Pleine de vie, Michelle a contribué avec beaucoup d’énergie et d’enthousiasme à l’organisation de la journée thématique du PFBC du 19 septembre 2012 à N’Djaména, sur le thème : « Gestion intégrée des ressources naturelles dans les paysages d’Afrique centrale : Le rural, l’urbain et leur convergence ». 

« Nos villes s'agrandissent et conduisent à de nouvelles préoccupations: préserver la ressource 'arbre' et mettre en oeuvre une foresterie urbaine au service du développement et de l'environnement urbains et péri-urbains. Pour cela, des lignes directrices s'imposent, selon Michelle Gauthier, experte forestière à la FAO, à Rome » : http://www.fao.org/news/audio-video/detail-audio/en/?uid=9129

Quelques réactions :

 
' En apprenant le décês de Michelle, le choc a été fort. Michelle était un grand personnage que j'ai connu il y a plus de 20 ans lorsqu'elle était à l'ACDI. Je l'ai revue à Ndjaména en septembre 2012, pleine de détermination pour les forêts urbaines et péri-urbaines lors de la 4ième plénière du Partenariat pour les forêts du bassin du Congo. Comme canadien, j'étais fier de la contribution de Michelle au développement durable de notre planète. Mes pensées et prières vous accompagnent dans ces instants douloureux.'

Gaston Grenier, Ex-Facilitateur du Partenariat pour les forêts du Bassin du Congo

«Quelle triste nouvelle avec cette disparition brutale de Michelle. Je me souviens encore très bien de sa vivacité et son engagement pour les questions de "foresterie urbaine et péri urbaine" lors de la journée thématique de N'djamena. Elle semblait pourtant en parfaite santé et plein de vie. C'est vraiment une grande perte pour la FAO et la communauté des acteurs de développement durable. 

Toute la famille COMIFAC adresse ses condoléances à la famille de Michelle et prie pour que la terre de nos ancêtres lui soit légère. 

 Bye Bye Michelle »

 Martin TADOUM, Secrétaire Exécutif Adjoint-Coordonnateur Technique, Commission des Forêts d'Afrique Centrale (COMIFAC) 

En savoir plus... (disponible en anglais uniquement)

Saying goodbye to Michelle Gauthier, FAO

Saying goodbye to colleague Michelle Gauthier
Information on the farewell ceremony
21/02/13

It is with deep regret that the Organization learned today about the death of Ms. Michelle Gauthier, Forestry Officer, FOM, who joined FAO in January 1994.

Michelle worked for almost 20 years in the Forestry Department, starting as an APO in the Community Forestry unit and later responsible for the Agroforestry and Urban/Peri-Urban forestry programmes in the Forest Assessment, Management and Conservation Division. She provided strong leadership on these issues, both inside and outside FAO.
 Her collaboration with colleagues in other technical departments was highly appreciated and valued by many as an important contribution to interdisciplinary work at FAO.

 Michelle also played an important role in developing active global and regional networks for agroforestry and urban forestry. She was continuously advocating for agroforestry from local to policy levels during her work with FAO, including the development of important publications and guidelines that will help support sustainable agroforestry worldwide.

Michelle also advocated strongly for the "Food for the Cities" programme, recognizing the importance of urban-rural linkages regarding energy, forestry and nutrition and other crosscutting issues. A recent interview on the greening of urban areas can be seen at this link: http://www.fao.org/news/audio-video/detail-audio/en/?uid=9129

Michelle will be remembered by many colleagues and friends as a truly dedicated professional, who, through her perseverance and commitment, has made an important contribution to the lives of many. She will also be remembered as a loving mother who provided many years of care and nurturing to her beloved daughter, Lin Wan.
The farewell ceremony will be held to honour the memory and life of Michelle on Friday 22 Ferbuary at 11:15 at the Egyptian Temple (Tempietto Egizio) of the Verano Cemetery.

Cemetery map: http://www.cimitericapitolini.it/images/pdf/mappa_verano_2012.pdf);
Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/2SPth<http://maps.google.it/maps?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc&q=Piazzale+del+Verano+38+roma&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x132f6182d415f605:0x3683245bf351c397,Piazzale+del+Verano,+38,+Roma&gl=it> - take Metro B to Tiburtina, enter cemetery at Ingresso Crociate or take metro to Policlinico; either walk 10 for minutes to Verano or take a bus/tram along Viale Regina Margherita.

[food-for-cities] DEATH NOTICE: Michelle Gauthier - FAO / urban and peri-urban forestry (UPF)

De : Julien.Custot@fao.org [mailto:Julien.Custot@fao.org]
Envoyé : jeudi 21 février 2013 07:25
À : Food for Cities
Cc : Andrade, Graciela (FOM)
Objet : [food-for-cities] DEATH NOTICE: Michelle Gauthier - FAO / urban and peri-urban forestry (UPF)

Dear colleagues,

Michelle Gauthier loved trees. She dedicated her professional life to trees: for food and nutrition security, for energy, for making greener cities, for better watershed management, for reducing pollution. The question was always: how can trees make life better? She considered as strategic to work on urban and peri-urban forestry (UPF), in a holistic way, with close links with agroforesty and trees outside forests as well as with mangroves. It is exactly what "Food for the Cities" promotes! It is why Michelle was such an important colleague for us. In FAO, Doug McGuire was her supportive supervisor in the Forestry Department. With the "Food for the Cities" initiative and secretariat, she worked closely with Florence Egal, Francesca Gianfelici, Paul Munro-Faure, me and collaborated with so many others. We cannot count the people to whom she was connected to on this network and within many other groups she belonged to.

UPF would not have reached the visibility it has now if Michelle Gauthier has not worked so hard for it. She did it to get UPF recognized at global level but also to implement projects at local levels, with local authorities and communities. Her dedication had no limits: no limits in time spent to work on the projects, no limits on the travels she was ready to make, no limits on her commitment to fulfill the expectations. It was not to get visibility for herself but to better help the people and their environment.
You can find some of the achievements here: http://www.fao.org/forestry/urbanforestry/en

But it was not an easy task. While she had outstanding capacities of analysis and understanding of complex issues, she had sometimes difficulties to get her ideas through. Isn't it the fate of the pioneers? Michelle was definitely someone opening a way. She took many risks for it. She always believed more in the strength of the ideas than on the tricks of politics. She was often very frank and direct in communicating her ideas and views, which sometimes resulted in not getting the full cooperation or recognition she deserved. Anyway, many of us now just have to follow the path Michelle has already drawn to put trees and forests at the core of the urbanization challenges.

We will however not have Michelle anymore on our sides. In the very last days, she has fought a quick and final battle against disease. Michelle died on Tuesday, February 19th. We will all miss her empathy and willingness, her joy and laughs. Nous regretterons aussi son doux accent québecois qui marquait et nous rappelait son appartenance et son attachement à la Belle Province et, plus largement, à tout le monde francophone. UPF will keep on growing with a global community. Her only daughter, Lin-Wan, is already taken in charge by Carolle, Michelle's sister, and supported by many other people who will all pursue the education Michelle provided her and will give her all the love she needs.

The ceremony will take place on Friday morning in Rome at the Cimitero del Verano, in the "Sala del Tempietto Egizio" (time is not decided yet).

If you want to write some words, you can send it directly to Graciela Andrade (graciela.andrade@fao.org) and me (julien.custot@fao.org). We'll make a compilation for Michelle's family and also share it on the food-for-cities list.

With my kind regards,

Julien

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Julien CUSTOT
Food for the cities - Des aliments pour les villes - Alimentos para las ciudades
Facilitator - Faciliteur - Facilitador
www.fao.org/fcit
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla - 00153 Rome, Italy
tel : +39 06 570 56879 - office : B509bis / personal mobile: +39 346 66 81 016