The World Forests Day on 21 March highlighted the role of forests in international development, poverty alleviation, responding to climate change and biodiversity conservation. Over one billion people around the world rely directly on forests for their subsistence livelihoods. Many more derive their income from forest based activities such as timber production and processing, non-timber forest products, land and catchment management, landscape restoration, tourism and forest protection.

Australian and New Zealand foresters have a long and remarkable history of achievement in supporting more sustainable forest management internationally. Australian foresters were active advisors and facilitators of the birth of community forestry in Nepal, one of the first and most successful such movements in the world.

The 2015 Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Institutes of Foresters, to be held in Creswick, Victoria from 13-15 April will have a strong focus on forests and international development.Time is running out to register – information on the conference program can be found here.

For more information contact:
Alison Carmichael, CEO
Institute of Foresters of Australia
Phone 0414 287 079
Email