Beginning in 1996 a small group of leaders from forest industry, donors, and environmental groups began to meet to consider the array of challenges facing forest conservation and began to identify common ground (more about Forest Trends' History ). When considering options to improve progress on forest conservation, they recognized the respective contributions and limits of their own institutions, and decided to create a new organization¨CForest Trends¨Cto expand this work of bridging traditional divides and promoting market-based approaches to forest conservation.

The mission of Forest Trends emphasizes promoting incentives and "accelerating the evolution of economic systems" that will result in the maintenance and restoration of forest ecosystems. It also identifies three goals: new commerce for ecosystem services, market recognition for sustainable management, and equitable distribution of benefits from commerce returned to local communities.