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 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.

In the 1990s the world community has arrived at a particularly in developing countries and in econo historical turning point. Global issues- the decline mies in transition. These three organizations have of biological diversity, climate change, the fate of different backgrounds and focuses, but have found forest peoples, fresh water scarcity, desertification, it relevant and rewarding to their core operations to deforestation and forest degradation - have come collaborate in WFSE activities. The intention of to dominate the public and political debate about these organizations is to continue supporting the forestry. In the economic sphere, forest industries WFSE research and developing the mutual collab have assumed global dimensions. oration. The World Forests, Society and Environment In the year 2000,WFSE took on anewchallenge, Research Program (WFSE) is a response by the re extending its research network to involve five new searchcommunity to thisglobalization. The WFSE Associate Partners: the Center for International slogan 'Globalization calls for global research' re Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Indonesia;the Cent flects both the means and the end of the program. er for Research and Higher Education on Natural The program is involved in promoting and execut Resources of Tropical America (CATIE) in Costa ing research in different parts of the world, and Rica; the International Centerfor Research inAgro through its publications and communications net Forestry (ICRAF) in Kenya; the World Forestry work, linking researchers worldwide.

This book does an exceptional job in giving an understanding of change, complexity, uncertainty and conflict as well as their linkages, including awareness of strategies, methods and techniques to handle them relative to resource and environmental management. The text enhances the reader's capacity to conduct practice and conduct research in resource and environmental management.