GFMC AND THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (FAO)

Cooperation between GFMC and FAO (1985-2007)

The FAO programme in forestry addresses one of the most important, complex and controversial issues of modern times – how to conserve the world’s forests, while also using trees and forests to contribute to the economic, social and environmental well-being of the world’s rapidly expanding population. Through provision of a neutral forum for policy and technical dialogue; information and advice; and direct technical cooperation, FAO helps member countries to conserve trees, forests and the biological diversity they contain, and sustainably derive products and services from them. Technical advice for the protection of forest against destructive wildfires and the use of prescribed fire in forest ecosystem management and in land-use systems, particularly through community participation (Community-Based Fire Management) represent a key activity of FAOs Forestry Department.

Development of a non-legally binding Strategy to Enhance International Cooperation in Fire Management (2005-2007)

Note: The original repository of the strategy documents at the FAO website have been subject to repeated changes (URLs expiring, no auto-forwards). Thus, the following FAO documents are mirrored by GFMC / FAO repository:

Development of an International Wildland Fire Accord (2004-2005)

Framework for the Development of the International Wildland Fire Accord (agreed by GFMC-ISDR-FAO-GOFC/GOLD, May 2004, update: April 2005)
Agenda of the FAO Ministerial Meeting on International Cooperation in Forest Fire Management (Rome, 14 March 2005) (PDF, 80 KB) (en español)
FAO Background Paper for the Ministerial Meeting on International Cooperation in Forest Fire Management (PDF, 100 KB) (en español)
FAO Background Paper for the Meeting of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) on Needs and Opportunities for International Cooperation in Forest Fire Preparedness (Rome, 15-19 March 2005) (PDF, 140 KB)
Issues Identified by the Regional FAO Forestry Commissions in 2004 (Recommendations towards international cooperation in wildland fire management are highlighted)
Recommendations of the first meeting of the UN-ISDR Wildland Fire Advisory Group and the Global Wildland Fire Network (GFMC / Germany, 3-4 December 2004)
Additional statement of the UN-ISDR Wildland Fire Advisory Group “Recommendations for the Development of an International Wildland Fire Accord” (March 2005) (PDF, 70 KB)
Global Wildland Fire Network poster exhibition at the Ministerial Meeting / COFO (Rome, 15-19 March 2005) (JPG, 1 MB)
On-site statement by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN-ISDR) / Wildland Fire Advisory Group / Global Wildland Fire Network at the FAO Ministerial Meeting on Forests, 17th Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO), 14-19 March 2005 (presented by the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC), 16 March 2005)
Summary of the Ministerial Meeting on Forests and the Seventeenth Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry, 14-19 March 2005 (published by ENB, 21 March 2005)
Statement of the Ministerial Meeting on Forests (Rome, 14 March 2005; statements related to wildland fire are marked yellow) (en español)
Final Report of the 17th Meeting of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) (Rome, 19 March 2005; statements related to wildland fire are marked yellow; versions in other FAO languages can be downloaded at: www.fao.org/forestry/site/cofo/en)

Reports of Meetings

FAO/ITTO International Expert Meeting on Forest Fire Management (Rome, March 2001)

FAO Consultation on the proposed Fire Management Code (Rome, March 2006)

FAO Consultation on the proposed Fire Management Code (Madrid, May 2006)

Selected Publications

ECE / FAO International Forest Fire News (since 1988)
FAO Global Forest Fire Assessment 1990-2000 (2001)
FAO Guidelines on Fire Management in Temperate and Boreal Forests (2002)
Legal Frameworks for Forest Fire Management: International Agreements and National Legislation (September 2004)
FAO Wildland Fire Management Terminology Update (2004)
Community Based Fire Management in Spain (2005)
Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005 Regional Fire Reports (2006)

FAO / GFMC Partnership

In December 2004 FAO and the GFMC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation to

Improve the dissemination of information about forest fires through any appropriate means, including internet linkages, publications of relevant reports such as ‘FAO and the State of the World’s Forest (SOFO)’, and through the respective websites of the Parties
Develop fire management information systems
Develop, display and maintain wildland fire databases and country fire profiles
Jointly organize regional and international consultations, round tables and fire management workshops
Collaborate in preparing press releases or other materials for the media concerning wildland fire
Collaborate in Global Wildland Fire Assessments in the frame of the Global Forest Resources Assessments
Collaborate at UN inter-agency level to develop an international wildland fire agreement