News

Shining a light on the future of land stewardship and the importance of youth on Desertification and Drought Day.

News

New initiative to encourage greater use of products made from sustainably grown wood as a key strategy for combating climate change

Forests cover 31 percent of the world's land and are fundamental to life on our planet.

Home to more than half of the world’s land animal and plant species, forests are a direct source of food, income and shelter for millions of people, and provide energy for heating and cooking for 2.6 billion. Forests are key to mitigating climate change, absorbing carbon dioxide from the air, storing more than half the global carbon stock in soils and vegetation and regulating rainfall. If sustainably managed, forests are also a source of renewable raw materials, helping to build an economy which allows nature to regenerate.

Through its Forestry Programme, FAO seeks to restore forests, improve the lives of forest-dependent people, and support countries to manage their forests in a sustainable way. FAO’s work is fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, creating more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Highlights

News

Community-based monitoring in the context of sustainable wildlife management and biodiversity conservation in tropical countries
21/01/2025
A new publication from the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme sets out guiding principles for ensuring communities can monitor wild animal populations in their territories as part of conservation efforts.
FAO-led programme empowers forest and farm producers to boost restoration efforts in Africa
21/01/2025
A new programme empowering forest and farm producers to accelerate restoration-based value-added innovation, focusing on Africa, was launched today by FAO in Togo, one of six countries that will participate in the initiative.
Credit FAO/Roberto Faidutti
16/01/2025
The deadly wildfires that have swept through the Los Angeles area, destroying whole communities and causing billions in damage, reveal why countries must invest more in stopping these devastating blazes before they start.
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FAO 80th anniversary

Forestry at FAO

The Forestry Division leads FAO’s work in promoting the sustainable management of forests and balancing economic, social and environmental interests in landscapes surrounding them. It liaises with member countries, partners, civil society and the private sector to encourage more effective policies for management and to strengthen the role of forests in reducing the effects of climate change and helping humanity to adapt to them.

The Division also collects, analyses and shares information on the world’s forest resources and the production, trade and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products. The Committee on Forestry and six regional forestry commissions guide FAO in its technical forestry work.

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Events

African Forum on Urban Forests

Johannesburg (South Africa)

2nd African Forum on Urban Forests
18/03/2025 - 21/03/2025

Green horizons: Shaping the future resilience of African cities through urban forests

International Day of Forests 2025

International Day of Forests 2025
21/03/2025

In 2025, forests and foods is the theme for the day, celebrating the crucial roles of forests in food security, nutrition...

Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Forest Genetic Resources

Rome (Italy)

Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture 20th Session
24/03/2025 - 28/03/2025

The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is committed to conserving biodiversity for food and agriculture and promotes its sustainable...