Foundation for Cooperation:

The USDA Forest Service, drawing on the skills of over 35,000 employees, brings natural resource management expertise to many international conservation policy discussions and technical assistance projects through collaborative work with Federal agencies and departments, government organizations, international conservation organizations, private industry, and universities.

Cooperative agreements, memoranda of understanding, direct one-on-one arrangements, and membership or participation in international organizations serve as the foundation for cooperative activities.

In particular, USDA Forest Service International Program, in a special partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development , assists in the identification, design, and implementation of their forest conservation efforts through the Forestry Support Program (Forest Resources Management Project) and disaster assistance through the Disaster Assistance Support Program.

Other significant partners include:

1. Special Forest Service Partners

• The International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF)
• The Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry (IPIF)
• USFS Inventory and Monitoring Institute (IMI)

2. Federal Agencies and Departments

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Peace Corps
• U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
• USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)
• USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
• U.S. Department of State
• USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) International Agroforestry Program

3. International Organizations

• Asian Development Bank
• Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
• International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)
• International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF)
• International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)
• International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• International Union of Forestry Organizations (IUFRO)
• North American Forest Commission (NAFC)
• Organization of American States (OAS)
• United Nations
• UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
• UN Development Programme (UNDP)
• World Bank
• World Food Programme (WFP) ·
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

4. Non-government Organizations

• American Forest and Paper Association
• Conservation International
• Ducks Unlimited
• The Nature Conservancy
• Tropical Forest Foundation
• Society of American Foresters
• Wildlife Conservation Society
• World Wildlife Fund

5. Universities and Colleges

• Colorado State University - College of Natural Resources
• University of Montana in Missoula - School of Forestry
• University of Idaho - College of Natural Resources
• University of Wisconsin