A global methodology for the assessment of direct drivers associated with deforestation and degradation

31/07/2025

Towards the institutionalization of forest data

07/07/2025

This publication explores how countries can improve forest data governance by institutionalizing data management and sharing within national forest monitoring systems. It also showcases FAO’s role in supporting countries with platforms like Open Foris and the Food and Agriculture Microdata (FAM) catalogue.

Assessment of drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in West Africa

20/06/2025

This report presents the methodology and main findings of an assessment conducted between 2015 and 2020 to identify the primary drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in West Africa. Developed under the project “Global Transformation of Forests for People and Climate,” this assessment supports regional forest governance by providing robust, participatory, and data-driven insights.

Towards a digital public infrastructure for deforestation-related trade regulations What is in that plot? (Whisp) solution to implement convergence of evidence

31/05/2024

This is a collaborative effort between partners and programmes such as the European Union’s Team Europe Initiative (TEI), the Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Forests programme (AIM4Forests) and the Forest Data Partnership (FDaP) working with the AgStack Foundation. This joint effort aims to support smallholders by enabling ongoing access to regulated markets through open-source solutions designed to bridge crucial digital gaps.

Optimize field data processing with the Open Foris Arena Tool

20/05/2024

Arena is a free, open-source, cloud-based multifunctional platform for effective survey design, data entry, management, processing, and reporting of forest inventories and other field data collection campaigns. The tool ensures robust databases and helps generate accurate statistics with minimal effort thanks to a user-friendly interface.

Technological innovation driving transparent forest monitoring and reporting for climate action

21/03/2024

This paper reviews how countries are benefiting from technical innovations in their monitoring and reporting of forest-related emissions and removals to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Open source solutions are widely used by countries: 89 percent of countries reporting a reference level to the UNFCCC have used Open Foris, a set of free and open source solutions and platforms developed by FAO for accessing and analysing data.

Open Foris poster

06/09/2023

Open Foris is a set of free and open-source software tools that facilitates flexible and efficient data collection, analysis and reporting.

SEPAL - Forest and Land Monitoring for Climate Action

01/06/2023

SEPAL is an open-source project serving and empowering government agencies, research organizations, non-governmental organizations, companies and academia to gain a better understanding of land cover dynamics using the data, processing capacity and analytical tools offered by the SEPAL platform (sepal.io). Implemented by the Forestry Division of the FAO and financed by an initial contribution from NICFI, this flyer presents SEPAL second phase.

DEVELOPING CAPACITY FOR NATIONAL FOREST MONITORING SYSTEMS

01/06/2021

The application of national forest monitoring systems goes beyond REDD+ and can be used to meet other international requirements as well as national needs, which helps to ensure the utility, sustainability and country ownership of national forest monitoring systems. Tailored national forest monitoring systems enable countries to inform their land-use planning and forest policymaking with up-to-date, reliable, transparent and accessible information.

Open FORIS and SEPAL (System for earth observation data access, processing and analysis for land monitoring)

01/06/2018

This flyer presents Innovative open-source software to help countries measure, monitor and report on forests and land use, offering unparalleled access to granular satellite data and computing power and paving the way for improved climate change mitigation plans and better informed land-use policies.

National socioeconomic surveys in forestry: guidance and survey modules for measuring the multiple roles of forests in household welfare and livelihoods

01/06/2016

Better understanding the contributions of forests and trees in household welfare, livelihoods and poverty reduction is crucial for achieving several Sustainable Development Goals. This publication, targeted primarily at national statistical offices, explains how these modules can be used, including customizing them according to policy and research needs of different users. It also briefly covers the results of the pilot tests of the modules in Indonesia, United Republic of Tanzania and Nepal.