The World Forestry Congress
The World Forestry Congress (WFC) is the largest and most significant gathering of the world’s forestry sector and it
has been held every six years since 1926, today under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO), organized by the government of the host country. It is a forum for sharing knowledge and
experience regarding the conservation, management, and use of the world’s forests, including the use of wood pulp for
papermaking, and covers such issues as international dialogue, socio-economic and institutional aspects, and forest
policies. The Thirteenth World Forestry Congress will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 18 to 23 October 2009.
To commemorate the Third
World Forestry Congress in
Helsinki (10-20 July 1949),
Finland issued two stamps,
the first of which depicts a
sawmill and cellulose plant
(Finland, Scott #281).
The Fifth World Forestry Congress,
held in Seattle from 29 August
through 10 September 1960, was
commemorated by a three-value
set issued by the Republic of
China on 29 August 1960. The $3
value represents the timber
industry, one concern of which is
the production of paper and paper
goods (Republic of China, Scott
#1269).
Gabon also commemorated
the Fifth World Forestry
Congress of 1960 with this
100-franc commemorative;
it depicts workmen felling
a tree (Gabon, Scott #C2).
At the initiative of Dag Hammarskjöld, the U.N.’s
Secretary-General, the United Nations issued this set
of two stamps on 29 August, also to commemorate the
Fifth World Forestry Congress in 1960. The central
theme of the Congress was the “Multiple Use of Forest
and Associated Lands.” Multiple use means the
management of the forest in a manner that, while
conserving the basic land resource, will yield a high
level of production in the five major uses—wood, water,
forage, recreation, and wildlife—for the long-run benefit
of the largest possible number of people. Both stamps
show a tree and the emblems of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO) and
the United Nations itself (United Nations, Scott #81-82).
The United States issued
this 4-cent stamp to
commemorate the Fifth
World Forestry Congress in
Seattle (United States, Scott
#1156).
This 25-centavo stamp was
issued on 14 October 1972
to commemorate the 7th
World Forestry Congress
being held in Buenos Aires
from 4 through 18 October.
The meeting succeeded in
providing a platform to
share the ideas and
attitudes of some 2,000
members and associate
members who came from
more than 80 countries
(Argentina, Scott #978).
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Last Updated:  24 August 2009