To commemorate its 80th anniversary, FAO has launched a call for nominations to recognize global forestry champions who have made outstanding contributions to sustainable forest management and agrifood systems transformation, as well as other global processes that are relevant to FAO’s mandate.

Theme

Recognition will be given in one or more of the following ten thematic focal areas, and achievements may span any period in the past 80 years.

• Theme 1: Evolution of sustainable forest management practices: Sustainable yield, improvement of forests stocks, criteria and indicators, national forest programmes, forestry policy and legislation development, forest institutional development and improvements (e.g. formation of national forestry agencies and improvements in capacity), forest governance, integration of landscape approaches, forest certification systems, forest management plans, silviculture and forest research.
• Theme 2: Social and community forestry, and livelihoods: Community forest management, Indigenous Peoples and local communities as forest stewards, forests for enhanced livelihoods, human-wildlife co-existence, inclusive forest-based value chains, forest tenure, land rights, and social protection.
• Theme 3: Forest products and trade, finance and economics: Wood-based industries (timber, pulp and paper etc.), bioeconomy, Payments for Environmental Services (PES), forest finance, responsible investments, forests’ contribution to poverty eradication, traceability, monitoring and reducing illegal activities, forestry in national accounting, and sustainable value chains etc.
• Theme 4: Forest biodiversity and genetic resources conservation and sustainable use: Forest protected areas, species conservation, national parks, ecological corridors, primary forests identification and management, conservation and productive use of genetic resources, seed banks, mainstreaming biodiversity in forestry, invasive species management, water and soil management, and combating desertification.
• Theme 5: Afforestation, reforestation and forest restoration: Achievements in implementation of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, Bonn Challenge, etc., large-scale and impactful national and regional tree planting programmes and initiatives, community-driven restoration, landscape restoration approaches, etc.
• Theme 6: Forest foods, nutrition, water and One Health: Food, medicine, non-wood forest products, catchments for irrigation, integrated water management, sustainable wildlife management for food & conservation, urban forestry, green cities, healthier air, human physical/mental well-being, One-Health approach.
• Theme 7: Forests for disaster preparedness, reduction, rehabilitation and resilience: Reduced risks of wildfires, pests and diseases, drought, storm damage, flooding, and landslides through integrated risk management. Preventing, halting, and reversing loss of nature through Integrated Fire Management (IFM), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and Other Health approaches.
• Theme 8: Forests and climate change: Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation+ (REDD+) strategies and actions, Results Based Payments (RBPs), halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation, forest-based adaptation and resilience.
• Theme 9: Forest monitoring and data for improved forest management: Improvements in national forest inventories, satellite monitoring and remote sensing, local community and crowd sourcing of data and reporting, etc.
• Theme 10. Technological revolutions and innovations: Mechanization improvements in production, efficiency, safety, and monitoring, digital innovations including the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and blockchains in forestry.
• Cross-cutting themes across all main themes:

Science-policy interface in the forest sector

Gender, youth, tenure, and social protection (ref. to FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Land Tenure), traditional knowledge

Forestry education

Eligibility

• The call for nominations is open to governmental institutions, national, regional, or local agencies, intergovernmental organizations, non-government organizations, academia, community service organizations, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Nominations can be made by institutions, initiatives, and programmes that have made outstanding contributions to forestry development at national, regional, and global levels. Submissions close 31 May 2025.

Selection Criteria

• Achieved long-term results in forest production, conservation, and sustainable use of forest resources, or an increase in forest area, restoration, afforestation, and reforestation.
• Implemented and achieved forest policies and/or strategies (short, medium, or long term) and sustainability in institutional improvements/developments for better management of forest resources.
• Degree of innovation (relevant for the selected time-period), including technical, social, financial, etc. innovations.
• Transferability and scale potential, including, where relevant, local, regional, and global contexts, and/or application in other countries or regions, and scaling up potential.
• Degree of contributions to preserving globally significant forests (s)/landscapes, traditional knowledge, or cultural heritage (relevant for the selected time-period).
• Degree of participatory approaches, inclusiveness, promotion of vulnerable groups, youth, and women, through relevant initiatives.

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