Forests are very important for the world’s population and large and play critical role in the Earth’s life support system, including global carbon and hydrological cycles. This publication provides an overview of the global trends in forest cover and looks specifically at the four largest forest ecosystems and analyses the trends and challenges in heir conservation and management. It scrutinises some of the key drivers behind forest loss, including the increasing demand for commodities and energy. Finally it reviews some of the best practices for sustainable management of forest, including regulatory regimes, participatory management and economic incentives.