The International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF) was founded in 1950 by Tom Gill in USA along with foresters throughout the world “to facilitate the transfer of information on the management, protection, and wise use of tropical forests”. ISTF has strived to connect practitioners in the field with up-to-date information on forestry and to link them to others with similar interests. Its mission is to facilitate and promote sharing of best practices for the effective management, protection, and equitable and ecologically sustainable use of tropical forests and natural resources in the tropical and subtropical regions across the globe. ISTF has over 1600 global members worldwide in 102 countries. ISTF approved its India Chapter in May, 2020 and Dr. V.P. Tewari has been elected as the first President of ISTF India Chapter.
Dr. V. P. Tewari is Former Director of the Himalayan Forest Research Institute, Shimla. He is recipient of FAO, DAAD, ITTO and Erasmus-Mundus fellowships and served as Deputy Coordinator IUFRO 4.01.03. He is Associate Editor, Forest Ecosystems and Member, UNCCD Roster of Experts. He has authored more than 90 research papers in various reputed peer reviewed international journals and has six edited books to his credit. He also presented 60 papers in various International and National Conferences and Workshops, and has visited many countries across the globe.
Dr. Tewari informed that the main objectives of ISTF India chapter shall be to:
1. Promote better understanding of Indian forestry and sustainable land use practices by acting as a national body to effectively communicate forestry and natural resources information, updates on professional activities, and information on Indian forestsrelated issues to members in India.
2. Facilitate building awareness and exchange of information about advances in forest science, Indian forests and their protection and conservation, plantation initiatives, forestry management and policy by recruiting and linking members in India.
3. Promote research and dissemination of scientific knowledge on forests of India, their biodiversity, and natural resources among various stakeholders such as foresters, researchers, educators, policy and decision makers, and tribal, rural, and urban community members.
4. Contribute to the sustainable management of all types of forests of India through informing and advocating for international and local policies and best practices, and promoting compliance with international and local laws, guidelines, frameworks, and standards that affect or influence the sustainable management of forests of India.
5. Promote the development and implementation of equitable and ecologically sustainable land use practices that value and conserve the forests of India through cooperation and collaboration with other organizations, including other ISTF chapters, and government, national and international non-government, academic, and private sector organizations, agencies, national or local organizations of foresters, and research institutes & centres.
6. Support awareness-raising, education, and training among community people, particularly the women, youth, tribal/rural folks and Panchayat and the community leaders about forests, their utility, and people’s role in protecting and strengthening them with a focus on land degradation neutrality.