Kumamoto, 28 July 2026: How is sustainable forest management nature positive? This was the question that the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and its partners explored at the Global Nature Positive Summit, held in Kumamoto, Japan, from 14–15 July 2026, where they showcased how sustainable tropical forest management and legal and sustainable timber value chains contribute towards a nature positive future.
 

Yokohama, 23 July 2026: The successful control of major pests that plague teak plantations and natural teak forests is crucial to reducing economic losses and improving production, especially among smallholders. Experts working to understand the science behind insect pest infestations in teak shared during a webinar how research and innovation are contributing to the development of more effective and sustainable mechanisms to manage teak-associated pests in India and Myanmar.
 

Yokohama, 23 July 2026: It is with sadness that we announce the death of Geoff Pleydell on 20th June 2026 at the age of 95. A respected tropical timber trade expert, consultant and writer, he was a strong advocate for dialogue between the international timber trade and government delegations, championing cooperation to balance commercial interests with sustainable forest management.

 

Yokohama, 22 July 2026 — The timber sector in both Indonesia and Ghana showed a slight improvement in June 2026, while activity declined in other countries across the tropics as well as in China, according to the latest Global Timber Index (GTI) Report. The ITTO-supported GTI tracks the performance of the timber sector in ten pilot countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
 

2025 was a year of transition, reflection and renewed commitment for ITTO. As pressures on tropical forests intensified, from climate change, biodiversity loss and wildfires to shifting markets and increasingly complex regulatory landscapes, ITTO’s role as a trusted intergovernmental platform linking producers and consumers became increasingly vital. Throughout the year, ITTO underlined how sustainable tropical forest management, legal and sustainable trade, and inclusive development are not competing objectives, but mutually reinforcing pillars of a resilient global forest sector.

Lomé, 6 July 2026 —The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), in collaboration with L'Office de Développement et d'Exploitation des Forêts (ODEF) of Togo, successfully convened a regional workshop to promote the dissemination and practical application of the ITTO Guidelines for Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) in Africa from 23–26 June 2026 in Lomé, Togo.