Dear Chris,

Read your recent article with interest regarding –among other things–my presentation on IFC’s approach to the forest sector at the World Forest Congress in BA.

While appreciating the coverage of the IFC presentation, don’t you think there was a bit more to it than the one dimensional focus on plantations you describe ? What about sustainable forest management of natural forest? What about leveraging private capital in support of REDD/conserving natural forest? What about the focus on moving sustainable agribusiness and forestry to degraded lands? And in terms of plantations, what about the sensitivity that was expressed to ensuring when plantations are undertaken they are done in places with adequate rainfall, preferably in mosaic form, and not to replace cleared natural forest?

Obviously, one must respect that we have differing views when it comes to tree crop plantations (though I have never fully appreciated the distinction between such and vast fields of corn, or soy etc) but our approach is a bit more nuanced than you indicated.

Regards,
Mark

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