ForestExpertProgram

Exchange for Sustainability

 

Short description of the program

The “Forest Expert Program“ aims at increasing the professional exchange of forest management related experience among forest experts and thus at building capacity and transferring knowledge in the field of sustainable forest management worldwide. The German Forest Society as the responsible organization has a large network of forestry related members that are interested in global issues of forestry, called the NIWA (Netzwerk für nachhaltige internationale Waldwirtschaft). The “Forest Expert Program” is funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).

Based on this network and funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the program offers traineeships in order to train skills in sustainable forest management in Germany. State and private forest enterprises, ministries and associations of the German forestry sector are participating institutions. During the next three years at least ten fellowships will be provided for a one-month stay in Germany.  The focus is especially on applicants from the focus regions of the German development cooperation working in the field of forest management and forest politics.

The traineeship will be adapted to the individual needs, interests and fields of experience of the trainee. The one-month stay will be divided into seminars, field trips and practical trainings to convey the basic principles of sustainable forest management in Germany. Possible institutions for the fellowship are the ministries responsible for forestry, governmental and private forest administrations, as well as forestry related associations in Germany

The main requirements for the fellowship are a forest related education, forest related work, sufficient English (or German) knowledge and a recommendation letter from a German Partner Organization. This may be a ministry, a forest administration, a consulting company, the GIZ, the Federal Foreign Offices or forest associations

In its second project period the Forest Expert Program 2 is financed by the „Funding guideline for bilateral research projects and knowledge exchange for international sustainable forest management” from the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL) managed by the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE). We are looking forward to applications with the focus on multifunctional sustainable forestry during climate change.

The “Forest Expert Program“ aims to establish itself for the long term. We offer possibilities for self-financed trainees as well as forestry related training courses and the organization of forest delegations.