In celebration of its 80th anniversary and the World Food Forum, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a global call for nominations to recognize best practices and innovative approaches from around the world that advance global food security, sustainable development and agrifood systems transformation. The International Model Forest Network (IMFN) was awarded Technical Recognition for its contributions to sustainable forest production and protection.

© FAO/Giandomenico D’Angelo

Enduring Partnership with FAO

The FAO Global Technical Recognition Ceremony, held at FAO Headquarters in Rome on 15 October 2025, honoured 24 forestry leaders out of more than 340 submissions from over 100 countries, who have significantly advanced sustainable forest management and agrifood systems transformation. Aligned with FAO’s four betters (better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life) and reflecting the World Food Day theme “Hand in hand for better foods and a better future’’, these recognitions showcase technical leadership, collaboration and innovation in sustainable agrifood systems transformation. Richard Verbisky, Head of the IMFN Secretariat, accepted the award virtually on behalf of the IMFN.

FAO and the IMFN Secretariat have formally collaborated since 2016 under a Memorandum of Understanding to promote landscape-level sustainable forest management. FAO has played a key role in IMFN’s expansion, particularly in Asia, and has integrated Model Forests into initiatives such as the Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism and the Global Fire Management Hub.

Global Reach and Impact

In just over 30 years, the International Model Forest Network has grown to include 60+ Model Forests from 30+ countries, covering more than 70 million hectares and home to more than 90 million people on five continents. Each Model Forest is a large-scale landscape governed by voluntary partnerships that reflect local priorities and adhere to six core sustainability principles. These partnerships address shared challenges such as climate change, land degradation, food security, wildfires, and governance.

Initiatives and actions beyond words like IMFN Climate and RESTAURacción exemplify the network’s commitment to practical, innovative solutions. Through knowledge exchange and capacity building, IMFN and Model Forests accelerate progress toward sustainable development, locally and globally.

Members and Regional Networks composing the International Model Forest Network. © IMFN Secretariat

Three Decades of Collaborative Landscape Management

The Model Forest approach was first developed and implemented by the Government of Canada in the early 1990s in 10 sites across the country. It was a response to a period of intense conflict in Canada’s forest sector at a time when environmentalists, governments, indigenous peoples, communities and forest workers were struggling over forest resources and how to manage them sustainably. The idea behind the Model Forest concept was to move away from valuing forests for timber alone towards a vision where social, environmental, economic and cultural benefits and trade-offs would be considered equally.

From the beginning, Model Forests promoted the idea of forming partnerships under a neutral forum where a range of values and interests could be represented, and where partners could experiment with new ideas under a common goal of sustainable development. Each site was intended to be a dynamic “model” from which others could learn, and, together, advance their sustainability goals in forests and the larger landscapes that surround them.

The approach showed immediate promise as people came together to find common solutions to the issues they faced, on areas such as logging practices, biodiversity conservation and economic stability.

Bolstered by the success, the Government of Canada announced the development of an International Model Forest Network at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, with a goal to scale up the lessons learned from Model Forests in Canada and provide a platform to share its experiences with international partners.

Learn More:

• FAO news: FAO recognizes 24 nominees for driving progress on forests
• FAO’s Global Technical Recognition Ceremony
• imfn.net