8 November 2013: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has reported on the 25th session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC), which discussed ways and means to enhance the contribution of forests to economic and environmental well-being in the region.

The meeting highlighted the importance of value-added forest products to enhance the formal forest sector, which currently amounts to US$450 billion per year. In examining the forest sector, the meeting noted that forest cover is currently expanding in Asia and the Pacific due, in large part, to an increased investment in forest restoration and afforestation.

The meeting took note of existing good practices including the wooden furniture industry in China and Viet Nam, the integration of forests into curriculum through annual forestry college deans’ meetings, and the mobilization of forest products to address natural disasters. Furthermore, the meeting noted a shift in forest policies towards greater recognition of the multiple values of forests accompanied by increased stakeholder engagement.

In side meetings, participants considered gender mainstreaming in forest management, the role of REDD+ readiness in shaping the future of the sector, the potential for further development of the forest sector in the Pacific Islands, and the emergence of invasive alien species as the second most significant threat to forests in the region.

The meeting was convened with support from the Government of New Zealand, from 5-8 November 2013, in Rotorua, New Zealand. [FAO Press Release]