At its 128th session, the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) selected the Republic of Argentina to organize the XIII World Forestry Congress to be held from 18 to 25 October 2009 in the city of Buenos Aires. This event – held every six years – is expected to attract about 6 000 participants from more than 160 countries.
The Congress will include one week of presentations, discussions, round-table discussions, parallel events and exhibits. In the two weeks following the Congress, study tours will be offered to various types of forests throughout the country. Institutions from various sectors of Argentina will be involved in organizing the Congress with the advice and assistance of the FAO Forestry Department.
The theme for the XIII World Forestry Congress will be “Forests in development: a vital balance.” It will offer opportunities to analyze the social, ecological and economic aspects of natural resources in a local, regional and global context.
The importance of the sustainability of all types of forests and how forest resources contribute to the sustainability of the planet, will be emphasized. The Congress will provide an opportunity to learn about the diverse ecosystems in various regions of the world and for representatives of various organizations and stakeholders, including academics, forest producers, environmentalists, rural and indigenous people, forest managers, technical experts and policy makers, to share ideas on forestry. The Congress will offer a truly global view of the future of the world’s forests.
The Republic of Argentina has about 33 million hectares (80 million acres) of native forests and an additional 1.1 million hectares (2.6 million acres) of planted forests, covering a broad spectrum of ecosystems, including humid, sub-tropical, temperate, semi-arid, and arid forest types. Thanks to an extensive network of protected areas, the study tours to different parts of the country will offer a unique opportunity to combine the study of diverse forests through actual on-site visits with beautiful forest scenery.
The country, Buenos Aires in particular, offers optimal conditions for hosting and organizing an event of the magnitude of the World Forestry Congress. The facilities are excellent and it offers tourist attractions, a wide range of hotels, and cultural and scientific events.
http://www.fao.org/forestry/56690/en/
http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/wfc/newsletter/prog_18_en.pdf