17–28 November 2025 | Daily Sessions: 9:00–11:00 GMT | 10:00–12:00 CAT | 11:00–13:00 SAST | 12:00–14:00 EAT

Background

Africa’s forest and tree resources are increasingly recognized for their central role in supporting human wellbeing and building resilient economies. With approximately 624 million hectares of forest—about 23% of the continent’s land area—Africa hosts some of the world’s most diverse and globally significant ecosystems. From the Congo Basin’s rainforests and afro-montane forests to dry woodlands, mangroves and peatlands, these ecosystems are vital for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, food security, cultural heritage, and livelihoods.

Yet, the resilience of these ecosystems is under unprecedented threat. Africa recorded an annual net forest loss of 3.9 million ha (2010–2020) due to deforestation, land degradation, rising demand for forest products, and climate change. These pressures compromise the continent’s development aspirations and increase vulnerability to climate impacts.

Recognizing these challenges, African countries and regional bodies have endorsed ambitious frameworks that anchor Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) as a transformational pathway—including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the African Union Biodiversity Strategy (2022–2030), the Gaborone Declaration, and the AU Sustainable Forest Management Framework (2020–2030). Nationally, revised NBSAPs and integrated forest–biodiversity–climate policies reflect growing momentum toward coordinated, science-informed, and equitable forest governance.

To support these continental efforts, the African Forest Forum (AFF) with support from Sida, is convening an online Community of Practice (CoP) themed:

“Sustainable Forest Management: A Critical Pathway to Biodiversity Conservation and Resilience in Africa.”

This CoP will bring together forestry and biodiversity practitioners, policymakers, researchers, youth, civil society, and community actors to exchange experiences, share practical tools, and strengthen capacities for implementing SFM across Africa.

About the Community of Practice

Across two weeks of knowledge exchange, the CoP will tackle key questions at the nexus of forest governance, biodiversity conservation, climate action, restoration, and sustainable value chains. Participants will explore:

• Interlinkages between SFM, biodiversity conservation, climate change, and land degradation
• Integrating Indigenous and traditional knowledge into forest and biodiversity management
• Approaches for policy planning, monitoring, financing, and mainstreaming SFM in sectoral frameworks
• Innovations in forest restoration, carbon management, ecotourism, and NTFP value chains

A shared repository of resources will support experiential learning and ongoing peer engagement.

Live Webinars: 24-28 November 2025

Beginning next week, the CoP will feature a series of live webinars showcasing insights from leading experts across Africa. Sessions will include:

• Practical SFM approaches and policy innovations
• Case studies from forest biodiversity hotspots
• Climate resilience and restoration solutions
• Community forestry, youth perspectives, and green value chains
• Live Q&A with speakers

The webinar schedule is available on the Howspace Welcome Page.

How to Join the CoP (Howspace Platform)

To participate, please follow these steps:

1. Click the Registration Link
   Open the event’s Howspace portal using the provided link.
2. Enter Your Email Address
   A secure login link will be sent to your inbox.
3. Open the Login Link
   Click the link to access the registration form.
4. Complete the Registration Form
   Fill in all mandatory fields and select “Yes” when asked if you would like to join the SFM for Africa’s Biodiversity and Resilience Community.
5. Access the Workspace
   You will be redirected to the CoP Welcome Page.
6. Review the Schedule
   Scroll down to view the webinar programme and daily discussion themes.
7. Start Engaging
   Visit the Engage section to join discussions, contribute insights, and interact with fellow members.
8. Already Registered?
   Click the registration link again to access the platform directly.

For more information, download the Terms of Reference