3 October 2011: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has announced that it is helping to develop guidelines for decision makers on urban and peri-urban forestry. The guidelines will be published in July 2012.The guidelines will promote sound policies and review good practices, highlighting lessons learned from initiatives around the world. According to Cecil Konjinendijk, International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), these guidelines are needed, given common problems such as unclear responsibilities for different parts of urban forests, and lack of policies, legislation and comprehensive information.

The Collaborative Partnership of Forests (CPF), of which FAO is a member, issued a statement on the importance of urban and peri-urban forests to strengthen urban livelihoods and improve city environments, on the occasion of World Habitat Day. [FAO Press Release]