Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Institutions (APAFRI)

The Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Institutions (APAFRI) is an independent non-profit body, which aims to enhance research and technology development capabilities in support of conservation and management of forest resources in the Asia-Pacific region.

The establishment of APAFRI was prompted by the need to provide a viable institutional framework for research collaboration in the region. Since 1991, the Forestry Research Support Programme for Asia and the Pacific (FORSPA) has been fulfilling the networking function. APAFRI , a follow-up of FORSPA, is an outcome of the desire of the countries in the region and the donor community to develop a more self-reliant and sustainable mechanism to strengthen research networking. It was launched during the meeting of the Heads of Forestry Research Organizations in the Asia-Pacific held in Bogor, 20-23 February 1995.

The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) has recognised APAFRI as its Asia-Pacific chapter. APAFRI has been collaborating closely with the IUFRO Special Programme for Developing Countries (SPDC) in strengthening research in the Asia-Pacific region, and APAFRI’s Executive Director has been co-opted as regional coordinator of IUFRO-SPDC.

The Secretariat of the Association was initially based at the FAO Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand. Following the decision of the First General Assembly of the Association held at Ho Chi Minh City in March 1997, the Secretariat has been shifted to the Faculty of Forestry, University Putra Malaysia(UPM), Selangor, Malaysia. In year 2001, Secretariat was relocated to Forest Research Institute Malaysia , Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.