Whether forests and trees are planted, nurtured or removed, depends on the decisions people make, and the power they have to act. Policy of various kinds shapes both the available options and the balance of power between different people who make decisions. Current policies in many countries send signals that favour only a few interests in forest use or replacement. These policies do not require those interests to cover the associated environmental and social costs, and it is ordinary people who bear the brunt of most of these costs. Furthermore, environmental and economic change is occurring, which is beyond the control of particular groups of people, yet policy processes are not well set up for collective decisions about how to deal with rapid change.

Governments, civil society groupings and far-sighted private sector interests in an increasing number of countries are looking for answers to tackling the policy causes of forest problems. Such problems include: continuing decline in quantity and quality of natural forests: logging companies and land speculators seeking out national authorities with weak abilities to ensure that environmental and social forest goods and services are sustained; over-concentrated control and inequitable access to forests; and ill-informed public and consumer; and poorly-resourced, inflexible forestry institutions.

This project builds directly upon IIED's previous project, Policy that Works for Forests and People, which was funded jointly by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands Development Assistance (NEDA). The project identified policies and policy processes that have either proven their efficacy, or shown much promise, in improving the sustainability of forest management and optimising stakeholder benefits. It did this for a range of contexts internationally, and in six key countries: Costa Rica, India, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Ghana and Zimbabwe.

IIED now proposes strategic interventions, in each country and internationally, to further focus and disseminate the findings and develop the recommendations of Policy that Works. By drawing in many stakeholders during the analysis, the country teams - from a mix of local institutions - have already created many opportunities to influence key policies. Over the next year, follow-up action is needed to seize and multiply these opportunities in the core countries, and internationally.

To optimise the impact of the outputs of the Policy that Works project on policy and practice, such that findings are installed within institutions that can take them forward.

• Country teams involved in continuing analysis to focus the findings and recommendations, and contributing to mechanisms for policy and institutional change in six countries.
• Networks of those engaging with country teams - new "policy communities" - developing in six countries.
• Synthesis reports distributed in six countries.
• Completion, production and distribution of detailed analysis reports in four countries.
• Launch events and "mini launches" held in six countries.
• Workshops/retreats for internalising findings in forest authorities facilitated in five countries.
• Dissemination seminars and "what next" workshops for specific stakeholders groups conducted in six countries.
• Policy briefings and flyers prepared and delivered in six countries.
• Newspaper columns and journal articles in six countries.
• Pamphlets in local languages produced and distributed in two countries.
• Videos prepared, distributed and utilised in two countries.
• TV and radio programmes featuring findings in two countries.
• Establishment/input to training programmes/curricula in two countries.
• Methodology for stakeholders to understand, debate and test claims about forest development options researched, tested and installed in Papua New Guinea.
• Results of Rural Community Attitudes to Forestry and Conservation published in Papua New Guinea.
• Overview report produced, mailed out and distributed at key events.
• Postings or reports and abstracts made on websites and by e-mail.
• Presentations made to international seminars and workshops.
• Short pieces for newsletters produced and distributed.
• Papers and journal articles prepared by country team members and IIED.
• Results and project approach (advice on policy and policy analysis processes) fed into other IIED and DFID projects and initiatives.
• Contributions made to international and national training courses.
• Book on Policy that Works for Forests and People (for Earthscan) prepared in part.