Connecting countries, harmonizing data, and strengthening forest monitoring across Asia and the Pacific
Transparent, consistent, and high-quality forest data is essential for sustainable forest management, biodiversity protection, and achieving climate and restoration goals. While countries in Asia and the Pacific have made progress in developing and implementing national forest inventories (NFIs), many still face similar challenges - from technical and institutional capacity gaps to financial and methodological constraints.
To address these shared needs and promote regional collaboration, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the CBIT-Forest project (funded by the Global Environment Facility) and the AIM4Forests programme (funded by the United Kingdom), facilitated regional collaboration on national forest inventories in Asia and the Pacific, laying the foundation for a future National Forest Inventory Network of Asia and the Pacific.
The network builds on the momentum of the 30th session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC), where countries called for more cooperation on forest monitoring. It draws inspiration from similar initiatives in other regions, such as the IFN-LAC Network and ENFIN in Europe.
A milestone event: "Forest data without borders"
The idea for a dedicated regional NFI network took shape during the workshop “Forest data without borders: Knowledge exchange on national forest inventories in the Asia-Pacific”, held from 25 to 27 March 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The event brought together 36 participants from 12 countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam - as well as representatives from academia and partner organizations. The workshop enabled dialogue, technical exchange, and joint planning to establish a lasting collaboration.
What the collaboration offers
Looking ahead
During the 2025 workshop in Thailand, countries expressed strong support for a regional NFI network and outlined next steps:
A roadmap was drafted and endorsed by participants.
A core group of countries volunteered to form an interim secretariat and draft a needs assessment survey.
The network will host regular webinars, starting in July 2025.
Countries are already exploring collaborative efforts, including regional biomass data sharing and the development of joint methodological guidelines.
The collaboration is country-driven. Its shape and future direction will evolve based on member needs and priorities.
News
Events
- Forest data without borders: Knowledge exchange on national forest inventories in the Asia-Pacific (March 2025)
- Webinar "Experiences and methods in planning a National Forest Inventory" (July 2025)
- Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI) Plenary - Bali, Indonesia, 21 – 23 October 2025
- 31st Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) - Chiang Mai, Thailand, 4 - 7 November 2025
Related publications
- Grounded in data – Informing climate action and reporting with national forest inventories
- Pathways to forest data transparency: Best practices from national forest monitoring to support climate action
- Voluntary Guidelines on National Forest Monitoring
- Forest data without borders: knowledge exchange on national forest inventories in Asia-Pacific - Workshop Report
Join the journey
The NFI-AP collaboration welcomes all countries and institutions in Asia and the Pacific involved in forest monitoring. FAO continues to support this process by offering technical guidance, facilitating dialogue, and helping countries generate and use forest data for climate action and sustainable management. To join or learn more, contact:
Marco Piazza
Forestry Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Email: [email protected]
Rocío Dánica Cóndor-Golec
Forestry Officer (Enhanced Transparency Framework), FAO Forestry Division, Rome, Italy
Email: [email protected]