Quebec congress warns of need to save forests

A congress held in Quebec City at the end of September, concluded with a call for a new global commitment to save forests.
The United Nations-backed XII World Forestry Congress had more than 3,000 foresters, scientists and other stakeholders from over 120 countries in attendance.
The organization completed an assessment in 2000 that showed there has been an annual net reduction of 12.4 million hectares of forest in tropical developing countries over the previous decade.
Recognizing that some 1.6 billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods, members of the congress emphasized that it is important to recognize the rights of these communities, indigenous peoples, forest workers and professionals.