PART II KEY ISSUES IN THE FOREST SECTOR TODAY BOX 14 Definitions of forest cover change processes: deforestation reforestation and afforestation illustrates the relationships among forest in the wet tropics) that little use can subsequently be made Forest degradation and forest improve- of the land without costly rehabilitation. By definition, tim- ment occur within forests that continuously remain above ber harvesting does not, in itself, result in deforestation if the the 10 percent canopy threshold that defines forests. Refor- forest is allowed to regenerate estation and natural regeneration on forest lands occur when To determine whether the removal of trees from an area forests are established or grow back, respectively, after their constitutes deforestation, it is necessary to take into account canopy cover has temporarily fallen below ten percent, but the likely development of the area. Land continues to be have been considered to be forests throughout that time(see classified as forest if reforestation is to occur in the near next paragraph). Change in forest area is the result of trans- future or is already under way, even if the 10 percent canopy fers between forest and other land use classes. Gains are due cover threshold has not yet been reached. If, on the other to the expansion of natural forest (including succession of hand, a sufficient density of trees is not likely to be estab- forests on abandoned agricultural land)and afforestation (i.e. lished in the near future, or if land is converted to another the establishment of forest plantations on previously land use, the area is considered to be deforested. The time unforested land). Deforestation is defined as the removal of frame is thus central to the forest change definitions. The the forest and its replacement by another land use class(e.g. suggested threshold period is ten years; temporary" and shifting or permanent agriculture, mining or water impound- near future"in this context refer to less than ten years, less than 10 percent. In some cases, deforestation may cases, e loey m"refers to ten years or more. In some ments), or the long-term reduction of the canopy cover to whereas"long-ter local climatic conditions, land us contribute to such severe land degradation(e.g in ecologi- contexts or the purpose of the analysis may justify the use cally marginal areas, such as arid or mountain zones, and of a longer thre Relationships among forest change processes FOREST (natural forest and OTHER Natural regeneration (degradation, Natural ex of forest improvement) Source: FRA 2000
PART II KEY ISSUES IN THE FOREST SECTOR TODAY 43 The figure below illustrates the relationships among forest change processes. Forest degradation and forest improvement occur within forests that continuously remain above the 10 percent canopy threshold that defines forests. Reforestation and natural regeneration on forest lands occur when forests are established or grow back, respectively, after their canopy cover has temporarily fallen below ten percent, but have been considered to be forests throughout that time (see next paragraph). Change in forest area is the result of transfers between forest and other land use classes. Gains are due to the expansion of natural forest (including succession of forests on abandoned agricultural land) and afforestation (i.e. the establishment of forest plantations on previously unforested land). Deforestation is defined as the removal of the forest and its replacement by another land use class (e.g. shifting or permanent agriculture, mining or water impoundments), or the long-term reduction of the canopy cover to less than 10 percent. In some cases, deforestation may contribute to such severe land degradation (e.g. in ecologically marginal areas, such as arid or mountain zones, and BOX 14 Definitions of forest cover change processes: deforestation, reforestation and afforestation in the wet tropics) that little use can subsequently be made of the land without costly rehabilitation. By definition, timber harvesting does not, in itself, result in deforestation if the forest is allowed to regenerate. To determine whether the removal of trees from an area constitutes deforestation, it is necessary to take into account the likely development of the area. Land continues to be classified as forest if reforestation is to occur in the near future or is already under way, even if the 10 percent canopy cover threshold has not yet been reached. If, on the other hand, a sufficient density of trees is not likely to be established in the near future, or if land is converted to another land use, the area is considered to be deforested. The time frame is thus central to the forest change definitions. The suggested threshold period is ten years; “temporary” and “near future” in this context refer to less than ten years, whereas “long-term” refers to ten years or more. In some cases, the forest type, local climatic conditions, land use contexts or the purpose of the analysis may justify the use of a longer threshold period. Deforestation Afforestation Natural expansion of forest OTHER LAND USE CLASS FOREST (natural forest and forest plantation) (degradation, improvement) Reforestation Natural regeneration Relationships among forest change processes Source: FRA 2000
44 STATE OF THE WORLD's FORESTs 2001 FIGURE 9 prest area changes in the 1990s (million ha per year) Non-tropical areas 142 990:1945 03 2000:180 2000:1879 Other land use classes 10 Other land use 1990:6280 990:28 2000:6252 2000:2 Forest plantations 1990.48 2000 Forest plantations 2000:119 Afforestation Reforestation m Natural expansion of forest Source FRA 2000 E5 L TABLE Annual change in forest area, 1990-2000(million ha) Natural forest Total forest Gain Net change Gain Net chang Deforestation Conversion Total loss Natural Conversion Afforestation of forest 152 14.2 12.3 Non-tropical areas World 146 +3.6 12.5 94
44 STATE OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS 2001 FIGURE 9 Forest area changes in the 1990s (million ha per year) Notes: Sizes of the boxes and arrows are approximately in proportion to one another; natural regeneration within natural forests and reforestation within forest plantations are not shown; ”other land use classes” include “other wooded land” and all other land uses; “tropical forests” are forests in countries covered by the FRA 2000 pan-tropical remote sensing survey. Domain TABLE 5 Annual change in forest area, 1990-2000 (million ha) Natural forest Forest plantations Total forest Loss Gain Tropical areas -14.2 -1.0 -15.2 +1.0 - 14.2 +1.0 +0.9 +1.9 -12.3 Non-tropical areas -0.4 -0.5 -0.9 +2.6 + 1.7 +0.5 +0.7 +1.2 +2.9 World -14.6 -1.5 -16.1 +3.6 -12.5 +1.5 +1.6 +3.1 -9.4 Net change Gain Net change Net change Deforestation Conversion to forest plantations Total loss Natural expansion of forest Conversion from natural forest Afforestation Source: FRA 2000. Other land use classes 1990: 2 819 2000: 2 943 Forest plantations 1990: 48 2000: 68 Deforestation 10 8 10 Tropical areas Non-tropical areas Natural forest 1990: 1 945 2000: 1 803 142 Afforestation Reforestation Natural expansion of forest Other land use classes 1990: 6 280 2000: 6 252 Forest plantations 1990: 107 2000: 119 26 7 5 Natural forest 1990: 1 863 2000: 1 879 4
PART II KEY ISSUES IN THE FOREST SECTOR TODAY Increase in forest area in the industrialized countries In contrast to the high deforestation rate in many tropical urban areas and other uses such as transport infrastruc- and subtropical countries, the rate of change in forest area ture and recreational facilities (e. g. ski slopes and in most industrialized temperate and boreal countries is low. In Europe, the area of forest is expanding, while that In the United States as well, the forest area is expand of"other wooded land"is decreasing, with a net expan- ing while other wooded land is decreasing the net change sion of forest and other wooded land of 0. 3 million ha per is an increase of 0. 4 million ha per year. Much of this in- year. Several developments are taking place in the region: crease is due to the natural transition, and reclassification, Plantation programmes are being implemented (e.g. in of other wooded land to forest. Most CIS countries report France, Ireland, Turkey and Spain) increases for both forest and other wooded land with a Agricultural land or other wooded land is undergoing net increase of 1.2 million ha per year for the region natural conversion to forest. Forest is the climax eco- system for most of Europe, so most land will revert to forest if human intervention is stopped. A probable ajor cause of the expansion of Europe's forest area is the depopulation of certain rural areas, owing in part to continuing changes in European agriculture.) At the same time, there is a contradictory trend of con- tinuing conversion of forest and other wooded land to one 1 for definitions of these and These data indicate that the world's natural related terms )Awareness of how these terms forests continued to be converted to other land are defined in FRA 2000 is key to understanding uses at a very high rate during the 1990s the assessment's findings An estimated 16.1 million ha of natural forest Changes in forest cover reflect transfers between worldwide were lost annually during the 1990s forest and other land use classes(e.g. agriculture, (14.6 million ha through deforestation and infrastructure and mining). The net change in 1.5 million ha through conversion to forest forest area equals the difference between the plantations) Of the 15.2 million ha lost Increase forest area through both afforestation annually in the tropics, 14.2 million ha were and the natural expansion of forest(e.g. through converted to other land uses and 1.0 million forest succession on abandoned agricultural lands), ha were converted to forest plantations. and the loss of forest through deforestation. In non-tropical areas, 0.9 million ha of natural a Figure 9 shows the changes in total forest area forest were lost per year, of which 0.5 million 1990-2000 according to the FRA 2000 data, ha were converted to forest plantations and broken down into change in natural forests and 0.4 million ha were converted to other land change in forest plantations, for both tropical use classes and non-tropical areas. Table 5 provides this Against the gross annual loss of 16.1 information in terms of average annual change million ha of natural forests worldwide, in forest area during the same period. there was a gain of 3.6 million ha as a result of
PART II KEY ISSUES IN THE FOREST SECTOR TODAY 45 (See also Annex 1 for definitions of these and related terms.) Awareness of how these terms are defined in FRA 2000 is key to understanding the assessment’s findings. Changes in forest cover reflect transfers between forest and other land use classes (e.g. agriculture, infrastructure and mining). The net change in forest area equals the difference between the increase in forest area through both afforestation and the natural expansion of forest (e.g. through forest succession on abandoned agricultural lands), and the loss of forest through deforestation. Figure 9 shows the changes in total forest area for 1990-2000 according to the FRA 2000 data, broken down into change in natural forests and change in forest plantations, for both tropical and non-tropical areas. Table 5 provides this information in terms of average annual change in forest area during the same period. These data indicate that the world’s natural forests continued to be converted to other land uses at a very high rate during the 1990s. An estimated 16.1 million ha of natural forest worldwide were lost annually during the 1990s (14.6 million ha through deforestation and 1.5 million ha through conversion to forest plantations). Of the 15.2 million ha lost annually in the tropics, 14.2 million ha were converted to other land uses and 1.0 million ha were converted to forest plantations. In non-tropical areas, 0.9 million ha of natural forest were lost per year, of which 0.5 million ha were converted to forest plantations and 0.4 million ha were converted to other land use classes. Against the gross annual loss of 16.1 million ha of natural forests worldwide, there was a gain of 3.6 million ha as a result of the In contrast to the high deforestation rate in many tropical and subtropical countries, the rate of change in forest area in most industrialized temperate and boreal countries is low. In Europe, the area of forest is expanding, while that of “other wooded land” is decreasing, with a net expansion of forest and other wooded land of 0.3 million ha per year. Several developments are taking place in the region: •Plantation programmes are being implemented (e.g. in France, Ireland, Turkey and Spain). •Agricultural land or other wooded land is undergoing natural conversion to forest. (Forest is the climax ecosystem for most of Europe, so most land will revert to forest if human intervention is stopped. A probable major cause of the expansion of Europe’s forest area is the depopulation of certain rural areas, owing in part to continuing changes in European agriculture.) •At the same time, there is a contradictory trend of continuing conversion of forest and other wooded land to urban areas and other uses such as transport infrastructure and recreational facilities (e.g. ski slopes and trails). In the United States as well, the forest area is expanding while other wooded land is decreasing; the net change is an increase of 0.4 million ha per year. Much of this increase is due to the natural transition, and reclassification, of other wooded land to forest. Most CIS countries report increases for both forest and other wooded land, with a net increase of 1.2 million ha per year for the region. BOX 15 Increase in forest area in the industrialized countries
STATE OF THE WORLD's FORESTs 2001 natural expansion of forest, giving a balance of The global figures obscure significant 12.5 million ha as the annual net change of differences in forest cover change among natural forest area globally. Of these 3.6 regions and countries( Figure 10 and Table 3 of million ha, 2.6 million ha were in non-tropical Annex 2). Net deforestation rates were highest areas, while 1.0 million ha were in the tropics. in Africa and South America. The loss of Much of the gain in natural forest area was the natural forests in Asia was also high, but was result of natural forest succession on abandoned significantly offset (in terms of area) by forest gricultural land. Expansion of forest has been plantation establishment. This resulted in a occuR ring for several decades in many more moderate rate of change of total forest industrialized countries, especially where area in the region. In contrast, the forest cover agriculture is no longer an economically viable in the other regions, which are largely made up land use(Box 15). This has been the case, for of industrialized countries, increased slightly example, in some countries in Europe Figure 11 shows the areas of the world with the Gains in forest area also occurred through the highest rates of net deforestation and the expansion of forest plantations. The average rate highest rates of forest area increase during the of successful plantation establishment over the 1990-2000 period according to the FRA 2000 decade was 3.1 million ha per year, of which 1.9 estimates. The countries with the highest ne million ha were in tropical areas and 1.2 loss of forest area between 1990 and 2000 were million ha were in non-tropical areas. As shown Argentina, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of in Table 5, half of the new plantation area was the Congo, Indonesia, Myanmar, Mexico, on land converted from natural forest (ie Nigeria, the Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe representing reforestation on cleared natural Those with the highest net gain of forest during forest land) this period were China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the The net change in forest area during the 1990s Russian Federation and the United States (i.e. the sum of changes in natural forests and forest plantations) was an estimated-94 Comparison of forest area trends in 1990-2000, million ha per year. This represents the balance 1980-1990 and 1990-1995 between the global deforestation rate of 14.6 For a longer-term picture of trends in forest area and the rate of forest area arison may be made of the rate increase of 5.2 million ha per year ( Table 6). of change in the global forest area(in million ha per year)calculated for the 1990-2000 period in fra 2000. for 1990-1995 in the interim 1995 assessment, and for 1980-1990 in FRA 1990. In the following analysis, this comparison is made According to the reported numbers, the estimated net loss of forest (i.e. the balance of the loss of natural forest and the gain in forest area through afforestation and natural Domain forest area in forest area expansion of forest) was lower in the 1990s than in the 1980s. Net annual forest area change was +19 estimated to be 9 4 million ha for the 1990-2000 Non-tropics period,-11. 3 million ha in the 1990-1995 period World 14.6 +5.2 and.0 million ha in 1980-199 However, the forest area change estimates forest and afforestation (see Tabl from FRA 2000 are not directly comparable with those of the previous two assessments, owing to three factors: changes in definitions, changes in
46 STATE OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS 2001 The global figures obscure significant differences in forest cover change among regions and countries (Figure 10 and Table 3 of Annex 2). Net deforestation rates were highest in Africa and South America. The loss of natural forests in Asia was also high, but was significantly offset (in terms of area) by forest plantation establishment. This resulted in a more moderate rate of change of total forest area in the region. In contrast, the forest cover in the other regions, which are largely made up of industrialized countries, increased slightly. Figure 11 shows the areas of the world with the highest rates of net deforestation and the highest rates of forest area increase during the 1990-2000 period according to the FRA 2000 estimates. The countries with the highest net loss of forest area between 1990 and 2000 were Argentina, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Myanmar, Mexico, Nigeria, the Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Those with the highest net gain of forest during this period were China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and the United States. Comparison of forest area trends in 1990-2000, 1980-1990 and 1990-1995 For a longer-term picture of trends in forest area change, a comparison may be made of the rate of change in the global forest area (in million ha per year) calculated for the 1990-2000 period in FRA 2000, for 1990-1995 in the interim 1995 assessment, and for 1980-1990 in FRA 1990. In the following analysis, this comparison is made at the global level. According to the reported numbers, the estimated net loss of forest (i.e. the balance of the loss of natural forest and the gain in forest area through afforestation and natural expansion of forest) was lower in the 1990s than in the 1980s. Net annual forest area change was estimated to be -9.4 million ha for the 1990-2000 period, -11.3 million ha in the 1990-1995 period and -13.0 million ha in 1980-1990. However, the forest area change estimates from FRA 2000 are not directly comparable with those of the previous two assessments, owing to three factors: changes in definitions, changes in natural expansion of forest, giving a balance of -12.5 million ha as the annual net change of natural forest area globally. Of these 3.6 million ha, 2.6 million ha were in non-tropical areas, while 1.0 million ha were in the tropics. Much of the gain in natural forest area was the result of natural forest succession on abandoned agricultural land. Expansion of forest has been occurring for several decades in many industrialized countries, especially where agriculture is no longer an economically viable land use (Box 15). This has been the case, for example, in some countries in Europe. Gains in forest area also occurred through the expansion of forest plantations. The average rate of successful plantation establishment over the decade was 3.1 million ha per year, of which 1.9 million ha were in tropical areas and 1.2 million ha were in non-tropical areas. As shown in Table 5, half of the new plantation area was on land converted from natural forest (i.e. representing reforestation on cleared natural forest land). The net change in forest area during the 1990s (i.e. the sum of changes in natural forests and forest plantations) was an estimated -9.4 million ha per year. This represents the balance between the global deforestation rate of 14.6 million ha per year and the rate of forest area increase of 5.2 million ha per year (Table 6). TABLE 6 Annual gross and net changes in forest area, 1990-2000 (million ha) Domain Deforestation Increase in Net change forest area1 in forest area Tropics -14.2 +1.9 -12.3 Non-tropics -0.4 +3.3 +2.9 World -14.6 +5.2 -9.4 1 Increase in forest area represents the sum of natural expansion of forest and afforestation (see Table 5)
PART II KEY ISSUES IN THE FOREST SECTOR TODAY FIGURE 10 Annual net change in forest area by region, 1990-2000 Area(million ha) Natural forest Forest plantation Total forest -5.0 Asia North South America Source: frA 2000 methodology and updated inventory figures(based on FRA 2000 definitions, information. Nonetheless, if the effects of these methodologies and new data) for most other three factors are taken into consideration, some industrialized countries showed a high degree general conclusions can safely be made of consistency and comparability with the 1990 regarding deforestation over the past 20 years. figures of the previous two assessments. The The change of forest definition for three assessments used essentially the same industrialized countries, while notably increasing definition for natural forest for developing global estimates of forest cover, did not greatly countries. The new definition for plantations affect the estimated rate of change of global which allowed the inclusion of rubberwood forest area. this is because the change in plantations) affected the forest area figure for a definition had the greatest impact on the forest few tropical countries, but without significant area of Australia and the russian Federation effect on the world forest area change rate. where conversions of forest to other land uses The three assessments used the same were relatively small on a global scale and thus methodology to assess forest area change in the id not significantly alter worldwide change industrialized countries. In the developing rates. The revised 1990 national forest area countries, however, FRA 1990 and the interin
PART II KEY ISSUES IN THE FOREST SECTOR TODAY 47 methodology and updated inventory information. Nonetheless, if the effects of these three factors are taken into consideration, some general conclusions can safely be made regarding deforestation over the past 20 years. The change of forest definition for industrialized countries, while notably increasing global estimates of forest cover, did not greatly affect the estimated rate of change of global forest area. This is because the change in definition had the greatest impact on the forest area of Australia and the Russian Federation, where conversions of forest to other land uses were relatively small on a global scale and thus did not significantly alter worldwide change rates. The revised 1990 national forest area figures (based on FRA 2000 definitions, methodologies and new data) for most other industrialized countries showed a high degree of consistency and comparability with the 1990 figures of the previous two assessments. The three assessments used essentially the same definition for natural forest for developing countries. The new definition for plantations (which allowed the inclusion of rubberwood plantations) affected the forest area figure for a few tropical countries, but without significant effect on the world forest area change rate. The three assessments used the same methodology to assess forest area change in the industrialized countries. In the developing countries, however, FRA 1990 and the interim FIGURE 10 Annual net change in forest area by region, 1990-2000 Africa Asia Europe North and Central America South America -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 Area (million ha) Natural forest Forest plantation Total forest Oceania Source: FRA 2000