A fascinating look into the scope and impacts of this major reporting exercise over a period of seven decades.

The contributions of forests to the well-being of humankind are far-reaching. Forests provide vital wood supplies, help to combat rural poverty, and ensure food security and decent livelihoods; they offer promising mid-term green growth opportunities; and they deliver vital long-term environmental services, such as clean air and water, biodiversity and mitigation of climate change. Building on data that are more comprehensive and reliable than ever before and covering 234 countries and territories, the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015 (FRA 2015) shows encouraging signs of improved forest management and a global slowdown in deforestation. However, these trends need to be strengthened, especially in countries that are lagging behind.

Since the first assessment in 1948, the report has evolved into a comprehensive assessment of forest resources, their condition, management and use. It covers all the substantive elements of sustainable forest management. One of the main results of this version is continued deforestation, although it has decreased in the past five years.

The contributions of forests to the well-being of humankind are far-reaching. Forests provide vital wood supplies and help to combat rural poverty, ensure food security and provide decent livelihoods; they offer promising mid-term green growth opportunities; and they deliver vital long-term environmental services, such as clean air and water, biodiversity, and mitigation of climate change. Building on data that is more comprehensive and reliable than ever before, covering 234 countries and territories, the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015 shows encouraging signs of improved forest management and a global slowdown in deforestation. However these trend needs to be strengthened, especially in countries that are lagging behind. This desk reference provides the data reported by countries for the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015. Presented in easy-to-consult tabular form, it is a useful companion to the synthesis report as well as to the more detailed figures available on the Forest Land Use Data Explorer website.

This report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date view of the world’s forest resources at the end of the second millennium. It is the result of the collective efforts of the countries of the world. This major undertaking was based primarily on information provided by the countries, supplemented by state-of-the-art technology to verify and analyse the information. The following parameters were included in the assessment: forest area and change in forest area; wood volume and above-ground woody biomass; forest plantations;

Since 1946, FAO regularly monitors the world's forests through Global Forest Resources Assessments. The mandate to carry out these assessments stems both from the basic statutes of FAO and the Committee on Forestry (COFO). Divided into nine chapters, the publication covers the following topics: the extent of forest resources; biological diversity; forest health and vitality; productive functions of forest resources; protective functions of forest resources; socio-economic functions; progress towards sustainable forest management.

Examines the status and trends for about 90 variables covering the extent, condition, uses and values of forests and other wooded land, with the intention of assessing various benefits from forest resources.