Become a member
Membership of IUFRO is open to any institution concerned with the promotion, support or conduct of research related to forests, trees and forest products.
The ForGEDI IUFRO Task Force (TF) was established through a comprehensive participatory process that ensured broad representation and engagement from the forestry community.
Initially, a survey was distributed to all ForGEDI MOOC contributors and former IUFRO TF Gender Equality in Forestry members to determine the most preferred organisational structure for continuing the work initiated through the ForGEDI MOOC. The TF format emerged as the clearly preferred option among respondents. Subsequently, a snowball sampling approach was implemented, with 40 participants sharing the survey within their professional networks. This effort resulted in a robust Task Force with 57 members (eight men), including 36 IUFRO members and 21 non-IUFRO members. The significant involvement of non-IUFRO members, primarily practitioners actively working on gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion (GEDI) initiatives in the field as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and companies, substantially strengthens the science-practice interface. Their practical expertise and on-ground-level experience bring invaluable perspectives and real-world insights to the TF’s work. Besides, theTF involves a significant number of currently inactive IUFRO members.
The current geographical and gender distribution of ForGEDI IUFRO TF membership indeed reflects historical patterns of representation in forestry networks, with a notable concentration of members from Europe. While this provides a strong foundation, we recognise the critical need to address the underrepresentation from Latin and Central America, Asia, and Africa - regions that host significant forest resources and face unique GEDI challenges. To address this imbalance, ForGEDI IUFRO TF will focus particularly on strengthening its outreach to those regions as well as on overcoming financial and institutional barriers. TF recognises that IUFRO membership fees may act as a barrier here and will examine mechanisms, including external funding, to assist members who are not associated with IUFRO and do not have the financial capacity to access the membership. This strategic approach ensures that financial constraints do not limit valuable contributions from diverse geographical and economic contexts. Additionally, we ensure that meeting times, communication channels, and working group activities are accessible across different time zones and contexts. This geographical rebalancing is not just about numbers - it's essential for ensuring that ForGEDI IUFRO TF work reflects diverse perspectives and addresses GEDI challenges across different cultural and socio-economic contexts.
