Between July and September 2019, the Ministry of Forestry & Research, in collaboration with SPC/GIZ REDD+ Project and the JICA Project on Sustainable Forest Resource Management, is launching a comprehensive Forest Inventory Piloting and Capacity Building Program which includes over 50 forestry officers, SINU forestry students/staff and community members. The activity is a preparation for the National Forest Inventory (NFI), planned to kick off next year, which is a comprehensive nation-wide forest assessment designed to provide holistic data  to support informed decision-making towards the conservation and sustainable management of Solomon Islands forest resources. It is also a key requirement for a functioning REDD+ mechanism. The main purposes of the program are to build and strengthen the participant’s skills in forest inventory best practice and trial the proposed NFI methodology prior to its national implementation. The capacity building covers the most important elements and tools of a forest inventory such as sampling design, Geographical Information System (GIS), field instruments and measuring techniques as well data analysis. The objective is for participants to acquire the technical know-how to prepare and implement the NFI activity without the need of extensive technical support from overseas. The first part of the forest inventory training and field work was conducted at Komuniboli Village forest, Northeast Guadalcanal, which covers 350 ha of lowland and swamp forest. The latter can make fieldwork challenging, especially in wet weather when the forest becomes flooded.  The data collected from the 20 sample plots will be used to analyze the NFI design and furthermore provide the basis for the development of a sustainable community forest management concept together with the right-holders of Komuniboli forest. Further field work and training will follow in Falake Pilot Site in Malaita in September/October.