there was wide support for the role of the forum with its universal membership and its ability to address the challenges facing forests in a holistic manner it was also noted that the establishment of the collaborative partnership on forests had fostered stronger collaboration and cooperation among the key forestrelated organizations at the global level several countries welcomed efforts to promote a wider understanding of the importance of forests and trees and their multiple benefits including through the international year of forests and the international day of forests however some representatives said that there was insufficient public recognition of these benefits and that the visibility of forests was still too low