Editorial: Forestry in the Near East - water scarcity and climate change must be addressed as priorities Issa Al Shobaki, Chairperson, 21st Session Near East Forestry and Range Commission, Under Secretary-General for Forests and Range, Ministry of Agriculture, Jordan  Our region faces many challenges, but in natural resource management the Near East Forestry and Range Commission’s recent session in Amman, Jordan, identified two of the most pressing: water scarcity and climate change. The scale of intervention may appear vast, but viable options exist.Through a shared understanding and vision of the role of forests and rangelands and the commitment of our members and partners, we can identify and implement sustainable solutions that could transform the food security and livelihoods of local people.
Read the NEFRC 21 Chairperson's editorial and view online FAO Forestry publications of interest to the region 
Installation of an irrigation network in a tree nursery, Yemen. ©FAO/Rosetta Messori
FAO Forestry news
Typhoon Haiyan and beyond: the role of trees and forests in rebuilding communities and strengthening their resilience  When Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines last November it left more than 7000 people dead and millions homeless, with forest-dependent communities among the worst affected. An expert, multidisciplinary FAO team has been assessing damage on the ground for short and long-term rehabilitation and resilience planning and programmes, including the critical contributions of trees and forests.
Read how Patrick Durst, Senior Forestry Officer in FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand, provided forestry sector support as part of FAO’s coordinated intervention.
Steering Committee reviews agenda for next session of FAO’s highest-level forestry body The Steering Committee of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), comprising representatives of FAO’s six regional forestry commissions, met in Amman, Jordan, after the 21st Near East Forestry and Range Commission meeting, to align the Commissions’ recommendations with the first draft agenda of COFO’s 22nd Session. COFO 22, together with the 4th World Forest Week, will take place at FAO headquarters this June. Read more about the COFO 22 Steering Committee meeting.
Cross-sectoral partnering on tenure in Sierra Leone The German Government is supporting Sierra Leone in translating the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests into sustainable action, by funding a multi-stakeholder capacity-building project. Technical and policy support is central to FAO’s first cross-sectoral project since the Guidelines were endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security in 2012. Read more on FAO's forest tenure-related work.
Global news
New York Open Working Group meetings: a game-changer for forests and mountains? New York was the venue for a recent series of high-level meetings of potential significance for the future of forests and mountains. FAO was represented most recently at the 8th session of the Open Working Group and contributed to several events, the outcomes of which will feed into the consultations for defining the post-2015 sustainable development goals. Read about FAO’s involvement in the New York meetings and view FAO’s e-bulletin on the post-2015 process.
Save the Date! XIV World Forestry Congress, Durban, South Africa, 7–11 September 2015 The XIV World Forestry Congress organizers invite you to join them at this major international gathering that seeks to chart a visionary, people-focused course for 21st century global forestry. Forests and people: investing in a sustainable future is the theme that will frame and shape the week-long multi-media events and connect participants through numerous interactive dialogues and debates. Read more about the XIV World Forestry Congress to be held in Durban, South Africa, 7–11 September 2015.
Understanding forests and trees’ primary and protective role in the water-food security nexus The High-Level Panel of Experts of the Committee on World Food Security has been tasked with preparing a report on water and food security for submission to the Committee’s 42nd Session in 2015. An e-consultation to shape the report’s scope and structure has received many contributions, including one from FAO Forestry's Watershed and Mountain team on the primary and protective role of forests and trees. Read the Watershed and Mountain team's HLPE contribution here.
Celebration of 1st World Wildlife Day - 3 March 2014 The Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management is a voluntary partnership of international organizations with substantive mandates and programmes for the sustainable use and conservation of wildlife resources. On World Wildlife Day 2014 the Partnership issued a call for international efforts to support action on sustainable wildlife management and related human well-being. Read the Partnership’s message here 1st World Wildlife Day sees launch of human-wildlife conflict management centre in Zimbabwe Africa is witnessing demographic expansions with resulting encroachments into wildlife habitats and a rising number of human-wildlife conflicts (HWC). Dramatic trends in criminal hunting and trade are also threatening many wildlife species to the verge of extinction. Zimbabwe has taken steps to counter these phenomena by setting up a HWC management centre in the Mukuvisi woodlands of Zimbabwe. Read more about the centre established by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, CAMPFIRE, and BIO-HUB Trust, with technical and financial support from FAO. Visit the FAO human-wildlife conflict webpage for more information on WWD activities and view some images from celebrations in Africa.
Greater cross-sectoral integration needed to meet ecosystem restoration targets Greater integration between the forestry, agriculture and rangeland sectors would increase West Asian and North African countries’ capacity to meet ecosystem conservation and restoration targets, stated participants at CBD’s Aichi Biodiversity Target Workshop. International dialogues on forest and landscape restoration must also extend beyond biodiversity and protected areas, FAO and CBD suggested. Read more about the CBD Aichi Biodiversity Target Workshop, Amman, Jordan, held back-to-back with the 21st Session of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission.
REDD+ supports scaling up in sustainable forest management The challenges in scaling up implementation of sustainable forest management (sfm) within REDD+ at all levels and in all forest types were reviewed at a Japan/FAO/UN-REDD international seminar in Tokyo. Participants from mainly African and Asian countries learned of experiences, best practices and tools that could increase national capacity in sfm while contributing to the five REDD+ activities. Read more about the Tokyo international seminar on REDD+ implementation and sustainable forest management
Upcoming meetings and events
· International forum on payments for environmental services of tropical forests, International Tropical Timber Organization, FAO, National Forest Financing Fund, Costa Rica – San José, Costa Rica, 7–10 April 2014 · Insects to feed the world FAO and Wageningen University – Ede, The Netherlands, 14–17 May 2014 · 55th Session of the Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industries – St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 10–11 June 2014 · North American Forest Commission – Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 11–13 June 2014 · 22nd Session Committee on Forestry – FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy, 23–27 June 2014 · 47th International Poplar Commission – Executive Committee meeting – Vancouver, Canada, July 2014 · 14th World Forestry Congress– Durban, South Africa, 7–11 September 2015 · 6th International Wildland Fire Conference – Fire of the past, fire in future PyeongChang, Republic of Korea, 12–16 October 2015 Collaborative Partnership on Forests Events calendar, including: · Sustainable resource management for climate change mitigation and social security, Indian Society of Tree Scientists - IUFRO, Chandigarh, India, 13–15 March 2014 · International Poplar Symposium VI, IUFRO, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, 21–23 July 2014 · 24th International Union of Forest Research Organizations World Congress, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. 5–11 October 2014 Trade and exhibition fair · International Union for Conservation of Nature World Parks Congress – Sydney, Australia, 12–19 November 2014. FAO, the Ministry of Environment, Japan, and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas are lead organizations for the stream on Supporting human life. · United Nations Forum on Forests 11: Progress, challenges and the way forward for the International Arrangement on Forests – UN headquarters, New York, USA, 4–15 May 2015
International Days International Day of Forests - 21 March 2014 The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. Click for the full text of the UN Resolution and view the FAO Forestry IDF video. United Nations World Water Day – 22 March 2014 International Earth Day – 22 April 2014 International Day for Biological Diversity – 22 May 2014 World Environment Day – 5 June 2014
New publications and videos
Publications · Forum de Brazzaville sur l'avenir des forêts du Bassin du Congo – un modèle de creation de valeur partagée · Evolution of African tropical wood markets – ethics and pragmatism for a sustainable development of forest resources Unasylva reader survey We believe that Unasylva plays an important role in articulating the ideas, practicalities and challenges of sustainable forest management, but we want to know what you think. You can tell us by participating in a short (5–10 minute) Web-based survey. We will use your responses to improve Unasylva and increase its impact in the development of effective forest policy and practice. Take the Unasylva survey here. Videos International Day of Forests - 21 March 2014 Forests and trees sustain and protect us, providing clean air and water, safeguarding biodiversity and acting as a buffer against climate change. For many people, they also offer food, shelter and employment. It is up to us in turn to sustain and protect our forests -- our future is at stake. Join FAO in celebrating the International Day of Forests on 21 March. View the International Day of Forests video in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish, Russian, German and Italian on the International Day of Forests website Unasylva: a stroll down memory lane | In this series, we feature extracts from early editions of Unasylva, FAO Forestry’s international journal of forestry and forest industries. Forest history of the Near East Unasylva, 17(68), 1963 Knowledge of the natural forest conditions which existed in the historic past, and of the manner of their evolution up to the present day, are essential requirements for a proper understanding of the present situation and for the framing of corrective national land and forestry policies and programs. The peoples of the Near East are beginning to recognize that improvement in their economic and social conditions can be brought about through forestry, and governments are initiating positive scientific thinking to attain betterment of environment and general well-being. The urgent need for afforestation and for the improved management of the remaining forest areas is evident. Constructive forestry programs will slowly but surely reverse the trend of uncontrolled destruction and re-establish a forest heritage for future generations, thereby providing incalculable benefit to the social and economic order of the Near East. Karl Oedekoven, FAO Regional Forestry Officer for the Near East, FAO Regional Office for the Near East, Cairo, Egypt, 1963 | |
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