A lot of people are surprised that a food and agriculture organization is involved in forestry.

But forests are big gardens teeming with life. By carefully tending these magnificent gardens, we can do a lot to make sure we have food for all and food forever.

People rely on forests

Many people recognize that deforestation is a major environmental problem. The loss of forest cover is considered to be a major factor in causing the Earth’s climate to change.

Find out more about forests and global warming.

But deforestation doesn’t affect only the global environment; it affects the lives of millions of people. Here are some facts:

• Forests are home to 300 million people around the world.
• More than 1.6 billion people depend to varying degrees on forests for their livelihoods.
• About 60 million indigenous people are almost entirely dependent on forests.

We’ve given you those facts for free. If you want some more, you’ll have to work for them by taking our forestry quiz. Are you up for it?

OK, so more than a billion people depend on forests. That means they depend on the products and services that forests provide. And that means they depend on forestry.

A lot of people blame forestry for deforestation. But it is not forestry that is to blame. It’s unsustainable forestry practices.

Making forestry sustainable

FAO’s forestry department helps countries manage their forests wisely, so that they’ll last forever.

What does this involve? Well, above all it means providing countries with the up-to-date, reliable information. Countries need this information to make sound decisions about how to manage their forests. But FAO doesn’t collect the data all by itself. It collaborates with countries and helps them build their capacity to take stock of their own forest resources.

Want to know more? Why not meet Hivy Ortiz-Chour.

Information is essential, but it’s not enough. Countries need to be able to put it to good use. When requested, FAO provides guidance to countries on how to establish sound national forest policies.

Sustainable forestry respects the needs and rights of forest communities. FAO advises countries to encourage local people to participate actively in forest management.

Harvesting wood wisely

When people think about forestry they usually think of wood. And there’s no doubt that wood is big business. The global trade in wood products totals about US$150 billion.

Big business doesn’t have to lead to deforestation and environmental degradation. FAO promotes and helps countries adopt good forest harvesting practices. By using what is called “reduced impact logging” forests can be harvested profitably without affecting soil and water quality or biodiversity.

But do you know what most of the world uses wood for? People burn it to cook their meals and heat their homes. About 60 percent of the world's wood is used for heating and cooking

If forests and trees are not managed sustainably, wood for fuel becomes harder and harder to find. And it is usually women who have to deal with the consequences. In many countries in the developing world, women spend up to five hours a day collecting water and wood for cooking and up to four hours preparing food. In rural sub-Saharan Africa, women carry on average 20 kg of wood five kilometres every day.

FAO’s wood energy programme help countries establish sustainable supplies of wood energy.

And did you know that having a constantly replenished supply of fuel wood can help cut greenhouse gases, the gases that are responsible for global warming? To find out more, go to our page on forests and global warming.

More than just wood

But you know, forests and trees provide us with more than just wood.

Forests are an important source of food, like fruits, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, spices and game. Forest plants provide us with fibres for building houses, making clothing and manufacturing many different things. They provide us with resins and gums that we use in industry and at home. They provide us with medicines.

Some 80 percent of the population of the developing world uses non-wood forest products for food and medicine. In many cases, they rely on them to earn their living.

FAO is helping countries understand the value of all their forest resources and gives them the support they need to market them successfully. The more countries become aware of the economic value of forest resources, the more incentive they have to invest in making sure they are managed sustainably.

Trees outside forests

And forestry isn’t just about forests; it’s about trees. And there are lots of trees outside forests.

For example, trees on farms protect the soil and can provide food for people and animals. In developing countries, about 1.2 billion people rely on farming practices that combine agriculture and forestry. Hey, you’ll never guess what they call this combination: “agroforestry”.

FAO helps countries develop national policies that promote agroforestry, and supports agroforestry projects in the field.