Planet Action provides satellite imagery, geographic information and technology support to local projects that investigate and assess climate change issues focusing on human issues, drought & desertification, water resources, forestry, biodiversity,
oceans, ice, and awareness. This year, Planet Action will support additional projects while following up on current projects
and their results on the ground. Planet Action supports projects involved at least in one of the following domains:

• Awareness

• Biodiversity & Conservation
• Drought & Desertification
• Human Issues
• Forest & Deforestation
• Ice & Snow
• Oceans & Coastlines
• Water Resources

This guide offers suggestions to practitioners and the rural communities they serve on ways to prevent, mitigate and reduce poverty through forest-based interventions. Those who may find it of interest include district forestry officials, forestry and rural development extension workers, local administrators and planners, and people involved in small-scale enterprises, including their partners.

The document highlights the importance of tailoring activities to local circumstances and of using participatory approaches to design and implement interventions. Emphasis is on making and responding to changes for the benefit of people living in or near forests, and on helping users gain a better understanding of:

The working paper focuses on finance for sustainable forest management (SFM), including strategies at both international and national levels for diversification and enhancement of the quantity and effectiveness of SFM financing. Drawing from
experiences in Latin America, the paper recommends that countries undertake national forest financing strategies when designing their national forest programmes.

With regard to climate change, the paper discusses the potential financing opportunities that addressing climate change brings to SFM. The paper addresses both voluntary and regulatory carbon markets, including those related to reducing emissions from
deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD).

(c) FAO July 2009