Global Forest Issues

Dave McGillProfessor/Extension SpecialistForest Resources Management

Outline

• Defining “forest” for international policy and inventory

• Deforestation and illegal logging• International efforts to curb deforestation

Ballons des Vosges, France

Defining “forest”

Santa Barbara, Honduras

Leyte Island, Philippines

Luberon, France

Nellore, AP India

Guidan Atiti, Niger

International actions concerning forests

• Two international conferences in the 1990s focusing on improving global environmental issues.– 1992 UNCED “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janiero – 1997 UNFCCC in Kyoto, Japan

• Terms used in discussions:– Deforestation, reforestation, afforestation, old-growth

forests, forest biodiversity, sustainable forest management.

• IUFRO 6.03 took on project to survey definitionsSource:Lund, H.G. 2002. When is a forest not a forest. J. For. 100(8):21-27.

Lund 2002—When is a forest not a forest? J. For. 100(8):21-27.

• Worldwide survey of published definitions.• Found 149 definitions for tree.– Some of these included “palms, bamboo, shrubs,

vines, creepers, canes, coppice shoots, and orchids.

• Definitions of forest were more complex– Administrative unit– Land use– Land cover

Source:Lund, H.G. 2002. When is a forest not a forest. J. For. 100(8):21-27.

Thresholds for defining forests

• Lowest thresholds– Area: 0.01 ha; Belgium, Northern Mariana Islands– Crown Cover: 1%; Iran

• Highest thresholds – Area: 100 ha; Malawi, Papua New Guinea– Crown cover: 80%; Malawi, Zimbabwe

Source:Lund, H.G. 2002. When is a forest not a forest. J. For. 100(8):21-27.

Forest Resources Assessments

• About every 5 years, the UN FAO monitors the state of the worlds forests.

• Between 1948 and 1963 these Forest Resources Assessments were solely questionnaire based.

• 1990 was the first FRA to use remote sensing to corroborate inventories.

• 2010 FRA will use questionnaires and thematic studies as well as a complete global remote sensing survey.

2005 FRA Definitions

• Have 3 categories related to tree covered lands– Forest

• Minimum 0.5 ha; trees able to reach 5m; and greater than 10% canopy cover. Excludes agroforestry and fruit tree orchards, urban parks and gardens.

– Other wooded land• Land not classified as forest; 0.5 ha and trees attaining 5m with

5-10% canopy cover. Excludes predominately agricultural and urban land uses.

– Other land with tree cover• Minimum 0.5 ha; 5m canopy height; >10% canopy cover;

Includes trees planted in ag and urban settings.

2005 FRA Key Findings

• 4 billion ha of forest• Deforestation continues but at a decreasing

rate– 1990-2000: 8.9 million ha per year– 2000-2005: 7.3 million ha per year

• Primary forests 36% of total forest area– These are forests that are no visible indications of

human activity and ecological processes are not significantly disturbed.

Planted Forests

• Comprise 7% of the total area in forests worldwide.

• Provide opportunities for economic, ecological, and social benefits.

• Plantations for products and for environmental services.

Planted Forests

• Center for International Forestry identifies 5 different types of planted forests:– Industrial plantations– Home and farm plantations– Environmental plantations– Managed secondary forest with planting– Restored natural/secondary forest

Adapted from Evans 2009

3-yr-old Leucaena—Guntur, AP India 7-yr-old Eucalyptus—Medak, AP India

Homegarden—El Tule, Honduras

Kogagutham Open Pit Coal Mine, AP India

Water harvesting—Niger, West Africa

Leyte, Philippines

Cebu, Philippines

Deforestation and Degradation

• Deforestation—forest is cut by people and is then used for other purposes, primarily agriculture or infrastructure

• Degradation—forest composition and quality is modified, but no net loss in area..

Causes of Deforestation

• Direct factors– Conversion to agriculture; wood overexploitation;

infrastructure development.• Indirect factors– Road construction leads to increased access.

• Underlying driving forces (triggering mechanisms)– Demographic, economic, technological, cultural.

Sources: JP Lanly. 2003; Geist and Lambin, 2002.

Illegal Logging

Extent • Timber harvesting activities

that are inconsistent with national or subnational laws.

• In some countries, as much a 80-90% of timber harvested. True amount unknown.

Sources: Smith 2002; photo: www.villageearth.org/pages/Projects/Peru/peru...

Impacts of illegal logging

A global issue• National loss of revenue • Environmental damage• Socioeconomic effects

(loss of jobs)• Reduced access to materials

for subsistence.• Decreases profitability of

legally harvested timber.

UN-REDD

• UN-REDD—UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions of Deforestation and Degradation

• Originated from discussion of climate change under the UNFCCC.

• Founded on the notion that 20% of greenhouse gas emissions were due to DD.

• Is a form of payment for environmental services program.

UN-REDD

• Idea is to develop a financial mechanism to support developing countries in modifying forest use behavior.

• Scope of program addresses deforestation, degradation, and carbon stocks.

• State of REDD: 9 nations involved in “quick-start program” including Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Zambia; Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam; Bolivia, Panama and Paraguay

UN-REDD

UN-REDD

• This “quick start” program is expected to yield some of the successes and challenges of this payment for services program.

• Negotiations still underway for unresolved issues:– Financing and distribution– Monitoring, reporting and verification– Stakeholder involvement– Environmental and social co-benefits

END