Trees, woodlands and forests can be seen as the lungs of the environment. They play a crucial role in tempering the effects of climate and they provide protection for vital water catchments. In Eastern Africa, over 90% of domestic fuel needs are met through use of wood products. Trees provide a wide range of products for the people of the region including food and fruit, fodder for livestock, medicines for both people and livestock. Forests supply goods of commercial, cultural and sacred value and they comprise a vital safety net in times of need, yet the trees and forests of Eastern Africa are under tremendous pressure due to land use competition, forest degradation and conversion, and as a result of increased population pressures. IUCN recognizes the critical role that forests and woodlands play both in terms of conservation and in terms of securing the livelihoods of the region's people. We work with our partners at the projects level and we help empower local people and communities to improve their management of forest resources and make them more sustainable. At a national level we inform and influence government partners on contemporary forest conservation thinking and we encourage the countries of the region to engage in global dialogue regarding forest conservation issues. Regional experience is used to bolster the programme and strategies of IUCN's Global Forest Conservation Programme.

Collaborative Forest Management: Collaboration and community involvement are the cornerstones of our approach to forest management. IUCN works with partners and communities to create an understanding of the importance of trees and forests to livelihood security. First, the role of forests and trees in livelihood security is established then we facilitate the development of collaborative agreements for joint management of and/or access to resources. Through projects in Tanga, and the Rufiji Environmental Management Project, lessons have been learnt and these have formed the basis for a series of four theme reviews on community involvement in forest management.

Forest Restoration: IUCN recognizes that forests and woodlands in Eastern Africa have been degraded and converted for many reasons. Subsequently, we created a major initiative on forest restoration in the region. Four national studies were completed in 2001 and a significant contribution was made to a regional forest landscape restoration workshop held in late 2001. Since then a range of case studies have been documented and the findings are being used to develop best practices and inform policy at the national and global levels. An important publication on forest landscape restoration lessons from East Africa was launched at the World Summit for Sustainable Development.

Policy Dialogue: Bi-annual meetings of the East African Directors of Forestry and of Forestry Research and Heads of Forest Departments in Universities form an important component of EARP's forest policy work. The East African Forestry Network has been acknowledged by the East African Community and it is now strongly linked to their Environment and Natural Resource Committee. In 2002 a similar meeting was held with the Directors of Conservation (forestry, wildlife, fishery, environment) and their counterparts in economic planning. This served to highlight the importance of linking conservation planning and valuation to broader, national, macro-economic planning.