Genetic diversity provides the foundation for species survival, biomass growth and productivity and adaptation to a changing environment. Hence, it is broadly relevant to forest and landscape management projects and programmes that seek to integrate biodiversity considerations, for example forest and landscape restoration, ecosystem-based approaches to mitigating climate change, species conservation programmes and community forestry. At the same time, the genetic diversity and evolutionary potential of tree species can only be effectively conserved if it is integrated in the implementation of such wider programmes and strategies.

Based on an extensive global study that covered more than 80 countries, FAO developed in 2013 a Global Plan of Action on Forest Genetic Resources athat details approaches and priority actions for integrating genetic considerations in diverse aspects of forest and landscape management. The Global Plan of Action is designed to support the implementation of international conventions and agreements that concern forest biodiversity, including the UN Convention on the Conservation of Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the UN Framework Convention on Combating Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources Programme (APFORGEN), a network of 14 Asian countries, developed in 2014 a strategy to support the implementation of the Global Plan of Action in the region (www.apforgen.org).

As part of its strategy, APFORGEN and its partners had successfully organized a two-day expert workshop with the following objectives:

The following themes had been selected for project development, in line with the Strategic Priorities of the Global Plan of Action: