## **COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION**
## **REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **INDEX**
|Page||
|---|---|
|3|President’s Statement|
|4|Financial Report|
|5|Activity and Membership Report|
|6|Independent Examiner’s Report|
|7|Table 1: Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA)|
|7|Table 2: Fund Movement Summary|
|8|Table 3: Balance Sheet|
|9|Notes to the Accounts and allocation of assets and liabilities to funds|
|12|Table 4: Analysis of receipts and payments|
**CHARITY REGISTRATION No. 250739**
1
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **REPORT OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL**
The **Commonwealth Forestry Association** presents its report and accounts for the year ended 31st December 2023.
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
The name of the charity is the Commonwealth Forestry Association, Charity Registration Number 250739. The governing document is the Royal Charter of 1st November 1921, as amended by Supplemental Charters of 28th November 1962 and 2019. The Association has no share capital.
## **Objects**
The objective of the Commonwealth Forestry Association is to promote the conservation and sustainable management of the world's forests and the contributions they make to peoples’ livelihoods through improved communication amongst forestry professionals and all those with an interest in the world’s forests.
## **Management structure**
||**Patron**|_HM King Charles_|
|---|---|---|
|**Executive**|President :
Executive Director :
Finance Manager :
Emeritus Finance Manager :|_John Innes_
_Alan Pottinger_
_Peter McCarter_
_Marcus Robbins_|
||||
|**Advisory group**|_Graduate Student, UBC, Canada_|Samuel Adeyanju|
||_Director, Margules Groome Consulting Pty Ltd_|Rob de Fegley|
||_CEO and Conservator of Forests at the Forestry_
_Department, Jamaica_|Marylin Headley|
||_Oxford Long-term Ecology lab, University of Oxford_|Gill Petrokofsky|
||_Head Forester, Duchy of Cornwall, UK_|Geraint Richards|
||_Professor of Tropical Forest Conservation, Department_
_of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of_
_Forestry, University of British Columbia_|Jeff Sayer|
|**Regional coordinators**|_Europe :_
_Africa :_
_South Asia :_
_South East Asia and Pacific :_
_Americas and Caribbean:_|Adrian Whiteman
Ben Chikamai
R.V. Singh
Michael Bleby
Shashi Kant|
|**Trustees**||_Mary Hobley_
_John Hudson_
_Peter Latham_|
The trustees have been selected from a wide range of forestry professionals who have shown interest in the Association, are willing and able to take on the responsibility, and who through their careers have shown an understanding of the issues involved and are well regarded by the profession. Trustees are elected at the AGM.
## **Correspondence address**
The Crib, Dinchope, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 9JJ
## **Independent examiner**
Chapman, Robinson & Moore were re-appointed at the Annual General Meeting. Alan P. Sowden FCCA is the Independent Examiner.
2
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **NARRATIVE REVIEW OF THE YEAR**
## **PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT**
In 2023, the activities of the Commonwealth Forestry Association centred on the publication of the International Forestry Review and the CFA newsletter. These two publications are a key part of the main purpose of the Association, namely to promote the conservation and sustainable management of the world’s forests and the contributions that they make to peoples’ livelihoods.
The International Forestry Review continues to attract high-quality papers from around the world, and has established a niche for itself as a journal focusing on the interactions between people and forests. This area continues to grow in importance, especially as governments, international bodies and others focus on the underlying causes of deforestation, forest degradation and other problems associated with forests. These are difficult and complex areas to deal with, as the ongoing controversy over the European Union Deforestation Regulation shows. Having sound science to support such policy debates is critical, and the journal plays an important role in ensuring the widespread availability of that science.
The CFA newsletter continues to be an important source of information for many members of the Association, and provides a digest of forest-related news stories from the Commonwealth and beyond. Its more informal style enables readers to learn what is happening in forests around the world.
The journal represents a very significant source of income for the CFA, being far more important that membership dues. However, with academic publishing in turmoil because of the proliferation of new, electronic journals, the reliance on this source of income to support the CFA remains a cause for concern.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Executive Director (Alan Pottinger), Treasurer (Peter McCarter), Special Advisor (Marcus Robbins), the members of the Advisory Council, the Trustees and the many other individuals who have helped maintain the CFA over the course of the past year. It is only with the dedication of these individuals such as these that the CFA can continue to be a success.
## **Signed on behalf of the Commonwealth Forestry Association**
**John Innes, President**
**Date: 17 October 2024**
3
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **NARRATIVE REVIEW OF THE YEAR, continued.**
## **FINANCIAL REPORT**
The financial situation of the CFA is summarised in the following three tables:
## **1. Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) (page 7)**
**2. Fund movement (page 7)**
**3. Balance Sheet (page 8)**
There was a deficit at the end of 2023 of £4,559 (2022 deficit £19,479). The net assets have decreased by £4,559 to £190,980 (2022 £195,539).
The trustees believe that reserves are enough for about three years operation in the unlikely event that current income sources dry up. This would be sufficient to wind up operations if needed.
**Bank accounts:** Our account continues to be with the Co-operative Bank.
**Investment:** The investment account, managed by Rathbones, continues to provide a balance of income and capital growth with a low/medium degree of risk. The interest paid this year was £3,463 (2022 £2,480). The current value on holdings in our portfolio increased over the year by £7,484 to £194,665 – representing a 4% return on the year.
**Payment methods** : All general payments are done by online banking.
**Income sources:** The income of £72,368 (2022 £57,629) was mainly dependent on the International Forestry Review organisational subscriptions, membership dues, donations, and online fees [BioOne aggregator, JSTOR digital library, PLS (licence fees and royalties) and Open Access].
**Expenditure:** The total was £76,928 (2022 £77,108). As previously, staff payments and review production make up the bulk of expenditure.
**The year-end financial position** was considered satisfactory to meet current commitments and objectives, and accordingly the accounts were prepared on a going-concern basis.
**Peter McCarter Treasurer**
4
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **NARRATIVE REVIEW OF THE YEAR, continued.**
## **ACTIVITY and MEMBERSHIP REPORT**
The following have been the main activities:
## **Publications**
- Publication of four issues of the **International Forestry Review** including one Special Issue: **The Social Impacts of Logging** . This publication took three years to develop and included nine papers covering subjects as diverse as: _Logging and indigenous peoples’ well-bein;, Social obligations in the logging sector in West Africa; Challenges to smallholder forestry policy reform in the Amazon; Logging, subsistence and social relations in Solomon Islands;_ and _Changing lifestyles in converted forests in Indonesia._
- As with all Special Issues of the International Forestry Review, all papers are freely available through our Open Access facility.
- Publication of four issues of the **CFA Newsletter** .
## Membership report 2023
|Membership report 2023|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Category**||**Year**|||||||
|||**2017**|**2018**|**2019**|**2020**|**2021**|**2022**|**2023**|
|Individual – developed country||64|65|63|41|42|40|41|
|Individual - developing Country||15|20|25|18|17|12|13|
|Life||51|45|44|40|38|38|35|
|Student||4|6|0|0|2|0|0|
|Subscriber||45|49|52|44|40|36|37|
|National forestry association||3|3|8|3|2|3|2|
|PERI subscriber*||99|99|n/a|n/a|n/a|n/a|n/a|
|Complimentary||54|53|55|55|54|52|50|
|Basic**||n/a|n/a|n/a|140|160|181|220|
|**TOTAL**||335|340|247|341|355|362|**398**|
_* PERI scheme concluded in 2019_
- _** Basic membership started in 2020_
As in previous years, it is important to mention two points: that many people access our publications via their institutions but are not recorded as members, and that an increasing number of subscribing agencies are paying to access the International Forestry Review and the CFA Newsletter through ‘aggregators’ rather than via the CFA directly thereby not appearing in our membership report. This means that our recorded membership numbers are not an effective means of assessing our reach.
## **Alan Pottinger**
Executive Director
5
COMIWIUI%M'EALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION
REPURT AND ACCOUNT% FUR THE YEAR ENDED 31. DECEIWIBER 2023
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE GOVERNING COUNCIL
I report to the chartty's trnste¢s on my ¢xamination of th¢ accounts of the Association for the year ended 31
December 2023.
R¢spon5ibilitirs and b45i5 of report
As the Charity's trustees. you are re5]x)nsible for the preparatson of the accounts in accordance with the
requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {'th¢ Act'l.
I report in respect of my examination of the ciwity's a¢cowits ¢arried oui under Seciion 145 of the Act and in
carryin8 Out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions 8iven by the Charity Commission under
Section 145(5) Ib) of the Act.
Independent exarniner'$ $t#ttm¢nt
I have cotnpl¢ted my examTrnation. I confirn) that no matters have come to my attention in connection with th¢
examination givirtg me use to believe that tn any material respect=
l. The accounting record5 were not kept LIJ ]f5PE¢t of the ASS13110 as required by Section 130 of the
Act., or
2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. or
3. the accounts do not Cotnply with ihe applicable requirements concerning th¢ form and content of the
accounts set tsut io the Charities (Accounts 2nd Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
that th¢ ac¢ounts giv¢ a 'true and fair view, which is Tiot a Tnatt¢r ¢onsidered as part of an Indend¢t
¢xamination- or
I confiTtn that there are no other matters in conne¢tion with the examination to whi¢h your attentlon Should be
drawn itl this report to enable a prOr undeTStanding of the accoutkts to be r¢ach¢d.
Alan P. Sowd¢D FCCA
Chapman Robioson & Moore Limit
Certified Accountants
30 Bankside Court
Stationfields
Kidlington
Oxford OXS IJE
Date-. 17 October 2024
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **TABLE 1: STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (SOFA) Period: 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 (£)**
**TABLE 2: FUND MOVEMENT SUMMARY Period: 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 (£)**
7
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **TABLE 3: BALANCE SHEET**
## **As of: 31 December 2023 (£)**
## **Signed on behalf of the Commonwealth Forestry Association**
**John Innes, President**
## **Date 17 October 2024**
8
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **1. Responsibilities**
The Financial Manager, in consultation with the Trustees and Executive Director, is responsible for preparing the accounts for each financial year in a way in which they give a true and fair view of the incoming resources and application of the resources of the Association during the year and of its state affairs at the end of the year. In preparing accounts giving a true and fair view, the Financial Manager is required to select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Association will continue in business.
The Financial Manager is responsible for ensuring that proper accounting records are maintained, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Association and which comply with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)' and the Charities Act 2011.
## **2. Principal Accounting Policies**
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of investments and in accordance with applicable Accounting Standards. The Association has adopted the SORP 'Accounting by Charities' as described above.
## (a) Membership dues and Review subscriptions
Fees are accounted for on a received basis adjusted for fees received in advance.
## (b) Donations and grants receivable
Donations and grants towards specific items of expenditure are matched against that expenditure when incurred. Grants for specific periods are accounted for in the period when they are due.
## (c) Fund accounting
Restricted funds represent grants and donations received where the donor has specified for what they may be used. Unrestricted funds represent income which is expendable in the furtherance of the objectives of the Association.
## (d) Allocation of costs
All costs are allocated as direct charitable expenditure other than management and administration.
(e) Incoming resources are stated in the SOFA gross of the related expenditure.
(f) Investments are stated at market value.
9
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31[st] DECEMBER 2023 (cont.)**
## **3. Staff costs and consultancy (£)**
|Gross salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension contributions
Less: allocated to Review and other costs
Consultancy – personnel (accountancy, database)
The average number of employees during the year was:
Office and management
Governance costs:
Independent examiner's fee
Other examiner's fees included above: Accountancy|**2023**
**2022**
**£**
**£**
42,600
40,572
4,074
3,455
1,091
1,030|
|---|---|
||47,765
45,057
29,163
29,738|
||18,602
15,319
1,392
5,195|
||19,994
20,514|
||1
1
543
480
543
480|
||1,086
960|
## **4. Taxation**
The charity is exempt from tax on any income derived from its charitable activities.
## **5. Investments**
|**. Investments**||
|---|---|
|Quoted investments at market value
**.**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Deferred income
Taxation
Accruals|**2023**
**2022**
£
£
194,665
187,181
**2023**
**2022**
**£**
**£**
3,238
5,859
2,329
1,359
8,016
960|
||13,583
8,178|
## **6.** Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
## **7. Association status**
The liability of the members of the Association is limited to their annual subscription, as determined by the Governing Council.
## **7b. BioOne income.**
Note that BioOne income (FBION) is represented by previous year’s income and is unadjusted. This is because all fees come in after the accounts have been prepared and submitted to the examiner.
10
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31[st] DECEMBER 2023 (cont.)**
## **8. Allocation of balance sheet assets and liabilities to funds (£)**
11
**COMMONWEALTH FORESTRY ASSOCIATION REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023**
## **TABLE 4: ANALYSIS OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS (2023) Period 01 January 2023 to December 2023 (£)**
12
CO1I1)lIN,EALTH TrORE%TRY A8%1)CIATIO
REPURT AND ACCOUNT% FI)R THE IEAR ENDED 31° DECEIWIBER 2023
Total
G•n•ral D*gn&t* R•itrl¢t•d
Th1* J*Ar
LAst
2.521.37
115625
3424
7.W.40
RPAN.kniwwnti
12$
Charltabl• ¥ctlvNl•¥ Tot•l¥
75,561.55
75,561.55
76,148.7S
GovernAnc• cojts
1.164.iKTr
1.164
Governan cojts Totals
1.100
1.100
76927.55
76.927.55
7T.108.75
13