2 October 2015: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Forestry Department has launched an online forum to gather external input and improve the first draft of its Voluntary Guidelines on National Forest Monitoring (Section III).
The virtual forum, which serves as a consultative peer-review process prior to the guideline’s finalization, will run from 1-21 October 2015 and offer a space where respondents can provide case studies on country experiences, including of “good practices to be shared” and “errors to be avoided.”

The Guidelines will present a set of good practice principles, paired with a set of decision-making tools for the planning and implementation of multipurpose, scientifically sound National Forest Monitoring Systems. They will be released for consideration by the 23rd Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) in July 2016. [FAO Consultation Website] [Publication: First DRAFT: SECTION III: FAO Voluntary Guidelines on National Forest Monitoring]