Measuring what matters in Asia’s Model Forests

Seen from above, forests can appear as islands in a sea of other land uses. They have been managed in isolation for much of recent history. But ecologically speaking, we need landscape-scale approaches that consider and manage forests alongside agriculture, water resources, industry and human settlements. The Model Forest approach, developed by Canada in the 1990s and now implemented worldwide, does just this.

What is a Model Forest?

A Model Forest is a forest landscape with a mix of land uses and values, where diverse stakeholders jointly manage natural resources. Asia has eight Model Forests in six countries. All are members of the Regional Model Forest Network–Asia (RMFN–Asia), for which RECOFTC serves as Secretariat.

We strengthen the networks’ evidence base, sharing lessons and highlighting successes. Our goal is to promote integrated, low-carbon, climate-resilient, nature-positive and inclusive landscape management.

But how do we know that a Model Forest is truly sustainable? We need data and indicators that can be tracked over time. For this, we are working with members and partners to co-design a Model Forest Indicator Framework (MFIF) built around four interconnected pillars that encompass social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability. The four pillars are ecosystem, governance, production and well-being. Adapted from the LandScale Framework, these pillars evaluate links between natural systems, human well-being and economic activities.

To collaboratively develop the draft framework, we held online learning exchanges between October 2024 and March 2025. Each session focused on one pillar and included presentations from two Model Forests.

Pillar 1: Ecosystem

In the session on ecosystems, we had presentations from Balkhila Watershed Model Forest in India’s Uttarakhand State and Margowitan Model Forest in East Java, Indonesia.

Balkhila lies in the Indian Himalayas, within a wildlife sanctuary that is home to snow leopards and black bears. Natural rhododendron forests and plantations of birch and fir trees cover two-thirds of the landscape alongside farms, grasslands, glaciers and villages. The Model Forest faces challenges such as invasive species, large numbers of pilgrims, floods and landslides, and human–wildlife conflict.

Margowitan Model Forest, on the other hand, includes large areas of teak, Dalbergia and pine plantations, interspersed with natural forest, farmland and other land uses. The planted forests are subject to mandatory sustainability certification from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and many areas are also certified under the Forest Stewardship Council’s voluntary standards.

Current ecosystem indicators used by both Model Forests include forest cover, soil quality and the presence of native versus invasive species. Participants suggested measuring agrochemical use, organic farming rates, water quality, and how far or how long people must search to collect non-timber forest products.

Pillar 2: Governance

Featuring presentations from the Kodagu Model Forest in India’s Karnataka State and Carood Watershed Model Forest in the Philippines, the governance session focused on how to assess the ways in which Model Forests are managed and by whom.

Both Kodagu and Carood Watershed Model Forests have coordinating bodies that include representatives from stakeholder groups, government agencies, communities, private companies and research institutions. The coordinating body in Kodagu Model Forest helps manage human–wildlife conflict. In Carood, a similar body coordinates a watershed plan across seven municipalities.

Both Model Forests have implemented forest restoration projects in partnership with local communities and other stakeholders, finding success through early engagement and clear communication. Other key governance mechanisms include working with a sound understanding of regulatory frameworks in existing structures such as youth organizations or community forest committees, and having feedback mechanisms.

Participation by women in decision-making structures is a key aspect of good governance relevant to all Model Forests. Recognizing this, one of the indicators we have proposed for our monitoring framework is the proportion of seats on Model Forest committees or similar structures that women occupy.

Pillar 3: Production 

The production session featured presentations by the Ngao Model Forest in Thailand and Lin’an Model Forest in Zhejiang province, China. Ngao produces an impressive array of forest products, from herbs, mushrooms, bamboo, honey and edible insects to timber, rubber, crops and tourism services. The conversion of Lin’an into a Model Forest in the late 1990s transformed it into a sustainable producer of hickory nuts, tea, bamboo shoots and ecotourism.

Their presentations highlighted the challenge of monitoring production across large landscapes whose diverse products can greatly vary from place to place, across altitudinal gradients, or in scale of production – from small home gardens to large-scale plantations. Agreed Model Forest indicators include changes in forest cover, values of forest and farm products, and the area of land with sustainability certification.

Pillar 4: Well-being

With the session on human well-being, we focused on a complex and often subjective dimension of sustainability. Presenters from Kyoto Model Forest in Japan and Ulot Watershed Model Forest in the Philippines showed how their forest landscapes are helping preserve traditional culture and contributing to physical and mental health.

In Ulot, the forest provides water, fruits and medicinal plants. “When the forest flourishes, so too do the lives of those who depend on it,” said Eunice Babalcon from Ulot Watershed. In Kyoto, forests help protect lives from extreme weather events such as typhoons by preventing landslides and mitigating floods. Communities in both landscapes have a sense of belonging related to forests. But as Hiroko Tanaka from Kyoto noted, “Measuring human wellbeing is challenging because it is complex and subjective.”

Suggested indicators include income, life expectancy, access to health and education, and even injuries from human–wildlife conflict or household reliance on forests for fuel.

Piloting the framework

The online exchanges underscored that sustainability is multi-dimensional. Based on our learning, we developed a ‘beta’ version of the MFIF and are currently in the piloting phase.

The RMFN–Asia Secretariat team visited Carood Watershed from 23 to 28 September 2025 for the first pilot exercise. We gathered data, held feedback sessions for transparency and collaborated with the Bohol Island State University to strengthen our validation process, including survey design, data collection and analysis.

The next MFIF piloting will take place in Ngao Model Forest, Thailand. Its unique context will provide further insights. As we continue to gather data and validate it, the MFIF will help us strengthen local stakeholder efforts, support better decision-making and drive continuous improvement.

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Nattarikarn Thongsomboon is project officer for RMFN–Asia at RECOFTC. Mamta Lama is programme officer – Enhanced climate change adaption and mitigation at RECOFTC.

The Regional Model Forest Network–Asia is supported by the Global Leadership Program under the Department of Natural Resources, Government of Canada. RECOFTC is the Secretariat of RMFN–Asia.