SUMMARY OF
THE MINISTERIAL MEETING ON FORESTS AND
THE SEVENTEENTH SESSION OF
THE FAO COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY:
14-19 MARCH 2005
Monday, 21 March 2005

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The Ministerial Meeting on Forests and the seventeenth session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on Forestry were held at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 14-19 March 2005. Over 600 participants from governments, intergovernmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations participated. At the Ministerial Meeting, some 40 ministers, as well as the President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, and 2004 Nobel Laureate, Wangari Maathai from Kenya were in attendance.

At the Ministerial Meeting on Forests, ministers addressed issues relating to international cooperation on forest fire management and maintaining commitment to sustainable forest management, and agreed to a Ministerial Statement. The Ministerial Statement included concerns on invasive species such as Pine Wilt Disease(Pine Nematode)- "recognizing that invasive species are having an increasing impact on forests in some regions and the need to have cooperative regional and international responses to this problem." Statement made by the Deputy Chief of KFS contributed in bringing attention to the severity of invasive species.

At the FAO Committee on Forestry, delegates addressed issues relating to the 2005 State of the World’s Forests report, Regional Forestry Commissions, needs and opportunities for international cooperation in forest fire preparedness, the role of forests in contributing to the Millennium Development Goals, and the World Forestry Congress. During the sessions, the Korea-led Northeast Asian Forest Fire Network was acknowledged by a German expert and forest fire GIS of Korea was recognized as well. The regional network and forest fire system were not the only matters addressed by the international community about Korea. Anmyeon-do recreation forest was recognized as one of the exemplary forest management in Asia Pacific.



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