In order to further enhance the contributions of SFM to sustainable development, a number of coordinated actions and policies are still needed at the local, national, and international levels. The range of policy actions include the promotion of cross-sectoral and cross-institutional collaboration, the further integration of sustainable forest management into national economic development strategies, and capacity building for systematic collection and analysis of forest data and information, particularly on the non-cash and informal benefits that forests contribute to national economic development.
The policies of international development organizations are also increasingly significant sources of influence and inspiration nationally and, sometimes, locally. They give prominence to SFM, and can often stimulate new thinking about the role and scope of forest laws and policies.