WNAM REPORT: Istanbul Forest Innovation Week (IFIW), which brings together scientists, experts and industry representatives from around the world, held panels and discussions Wednesday on the importance of international partnership programs in forestry.
The conference is being organized by the Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Ministry’s General Directorate of Forestry in cooperation with the UN Forest Forum (UNFF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It will be an important platform to shape the future of global forestry policies. Anadolu is the global communication partner of Istanbul Forest Innovation Week 2025.
The meeting, which began Monday, will last five days with the participation of 75 countries, 30 international organizations and more than 400 expert representatives.
Deputy Director General of Forestry Ibrahim Yuzer provided information about projects implemented in recent years to increase Türkiye’s forest resources and combat fires.
Yuzer said they are carrying out significant work in the field of forestry.
“We are undertaking significant work, working diligently to combat fires and expand, develop and protect forests.”
He noted that they hosted prominent figures in Istanbul as part of Istanbul Forest Innovation Week, adding that crucial issues and agendas were discussed and that the decisions taken and reports resulting from the event will have significant benefits for forestry in Türkiye and globally.
Nabil Gangi, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Central Asia and FAO Representative in Türkiye, also emphasized the importance of creating sustainable forests, saying: “I thank Türkiye for always being a leader in the sustainability of forests and afforestation.”
Gangi addressed the topics covered in the first two days of the event and stated that subsequent sessions will specifically address the impact of innovation on managing and restoring forests, also noting that the importance of intergenerational dialogue in the forest sector will be discussed.
Ewald Rametsteiner, Deputy Director of the FAO Forestry Division, said that forests need extremely robust and renewable resources to adapt to the future and that forests must adapt to the risks posed by climate change.
Providing information about the risks facing forests, Rametsteiner said: “There are increasing demands for resources and materials as well as risks posed by climate change. We face significant risks that we all know. We need to bring forests into the spotlight. We have the opportunity to shape the future together in this area. Our planet needs to be habitable for all living things and societies.”
He added that the FAO is ready to support its members in the field of forestry.
“We need to strengthen cooperation. Raising awareness, developing a culture of innovation, and increasing capacity are important,” he noted.
