The year 2011 has been proclaimed the International Year of Forests (in brief “Forests 2011”) and it is being celebrated under the theme “Forests for People”. This is truly a remarkable theme. One cannot come close to covering all of it in a single edition of Nature & Faune as it addresses good management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests2. Consequently, Nature & Faune magazine will contribute to this celebration by dedicating all of the publications in 2011 to reflections and activities related to “Forests 2011”. This first issue examines the “Economic and social significance of forests for Africa’s sustainable development”.