Over 80 forestry experts and international development partners from 24 countries of Africa, Near East, Central Asia and the Mediterranean gathered in Konya (Turkey) from 28-31 May at an international workshop, that is organized and supported by the Turkish Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs, FAO, the Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

This event is held in response to recommendations by FAO member countries to develop operational guidelines for the restoration of degraded forest landscapes and lands under the difficult environmental and socio-economic conditions in arid and semi-arid zones, for the benefit of the local population. The workshop participants shared experiences, identify key elements of success and failure in forest restoration projects and discussed the comprehensive restoration monitoring tool, newly developed by FAO, to guide planning, implementation and evaluation of field projects and programmes.

Buenos Aires, Argentina - “We should not exclude any potential means of mitigating climate change¨ said Jan Heino, Assistant Director General of the Forestry Department at FAO, just as the World Forestry Congress drew to a close on Friday 23 October. In as little as five days, a major exercise of discussion, partnership and knowledge sharing occurred, seeing the involvement of the private sector as well as of civil society, the academia, NGOs and international organizations. With an initial expected number of 4 000 participants rising up to over 7 000, the meeting in Buenos Aires was evidence of the momentum generated by this crucial juncture.

Buenos Aires (Argentina) - “In my life, I have planted some 3,000 plants, trees and roses” said President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner while planting a tree in front of the Casa Rosada, seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina.

The ceremonial act, performed together with Jan Heino, Assistant Director General at the Forestry Department of FAO, officially marked the presidential opening of the XIII World Forestry Congress.