Picture and text by Putu Nuansa Putri Savita Uttari APRM is the annual regional meeting held by IFSA’s Asia Pacific region. The 4th APRM 2017 was successfully celebrated at Bogor Agricultural University, also known as IPB, in Indonesia. 52 delegates from six different countries (Indonesia, Iran, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and The Philippines) participated. The theme of The 4th APRM 2017 was Forest Value Towards Sustainable Development Goals. The 4th APRM took place from May 15th-21st 2017 with 5 agenda points : APRM Lecturer, Paper Presentation, Field Trip, Global Landscapes Forum, and Cultural Night. Here are the specific event descriptions. APRM Lecture Image 1 APRM lecture discussed about problems and challenges of the newest forestry issues in Indonesia that are: marketing management for non-timber forest products, social forestry and forest industries in pulp and paper. All of the discussions were led by forestry lecturers from IPB and PT. April Group. PT. April Group is one of the largest pulp and paper industry based on Sustainable Forest Management Policy. From the APRM lecture, delegates were supposed to better understand forestry issues in Indonesia. Paper Presentation Delegates presented their paper based on the newest forestry issues in their country.  Presentations included topics as: Gender in Forestry presented by The Philippines delegates, Woody Biomass Energy by Japanese delegates, Ecotourism Based on Forest Community by Indonesian delegates, Cloud Forest displayed by delegates from Taiwanese, An Offering about Carbon Analysis by Iranean delegates, and Forest and Soil Properties by South Korean delegates.  Through the paper presentations it was intended that delegates broadened their knowledge by hearing about the newest forestry issues in the Asia Pacific region. Field Trips The Field trips took the delegates to 3 different locations with 3 different topics. The first field trip was about non-timber forest products and social forestry and took place at the Gunung Walat University Forest.  During the second field trip the delegates learned about endemic plant species at the Bogor Botanical Garden. The third field trip was for the participants to get to know more about the Sundanese culture through a visit to Sindang Barang Cultural Village. the field trips helped delegates to gather knowledge about Indonesian forestry and culture. [gallery ids="2257,2254" type="square" columns="2"] Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) 2017: Peatlands Matter GLF is a collaborative platform to connect government, communities, and organizations in providing learning opportunities. GLF Special Event on Peatlands Matter 2017 is hosted by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Jakarta. Peatlands Matter is focusing on problems peatlands are facing in Indonesia and the world. The conference also provided side events with the goal to link peatlands to other sectors such as policy, economy, and social sciences. Through participating in the GLF, delegates increased their understanding about peatlands. Image 4.JPG Cultural Night Cultural night was the last agenda point of the APRM 2017. Members from each country displayed their culture for the other delegates. They performed traditional dances, songs, games, and poems. Delegates could also go around and try traditional food from each country’s stand. During cultural night, delegates enriched their cultural knowledge about different countries in the Asian-Pacific region. Image 5.JPG The 4th APRM 2017 was a great opportunity to improve the understanding between forest and culture internationally. Besides, delegates broadened networking with international friends. It’s not too late to get other experiences. The 5th APRM 2018 will be held in Puerto Princesa, The Philippines. Prepare yourself for the big IFSA’s event in Asia Pacific! Writer : Putu Nuansa Putri Savita Uttari IFSA LC Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Indonesia  ]]>