During his keynote at FLARE, the former Peruvian Minister of the Environment and WWF Global Climate & Energy Lead warned that climate denialism, weakened environmental institutions, and shifting geopolitical priorities are reshaping, and in some cases slowing, the trajectory of climate action. 
 
It was a milestone moment: for the first time, FLARE took place in Peru, and we were proud to be part of the host team. More than 250 people from 31 countries came together in Lima to discuss how forests, and the people who depend on them, can inspire and drive real, transformative change. For us at the Wyss Academy for Nature, it was more than a conference; it was a space to connect ideas, bridge worlds, and find new ways for forests and people to thrive.

Throughout the conference, we shared interdisciplinary research findings and practical lessons from our work in Madre de Dios—guided by our vision Healthy Forests for Wellbeing, which aims to strengthen forests and improve the lives of the communities who depend on them.

Our researchers contributed to several key sessions, including:

• Toward a Territorial Research Agenda for Madre de Dios: Mapping Gaps and Aligning Priorities, Armando Valdés-Velásquez, Gabriela Wiederkehr-Guerra, and Miguel Saravia.

• From Formalization to Diversification: Rethinking Land Governance for Farming Systems in the Peruvian Amazon, Elena Borasino, Sarah-Lan Mathez-Stiefel, and Armando Valdés-Velásquez.

• How Can We Promote More Just and Accountable Governance of Forest Landscapes? Lessons from Indigenous Territorial Governance Models in the Peruvian Amazon, led by Sarah-Lan Mathez-Stiefel and Meredith Castro Ríos, with discussants from FENAMAD, AIDESEP, and Peru’s Ministry of Environment.

• Towards Relational Engagement: Lessons from the Wyss Academy Dialogues with Purpose on the True Value of Forest, Svitlana Lavrenciuc, Armando Valdés-Velásquez, and Tatjana von Steiger.

• Making Sense of the Complex Relations between Land-Use Change, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being in Tropical Forest Frontiers, Julie G. Zähringer

• Measuring Social and Human Well-Being in PES Projects: A Standardized Approach, Dominique Schmid and Marieke van der Zon.

Across these sessions, the Wyss Academy team highlighted how science, policy, and local knowledge can be bridged to co-design solutions that strengthen both ecosystems and livelihoods, building pathways for transformation rooted in territorial realities.

The key outcome: following FLARE 2025, the Wyss Academy for Nature is leading the creation of a synthesis document with key recommendations for policymakers , distilling the main insights, debates, and innovations shared during the conference. The goal: to turn ideas into action and help shape a more just and inclusive forest governance agenda in Peru. This work reflects the Wyss Academy’s broader commitment to connect scientific evidence with public policy and decision-making.

To advance this effort, the Wyss Academy for Nature hosted the event “Science and Policy: Transforming Forest Governance” together with the University of Notre Dame and the FLARE Secretariat. The session brought together key representatives from public institutions, academia, civil society, the private sector, Indigenous organizations, and the international community , including key organizations such as the National Forest and Wildlife Service (SERFOR), the Forest Resources and Wildlife Oversight Agency (OSINFOR), the Peruvian Association of Exporters (ADEX), the Confederation of Amazonian Nationalities of Peru (CONAP), the Peruvian Trust Fund for National Parks and Protected Areas (PROFONANPE), Wake Forest University, the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

More than a technical exchange, the session became a space to build trust, foster collaboration, and ensure that scientific evidence emerging from FLARE can meaningfully inform public policy and decision-making for forests and the communities who depend on them.

We’re proud to have risen to the occasion as co-hosts of such a substantive event—one that reminded us that reshaping forest governance takes more than data: it requires dialogue, mutual trust, and genuine collaboration across sectors and regions. 

With over 1,500 members from more than 60 countries, the Forests and Livelihoods: Assessment, Research, and Engagement (FLARE) network continues to connect science, policy, and practice to turn evidence into real change. 

The Wyss Academy for Nature extends its gratitude to UTEC (Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología) and the University of Notre Dame’s Pulte Institute for Global Development for joining forces in advancing knowledge and action, through effective dialogue, toward a more sustainable and equitable future. 

We also thank our dedicated Wyss Academy for Nature team, across Bern and South America, for their passion, collaboration, and commitment in making this milestone possible.