Seventy years have passed since the publication of the results of FAO's first Global Forest Resources Assessment in 1948. Since then, FAO has been conducting regular global assessments of the world's forest resources. Through the years, each assessment has responded to new information requirements to improve global knowledge of forest resources. Studies of timber supply dominated the assessments through the 1960s, while recent assessments have adopted a more comprehensive approach to address all aspects of sustainable forest management. This publication offers insight into the ways FRA has contributed to improving our awareness about the importance of forests, how it has stimulated dialogue in the national and international arenas, and how it has influenced public and private forestry investments. It also emphasizes its ongoing importance in a context of declining forest area, growing populations and increasing demand for forest products.