The most comprehensive assessment of the state of the world's forests published at the start of the latest biennial meeting of the FAO' Committee on Forestry and World Forest Week, in Rome. It examines the current status and recent trends for about 90 variables covering the extent, condition, uses and values of forests and other wooded land, with the aim of assessing all benefits from forest resources.

The Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010 (FRA 2010) is the most comprehensive assessment of the world’s forests ever. It covers 233 countries and areas for the period 1990 to 2010. This publication, the main report of FRA 2010, contains country data, contributed by national correspondents and reviewed and collated by FAO, for more than 90 key variables related to the extent, condition, uses and values of forests. Seven core chapters evaluate the status and trends for key aspects of sustainable forest management: extent of forest resources; forest biological diversity; forest health and vitality; productive functions of forest resources; protective functions of forest resources; socio-economic functions of forests; and the legal, policy and institutional framework guiding the conservation, management and use of the world’s forests. Based on these results, the report analyses progress being made towards sustainable forest management over the past 20 years, with a series of “traffic lights” indicating where there is cause for optimism and where there is cause for alarm. This report is an essential reference for anyone interested in the status of the world’s forests and will support policies, decisions and negotiations in all matters where forests and forestry play a part.