I am honored to lead the United States delegation to the XV World Forestry Congress hosted by the Korea Forest Service and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Seoul, Republic of Korea. After a one-year postponement, this week’s hybrid event is the most significant assembly of the global forestry community in person and online in six years. It is also an example of hybrid collaboration as we enter a new operational phase in the pandemic.

This is my first World Forestry Congress, and I’ve been inspired by the exchange of views across disciplines. With day-to-day business demands and niche specializations, we so often operate in silos. Events like the World Forestry Congress create space for connecting on topics like landscape restoration, forest and human health, biodiversity, data and inventory and livelihoods.

Participants representing many different sectors, from ministers to land managers, indigenous groups and young people, addressed current forestry challenges such as deforestation and food security. We also explored innovations like forest financing and using nature-based solutions to achieve United Nations sustainable development goals.

With the start of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the agency used the Congress’ platform as a springboard for addressing the importance of collaborative forest landscape restoration and our shared stewardship model. Together with Nevada State Forester Kacey KC and partners, our conversations centered on the spirit and effectiveness of leveraging collaborative work through formal contracts.

This week focuses on the theme Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests, and I was invited to speak on the role of forests in a post-COVID-19 recovery. I described the impact of the pandemic on the increasing wildfire crisis here in the United States, as well as the surging numbers of visitors to national forests and in urban green spaces.

In adjusting our operations to COVID-19, we have learned a lot about how we manage fires over the last two years. We will continue to include best practices, like smaller fire camps and remote incident management support, when we can. Much of what we learned can be applied post-COVID to improve our wildland fire management overall.

Forests in the United States will play another role in post-COVID recovery for their recreational benefits and related economic opportunities. COVID safety precautions led to closures or restrictions on many developed recreation sites, which impacted local jobs. Meanwhile, people flocked to dispersed natural settings to relieve stress by walking, viewing nature or just relaxing. Recreational use remained high last year, but it is unclear if these visitation rates will persist.

I thank the Forest Service organizers, as well as the moderators of high-level panel discussions on cooperation in forest management, strengthening communication, and research-development partnerships. I also want to thank our agency staff who presented on key issues such as education, inventory analysis, recreation, water, biosecurity and bioeconomy, among others. I am proud of the delegates representing U.S. forests in Seoul and online. They will bring creative approaches and solid networks back to their home units.

It is always a privilege to encounter another culture, especially one as gracious as our South Korean hosts. Exchanging ideas with a worldwide community committed to managing our natural resources for the good of future generations leans into our values. By working together, we can create a worldwide ecosystem that is resilient in the face of all our challenges, from climatic changes to deforestation and wildfires. I am proud to have represented our agency at this event.