conference in Guiyang

The Eco Forum Global conference last week was attended by several members of the Beijing Forestry Society. Among the guests was Bruce Pendrel, who was invited to speak at the BFU/BFS sub-forum on Ecological Governance and Beautiful China along with several distinguished guests such as President Song Weiming, Secretary General Wang Xiaoping and Charles Bourque who, like Bruce, also comes from Canada. The massive scale of the conference and the many notable speakers who presented views of global importance impressed Bruce. That China is host to such a conference shows to the world the importance that China puts to environmental restoration. It was good to hear the celebration of many success stories and yet speakers still emphasized the enormous work to be done, especially related to climate change.

Bruce talked in his sub-forum about the role of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Governmental Organizations (GOs) working together. He suggested that an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each would reveal opportunities for increased collaboration, which would be mutually beneficial. Where governments may find that they are not suitable to deliver a project an NGO might be able to do this better. The NGOs have a wide audience of environmentally conscious people which governments could take advantage of. Governments have funding, which NGOs need. He used as an example, the excellent cooperation which exists between the Beijing Forestry Society and The Canadian Institute of Forestry where they facilitate publishing Chinese science in the Canadian journal “Forestry Chronicle”, have initiated technical exchanges and are working together on a joint project.

Bruce also introduced a new NGO called Forests without Borders and the work that they are doing in several countries to restore forests to help people. They work in partnership with local NGO’s who are familiar with local situations making this a win-win combination. Maybe this will also be a future cooperation with the Beijing Forestry Society?