Brief History
Taiga Rescue Network (TRN) was established in 1992 to give a voice to those wanting to see sensitive development in the boreal region. The Boreal Forest Network (BFN) is the North American affiliate of the Taiga Rescue Network.

Since 1992, we have supported, linked and publicized local struggles fighting for the boreal forests and its peoples.

Today more than 200 organizations are participants of the network. TRN remains the only international network of non-governmental organizations, indigenous peoples and individuals working to defend the world''''s boreal forests. See TRN History for More

The platform is the founding document of the network. It outlines the aims and methods of TRN, and provides guidelines for the work of the International Coordination Centre and the Regional Coordination Centres.

Who is TRN?
NGOs, indigenous peoples or individuals who support the goals of TRN are invited to become participants of the network, by signing the TRN Platform. TRN participants share the responsibility of financing key functions of the network, such as the newsletter Taiga News and international projects, on a voluntary basis relative to their financial capacity.

TRN consists of participant organizations and an International Coordination Centre (ICC). TRN’s work is guided by an International Reference Group (IRG), which consists of about 30 members representing Participant Organizations from all boreal regions, as well as the main consuming countries of boreal forest products. Click here for contact information

Platform
The TRN Platform is the founding document of the network. It outlines the aims and methods of TRN, and provides guidelines for the work of the International Coordination Centre.

Participant Organizations
NGOs, indigenous peoples or individuals who support the goals of TRN are invited to become participants of the network, by signing the TRN Platform. TRN participants share the responsibility of financing key functions of the network, such as the newsletter Taiga News and international projects, on a voluntary basis relative to their financial capacity.

International Reference Group (IRG)
The IRG is selected at the Biennial Meeting through consensus. IRG representatives come from a range of the diverse Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations (IPOs) participating in the network, thus representing all the boreal regions of the world and from consumer countries of boreal products. IRG members represent a constituency (the participants of TRN) and they should have a mandate from this constituency to speak on behalf of them at the IRG. Every effort is made to ensure regional balance within the IRG.

IRG members also have the opportunity to step down and suggest a replacement from their organization or another participant organization in their region. Participant organizations are informed through the monthly bulletin of this change and have the opportunity to suggest replacements.

The IRG makes decisions through consensus at meetings, conference calls and the IRG e-mail list. Meetings are organized at least once a year. The IRG is responsible for TRN’s long-term strategic planning, setting TRN’s annual priorities (activity plan) and identifying joint projects and funding opportunities.