Preparations are under way for the XIII World Forestry Congress, to be held from 18 to 25 October 2009 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is expected that this event will attract about 4 000 participants from more than 100 countries. The World Forestry Congress is held every six years and is co-sponsored by FAO and the host country.

The Congress will include one week of presentations, discussions, round tables, parallel events and exhibits. In the two weeks following the Congress, study tours will be offered to diverse types of forests throughout the country. Institutions from various sectors in Argentina will be involved in organizing the Congress, with the advice and assistance of FAO.
The theme for the XIII World Forestry Congress will be “Forests in development: a vital balance”. This theme guarantees opportunities to analyse social, environmental and economic aspects of natural resources in a local, regional and global context. The importance of the sustainable management of all types of forests will be emphasized, as well as the contribution of forest resources to the sustainability of the planet. The congress will provide an opportunity to learn about the diverse ecosystems of the different regions of the world, as well as the diverse perspectives of people and organizations who share an interest in forests, including academics, forest producers, environmentalists, rural and indigenous people, forest managers, technical experts and policy-makers. The Congress will offer a truly global view of the future of the world’s forests.
Argentina has about 33 million hectares of native forests and an additional 1.1 million hectares of planted forests, covering a broad spectrum of ecosystems, including humid, subtropical, temperate, semi-arid and arid forest types. Thanks to this range and to an extensive network of protected areas, the study tours to different parts of the country will offer incomparable opportunities for combining the on-site study of diverse forests with the enjoyment of beautiful forest scenery.