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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

Flagship publication
The State of the World's Forests

International forestry journal
Restoring the Mediterranean region – status and challenges
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Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme defines key principles for community monitoring of wildlife populations
21/01/2025

FAO-led programme empowers forest and farm producers to boost restoration efforts in Africa
21/01/2025

Increase in climate-driven wildfires calls for more investment in prevention
16/01/2025
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.
Multimedia

E-learning
Online self-paced forestry courses

Photography
Forestry events, projects and themes
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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
21/03/2025
In 2025, forests and foods is the theme for the day, celebrating the crucial roles of forests in food security, nutrition...

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...