New initiatives drive forest conservation
50 issues later, revisiting our first magazine
© ADRIANO GAMBARINI/WWF-BRAZIL
Winter 2013
In this 50th issue of World Wildlife magazine, we revisit a feature from our first—and examine key developments since. Through the Income Property story, we met American families stewarding their forestland and explored the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification system. We also learned how the Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN)—WWF’s long-running corporate engagement program for forests—collaborated with some of the largest US forest products companies that source from family forest owners to promote responsible forestry.
© WWF
Foresting forward
In 2021, WWF launched GFTN’s successor, Forests Forward. The new program goes beyond responsible sourcing and forest management by engaging private sector support for a range of activities that include forest conservation, protection, restoration, and policy-related efforts to halt forest loss.
Protecting legacy
Through Forests Forward, WWF also supports the Center for Heirs’ Property®, the Mississippi Center for Justice, and Legal Services Alabama in expanding the legal assistance families need to protect and sustain their forestland across the biodiverse Mobile Basin. Together, the partners are helping under-resourced families secure the legal clarity that keeps land in the family, builds generational wealth, and strengthens the region’s forests for the future.
Investing at scale
In 2023, WWF launched the Nature-Based Solutions Origination Platform (NbS-OP). Working hand in hand with Forests Forward, the NbS-OP implements high-integrity interventions in priority tropical forest landscapes—like the Peruvian Amazon—to address nature loss and foster sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience. Designed and implemented with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, actions enabled by the NbS-OP include the long-term financing of forest protection, restoration, and responsible management efforts.
Sourcing success
Since 2013, Forests Forward partners have continued to make progress around responsible sourcing. For example, in 2024 IKEA sourced 97% of its wood from FSC-certified or recycled sources, and P&G sourced 77% of its wood pulp from FSC-certified sources.
Reaching 10 million acres
As of 2025, the Forests Forward program—an ambitious WWF private sector initiative—is providing clear benefits to 10 million acres of forests through conservation, restoration, and FSC certification efforts.
© Sarah Mosquera / WWF-US
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