Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC)

The 28th Session of the APFC was held in Incheon, Korea from 17 to 21 June 2019. With the theme, "Forests for peace and well-being," the meeting agenda included the following topics: (1) forest and landscape restoration; (2) community forests, trade and markets; (3) impacts of technological advances on forests and forestry; (4) FAO's work on biodiversity; (5) progress in implementing APFC and FAO-supported activities in the region; (6) Asia-Pacific Forest Sector Outlook Study III; (7) forests and climate change; (8) state of forestry in Asia and the Pacific; (9) preparations for the Committee on Forestry (COFO25) and the XV World Forestry Congress; (10) reports and recommendations from Asia-Pacific Forestry Week 2019 streams on the session's theme; (11) global processes; and (12) implementation of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests in collaboration with the UNFF.

In 2017, during the 27th Session of the APFC, the Commission welcomed its new Secretary, Dr. Thomas Hofer. Furthermore, APFC 27 highlighted the importance of forest restoration to countries in the region including the use of landscape approaches and mobilization of both community and private sector resources. It identified key regional priorities for the forestry sector as recommendations, including: landscape approach to forest management and restoration; incorporating the forest sector into National Adaptation Planning (NAP) processes; capacity building on REDD+; assistance to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to balance competing economic, social, environmental and cultural objectives for forestry; development of tools and best practices for urban forestry; and capacity building for forest genetic resources conservation. A range of informative partner events ran alongside the session, with discussions on forest monitoring; forestry research; Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT); REDD+; and youth involvement in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).