Forests Unit present at the Global Communication Workshop on Wildfires and the Asia-Pacific Forestry Week

• Participation highlighted Latin America’s experience in communication campaigns for wildfire prevention, represented Recofalc, positioned ACTIVA-CATIE’s work, and emphasized the value of tools such as digital marketing and artificial intelligence.

Marianela Argüello, education and communication specialist at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab: ACTIVA-CATIE, part of the Forests and Biodiversity in Productive Landscapes Unit (UBBPP) of CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), participated from November 2 to 4 in the Global Communication Workshop on Wildfires and, on November 5, joined a panel during the 5th Asia-Pacific Forestry Week. Both events took place in Thailand.

Her participation was in her capacity as coordinator of the Network of Forest and Environmental Communicators of Latin America and the Caribbean (Recofalc), an initiative of the Forestry Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Global Communication Workshop on Wildfires

The workshop was held at the Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific (Recoftc), located in Bangkok. Representatives from 13 countries and 5 world regions participated, including the Americas (Canada, Costa Rica, and the United States), Europe (Finland, Austria, and Italy), Asia (the Philippines, Nepal, India, Indonesia, and Thailand), Africa (South Africa), and the Mediterranean (Lebanon).

The goal of the workshop was to develop proposals for a new global campaign to prevent wildfires. Contributions from participating countries made it possible to exchange experiences, highlight existing efforts, and chart a path toward a global communication strategy.

“Participating in the workshop required a lot of work, but it was also an opportunity to share communication efforts that, for example, have been carried out in Latin America and the Caribbean on this issue,” said Argüello.  

“Specifically from our region, communication campaigns implemented in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile, and Peru were presented, which were compiled and showcased at this workshop thanks to the contributions of various Recofalc members,” added the ACTIVA-CATIE and Recofalc representative.

International Panel: Communicating Change – Growing the Solution

As part of the 5th Asia-Pacific Forestry Week, held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the FAO organized the side event Communicating Change: Growing the Solution, framed under the theme Healthy Forests for a Healthy Future, on November 5.

The panel was moderated by David Ganz, Executive Director of Recoftc, who highlighted the importance of communication in the forestry sector. The following individuals participated as panelists:

• Kai Lintunen, leader of the European Forest Communicators Network and Head of International Communications at the Finnish Forest Association, who presented the Grow the Solution campaign and information about forest communicator networks.
• Marianela Argüello, leader of Recofalc and ACTIVA-CATIE specialist, who discussed the evolution of forest communication in recent years, emphasizing the relevance of digital marketing and artificial intelligence, while connecting her presentation to ACTIVA-CATIE’s work.
• Mary Ann Llanza, Director of the Knowledge Management, Information Technology and Strategic Communication Unit at Recoftc, and Paula Sarigumba, Communication and Outreach Officer at the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), shared insights from their organizations’ communication initiatives.

International Projection of ACTIVA-CATIE’s Work

Participation in these events allows the UBBPP and ACTIVA-CATIE to position their work internationally, highlighting their role in capacity building, forest education, and support for entrepreneurship with a sustainable approach.

It also reinforces their representation through Recofalc leadership, showcasing the network’s value, the importance of its members, and the collaboration it enables.

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Photo credits: Recoftc and Samantha Choles