Governance

RMFN–Asia is governed by an Advisory Committee whose members include representatives from each Model Forest and national focal points from each country that has appointed one. It makes decisions by consensus.

The Advisory Committee is responsible for RMFN–Asia’s overall operation, direction and policy-setting. It provides strategic direction to the RMFN–Asia Secretariat, promotes the Model Forest approach and is responsible for networking among members and making other major decisions. Preecha Ongprasert, Director of Forestry Foreign Affairs at Thailand’s Royal Forest Department, is the Chair of the Advisory Committee.

We are guided by operating principles (guidelines for the performance of RMFN–Asia) and a transparent governance structure (the decision-making framework that reflects members’ needs and context).

As a network, we operate on the following values:

1. Creating transparency & accountability for members
2. Building on partnerships
3. Cost-sharing
4. Consensus building
5. Equitability in decision making and resource allocation
6. Unity in diversity
7. Respect differences of values, political, culture, social and economic conditions
8. Priority given to the sustainable management of forests and natural resources