Notification 2025-035

Dear Sir or Madam,

The Forest Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (FERI), funded by the Korea Forest Service of the Republic of Korea, in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), has been supporting forest ecosystem restoration activities in line with the work of the Convention since 2014. In the lead up to the next phase of the Initiative and in response to decision 14/24 requesting the Secretariat to prepare proposals for an inclusive process to review and renew FERI, among other technical and scientific cooperation programmes, the Korea Forest Service and the CBD Secretariat are jointly organizing a Global Workshop on FERI, to be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 26 to 28 August 2025.

The objective of the workshop is to take stock of ten years of FERI implementation (2014-2024) and to identify ways forward to maximize FERI’s alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Thus, the workshop outcomes will include recommendations for the programming of FERI’s third phase to prioritize most effective and impactful work areas as well as mechanisms to assist countries and build partnerships to accelerate the implementation of the Framework.

Accordingly, I am pleased to invite Parties, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations to nominate a representative to take part in the workshop. The nominee must have a profound understanding of forest biodiversity and ecosystem restoration and be involved in implementation of forest restoration activities at the national or regional levels.

Nominations should be submitted in the form of an official letter, signed by the CBD focal point or head of the organization, and provide the contact details and curriculum vitae of the nominee. In addition, an online nomination form, available at https://forms.office.com/e/N57F5NBrLP, must be completed for each nominee. Kindly submit nominations to the Secretariat via e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int at the earliest convenience but no later than 21 April 2025.

Participants will be selected on the basis of their relevant expertise, as well as geographical representation and gender balance. Selected participants eligible for funding will be provided with travel and a daily subsistence allowance in accordance with UN rules.

Information and documents relevant to the workshop will be made available in due course. Please note that the workshop will be conducted in English only.

I thank you for your continued cooperation and support to the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols.

Please accept, Sir, Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration.

(Signed) Astrid Schomaker
Executive Secretary