Forest products and services

Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World

Micro, small and medium-scale forest enterprises

Partnerships and initiatives

International Commission on Poplars and Fast-Growing Trees Sustaining People and Environment

Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industries

Forest law enforcement, governance and trade

News

FAO and EU launch 15 million euro project to boost sustainability of Uganda’s forestry sector

10/04/2024

FAO has launched a 15 million euro ($16.29 million) project funded by the European Union to help Uganda’s forestry sector contribute more sustainably to the economy and the environment.

Chris Steele-Perkins Magnum Photos for FAO

International Conference on Agrobiodiversity begins in Nepal

08/04/2024

Forest and farm producer organizations representing the world’s smallholder farmers, Indigenous Peoples and local communities are gathering in Pokhara, Nepal, this week to explore how to best manage the world’s agrobiodiversity.

Planted forests key to achieving global goals – FAO journal

10/11/2023

Well designed and sustainably managed planted forests have a vital role to play in meeting Sustainable Development Goals, according to the latest issue of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) forestry journal Unasylva #254, entitled Towards more resilient and diverse planted forests.

Publications

Unasylva 254: Towards more resilient and diverse planted forests

2023

This Unasylva presents novel findings and state-of-the-art information on planted forests. These forests support livelihoods - including through timber production - while also providing ecosystem services, restoring degraded ecosystems, and adapting to and mitigating climate change.

Guide to multiple-use forest management planning for small and medium forest enterprises

2023

This publication offers step-by-step guidance for planning how to take care of and use forests sustainably to meet specific environmental, economic, social and cultural objectives. It shows small and medium-scale forest managers how to address administrative, economic, legal, social, technical and scientific aspects of forest management, applying globally recognized standards.

Sustainability by numbers – Forest products at FAO

2023

Forest product data are essential in monitoring impact and innovation in the global wood industry; responding to climate change by calculating carbon emissions; and developing equitable policies that uphold ecosystem services and forest values for our communities.

Elearning Academy

Developing bankable business plans for sustainable forest-based enterprises

01/09/2023

This course has been developed to improve the capacity of small-scale producers and small and medium-sized enterprises to access investment and other...

Climate-smart forestry

01/06/2020

This course explores the role of forests and trees in climate-smart agriculture (CSA). It takes into consideration the ecosystem services and goods...

Measuring the role of forests and trees in household welfare and livelihoods

02/03/2020

The course introduces the definitions related to forest and wild products and describes the various methods and issues relevant to the forestry modules...

Videos

International Day of Forests 2024: New solutions for a better world

21/03/2024

Innovation is unlocking the forests’ long-kept secrets and allowing us to use trees in ways we never imagined possible.

Sustainable wood: The manifesto

06/12/2022

Over the centuries, we’ve moved away from using wood as a building material, at great cost to the planet.

Sustainable wood: Climate-friendly cities

01/12/2022

Find more videos on the FAO Forestry YouTube playlist

Sustainable wood: Housing a growing population

27/10/2022

A growing population means more buildings to fit everyone. By 2030, we will have to house an additional 3 billion people. Using wood from sustainably...

Sustainable Wood: Building the future

13/10/2022

Wood can be a material of the future, helping to build a bio-economy for the planet's health and economic recovery. Durable “cross-laminated timber”...

Forests and sustainable production and consumption

21/04/2022

For millions of people across the world, wood helps provide safe drinking water, food and shelter - but wood can do much more and is a renewable resource...

Is your toothbrush made of plastic or wood?

21/03/2022

Replacing more of the plastic things we use every day with wood-based products from sustainably managed forests can help combat climate change and achieve...

Sustainable forests: a powerful ally against climate change

24/02/2021

Climate change is subjecting our planet to unsustainable pressures. Forests and trees trap and store carbon as they grow – standing at the frontline...

Clean energy from sustainable wood

24/02/2021

The Sustainable Development Goals need forests

06/07/2018

Forests are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and are a vital part of our global ecosystem. They not only contribute to...