ASEAN Forest Clearing House Mechanism (CHM)

The ASEAN Forest Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) is a regional learning platform to facilitate forest policy coordination and policy learning among the ASEAN Member States (peers) and beyond. It is designed to promote networking and holistic knowledge management between ASEAN stakeholders, processes and institutions. The tool is managed by the ASEAN Secretariat and serves as an institutional hub of the new networked and knowledge-based ASEAN. It is an essential instrument of information and knowledge sharing and communication for forestry-related ASEAN mechanisms, such as ASEAN expert and working groups and the ASEAN knowledge networks, and helps organizing exchange of experiences as well as learning processes among them. The CHM is also a tool to enhance communication and interaction with other ASEAN stakeholders and the broader public.Since its first launch in 2004, the CHM has been evolving from managing data and information towards capturing knowledge (e.g. series of ASEAN-German ReFOP Briefing Papers, ARKN Briefing Papers) and translating knowledge into application and innovation. The latter includes the CHM’s role as a communication platform for the ASEAN Regional Knowledge Networks (ARKN) on forest policy priorities in the region which are forest law enforcement and governance (FLEG) and forests and climate change, in particular reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). The ARKN provide policy-oriented research to better inform policy decision-making and implementation by the AMAF/ASOF.

The ASEAN Secretariat manages the interface between these complementary formal and informal mechanisms, among others, through the CHM. In this context, the CHM significantly contributes to oversee the complexity and interconnectedness of forest policy issues and processes. In the current phase of development, focus will be on the human dimension of KM, i.e. capturing tacit knowledge (e.g. policy briefs by ARKN members, lessons learned) and managing exchange and networking among ASEAN stakeholders. This shall be supported by state-of-the-art interactive tools such as polls, discussion forums and blogs.

The CHM provides all users access to work-related information and knowledge and enables them to make contact with the respective sources. While managed by the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASOF community, members of the regional knowledge networks, ASEAN partners and other ASEAN stakeholders are responsible for actively producing, uploading and maintaining their respective products retaining full responsibility and ownership of their inputs into the CHM. This custodianship is important because it places the responsibility for timelines, maintenance, access and other issues squarely where it belongs, on the initial producer or provider. However, equally pertinent is a mechanism of quality control and standardization to be overseen by the ASEAN Secretariat.