The frequency and intensity of wildfires, storms, and pest outbreaks have been increasing rapidly for decades, highlighting the vulnerability of forests and the impact of natural and human threats intensified by climate change.
While disturbance and mortality are inherent to forest ecosystems, monitoring the extent of damage has become a key priority in recent decades.
Forests are vital carbon sinks for climate change mitigation and reservoirs of biodiversity, making reliable information and accurate reporting of forest damages essential for effective forest management policies.
To ensure this critical information is available, a new publication of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) summarizes the main dynamics and significance of forest damage, and their reporting in the UNECE region.
The publication invites readers to reflect on possible harmonized methodologies and reporting schemes, underlining the collective effort essential for the forest sector.
Real-world scenarios, such as the analysis of forest damage and disturbance data, require advanced techniques beyond usual statistical evaluation. Innovative technologies like remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are highlighted as integral to advances in forest damage assessment.
Reporting on forest damage is a critical element of our commitment to biodiversity, climate resilience, and livelihoods. Supporting comprehensive reporting lays the foundation for safeguarding forest ecosystems for future generations.
This publication marks an important step towards improving international reporting on forest damage and is the result of a collaborative effort by national and international experts.
More information
Köhl, M.; Koch, F.; Linsers, S.; Melin, M.; Michalak, R.; Robertson, G.; Talarczyk, A. (2024):
Reporting on forest damages and disturbances in the UNECE region. ECE/TIM/SP/57. United Nations Publication. Available online at: https://unece.org/info/Forests/pub/391138