The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) officially launched the 2011 International Year of Forests at its Seventh Session in April. The launch followed a resolution initiated by Croatia and passed by UN General Assembly in December 2006.

In adopting the Croatian resolution the UN said dedicating 2011 to be the UN international Year of Forests would be a celebration of the importance forests play in everyday life.

Speaking at the UNFF7’s April launch in New York, the Director of the UNFF Secretariat, Pekka Patosaari, said he hoped the occasion would serve as a platform for significant pledges in support of the year.

The international year is also likely to increase public awareness of forests’ important ecological, economic and social functions.

CIFOR is proud the International Year of Forests is now fixed on the global forest agenda. Particularly pleased is Ms. Angela Cropper, who was CIFOR’s Chair of the Board of Trustees between 2003 and 2007.

Ms. Cropper first raised the possibility of CIFOR seeking UN support for an international forest year in discussions with CIFOR staff at the 2004 CGIAR Annual Meeting in Mexico.

Later, in 2005, Ms. Cropper officially proposed the idea to CIFOR’s Management Group. CIFOR Director General at the time, Mr. David Kaimowitz, presented the proposal to the Collaborative Partnership on Forests at the next UNFF meeting in the same year.

As Ms. Cropper has made very clear herself, CIFOR’s role in the overall process was the minor one compared with the ensuing efforts by governments, organizations and individuals.

Collectively they took Ms. Cropper’s idea and David Kaimowitz’s modest suggestion to a fully-fledged initiative. And for that CIFOR is very grateful.