Enabling environment
A regional vision for primary forest conservation in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
According to remote sensing analysis (CIFOR-ICRAF and FAO, 2022), a significant proportion of the region's remaining primary forests occur outside national protected area systems, and are governed under diverse systems — by states, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and the private sector. Many of these forests are transboundary, with contiguous landscapes crossing national borders that present opportunities for coordinated conservation. Yet the region currently lacks a shared vision, coordinated agenda, or coherent policies for primary forests. Without this foundation, conservation efforts remain fragmented across countries and sectors, limiting their collective impact.
Our approach
The SEAP Forests IP, in partnership with RECOFTC, is facilitating the development of a gender-responsive regional vision, strategy, and action plan for primary forests. The process is bottom-up: countries identify thematic priorities and synthesize these into an overarching regional vision through country-championed Technical Working Groups that bring together governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and research organizations. The work is anchored in the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission and other regional coordination mechanisms, ensuring long-term political ownership beyond the program.
Key objective
A long-term regional strategy for primary forest conservation and sustainable management across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, providing a foundation for coordinated investment, policy reform, transboundary cooperation, and knowledge exchange.
