The designations employed and the presentataion of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opEnion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its fron- tiers or boundaries.

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors alone and do not imply any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAQ. The papers have not been formally reviewed for clearance or trans- lated.

For copies: Regional Forestry Officer FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Maliwan Mansion 39 Phra Atit Road Bangkok 10200 Thailand Tel.: (662) 281-7844 Fax: (662) 280-0445 RAP PUBLICATION: 1995/11

After UNCED: Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles in Asia and the Pacific

Report of the orkshop on the Follow-up to UNCED and Implementation of the Forest Principles

FAQ/RAP Bangkok 16-19 January, 1995

edited by Patrick B. Durst André L. Stewart and Bérénice Muraille

L If I_ q U ~_. I

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) Bangkok 1995 Foreword

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was a defining event forforestry and natural resources management forthe 1990s and beyond. UNCED was unique among international conferences with respect to the number and level of participants attending, the degree of enthusiasm generated, and the magnitude of commitments made by countries to ensure the health of the world's environment.

Of particular relevance to forestry, UNCED delegates agreed to the "Non-legally binding authoritative statement of principles for a global consensus on the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests" (generally referred to as the "Forest Principles'), and Chapter 11 of Agenda 21 ("Combating Deforestation"). These accords provide the foundation for vital reforms in the way the world's forests are managed and used. A significant aspect of these agreements is an enhanced appreciation for the environmental aspects of forests and forestry. Underpinning all UNCED agreements is an uncompromising recognition of the firm bonds between environmental protection and sustainable development.

In the nearly three years since the Rio de Janeiro summit, many countries and organizations have made significant progress in implementing the forest-related agreements of UNCED. The countries of Asia and the Pacific have actively contributed to these positive changes. Still, a great deal more is needed to achieve widespread forest management that is truly sustainable.

To help assess the progress of countries in Asia and the Pacific in implementing the forestry agreements reached at UNCED, and to identify issues of regional concern for consideration by the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development when it reviewed progress in the forestry sector, a regional workshop was convened in Bangkok in January, 1995. The workshop successfully drew upon the experiences of countries and organizations in the region in formulating conclusions and recommendations that were forwarded to the Commission on Sustainable Development, through FAQ's Committee on Forestry.

In reviewing the documentation from that workshop, FAQ and UNEP staff realized that the papers presented at the workshop—particularly the statements provided by country participants—revealed useful insights into the efforts of countries in the region to put into practice the lofty rhetoric espoused at the Earth Summit in Rio. Much of the information contained in the country statements has not yet been widely publicized or disseminated. It was recognized, therefore, that these experiences, along with the conclusions of the workshop, would be of interest to a much broader audience than the small group of individuals who participated in the workshop. For this reason, FAO is pleased to publish this summary of the workshop deliberations and edited statements presented by the participants.

A.Z.M. Obaidullah Khan Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative of FAQ Acknowledgements

The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific gratefully acknowledges the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for providing core funding to organize and implement the Workshop on the Follow-Up to UNCED and Implementation of the Forest Principles in Asia and the Pacific. UNEP funding has also made possible the publication and dissemination of this document. The FAQ Tropical Forests Action Programme provided funds to support the participation of National Forest Action Programme Coordinators from several countries at the workshop. FAO and UNEP are especially grateful to the participants of the workshop, who contributed so substantially despite having only limited time to prepare for the workshop. Contents

\/orkshop Report ...... 1

Introduction...... 3 Global and Regional Experience in hnpleemnting Agenda 21 (Chapter 11, "Combating Deforestationt') and the Forest Principles...... 5 Asia and the Pacific Countries' Progress and Experiences in Implementing Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles 8 Working Group Reports...... 13

(i)pening Addresses...... 21

Beyond the Rio Rhetoric...... 22 UNEP Statement...... 27

List of Participants...... 33

CountryStateirients ...... 37

Bangladesh...... 39 Bhutan ...... 43 China...... 45 Fiji ...... 48 India...... 53 Indonesia...... 60 Japan ...... 63 Republic of Korea ...... 65 Lao People's Democratic Republic 67 Nepal...... 70 Papua New Guinea...... 74 Philippines...... 78 SriLanka...... 86 Thailand...... 91

REPORT OF THE WORKSHOP ON FOLLOW-UP TO UNCED AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOREST PRINCIPLES IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 16-19 January 1995 Bangkok, Thailand

Context and Objectives of the Work- I. INTRODUCTION shop The Regional Workshop on the Follow-Up to UNCED and Implementation of the Forest Prin- Since the convening of the United Nations Con- ciples was held at the FAO Regional Office for ference on Environment and Development Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand, from (UNCED), several governments and interna- 16 to 19 January 1995. The meeting, sup- tional agencies have recognized the need to ported by the United Nations Environment restructure their environmental sectors and Programme (UNEP) and the FAO Tropical For- policies as recommended in Agenda 21. Many ests Action Program (TFAP), was organized by positive actions have already been taken by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pa- governments, NGOs, and international orga- cific (FAO/RAPA). nizations in Asia and the Pacific. However, it has become apparent that, since the signing Participants in the Workshop included senior of the Rio Declaration and the Forest Principles, forestry professionals and coordinators of Na- the implications of these agreements for sus- tional Forest Action Programs (NFAPs) from the tainable management of forest ecosystems are following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, yet to be fully understood or appreciated at the Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Ko- local, national, and regional levels. rea, Lao PDR, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Phil- ippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vanuatu. Also Given that the United Nations Commission on participating were representatives from the Ja- Sustainable Development (CSD) was to review pan Environment Agency, United Nations Envi- progress on the implementation of Agenda 21 ronment Programme (UNEP), United Nations forestry recommendations in April 1995, it was Development Programme (UNDP), and the considered important for countries of the Asia- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Pacific region to be given the opportunity to highlight issues of particular concern to the Nations (FAO). region to the CSD. This Workshop was thus The Workshop was opened with addresses organized by the FAO Regional Office for Asia from Mr. Dong Qingsong, FAO Deputy Re- and the Pacific (FAO/RAPA), with financial gional Representative, and Mr. Suvit Yodamni, support from UNEP and FAO/TFAP. UNEP Regional Director and Representative. The overall objective of the Workshop was to The Workshop was chaired by Mr. Jose Malvas, review and assess the progress of Asia and Jr., Director of the Forest Management Bureau, Pacific countries in implementing the forestry- Philippines Department of Environment and related agreements reached at UNCED, par- Natural Resources. Mr. Ram Swarup, Con- ticularly Chapter 11 of Agenda 21 ("Com- servator of Forests of Fiji, was elected Vice- bating Deforestation"), and the Non-legally bind- Chairman. Mr. Thosapala Hewage, NFAP ing authoritative statement of principles for a Coordinator for Sri Lanka, served as Rapporteur. global consensus on the management, conser- vation and sustainable development of all types

Workshop Report of forests (generally referred to as the 'Forest iv) National Forestiy Action Programs Principles"). The Workshop was designed to for the Implementation ofAgenda 21 provide Asia-Pacific countries an opportunity to and the Forest Principles (prepared highlight achievements, issues, constraints, and by the NFAP Support Unit, FAO/ recommendations of particular relevance for Rome). countries of the region. b) country statements and reports on the The specific objectives of the Workshop were progress and constraints in implement- to: ing Agenda 21 and the Forest Prin- ciples. Review the progress and constraints in implementing Agenda 21 and the For- est Principles in countries of Asia and Working Groups the Pacific; To facilitate greater interaction and discussion, Identify forestry issues and recom men- the participants were organized into two work- dations of particular importance to the ing groups to discuss the most significant Asia-Pacific region to be brought to the achievements of Asia-Pacific countries in attention of the CSD, when it reviews implementing Agenda 21, problems and con- progress in the forestry sector; and, straints encountered, and issues of particular importance to the Asia-Pacific region to be Provide the CSD (through the Commit- brought to the attention of the CSD. tee on Forestry and the Ministerial Meet- ing to be organized by FAQ in March, Working Group I discussed the following 1995) with recommendations on the themes related to Agenda 21 and the Forest use of National Forest Action Plans for Principles: the implementation of UNCED Agenda 21 in forestry. • Conservation, management and over- all aspects of sustainable development of forests Documentation • Sustainable use of forests and related The basic documentation for the Workshop aspects of economic development consisted of: • Role of major groups and social aspects a) resource papers prepared by FAO and of forests UNEP, including the following:

i) Review of the Forest Principles 20 Working Group II discussed the following Months after Rio (prepared by themes: UNEP/Nairobi); • Institutional strengthening and capac- i) Summary Note on Areas of ity building Progress, Experiences, and Se- lected Issues in UNCED Follow-Up • International and regional cooperation with Emphasis on Developing and support Countries (prepared by FAQ! Rome); • Forestry issues relating to other Chap- ters of Agenda 21 and international iii) Implementation of Agenda 21 and agreements the Forest Principles in Asia and the Pacific: Draft Discussion Paper (prepared by FAO/RAPA);

4 workshop Report • TFAP as an instrument to implement It was noted that practical pre-UNCED actions Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles in sustainable forest management have con- tinued, but, more importantly, there has been a A synthesis of the conclusions of the Working focus on creating the conditions to facilitate Groups is provided in Part IV of this report. even faster progress in the future. In this re- spect, actions have been initiated to balance environment with development in policies, leg- II. GLOBAL AND REGIONAL EXPERI- islation, strategies (such as National Forestry ENCE IN iMPLEMENTING AGENDA 21 Action Plans), programs, and institutional ar- (CHAPTER II, "COMBATING DEFOR- rangements. Since UNCED, there has also ESTATION") AND THE FOREST PRIN- been an increased recognition of the external driving forces behind forest loss and degrada- CIPLES tion such as poverty, rapid population growth, policy incentives that support inappropriate Progress, experiences, and selected issues land uses, high levels of consumption, waste, in UNCED follow-up with emphasis on de- and pollution. veloping countries The environmental aspects of forests, includ- The Workshop was briefed on global perspec- ing greater attention to conservation (such as tives of the UNCED process and arrangements biodiversity and protected areas) have been for review of forestry by the CSD, (Mr. Mafa given a higher profile since UNCED. The pace Chipeta), UNCED Follow-up Focal Point for in achieving balance between environment and Forestry in FAO. Mr. Chipeta also outlined the development, however, and approaches for roles of FAO in pre-CSD preparations and pre- doing so, have not always been perceived the sented elements from the draft Task Manager's same way by all interest groups—governments, report on forests. NGOs, and the private sector. This has caused controversy, creating the need for consensus Observing that Asia and the Pacific is extremely building on a priority basis. vast and diverse, Mr. Chipeta indicated that it would be unrealistic and inappropriate to ex- To create a basis to assess progress, some pect a "joint," or common, position on issues countries have cooperated to develop criteria for consideration by the CSD. Instead, a range and indicators for sustainable forest manage- of issues which reflect the diversity of situa- ment, although so far with limited participa- tions was viewed as appropriate. tion from the developing countries. These in- dicators could partly be used in certificating The Workshop was reminded that central to forest products in international trade. Progress UNCED agreements was the recognition that and experiences were also presented with re- both development and environment must be gard to: the elimination of earlier unilateral re- given a central role in the way ahead and that strictions in the timber trade; changes in pro- there should be no question of choosing be- duction and consumption patterns; lack of in- tween environment and development. Either novation in international cooperation and its one on its own is inadequate and continuing poor coordination; modest flows of unsustainable, while the two are mutually sup- official development funding; limited technologi- portive. cal development and technology transfer; in- stitutional weaknesses and need for capacity Highlights on post-UNCED progress made to- building; modest progress in involving major ward this main UNCED goal were given, with groups and people in forestry; and outstand- a special focus on developing countries. Ex- ing deficiencies in information on the state of amples were also drawn from the developed forests and on their valuation. countries of the region, including Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

vvorkshop Repoil It was reported that there have been no specific Progress in incorporating environmen- actions to initiate review of the non-legally-bind- tal concerns into forestry under ing Forest Principles which the countries had Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles agreed to keep under review. To provide a ba- sis to decide whether, and, if so, in what direc- Mr. Bai-Mass M. Taal, Senior Program Officer tion to go forward, it was reported that FAO was with UNEP's Terrestrial Ecosystems Branch, arranging for review of merits of various options presented an overview perspective on progress at the March 1995 meeting of the Commthee on in incorporating environmental concerns into Forestry and the Meeting of Ministers respon- forestry since UNCED. He noted the signifi- sible for forestry which will follow it. cance of Principle 4 of the Rio Declaration, which states that: A detailed outline of arrangements for achiev- ing convergence of ideas, initiatives and pro- "to achieve sustainable development, posals, so as to reach CSD with a harmonized environmental protection shall consti- and coherent message for the sector was out- tute an integral part of the development lined. Of particular importance will be the March process and cannot be considered in 1995 session of the FAO Committee on For- isolation from it." estry (COFO) and its associated special Meet- ing of Ministers responsible for forestry. These Complementing this principle are several para- will be preceded by consultations with NGO5, graphs and elements of the Forest Principles the private sector, representatives of organiza- calling for holistic and balanced approaches in tions leading various initiatives to develop cri- forest development, incorporating all aspects teria and indicators of sustainable forest man- of environmental, social, and economic devel- agement, TFAP coordinators, and the CSD's opment. own preparatory Inter-Sessional Working Group. Before COFO and the Ministerial Meet- The Forest Principles are significant as they ing, regional perspectives are to be enriched reflect, for the first time, a general consensus by the convening of FAO/UNEP regional meet- on all types of forests. They constitute a politi- ings, sessions of some FAQ Regional Forestry cal document, affirming general values, while Commissions (and of a special meeting of the Chapter 11 of Agenda 21 provides an action bureaux of regional commission) and from plan to achieve the objectives outlined in the country reports still being provided to FAQ. Principles and other forest-related UNCED out- puts. The Workshop was informed that a draft, which would serve as the basis for the UN Secretary- The countries are still grappling with how to General's report to the CSD had been prepared incorporate environmental concerns into for- by FAQ and sent to the Secretary General's estry. For example, in Asia, 49 percent of all Office in early December 1994, using inputs forest areas are designated for wood produc- received from governments, NGOs, private tion, compared with 14 percent for environmen- sector associations and inter-governmental or- tal protection. ganizations. Detailed information was given on FAQ arrangements to ensure that information Since Rio, there have been a number of initia- from the regional consultations could be chan- tives or processes to put into action the Forest nelled to CSD through the COFO process. Principles. A number of countries, however, have focused only on particular elements of the Forest Principles for implementation.

6 Workshop Report Workshop Report ]

The most developed element is 8(d): formula- • The Republic of Korea's National For- tion of criteria, guidelines, and methodologies est Plan (incorporating development and for sustainable forest management. In line with conservation of forests) this element are the Montreal and Helsinki Pro- cesses for the development of criteria and in- These developments indicate that improve- dicators. ments have been made in incorporating envi- ronmental concerns into forestry since UNCED. All four program areas of Chapter 11, and the Preamble of Agenda 21, call for an increase in partnership to achieve the Rio Declaration. Con- National Forestry Action Plans for the siderable progress has been made in this area. Implementation of Agenda 21 and The Global Forest Conference, convened in In- Forest Principles donesia in early 1993, was the first global initia- tive after Rio. It resulted in the Bandung Decla- Mr.. Darmo Suparmo, TFAP Adviser for Asia ration, calling for enhanced international part- and the Pacific, presented an assessment of nership to address global forest problems. the experience in using National Forestry Ac- tion Plans to implement Agenda 21 and the Other international processes that have at- Forest Principles. TFAP has evolved consid- tempted to incorporate environmental concerns erably, with continuous feedback and adjust- into forestry include: ment, since it was formulated in the mid-I 980s. The goal of TFAP is to promote the sustain- Indo-British Forestry Initiative; able use of tropical forest resources to meet local and national needs, by fostering interna- Malaysia-Canada Initiative; tional and national partnerships to manage, protect and restore forest resources for the CIFOR-lndonesia Policy Dialogue on benefit of present and future generations Science, Forests and Sustainability. throughout the world.

Similar efforts at the national level attempt to The key features and essential characteristics enhance environmental considerations in for- of TFAP are: est management. They include the following: implementation by the country; Canada's Model Forest Program; involvement by all concerned partners; • Indonesia's eco-labelling and certifica- tion preparatory activities; harmonization and coordination;

India's National Conservation Strategy; • action oriented by identification of is- sues; China's National Agenda 21; flexibility Bangladesh's Forestry Master Plan; The use of National Forestry Action Plans as a • Japan's system of forest management tool for implementing sustainable forest man- and forest ecosystem reserves; agement is explicitly encouraged in Chapter 11 of Agenda 21. • Philippine's "Banner Program 1994;"

7 Workshop Report The TFAP, or parallel Forestry Master Plan pro- III. ASIA AND PACIFIC COUNTRIES' cess, has been adopted by 21 developing coun- PROGRESS AND EXPERIENCES IN tries in Asia and the Pacific. Ten countries in IMPLEMENTING AGENDA 21 AND THE the region are implementing NFAP programs. FOREST PRINCIPLES China has successfully completed the Simao Forest Action Plan (SFAP) project, and Hunan UNCED served to effectively elevate the issues Province of China is likely to hold a roundtable and concern for the world's environment, includ- meeting to facilitate further actions. It is antici- ing forests. The long-term nature of forestry pated that two other countries (i.e., Bangladesh and the extensive requirements needed to solve and Thailand) will reach the implementation major forestry problems, however, preclude dra- phase of their NFAPs in 1995. matic positive change in the sector. Much of the progress that has been achieved since NFAPs are most successful when they are well UNCED has been related to the continuation or integrated within the overall national develop- the acceleration of earlier programs. Common ment program of the country. This has happened across most countries, have been preparatory in most countries which have initiated NFAPs in actions to create an environment conducive to Asia and the Pacific. effective future practical action, including aware- ness raising, attitude adjustment, preparation A number of problems have been encountered of standards, policy changes, planning and in the preparation and implementation of NFAPs. strategy development, and institutional improve- They include the following: ment.

• weak country capacity in the coordina- UNCED reflected the conviction that the for- tion of partners in NFAP preparation and estry sector should allow environmental con- implementation; siderations to permeate all development and become a central rather than peripheral issue. • insufficient funds to support NFAP pro- It also highlighted the role of non-governmen- grams, especially in the areas of forests tal interests (including those of forest-depen- products utilization, non-wood forest dent communities) in sustainable forest devel- products development, and plantation opment and the inter-sectoral nature of many development; key forestry concerns. For the forestry sector, awareness of this among policy-makers and • failure to involve all concerned partners, planners and the associated attitude change including NGOs, from the beginning of has been among the major areas of world-wide NFAP exercises; progress since UNCED.

• insufficient information and data upon The change in attitude has prompted efforts to search for early achievement of sustainable for- which to base forest resources manage- est management and to develop the neces- ment. sary criteria and indicators to measure the Workshop participants strongly endorsed the progress towards this goal. The development TFAP process and agreed that NFAPs can be of criteria and indicators which will permit cer- effective tools for the implementation of Agenda tification, will also lay the foundation for non- 21 and the Forest Principles. The participants discriminatory trade in sustainably-produced noted that FAQ's capacity to support the TFAP timber from all types of forests and should make process should be enhanced to ensure effec- bans and boycotts unnecessary, tive development and implementation of NFAPs.

8 Workshop Report International debate is increasingly concerned Management, conservation, and sus- with how to integrate national development tainable development of forests considerations with global environmental ben- efits such as ameliorating climate change or At UNCED, and on numerous following occa- conserving genetic pools. A standing issue is sions, countries of the region have committed how to provide incentives or compensation to themselves to achieving and practicing sus- those countries or communities which forego tainable forest management. ITTO's Objec- rights to utilize their forests in order to contrib- tive 2000 provided initial impetus in this area, ute to global environmental security. which has gained added momentum since U NC ED.

New or Adapted Policies, Plans and Most countries of the region have accelerated Strategies reforestation efforts since UNCED. The plant- ing programs of China, India, Indonesia, and Most countries of the region are reorienting Viet Nam are especially noteworthy for their forest policies and strategies in line with scale. In 1994, FAQ initiated a new regional UNCED and Agenda 21. For example, in Ma- project to support reforestation programs in laysia, a revised National Forestry Policy was Bhutan, Lao People's Democratic Repub- approved in 1992 and a new National Forestry lic, Myanmar, and Viet Nam. Act in 1993. Further, land was designated as permanent forest estate and a continuous for- Several countries have harmonized their poli- est monitoring system was made operational cies on forest concession management. In- in 1993. From 1993 Malaysia granted private donesia, for example, has been implement- forest plantations owners full tax exemption of ing legislation which makes it possible for the between 5 to 10 years under various fiscal ini- government to assume the management of tiatives. Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, concessions which do not fully comply with and Samoa have also recently adopted new regulations by establishing joint ventures be- forest policies. Sri Lanka is revising its For- tween the concession holder and government estry Master Plan of 1986 to incorporate more forest enterprises. environmental considerations into its forest management plans, and India has recently Since UNCED, there has been increased at- begun developing a National Forestry Action tention to conservation, exemplified by the cre- Plan. Japan has introduced a new "Forest ation or expansion of protected areas in sev- Management System Based on River Basin" eral countries. Under its pilot phase, the Glo- approach to enhance forest management bal Environment Facility funded several devel- across different ownerships. oping country projects in the Asia-Pacific re- gion, largely on protected areas, including wild- Several countries, including China and the life management. Similar support is being pro- Philippines, have developed comprehensive vided by the World Bank and the Asian Devel- national Agenda 21 programs. India has de- opment Bank in Indonesia. veloped an Environmental Action Plan, which provides a framework for Agenda 21 actions. The preparation and implementation of NFAPs Promotion of sustainable patterns of have continued after UNCED. IUCN-assisted production and consumption National Conservation Strategies have contin- ued to be prepared, while in some countries, As the leading suppliers of tropical wood prod- National Sustainable Development Strategies ucts, Asia-Pacific countries are very concerned (NSDS) are ready. about initiatives in developed countries which threaten their traditional markets. Partly to

9 Workshop Report respond to concerns in market countries, Asia- Paper fiber recycling is emphasized in the re- Pacific producers are actively promoting the gion. In Japan, the waste paper utilization rate development and application of criteria and in- is over 50 per cent; in the Philippines, about dicators for sustainable forest management. three-fourths of all waste paper is now recycled. Indonesia and Malaysia have taken the lead in In Singapore and Hong Kong, the rate is nearly this area and may soon start sustainability cer- 100 per cent. tification. Pre-UNCED programs to improve efficiency of Several countries in the region have initiated ef- wood stoves (to reduce fuelwood demand) have forts to reduce logging damage and negative continued in many countries. impacts of forest operations. For example, Ma- laysia, Indonesia, India, and the Philippines A development with significant conservation have active programs to test and encourage re- implications in the Asia-Pacific region is the duced impact logging. rapid increase in rubberwood processing as a substitute for certain tropical hardwoods that Fiji has recently adopted a model logging code risk depletion. In Malaysia, rubber clones that designed to enforce environmentally sound for- are more suited for timber production are being est harvesting. Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, developed. Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are drawing up a regional code of conduct that will set minimum standards for log- Role of major groups and social as- ging and export of timber. pects of forests

Forest industries in the region remain relatively Non-governmental organizations inefficient in terms of wood conversion into marketable products. Some countries (e.g., Environmental organizations are rapidly gain- Philippines) are undergoing major restructur- ing power and influence in many countries of ing of the their industrial processing sector to the Asia-Pacific region. Building on their al- modernize equipment and adapt to the reali- ready formidable base, environmental NGOs ties of reduced raw material supplies, smaller in India, Thailand, and the Philippines have logs, and increased dependency on plantation- significantly expanded their power since grown wood. UNCED. In Thailand, advocacy groups have strongly influenced the pace of development Since UNCED, increased attention has been and the orientation of the Master Plan for For- focused on non-wood forest products and ser- estry and the design of a major GEF-supported vices (such as ecotourism) as potential alter- protected area program. In other countries of natives to more damaging timber harvesting. the region, fledgling advocacy groups are be- Several countries in the region are increasing ginning to exert increasing influence in forestry emphasis in these areas. However, the lack of debates. In Indonesia, for example, a con- knowledge of complex management, utilization, sortium of environmental groups recently el- and marketing aspects of these products and evated public awareness of forestry issues con- services is limiting more rapid development. siderably by encouraging debate over reallo- Concerns also exist that non-wood forest prod- cation of government reforestation funds. ucts might be over-exploited the same way that timber resources have been in some places.

10 Workshop Report In addition to local NGOs, international NGOs An important government incentive which can actively support conservation and sustainable be provided for sustainable forest management forest management throughout Asia and the is the adoption of policies supportive of private Pacific. Since UNCED, such organizations investment and entrepreneurship into value- have been especially active in developing lo- adding industries instead of simple trade in raw cal capacities in many countries with previously materials. An example of what investment in limited links to the international NGO commu- technology, human resources development, nity, such as Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Lao and local entrepreneurship can achieve is the People's Democratic Republic, and Viet evolution of forest utilization in Indonesia from Nam. International NGOs have also aggres- export of raw logs to local processing of timber sively promoted the development and applica- products. tion of criteria and indicators of sustainable for- est management and the certification of wood products. Other major groups and civil society

Various "operational" NGOs and community- Tribal and clan ownership and management based organizations have played a critical role of forest resources has a long tradition in Papua in practical implementation of grassroots con- New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, and other South servation and forest-based livelihood programs Pacific countries. In Fiji, the Native Land Trust and in local empowerment and capacity build- Board assists in the management of forest land ing. To benefit from perceived NGO strengths, in many areas. In other areas, forest manage- many international and government agencies ment decisions are made exclusively by local are closely working with NGOs. In the Philip- groups or in collaboration with government or- pines, for example, some protected areas are ganizations. now co-managed by the government and envi- ronmental NGOs. Local governments and communities are be- ing given increasing levels of responsibility for The commercial private sector forest management and protection in several countries of the region. A recent trend toward The commercial private sector is critically im- decentralization and devolution of forest man- portant for forestry in Asia and the Pacific. The agement responsibilities to local governments, high level of commercial exploitation in some user groups, local communities and individu- countries of the region means that private com- als has taken place in Bangladesh, India, the panies wield tremendous influence over for- Philippines, Nepal, New Zealand, Viet Nam, estry, particularly in the management, utiliza- China, Lao People's Democratic Republic, tion, and marketing areas. and Indonesia.

The transition from centrally planned econo- Such decentralization and devolution has not mies toward market economies in China, Lao released central governments from all forestry People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, related responsibilities, however. Important Myanmar, and Viet Nam is presenting new technical assistance, monitoring, and regula- opportunities and challenges for the private tory duties remain. In many cases, however, commercial sector and the governments in- the staff needs of central government forestry volved. These countries are being faced with agencies have changed dramatically, and gov- great opportunities and risks as forest man- ernment forest departments are strugglingly to agement and exploitation are opening up to identify their roles in the rapidly changing re- private-sector investment, privatization of state source management environment. corporations, and joint ventures with interna- tional firms.

11 Workshop Report Forest-dependent peoples are highlighted un- Asia and the Pacific receives a relatively large der the new forestry policy of the Asian Devel- portion of the international funding for forestry, opment Bank which intends to give them an but the funding patterns are highly uneven. The economic stake in forests. Viet Nam and India Philippines, for example, has obtained over have variously encouraged participation by lo- 100 percent of the external funding needs iden- cals and forest dwellers. tified under its TFAP process, while Fiji, Lao People's Democratic Republic, and Viet Nam have received less than 25 percent of their iden- Institutional strengthening and capac- tified needs. ity-building

Post-UNCED capacity building efforts have been Technology transfer and technical coopera- at three levels: creating an "enabling environ- tion ment;" building up the capacities of government institutions; and strengthening NGO, local com- Since UNCED, two major new international or- munity and individual citizen capabilities. The ganizations have been established in Asia. most deliberate post-UNCED initiative in capac- These are the Center for International Forestry ity building remains UNDP's Capacity 21, Research (CIFOR), and the Southeast Asian launched in 1993. UNDP's Country Capacity Regional Research Program of the International for National Forest Programs (CCNFP), which Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF). complements Capacity 21 is designed espe- In addition, the International Tropical Timber cially to enhance the capacity of countries to Agreement, under which ITTO operates, was manage national forest programs. Consider- renegotiated with a mandate to strongly pursue ably more funding is needed for these programs the goals of sustainable forest management to succeed in meeting their objectives. throughout the region and the world.

Several other regional organizations funded by International and regional cooperation bilateral organizations are making significant contributions toward sustainable forest man- and support agement objectives. Among these are the Regional Community Forestry Training Center, Finance the Asian Institute of Forest Management, and the ASEAN-Canada Tree Seed Centre. The two main multilateral funding organizations supporting forestry in Asia and the Pacific are The FAO-executed Forestry Research Support the World Bank and the Asian Development Program for Asia and the Pacific (FORSPA), Bank. Forestry lending by the World Bank in funded by the Asian Development Bank and the early 1990s has more than doubled com- UNDP, provides a model for promoting low-cost pared with the early 1980s. Since 1977, the South-South technology sharing. Asian Development Bank (AsDB) has made cumulative forestry loans amounting to US$ 794.32 million (annual average US$ 39.7 mil- Recent developments and experiences in lion). international cooperation In terms of financing technical assistance in Given that many environmental issues are forestry, the leading source in the UN system trans-boundary, regional cooperation will be in- is UNDP, particularly through allocations un- creasingly important. A prime example of such derthe Indicative Planning Figure (IPF) of coun- cooperation is provided by the recent agree- tries. In 1993 UNDP provided US$ 20.3 mil- ment by the Prime Ministers of Australia, Fiji, lion for forestry worldwide through FAO alone. New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Asia received more than US$ 10 million in UNDP support for forestry in 1992.

12 Workshoo Report Islands and Vanuatu to work toward a com- for example, has recently drafted a comprehen- mon code of conduct relating to logging and log sive Biodiversity Action Plan and begun its exports from indigenous forests. implementation.

Many countries in the region are similarly ac- tive in various initiatives designed to pursue IV. WORKING GROUP REPORTS the goals of UNCED. Among these are the Indo-British Initiative; the Canada-Malaysia Ini- During the course of the Workshop, Working tiative, CI FOR-Indonesia Policy Dialogue, and Groups separately discussed achievements, the Montreal Process. It is important to note constraints, and issues in seven thematic ar- that many of these processes initiated in the eas related to the implementation of Agenda Asia-Pacific region. 21. Working Group I addressed the first three themes, while Working Group II focused on With assistance from ITTO, Indonesia and the second four themes. The groups met in Malaysia have recently established a trans-fron- plenary to thoroughly discuss all conclusions tier reserve in a key area of more than I million and recommendations of both groups. This hectares straddling the two countries' border in summary, therefore, represents the consensus Borneo. conclusions and recommendations of the en- tire Workshop.

Forestry elements relating to other chapters of Agenda 21 and the Con- WORKING GROUP I ventions. Theme 1: Conservation, manage- A few countries (e.g., Indonesia and Viet ment and sustainable development of Nam) have raised agricultural yields, which forests may lead to an eventual reduction in the rate of forest clearing for new farm land. Poverty, and Major achievements in the region: policies resulting in reduced access to yield en- hancing inputs (including some elements of - Adopted National Forestry Action Plans structural adjustment) are holding many other or Master Plans for Forestry; countries back in this area. - One country (Indonesia) formulated Several countries in Asia and the Pacific (par- and adopted a national land use policy ticularly the middle-income countries) have demonstrated considerable success in reduc- - Community and participatory forestry ing their rates of population growth. Others practices were promoted and en- have made little progress in this area. hanced;

Some countries in the region (e.g., Malaysia) - Awareness, on the part of all people, to have pilot projects on carbon sequestration environmental issues and the role of for- through reduced impact logging or reforesta- ests and trees were greatly enhanced; tion. The number and extent of protected With support from the World Bank, AsDB, and areas in most countries have been sub- other donor organizations, many countries in stantially increased, and some coun- the region are devoting considerable attention tries have enacted new laws for im- to the conservation of biodiversity. Indonesia, proved management of protected ar- eas;

13 Workshop Report - Most countries have formulated and ap- biodiversity of importance to the coun- proved new national forest policies; try and the world, and to strengthen the effectiveness of protected area man- All countries committed increased invest- agement. ment and resources for forest develop- ment and environmental amelioration. Theme 2: Sustainable use of forests and related aspects of eco- Major constraints to effective implementa- nomic development: tion: Major achievements in the region: - Lack of firm political will; - Most nations have either rationalized or - Conflicting forest use function and ab- taken steps to rationalize annual allow- sence of conflict resolution mecha- able harvest of forest products; nisms; Several countries have taken steps to - Unresolved land tenure issues; improve harvesting systems, reduce damaging skidding practices, and mini- - Funding inadequacies; mize soil disturbances through the ap- plication of low impact logging and the - Lack of appropriate forestry technology adoption of revised logging codes; and research support; Some countries imposed restrictions on - Lack of adequatly trained human re- the export of logs and primary products; sources and institutional capacity. instead they are promoting in-country processing and the export of value- added products; Issues of particular importance to be brought to the attention of the CSD: - Steps have been taken to increase the recycling of forest products and to re- - All nations should be called upon to for- duce waste; mulate national land use policies; Environmental impact assessment pro- All nations should be reminded to for- cedures have been established for for- mulate and adopt NFAPs, or similar ap- estry and other land use, and for forest propriate forest management plans, and industries in a number of countries; endeavor to implement them in an ef- fective manner; - One country (Philippines) introduced a system of environmental management All nations should be requested to cre- charges; ate Forest Development Funds as ap- propriate, to augment their existing Steps have been taken to promote tour- funding commensurate with forestry de- ism (including ecotourism), resulting in velopment requirements; new opportunities for rural development and increased revenue earnings from All countries should be encouraged to forest areas. support the establishment of protected areas that adequately conserve the

14 Workshop Report

Major constraints to effective imple- the free trade of all forest products mentation: derived from sustainably managed for- ests. - Lack of clear political decisions on ways to satisfy community needs from for- ests; Theme 3: Role of major groups and so- cial aspects of forests - Conflicts between short-term economic interests in forests and sustainable for- Major achievements in the region: est management requirements; Land titles and usufructuary rights of - Unilateral trade restrictions; indigenous people on forest land have received greater recognition; the needs - Improper identification of research pri- and wishes of indigenous people have orities and reluctance to invest in rel- been given increased attention; evant research programs; People's awareness and understand- - Lack of appropriate technologies and ing of sustainable forest management mechanisms to transfer such technolo- and environmental degradation issues gies; have improved;

- Lack of investment funds; - Mechanisms for sharing the benefits from sustainable forest management - Absence of appropriate evaluation tech- have been expanded; niques for environmental costs and benefits. Decision making and consultation on forest management issues have been decentralized and broadened in most Issues of particular importance to be countries; brought to the attention of the CSD: The contributions of environmental Nations should be urged to improve groups across many sectors to the plan- mechanisms for the transfer of forestry- ning and implementation of forest man- related technology; agement have received greater appre- ciation; Influence liberalized Official Develop- ment Assistance (ODA) from developed Volunteers (e.g., NGOs, boy scouts, to the developing countries as envis- school groups, environmental organi- aged in UNCED 1992; zations, etc.) have been mobilized for tree planting and forest protection to a Nations should be requested to honor greater extent than in the past. international laws and agreements gov- erning the free trade of all forest prod- ucts; non-discriminatory and multilater- Major constraints to effective implementa- ally agreed rules and procedures, and tion: open and free international trade in for- est products, should be facilitated; - Poor communication and understand- ing between forestry personnel and for- Nations should be urged to explore and est neighbors/indigenous people; develop mechanisms that encourage

15 Workshop Report Communication and publicity inadequa- equately address the issues of sustain- cies; able management of forests;

- Lack of knowledge and institutional ca- Lack of coordination among the differ- pacity to deal with the needs of special ent agencies and organizations con- groups in and near forests. cerned with land use and management of natural resources;

Issues of particular importance to be Lack of national land use and forest poli- brought to the attention of the CSD: cies.

Governments should be encouraged to recognize the role of major groups in Issues of particular importance to be dealing with the social aspects of for- brought to the attention of the CSD: estry, and improve coordination and co- operation with them to help solve forest Financial and technical support to coun- management problems. tries that do not have land use and for- est policies should be accelerated to enable them to develop and implement WORKING GROUP 2 such policies;

Theme 4: Institutional Strengthening - Country capacity for planning, policy re- and Capacity Building search, and analysis should be strengthened; Major achievements in the region: - Networks to exchange research results - Frequent and significant international fora and other information should be en- on issues related to forestry; hanced;

Since UNCED, three global initiatives on The process of involving NGOs and the implementation of the Forestry Prin- communities in the management of for- ciples were started in the countries of ests should be accelerated; this re- the region; quires considerable training and sensi- tizing of community leaders, forestry - Considerable progress has been made personnel, and NGOs for which train- in developing criteria and indicators for ing-of-trainers should be given a high sustainable use of forest resources; priority;

Governments should take steps to en- Major constraints to effective implementa- sure adequate budgetary support for tion: forestry institutions;

Forestry is generally given a low priority An improved coordinating mechanism in developing economies; for country capacity building should be Lack of institutional capacity to ad- developed and institutionalized.

16 Workshop Report

Theme 5: International and Regional FAO should become a focal point for

Cooperation and Support technological support and, to fulfill its mandate, it may examine options to

Major achievements in the region: strengthen its organization.

- Bilateral assistance in forestry has in- creased considerably since UNCED; Theme 6: Forest Issues Relating to other Chapters of Agenda A number of cooperative initiatives (e.g., 21 and International Agree- Bandung Declaration, Malaysia- ments Canada, and lndo-British) have been started with the objective of furthering Major achievements in the region: international dialogue on the implemen- tation of the Forest Principles; - Many countries have signed the Con- ventions on Biodiversity and Combating A recent ministerial-level meeting was Desertification; convened at ESCAP in Bangkok where Agenda 21 issues were discussed and - The extent of protected areas in the re- an action plan was approved. gion has been increased;

Programs linking improved agricultural Major constraints to effective implementa- production with forestry (e.g., ICRAF's tion: program on alternatives to slash-and- burn agriculture) have been initiated in - Inadequate funding through multilateral the region since UNCED. agencies;

- Skewed distribution of international Major constraints to effective implementa- funding; tion:

- Lack of coordination among donor - Lack of coordination among govern- agencies; ment agencies with responsibilities for inter-related issues affecting forestry; - Inadequate technology transfer; - Lack of mechanisms for the manage- - Reduced capacity in FAO to focus on ment of shared ecosystems across le- forestry issues due to resource con- gal boundaries; straints. - Rapidly changing lifestyles and de- mands of rural people in developing Issues of particular importance to be countries; brought to the attention of the CSD: - Poverty and land hunger; There is a need for greater devolvement of funds from international donors and - Poor understanding of the diversity of a more equitable system of disburse- biological resources. ments should be ensured;

- The pace of technology transfer should be accelerated;

17 Workshop Report Issues of particular importance to be brought to the attention of the CSD: - Countries should be encouraged to in- crease cooperation in controlling the All countries should be encouraged to trade and use of endangered wildlife; sign the Convention on Combating De- sertification and share their relevant ex- Countries should be encouraged to re- periences and technologies of combat- view all land use, agriculture, rural de- ing desertification. Special funding velopment, and other policies related to mechanisms to support these efforts forestry for their potential negative im- should be ensured; pacts on forests, and revise them to reduce or eliminate damaging effects on Considering the fact that mountain ar- forests. eas are watersheds of the river systems that ensure food security, and are frag- ile ecosystems, countries should be Theme 7: TFAP as an Instrument to urged to give special attention to the Implement Agenda 21, preparation of effective management (Chapter 11, "Combating plans for such areas; Deforestation") and Forest Principles Considering that sound agricultural and rural development is vital to the health of Major achievements in the region: forests, nations should be encouraged to fully integrate rural development and National Forest Action Plans and For- agriculture; efforts to enhance the devel- estry Master Plans play an important role opment of rural industries and other in- in supporting implementation of the For- come and employment alternatives estry Principles in more than 20 coun- should be given high priority; tries in Asia and the Pacific;

In view of the importance of conserving The evaluation and revision of the TFAP biodiversity for future generations, the and Master Plan processes have led to CSD may wish to consider the following greater complementarity in supporting recommendations: the Forest Principles.

> protected area networks should Major constraints to effective implementa- be expanded tion:

> surveys of biological resources - FAQ's capacity to service the TFAP pro- should be accelerated cess is limited;

> intellectual property rights issues Many partners (including national gov- related to biodiversity should be ernments in some countries) have given resolved a low priority to the implementation of NFAPs; > the rate and level of the transfer of biotechnology should be en- - Weak institutional capacity to implement hanced. NFAPs;

- Lack of adequate financial resources.

18 Workshop Report Issues of particular importance to be - Financial and institutional support to brought to the attention of the CSD: TFAP should be enhanced; TFAP should receive adequate admin- - Country capacity to implement NFAPs istrative and financial support from all should be strengthened on a priority partners; basis. All countries that have not already done so should initiate NFAPs, or similar com- prehensive forestry planning exercises, on a priority basis;

19 Workshop Report

BEYOND THE RIO RHETORIC: A TIME FOR ACTION IN FORESTRY

Dong Qingsong FAQ Deputy Regional Representative

Opening Address Workshop on the Follow-Up to UNCED and Implementation of the Forest Principles

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome all of consultations in forestry. We should recall that you to the FAQ Regional Office for Asia and the the first such effort was the Global Forest Con- Pacific, and to this Workshop on the Follow-Up ference, convened here in our region, in Indo- to UNCED and Implementation of the Forest nesia. That conference produced the "Bandung Principles. Initiative for Global Partnership in Sustainable Forest Development." Nearly three years ago, the United Nations Con- ference on Environment and Development The Bandung Conference was followed by the (UNCED) was convened in Rio de Janeiro. It Canada-Malaysia Initiative, the Indo-British Ini- was the largest global summit ever held, with tiative, the Helsinki and Montreal Processes, and 178 member countries and more than a hun- several others. Such initiatives demonstrate the dred Heads of State represented. UNCED con- interest and energy which countries possess cluded that only by linking sustainable develop- for following-up the agreements from the Earth ment with environmental protection could we Summit. ensure our common future.

The Conference was unique with respect to the But such meetings and conferences by them- lofty levels of political concern and commitment selves will have little impact in the battle to en- generated. These were translated into the sure the existence of healthy forests for cur- adoption of conventions and other agreements rent and future generations. What is needed is on environment and development, and the for- not more words, but strong, forceful and vigor- mulation of Agenda 21 as an operational blue- ous actions. Words will not save the world's print for saving the "blue planet." forests from destruction and misuse; actions may. In Rio, FAQ was entrusted by the United Na- tions with the role of "Task Manager" to promote Deforestation in tropical Asia and the Pacific in- coordinated follow-up to UNCED in the field of creased from 2.0 million hectares per year be- agriculture, including forestry. Thus, the FAO tween 1976 and 1980 to 3.9 million hectares Forestry Department is responsible for coordi- per year between 1981 and 1990. This gives nating and monitoring follow-up related to the the Asia-Pacific region the dubious distinction Forest Principles and to Chapters 11 and 13 of of having the fastest rate of deforestation in the Agenda 21, "Combating Deforestation," and world. Fully 1.2 percent of the region's forests "Sustainable Mountain Development." are lost annually, mostly to land clearing for agriculture and excessive cutting of industrial Since UNCED, FAO has participated in, and timber and fuelwood. contributed to, many inter-governmental

7.3 Opening address from we FAO It is unrealistic to expect an early end to the forestry. The aim should be to avoid any loss pressures driving the clearing and degradation or deterioration of biological resources and eco- of forests in the region. Poverty, greed, and logical services, while simultaneously manag- inequitable distribution of wealth are the basic ing the forests on a productive basis. underlying causes of deforestation. Only when these fundamental problems are adequately Indeed, timber extraction and the conversion of addressed will the pattern of forest destruction some forests to other land uses will be neces- be curtailed. The challenge of implementing sary. In this respect, however, it is the respon- UNCED follow-up in forestry is thus more of a sibility of governments to ensure that all citizens fight for honesty, fairness, and sustainable eco- benefit from development. One should not be nomic development than it is a search for im- blinded by the "veneer of success" when a mi- proved genetic clones and silver bullet" tech- nuscule segment of society achieves great eco- nological fixes. nomic advances, at the expense of the major- ity. Sustainable utilization of forests can only In most countries of Asia and the Pacific, the be achieved through the recognition of the dif- large populations and rapid economic develop- ferent groups of users who depend on the for- ment place exceptional demands on forest re- est. We must pursue original and flexible ap- sources. In the post-war period, approximately proaches to promote sustainability across a va- 70 percent of all tropical forest products have riety of tenure, use, and management regimes come from Southeast Asia. Since the mid- in different ecological and economic contexts. 1 980s, the figure has risen to over 80 percent. These industrial demands, coupled with the in- We must also keep in mind that forests are satiable appetite for new land for agriculture and more than just timber. They provide a multi- other development have taken an extreme toll tude of non-wood products and services with on the region's forests. which you are all familiar, including watershed protection, carbon sequestration, and climate Twenty-five years ago, more than 50 percent regulation. They serve as storehouses of irre- of Thailand was forested. Today, perhaps only placeable genetic resources and playgrounds one-quarter of the country is covered with trees. for tourists and recreationists. One of the consequences of inappropriate land clearing was the devastating floods and land- Timber interests all too often overshadow these slides in southern Thailand in 1988. Similar di- important non-timber products and services, in sasters have also occurred in other countries part because the latter are often outside the where deforestation was unchecked for years. market economy or are difficult to quantify and Ultimately, the widely publicised human suffer- value. Additionally, many such benefits accrue ings and economic losses these disasters to people far from the forests. The time has wrought, helped raised awareness among de- come for us to "internalize" these externalities. cision makers and led to major shifts in forestry This may require people, who have not done policies such as total or partial bans on com- so in the past, to directly or indirectly share in mercial logging in natural forests. the cost of maintaining forests which provide services of broad value. Principle 4 of the Rio Declaration states that "to achieve sustainable development, environ- This workshop, generously supported by the mental protection shall constitute an integral United Nations Environment Programme, part of the development process and cannot comes at an opportune time to consider how be considered in isolation from it." Ensuring the political commitments made at the Earth the sustainability and enhancing the benefits Summit have been put into action in the Asia- from conservation and utilization of forests Pacific region. You are here this week to take should be the focus of all UNCED follow-up in stock of these actions and to deliberate how

Opening address from the FAQ 24 the provisions of Rio's agreements can be bet- condone it. You ensure equitable sharing of the ter implemented and reflected in policies, benefits from forests and protect the rights of programmes and institutional arrangements for forest dwellers, or you turn a blind eye to such forestry. social needs. You put the long-term ecological interests of the forest as top priority, or you com- By your professional standing, mid-way be- promise these interests to short-sighted, tween the politicians who made the lofty com- unsustainable practices. mitments at Rio and the actual users of the for- ests, you are ideally suited to conduct this task. It is thus your actions, and those of the depart- Given sometimes very limited resources, you ments you head, that we are taking stock of this are the individuals who develop the operational week. In that sense, this workshop serves as a procedures for forestry and oversee their com- "self-critique" and an opportunity to see how we pliance. You either help eradicate corruption or can improve in translating the rhetoric of Rio into meaningful actions.

25 Opening address from the FAO UNEP STATEMENT

Suvit Yodmani Representative and Director for Asia and the Pacific UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Allow me to extend my warmest welcome to Forum for Developing Countries, the Canada- you to this significant Regional Workshop in Malaysia sponsored Inter-Government Working Bangkok. It is a great pleasure and honour for Group on Forests, and the CIFOR - Govern- me to address this important meeting on the ment of Indonesia dialogue. They will be fur- Implementation of the Forest Principles. Ms. ther strengthened at the FAO-COFO Ad-hoc Elizabeth Dowdeswell, the Executive Director Ministerial meeting to be held in March. of UNEP has asked me to convey to you her best wishes. She regards your deliberations in However, there was a realization that these this meeting to be of crucial importance, espe- meetings missed an important point - a strong cially since you will be dealing, for the first time, regional perspective issue. Our workshop is, at the regional level, with the implementation of therefore, to fill this gap and also to comple- Forests Principles and Chapter 11 of Agenda ment and support other initiatives when and 21: Combatting Deforestation. where appropriate. You will be pleased to learn that we are also cooperating with FAQ in orga- You will recall that these two issues were con- nizing similar workshops for the regions of Af- sidered, during the negotiations at UNCED, to rica and Latin America and the Caribbean. be among the key ingredients of sustainable development. Your deliberations on these is- This meeting comes at a time when we, at sues gain further significance in the fight of the UNEP, are re-orienting our policy and strategy Commission for Sustainable Development's for implementation of key activities in the field (CS D's) decision to review for the first time, in of forests. Our endeavour is to play a uniquely April 1995, forest issues as part of its five-year distinctive role in the field of forests, and simul- thematic review of Agenda 21. taneously to favour such activities which are supportive to the actions of FAQ, our sister or- UNEP, in this process, is primarily interested in ganization in the UN System that has been as- ensuring the introduction of the environmental signed Task Manager for Chapter 11 of Agenda perspective within the dialogue and consolida- 21. tion of approaches to the issue of "sustainable management and development of all types of Thus, our major interest is in linking forest is- forests." sues with other priority global and regional en- vironmental issues such as biodiversity, climate To this end, our endeavour is not only to facili- change, desertirication and watershed manage- tate the dialogue, but also to contribute with the ment. Our new strategy focuses on integrated preparation of a set of opportunities and options management of terrestrial ecosystems, and for action that might be considered for adoption their resources for sustainable utilization, con- at the 1995 session of the CSD. sidering ecological, social, economic and cul- tural factors. In the last year, there have been several initia- tives and consultations on forest issues in prepa- Forests have, in the past, been regarded merely ration for the CSD review in April 1995. Initia- as an economic resource, as land covered with tives started at Bandung in Indonesia in Febru- trees which could be exploited for timber and ary last year, and were carried forward by the firewood, and converted to more economically Helsinki and Montreal Processes, the Forestry productive use, such as for agriculture and cattle ranching.

27 Opening Address from UNEP IIJINEP Opening Address

The last two decades have seen the emergence here to the environmental, economic, social and of a more holistic view. This takes into account cultural factors leading to sustainability. I also the full range of other goods and services pro- refer to the environmental issues of forestry: duced by forests, such as the protective role of forests at the interface of trade and the envi- forests for the conservation of soil, water, ge- ronment; inter-linkages of forests and netic resources and biological diversity. The biodiversity; forests and desertification; forests recent emphasis on forests as carbon sinks to and watershed; and forests and climate change. reduce global warming has served to broaden the range of services rendered by forests to a These cross-cutting issues show that forestry global level. issues are central to global environmental con- cerns. Forests have endlessly been discussed The progressive decrease of the world's for- during the past decade and have moved from ests through activities such as logging, burn- the professional and technical level to the inter- ing, development of new agricultural land, acid national political agenda. A concrete example rain, and climate change calls for alterations in of this shift is "the non-legally binding authorita- policies and approaches to help preserve the tive statement of principles for a global consen- integrity and functions of forest lands. sus on the management, conservation and sus- tainable development of all types of forests", that The status and condition of the world's forests is, "the Forest Principles" agreed at Rio. These has become a source of increasing concern to Principles mark a genuine commitment to con- the international environmental community. trol deforestation through a variety of ap- Forests account for roughly 40 percent of the proaches at the global and, most crucially, lo- world's land area. Out of a total of approximately cal levels. 3.6 billion hectares of forest cover, 1.9 billion ha. are under tropical forests, according to the Agenda 21 calls for an enhanced and strength- latest FAQ assessment. ened role for UNEP. As the principal body within the United Nations System in the field of the en- I need not dwell on the consequences of defor- vironment, we are also required to concentrate estation, but allow me to illustrate the loss of on the "further development of international en- biodiversity due to deforestation in the tropics. vironmental law, in particular conventions and Tropical moist forests represent the main re- guidelines, reinforcement of its implementation pository of the earth's biotic resources, contain- and coordination functions arising from an in- ing about one-half of the 1.4 million named spe- creasing number of international legal agree- cies in the entire world (estimates of total num- ments." ber of species range from 5 to 30 million). At present, an estimated 10,000 species are lost It is also in this context that we are cooperating each year because of tropical deforestation. with FAO in assisting to bring about a regional perspective in the Forest Principles and other Concern about the loss of biodiversity arises forest issues, and bring these to the attention from economic, social and ethical values that of the CSD. society associates with biological resources. Consensus exists that maintaining biodiversity The Forest Principles signal the need for real requires protecting its habitat, in this case, for- change. A major weakness at previous policy ests. deliberations in forest management is the fail- ure to distinguish parts from the whole, and to I believe that the extent of UNEP's commitment enact comprehensive land-use policies and in- to the Rio Principles, and in particularto Agenda tegrated ecosystem management in most 21, gives us a definite responsibility to take steps countries. A land-use policy enables the con- nationally, regionally and internationally to pro- sideration of management that could attain eco- tect the multi-functional roles of forests. I refer ogicaI, social, economic and political goals

28 Opening Address from UNEP coincidentally. It represents a general theory In the next few days you will deliberate on all that management problems should be under- these critical issues. You know your region stood in their larger ecological context. better than anyone else. The combined role of UNEP and FAQ is to facilitate this dialogue with The contextual thinking inherent in land-use for- the hope that this meeting will build consensus mulation helps to suggest new directions: the on forest and environment interlinkages and on context of locally distinct cultures can be saved issues you feel are critical enough to be brought only if local communities go beyond negatively to the attention of the CSD. It is, therefore, im- conceived restrictions and develop positively portant that your deliberations concentrate on understood goals for protecting and developing issues and policy options that require political their indigenous cultures. Their defined values, guidance and impetus. locally generated, are then assimilated into the agreed areas for sustainable development We feel that whilst governments are deeply in- plans. These include a positive conception of volved in the process of initiating actions relat- the integrity of the land, of its ecological com- ing to Agenda 21, it is imperative that they in- plexity, and of its creative and productive pro- volve decision making and encourage active cess, all of which are interwoven. Hopefully, participation of the public and private sectors, any subsequent development will force us to- local communities and NGOs in forest manage- wards the universal application of integrated ment and conservation. Only in this way will ecosystem management and of land-use plan- we be able to put into practice the new concept ning. of "partnerships" validated at the Rio Summit. Also in this way we would achieve that new di- mension, in addition to the governmental one, This is the major challenge: to identify the link- to be incorporated to ensure the full implemen- ages. On that basis, priorities must be identi- tation of Agenda 21, involving the widest par- fied, and action swiftly taken at national, regional ticipation possible. The preamble of Agenda and global levels. I am certain you will find your 21 captures this notion of partnership succinctly way in identifying how the Asia and the Pacific when it states "no nation can achieve sustain- region can play a leading role in these complex able development on its own; but together we but essential tasks. can."

29 Opening Address from UNEP " 14 P"~e~

I. List of Participants

Bangladesh India

Mr. All Akbar Bhuiyan Mr. M. F. Ahmed Director Inspector-General of Forests Forest Development and Training Centre Ministry of Environment and Forests Kaptai- 4533 Lodi Road, CGO Complex Bangladesh New Delhi 110003, India Tel 606 837 Tel (91-11)4360676 (Off) 671999 (Res) Fax: Fax: (91-11)4360678

Mr. Narayan Singh Additional Inspector General of Forests Bh uta n Ministry of Environment and Forests Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex Mr. Sangey Thinley New Delhi 110003, India Joint Secretary Tel (91-11)4362285 Department of Forests Fax: (91-11)4363232 Thimphu, Bhutan Tel (975)23055 Fax (975) 22395 Indonesia

China Mr Roedjai Djakaria Senior Advisor Minister of Forestry Mr. Zheng Rui Gedung Manggala Wanabhakti Building Director Indonesia Division of International Programmes Tel: (021)5730201 Department of International Cooperation Fax 021-587 945 Ministry of Forestry Hepingli, Beijing 100714 Dr. Benni H. Sormin Fax: 86-1 421 9149 Head of Multilateral Division Tel: 86-1 421-3184 Bureau of International Cooperation and Investment Ministry of Forestry Jakarta, Indonesia Fiji Tel: 21 5701114 Fax: 21 573 8732 Mr. Ram Swarup Conservator of Forests Forestry Department Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests P.O. Box 2218 Mr. Yoshiaki Hata Suva, Fiji Chief Officer (International Agreements) Tel: (679) 301611 International Forestry Cooperation Office Fax: (679) 301595 Forestry Agency Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Japan Tel: 81 33591 8449 Fax: 81 3 3593 9565

33 List of participants Ms. Michiko Ito Papua New Guinea Chief Officer Control and Cooperation Division Mr. Martin Golman Global Environment Department Senior Forest Plans Officer Environment Agency of Japan National Forest Authority 1-2-2- Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku P.O.Box 5055, Boroko NCD Tokyo 100 Japan Papua New Guinea Tel: 813 3581 7244 Tel:(675) 277874 Fax: 813 3504 1634 Fax: (675) 254433

Korea, Republic of Philippines

Mr. Kim, Young Han Mr. Jose Malvas, Jr. Director Director International Cooperation Division Forest Management Bureau Forestry Administration Department of Environment and Natural Resource Seoul DENR Building Republic of Korea Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Tel: 82-02 961 -2341 Quezon City, Philippines Fax: 82-02-961-2760 TeVFax: 63-2-9219060

Dr. Kim, Joong Myung Research Scientist Forestry Research Institute Sri Lanka Republic of Korea Tel: 82-2 961-2647 Mr. Thosapala Hewage Fax: 82-2-967-5101 Director Forest Planning Unit Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry Lao PDR Sri Lanka Tel: 94 1868048 Fax: 94 1866656 Mr. Bounthong Xaisida Deputy Director Department of Forestry Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Thailand Box 807, Vientiane Laos Mr. Boonchoob Boontawee Tel: 215000 Director Fax: 215004 Silvicultural Research Division Technical Forest Office Royal Forest Department Thailand Nepal Tel: (66-2) 579 4730 Fax: (66-2) 579 4730 Mr. Shesh Hari Bhattarai Regional Director Mr. Rauno Laitalainen Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation Team Leader Babar Mahal, Kathmandu TFAP Master Plan Nepal Bangkhaen Tel:01-227-574/ 1-220067 Thailand Fax: Tel/Fax 5614871

34 List of participants Vanuatu Dr. Wimala Ponnjah Senior Environmental Affairs Officer Mr. Aru Mathias UNEP/ROAP Director of Forests ESCAP Building Department of Forests Rajadamnem Avenue Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Bangkok 10200 PMB Box 064, Port Villa Tel: 281 6101; 288 1870 Republic of Vanuatu Tel: 678 23171/23856 Fax: 678-2505 1 FAO Headquarters

Mr. Mafa Chipeta UNDP Senior Forestry Officer FAQ Forestry Department Ms. Aarti Gupta Via Delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Forest Policy Specialisst FAQ Headquarters UNDP-SEED Rome, Italy I UN Plaza, FF-10 Tel: 39652253254 New York NY 10017 Fax: 39652255514 Tel: (212) 906 5822 Fax: (212) 9066973 Mr. Darmo Suparmo Regional TFAP Adviser for Asia and the Pacific FAO Forestry Department Via Delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 UNEP Headquarters FAO Headquarters Rome, Italy Mr. Bai-Mass M. Taal Tel: 39652253254 Senior Programme Officer Fax: 396 52255514 Terrestial Ecosystems Branch UNEP P.O.Box 30552 Nairobi FAO-RAPA Kenya Tel: 254-2 623238 Mr. Dong Qingsong Fax: 254-2 226890 Deputy Regional Representative FAQ Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Mr. Carlos Ponce 39 Phra Atit Road Consultant Bangkok 10200 UNEP Tel: (66-2) 2817844 Nairobi Fax: (66-2)2800445 Kenya Tel: (5114) 40-8967/ 374614 Mr. Patrick B. Durst Fax: (5114)40-8967 Regional Forestry Officer FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific 39 Phra Atit Road Bangkok 10200 UNEP/ROAP Tel: (66-2) 2817844 Fax: (66-2)2800445 Dr. Suvit Yodmani Regional Representative Mr. M. Kashio UNEP/ROAP Regional Forest Resources Officer ESCAP Building FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Rajadamnern Avenue 39 Phra Atit Road Bangkok 10200 Bangkok 10200 Tel: 281 6101; 288 1870 Tel: (66-2) 2817844 Fax: (66-2) 2800445

35 List of participants Ms. Berenice Murailte Consultant/Forestry do FAO-RAPA 39 Phra Atit Road Bangkok 10200 Tel: (66-2)2817844 Fax: (66-2) 2800445

Dr. S.K. Bhargava Chief Technical Adviser Forestry Planning and Policy Assistance In Asia and the Pacific Region (GCP/RAS/1 37/JPN) 39 Maliwan Mansion Bangkok 10200 Thailand Tel/Fax: (66 2)280 4567

Mr. Lars Wollesen Forestry Expert Forestry Planning and Policy Assistance in Asia and the Pacific Region (GCP/RASII 37/JPN) 39 Maliwan Mansion Bangkok 10200 Thailand Tel/Fax: (662)2804567

Mr. Anders Jensen Associate Professional Officer Forestry Planning and Policy Assistance in Asia and the Pacific Region (GCP/RASI137IJPN) 39 Maliwan Mansion Bangkok 10200 Thailand Tel/Fax: (66 2)280 4567

Prof. W. Hulscher Chief Technical Adviser Regional Wood Energy Development Programme (RWEDP) 39 Maliwan Mansion Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: (662)2800760

Dr. C.T.S. Nair Chief Technical Adviser Regional Forest Research Support Programme for Asia and the Pacific (FORSPA) 39 Maliwan Mansion Bangkok 10200, Thailand

36 List of participants = Bangladesh

All Akbar Bhuiyan Director Forestry Development and Training Center

Background The Forestry Master Plan

Bangladesh, with a land area of 14.4 million hect- Subsequent to UNCED, the GOB, assisted by ares, sustaining a population of about 120 mil- the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the lion, is one of the most densely populated United Nations Development Programme country's of the world (about 800 people per (UNDP), embarked upon a long-term planning square kilometer). The country's potential tree exercise under the Forestry Master Plan (FMP) growing areas total about 2.56 million hectares framework. The FMP is an example of which is 17.8 percent of the nation's land area, Bangladesh's commitment to the UNCED but the actual tree-covered area is estimated goals and principles. to be only 7or 8 per cent of the land area. Under the FMP process, the forestry sector The deforestation rate is estimated to be 3 per- was assessed and measures were recom- cent (about 8,000 hectares) annually. Because mended to preserve and develop the nation's demand exceeds the sustainable supply of for- forest resources. The FMP was drawn up by a est products, degradation of forests and deple- team of local counterparts and national and in- tion of trees from the rural groves is constantly ternational consultants spanning a 20 month taking place. Fragmentation of land holdings, period from October 1991 to May 1993. The disposal of property to tide over poverty, desti- 20- year plan identifies sectoral strengths and tution caused by flooding and ethnic migration weaknesses, and details the steps required to from across the borders, are major forces driv- enhance sectoral developm'ent. The focus of ing forest clearance for dwellings, cultivation and the plan is on institutional factors - policy, edu- subsistence living. cation and training, and administrative struc- tures. Special interest groups like the landless, The forestry sector of the country is currently in women, NGOs, minorities (forest dwelling a state of serious crisis, both in matters of re- tribes) and private industry received special source supply and environmental degradation. attention. Immediate innovative programmes for preser- vation of forests and development of the for- During its various stages of formulation, the estry sector are urgently needed. FMP was discussed extensively in various fora including those of academics, journalists, en- The Government of Bangladesh (GOB) is fully vironmentalists, planners, administrators, aware of the severity of the forestry and envi- policy makers and politicians over a protracted ronmental situation.lt thus resolved to bring period of about four years. It is now in the final about a positive, qualitative and quantitative draft, awaiting GOB approval. change in the forestry sector. Both national and international expertise and financial assistance are being sought to support the efforts.

39 c.otjfltry statements

Forestry Master Plan Implementation needed to permit effective implementa-

Stage tion of the FMP and the new forest policy; and The first steps in implementing the FMP are to translate the broad sector programme into fea- • preparation of detailed technical assis- sible project proposals and to develop appropri- tance and investment proposals over ate forestry legislation, institutional reforms and the next five years to be included in the programmes/projects needed for strategic de- GOB's next development plan, and for velopment. possible funding by external donors.

To enable the GOB to embark on systematic implementation of the FMP recommendations, National Forest Policy 1994 two projects have been drawn-up and submit- ted to the ADB and FAO: In line with the recommendations of Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles, the GOB drew up a (1)Project preparatory technical assistance; new forest policy on the basis of the FMP rec- and ommendations. The new policy, approved by the GOB in November 1994, demonstrates the (2) Institutional support for the FMP high-level of political commitment. It envisages bringing 20 percent of the country's land area The objectives of the first project are to assist under tree cover by the year 2015 through ex- the GOB in identifying and preparing forestry tensive and intensive afforestation and refores- sector projects, and to develop an effective policy tation programmes, conservation and preser- and institutional framework to support the de- vation measures, and rural forestry velopment of the forestry sector. programmes. The new policy strongly encour- ages people's participation in forestry develop- The project's objectives are focused on: ment and management both as a tool and means for sustainable development. • participatory forestry for increased wood production and forest sustainability; For the preservation of natural heritage and biodiversity, the new policy aims to increase the • environmental management to conserve extent of protected areas to 10 percent of the protected areas and natural forests; forest land by the year 2015.

• increased wood production by means of The new policy recommends a ban on log ex- intensively managed forest plantations ports and the use of government owned forest using genetically improved seed/ land for purposes other than afforestation. It propagules; also incorporates recommendations for strengthening the present Forest Department • institutional development (e.g. training, and for the establishment of a new Social For- technology transfer, R & D, policy and estry Department. legal reforms). The GOB also took a general executive policy The second project is intended to provide sup- decision not to fell any natural forest up to the port in the three crucial areas of FMP implemen- year 2000. In locations where natural forests tation. These are: have been largely replaced by plantations, the residual natural stands shall be retained to pre- preparation of forestry legislation to sup- serve biodiversity. port the new forest policy; institutional reforms- and restructu ring

40 Country statements Establishment of an Environment the barren areas and halt further deterioration Management Wing of the soil and the environment, the manage- ment of such land will be taken over by the state To strengthen environmental management and under the provisions of the Private Forest Act. monitonng capabilities of the Forest Department This threatened action is expected to motivate (FD), a new Environmental Management Wing land owners to reforest these extensive areas with regional offices has been created in the of degraded land. FD under the Deputy Chief Conservator of For- ests. This new wing seeks to ensure the long- term productivity of forest land through mainte- Coastal Green Belt Project nance of biodiversity, soil quality and modulated water flows. The wing also will be directly re- After the Rio Summit, the GOB initiated a sponsible for the planning and implementation US$28.9 million Coastal Green Belt Afforesta- of nature conservation activities within protected tion Project. The project envisages the creation areas. of 5,020 kilometers of plantations on the slopes and foreshore areas of coastal embankments, The new Environmental Management Wing will and the creation of 40,000 hectares of coastal influence the FD's normal forestry operations plantations to protect the hinterland from cy- by: clonic storms and tidal surges. This project is funded by the ADB, and when completed, is establishing environmental standards expected to create a living wall of trees protect- and criteria to be incorporated into the ing human life and property. FD's Resource Information and Man- agement System (RIMS) module forfor- mulating alternative forest management City Afforestation systems; Many cities in Bangladesh are undergoing fast collecting environmental data, arranging economic development at the expense of the periodic environmental surveys and con- surrounding environment. After the Rio Sum- ducting environmental assessments mit, an environmental and aesthetic improve- through contractual agreements; and ment project was approved by the GOB in 1994. The project envisages planting 5 million trees in • monitoring the environmental impacts of the cities and suburbs of five major urban areas the FD's forest operations. of the country.

National Award Encouraging Tree Measures for Afforestation of Privately Planting Owned Land The GOB made full effort to shape tree planting The country has some 50,000 hectares of pri- as a 'Social Movement". The President, Prime vately owned land which is mostly denuded, but Minister, Council of Ministers, senior civil ser- could potentially support trees. The GOB in a vants, and social workers, all encourage people recent policy circular appealed to the land own- to plant trees in all possible and feasible areas. ers to cover these denuded forest lands with The people are encouraged through official tree plantations (timber, horticultural and cash programmes, public meetings and addresses. crop) within a reasonable time frame. It was The statesmen, officials and social leaders them- also made clear that if the owners failed to plant selves also plant trees in the course of their

41 Country Statements visits to rural areas and institutions. This action lands. This programme has proved popular with generates enormous enthusiasm in the popu- communities near forests, especially the land- lation towards tree planting, not only for envi- less who previously had been instrumental in ronmental improvement but also as an eco- damaging the forests. nomic activity. To continue this public enthusi- Future afforestation and reforestation asm and to create a competitive urge for quali- programmes to be funded with ADB and World tative and quantitative performances, a national Bank loans will also acknowledge the necessity tree plantating award was introduced in 1993. for people's participation in afforestation and re- forestation, especially in areas of dense habita- tion. Participatory Forest Management

The custodial approach of forest management Integrated Resource Development of pursued by the country since the colonial days Natural Mangrove has proved counter productive for sustainability Forests (Sundarbans) of both natural forests and plantations. Appli- cation of criminal laws and police actions for A major portion of the world's largest mangrove forest protection have failed to confront orga- forest, the Sundarbans, lies in Bangladesh. nized and deliberate pilferage or the damaging Mangrove forests are versatile habitats for flora activities by neighboring communities. and fauna and are especially important for fish.They are also fragile ecosystems, however, The GOB now acknowledges the social and eco- which need careful management. nomic dimension of forestry. In a move to in- In a bid to foster multi-sectoral development of volve the forest communities, the GOB has the mangrove ecosystem, the "Integrated Re- pragmatically encouraged the conservation, de- source Development of the Sundarbans For- velopment and management of resources ests" project, assisted by UNDP/FAO was initi- through people's participation. The recommen- ated by the GOB and is now nearing comple- dations of Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles tion. The project is developing an integrated were a catalyst to a programme already initi- management plan for the mangrove forests ated by the GOB. Over 60,000 hectares of plan- which supports multi-sectoral development of tations have been raised in traditional forest forests, fisheries, wildlife, apiculture, tourism and forest worker's welfare.

42 ((.m,t" t',tmpnt Bhutan

San gey Thinley Joint Secretary Forestry Services Division

Background So far, Bhutan has been able to keep up with this policy. FAO has contributed substantially to The Kingdom of Bhutan covers an area of 40,076 make this possible through consistent and use- square kilometers. It is one of the most rugged ful technical assistance. and mountainous countries in the world. The land rises from 150 metres above sea level in the People's participation in management is cen- south to more than 7,500 metres in the north. tral to the sustainability of any natural resource. SPOT and Landsat images from 1994 show that Recognizing this fact, Bhutan has introduced 64.4 percent of the total area of Bhutan is still participatory programmes such as social for- under effective forest cover. In addition, 8.1 per- estry, community forestry and village forestry. cent of the country is covered with scrub forest. Presently, these programmes are supported by This is higher than the stipulated forest policy the World Bank-Swiss Development Corpora- requirement of 60 percent forest cover. tion Social Forestry Project. In addition to these programmes, Bhutan is also implementing "In- The Royal Government of Bhutan recognizes tegrated Conservation and Development" pro- that environmental protection should constitute grams in Manas and Jigme Dorji National Parks. an integral part of the development process, and The objective of these programs is to integrate can not be considered in isolation. Furthermore, conservation and rural development needs, economic development policy acknowledges whereby resource use and access are rational- that development today must not undermine the ized to ensure sustainability. development and environmental needs of present and future generations. Such policy de- cisions are consistently reflected in the strate- Shifting Cultivation gies adopted for economic development and natural resources utilization. Recognizing the fact that unsustainable land use practices such as shifting cultivation eventually lead to loss of biodiversity and environmental Forest Policy degradation, the National Assembly has decided to phase out shifting cultivation within the Sev- To ensure proper orientation towards sustain- enth Plan. People affected by this decision will able development, a Forestry Master Plan span- be allocated suitable agricultural land in other ning a period of 20 years has been prepared parts of the country. and is under implementation. The proposals of the master plan have been translated into con- crete programmes and projects through a For- Protected Areas estry Programme Framework, consistent with the national five-year plans. In spite of being one of the poorest countries in the world, Bhutan has gazetted more than 26 Every effort is made to ensure that all forestry percent of the total area of country as protected operations in the country are based on sustain- areas. This clearly reflects the high priority ac- able management principles. National forest corded to the preservation of the rich biological policy also requires that all commercial logging diversity for the benefit of the present and future be supported by an approved management plan. generations. Detailed surveys of biological

43 Country Statements diversity have been conducted on more than 50 Issues that need to be addressed percent of the country's land area. Management plans are being prepared and implemented in The following issues should be considered by most of the protected areas. the Commission on Sustainable Development during its review of forestry:

Funding • economic trade offs of preserving biodiversity To sustain the long-term financing needs of con- servation efforts of Bhutan, the "Bhutan Trust • transfer of technology from Fund for Environmental Conservation" (BTF) industrialised nations to under-devel- has been established with a capital of US$ 13 oped nations million which will eventually be increased to US$ 20 million. The main contributors to the BTF are • how to ensure that all nations abide the World Bank (Global Environment Facility), by the principles of sustainable for- WVVF-US, the Netherlands and Norway. Inter- est management est from the trust fund is used to finance recur- ring and infrastructure costs for environmental • access to information on bio-technol- conservation. ogy

Bhutan has initiated a long-term cooperation copyrights of genetic resources programme with the Netherlands on sustainable development. This cooperation covers such di- verse fields as social, economic, cultural, eco- logical and technological development and con- Conclusion servation of forests. It also recognizes the value of learning from each other through the principle Bhutan considers itself one of the pioneers in of reciprocity. advancing the goals and objectives of Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles. The country's poli- cies and programs are all directed at fostering sustainable development that takes into account both the present and future needs of the Coun- try and the world.

44 Country .ctafements China Zheng Rui Director Department of Intern ational Cooperation Ministry of Forestry

Since UNCED, China has initiated an ambitious Several practical problems and constraints series of actions to implement Agenda 21 and have been encountered in the process of trans- the Forest Principles. These include: lating the Forest Principles into action. These include: Monitoring and participating in all initia- tives related the Commissions on Sus- budgetary constraints; tainable Development (CSD), including the Malaysia-Canada Initiative, Indo-Brit- • pests, including insect and disease prob- ish Initiative, Helsinki Process, Montreal lems, as a natural consequence of large Process, etc. The Government of China scale afforestation is drafting country reports and state- ments for CSD in accordance with the • technical assistance and improved ge- format established by these meetings. netic materials are needed; and

Joining the Ramsar Convention (wet- • population pressure, resulting in over lands protection) and the UN Conven- harvesting and over grazing. tion to Combat Decertification. The State Council has designated the Minis- try of Forestry as the lead agency for The following suggestions are offered for con- implementation of actions and commit- sideration by the Commission on Sustainable ments under the agreements. A num- Development as methods to enhance imple- ber of coordinating meetings have been mentation of Agenda 21 and the Forest Prin- convened to prepare detailed operational ciples: plans involving over a dozen line minis- tries. • Appeal to the international community, particularly to industrial nations, to fol- • Drafting of an "Implementation Plan for low through on commitments made at the Forest Principles" and a "China For- UNCED. More financial and technical estry Agenda 21" within the framework cooperation is needed. of China Agenda 21 (see following con- tent lists of these documents). Encourage the exchange of genetic materials and natural enemies for pest • Stepping up law enforcement in nature and insect control. Enhanced coopera- conservation and wildlife conservation, tion among all countries, including south- including illegal trade in endangered south cooperation, is needed. fauna and flora (including animal parts).

• Continuing efforts in afforestation and re- forestation (4-5 million hectares per year), biodiversity conservation, corn bat- ing desertification; and watershed pro: tection.

45 Country statements

China's Forestry Agenda 21 Implementation Plan for the Forest Principles

Chapter 1 Foreword Ministry of Forestry China Chapter 2 Strategy and. steps to be taken for sustainable forestry I. The role of forests in the environment

Chapter 3 Cultivation, protection and - The irreplaceable role of forests management of forest re - The efforts of the Chinese Government sources in conserving and developing forest re- sources Chapter 4 Ecological shelter systems and their roles H. Forestry Development Strategy Chapter 5 Desertification control - Basic concepts and rules to follow Chapter 6 Biodiversity protection and wise - Objectives and emphasis use of forests and wetlands

Chapter 7 Integrated forestry development I/l Development Priorities and Layouts and poverty alleviation in the mountain areas - Forest/plantation tending and timber plantation establishment Chapter 8 More efficient use of wood - Shelter-belt establishment resources - Desertification combating programmes - Establishment of non-wood or fuel plan- Chapter 9 People's participation in for tations estry - Forest products industries

Chapter 10 Consolidation of basic infra- IV. Supporting Factors (conditions) structure of forestry - Stability and continuity of policies Chapter 11 System reform and legislation - Joint efforts from the government, com- munities and farmers Chapter 12 Development of forestry re- - Plantation establishment for special end- search and education uses

46 Country Statements - Accumulation of funds from all possible Appendices: channels - Increased inputs for forestry; larger per- China's strategy on sustainable forestry centage of the national budget for for- development estry China's ecological forests establishment - Continuation of the "open-door" policy; programmes enhanced international cooperation China's bio-diversity situation and pro- - Further improvements in research, ex- tection strategy tension, and education Wise use of forests and forest by-prod- ucts Forests and environment

47 Count,y statements Fiji

R. Swarup Conseivator of Forests

Background unexploited production forest upon which the hardwood industry is presently based. This area Fiji has a total land area of 18,390 square kilo- comprises 31 percent of all forest. Eighty-nine meters comprised of 300 islands. Approximately percent of the unexploited production forest and 100 are inhabited, supporting a population of 84 percent of all Fijian forests are in communal 771,100 with a population growth rate well be- ownership. low 2 percent (Bureau of Statistics 1990). The largest Islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu The Land Resources Division's (LRD) forest in- which together have over 90 percent of the popu- ventory of the late 1960's (LRD 1973) indicated lation and comprise 87 percent of the land area. a commercially available volume of 10.9 million cubic meters. From 1970 to 1993, about 85,000 hectares were logged, producing an annual log Forest Resources in Fiji volume of around 200,000 cubic meters, com- pared with an approved annual cut of 350,000 Approximately 800,000 hectares, or about 44 per- cubic meters. cent of the country remain under natural forest cover. Afforestation has brought an additional There is an estimated 5.6 million cubic meters 50,000 hectares of long-deforested land back in commercial forests on Viti Levu and 4.4 mil- into production. lion cubic meters on Vanua Levu. Volumes per hectare are low compared to those of the The indigenous forest of Fiji is largely tropical dipterocarp forests of Malaysia and the Philip- moist forest plus about 42,000 hectares of man- pines. About 75 percent of the production for- grove forest. Fiji thus has just under half of its ests have volumes averaging 45 cubic meters total land area (1.83 million hectares) under for- per hectare. est. Extensive areas of the drier (mainly west- ern) parts of the two larger islands, and many of the smaller islands, have suffered severe de- forestation. consequently, the indigenous forest cover is ac- Table I tually much more than 50 per- cent in the wetter parts of the Distribution of Forest country and much less than 50 Resources Bylype and Location percent in the drier parts. Affor- INDIGENOUS PLANTATION estation is mainly concentrated Mangrove Tropical Softwood Hardwood Forests Moist in the western areas of the Forests country. The forest distribution

is summarized in Table 1. Total area of forest 42 797 50 54 type (ha X 1000)

Indigenous Forests % Forest areaBy Division

The indigenous forests of Fiji Central & Eastern 35% 33% 8% 47% occupy 797,000 hectares, in- Northern 14% 41% 20% 37% cluding 253,000 hectares of Western 51% 26% 72% 16%

48 Count,y Statements Fiji Pine Limited (FPL) Plantations as timber demands are increasingly being met from plantation pine. When harvesting, process- In 1990, approval was granted by the Govern- ing and marketing of mahogany begins in the ment for the corporatization of the Fiji Pine Com- year 2000, Fiji can further reduce its indigenous mission (FPC) to Fiji Pine Limited (FPL), a lim- forest harvest to a sustained level for about ited liability company which has been operational 100,000 cubic meters per annum. The country's since January, 1991. The shareholders in FPL strategy, to reduce harvest from indigenous for- are the Government and the Fiji Pine Trust which est as plantations have mature has been highly holds shares on behalf of landowners and "ex- succesful. tension" pine forest owners. The restructuring is in line with the Government's policy of corporatization and the requirements of the FPC Timber Industry Structure Act which aim to establish a viable forest indus- try controlled by landowners. The Fiji Forest Sector Development Study (1989) indicated that the timber industry faces By the end 1993, the area planted by FPL was a period of urgent adjustments. The rapidly ris- 37,291 hectares. Plans are to increase the plan- ing output, exacerbated by a very weak domes- tation area to 55,000 hectares by the year 2006. tic demand, requires an expeditious orientation towards export. Investment opportunities in mar- Part of FPL's mission is to provide support, train- keting, processing, and forest plantations will be ing, and technical advice to all extension or com- available. Careful planning and follow-up are munal pine owners. Prior to 1990 extension pine needed, as the potential benefits to the Fijian owners were serviced by the Forestry economy are substantial. Department's Extension Division. Extension pine plantations are owned, established, and managed by landowners at their own cost. Log Exports About 14,500 hectares have been planted by extension pine owners. The area is being in- Fiji has discouraged the export of unprocessed creased at a rate of 700 hectares per year. timber to maximize returns from its forest re- sources. Exports of unprocessed logs have Hardwood Plantations been banned since 1989. The Government is encouraging processing and marketing of fin- By the end of 1993, the Forestry Department ished products from sawn timber by providing had established 43,500 hectares of plantations, attractive incentives. mainly of hardwood. The planting target is 4,500 hectares per year, with a total target of 85,000 hectares by 2000 (Ministry of Forest 1990). One Allocation of Cutting Rights of the findings of the recent Fiji Forest Sector Study (1989) was that expansion of the forest The majorfactor determining timber cutting rights resource base by afforestation and reforesta- in Fiji, as elsewhere in the South Pacific Islands, tion could safely go as far as doubling the is the pattern of land ownership. Most land, in- present areas of pine and hardwood plantations. cluding productive forest land, is owned by Fijian communal groups called "mataqali". Crown land accounts for only seven percent, and freehold Timber Harvesting and Utilization land about ten percent of the total. Fijian mataqali do not have any corporate authority to deal in Having developed plantation pine processing land and all negotiations for the use of the indig- and marketing facilities, Fiji has reduced its in- enous timber growing on that land have to be digenous lbg harvest over the past few years conducted through the Native Lands Trust Board

49 Count,y statements (NLTB). Screening of applications is carried out Forestry Sector Review and Fiji Tropical between NLTB and Forestry Department. Forestry Action Plan

To harvest timber on native land a Forestry Right Fiji's Forestry Sector Review and Fiji's National License is required under law. NLTB's written Forestry Action Plan (NFAP) were completed in consent is also needed if a Forestry Right Li- 1989. Most of the project proposals identified in cehse is to be issued on native land. the NFAP have been implemented or are cur- rently under execution. There are four distinct categories of tenure for timber cutting rights in the natural forests. These Re-inventory of the Indigenous Forest are: (Fiji German Forestry Project)

Timber Concessions As the last inventory of Fiji's native forests was undertaken in the 1960s by the Land Resources Long-Term Licenses Division, it was felt that a reinventory was nec- essary, since a number of devastating cyclones Annual Licenses had damaged forests in recent years.

• Other Licenses and Prepayment Most of the field inventory work is now complete Licenses(usually for land clearing) and the final results should be available soon. The project has established a Geographic In- The most advantageous to a processing com- formation System (GIS) providing most up-to- pany is the "timber concession" which typically date forest resource information. It will also be runs for a 15-30 year period with various condi- possible to continuously monitor the rate of de- tions attached (e.g., maximum and minimum forestation and changes in the forest area by annual cut, obligatory species to be removed, regular analysis of satellite imagery. The updated etc.). information on forest resources will provide an important tool for management. "Long-term licenses" usually run for 10 years. Most of the smaller producers operate under "an- nual licenses." "Prepayment licenses" are used Development and Implementation of Fiji's for cutting of firewood and for cutting timber from Logging Code of Practice areas to be cleared (e.g., land for farming). Logging activities can cause substantial changes in the structure and composition of for- Major Initiatives to implement Agenda 21 ests. While most of these changes are short- and forest principles lived, poorly executed operations can have long- term consequences. Fiji is committed to the effective implementa- tion of UNCED agreements. The country has Although some guidelines to minimize damage signed and ratified the International Convention to forests were incorporated in logging licenses on Biological Diversity and the UN Framework and concession agreements in the past, they Convention on Climate Change. have not been sufficiently comprehensive. Many were subjective and open to different interpre- A number of initiatives aimed at sustainable for- tations. est use have been taken before and following the 1992 Earth Summit. The major initiatives Concern for the environmental aspects of for- are mentioned below: estry led to a decision to produce a National

50 Country Statements Code of Logging Practice to provide practical ITTO Membership rational guidance to Forest Officers and loggers on how to minimize adverse effects of opera- Fiji has agreed to become a member of the In- tions on the forest environment. The code was ternational Tropical Timber Organization, begin- also expected to enhance safety standards. ning in 1995. Fiji will thus follow the International Tropical Timber Agreement and all other agree- In 1986, a committee comprised of forestry per- ments on sustainable management of forests sonnel, Logging School officials, and industry under the ITTO framework. representatives was formed to develop the Na- tional Code. After numerous consultations with industry and related personnel, the Code was Fiji Forest Resources Tactical Planning finalized and launched in 1990. All license hold- Project ers must now comply with all terms of the Code. With support from AIDAB, this project was initi- ated in 1994. Regional Code of Logging Conduct The main goals are: The 25th South Pacific Forum meeting, held in Brisbane in 1994, expressed strong concern to design and implement a practical and about exploitation of tropical forests in the re- effective process for the preparation of gion. Particular concern was raised over har- environmentally sound coupe-level log- vesting practices in indigenous forests and the ging plans, hardwood plantation estab- need to maximize forest benefits for Pacific Is- lishment plans, and management plans land Governments and landowners alike. for larger areas; and,

The Prime Ministers of Australia, Fiji, New to enhance skills within the Department Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands of Forestry to implement these plans. and Vanuatu annouced an agreement calling for: This project aims to reduce the environmental • a common code of conduct governing impact of timber utilization practices by devel- logging of indigenous forests, to which oping a planning process that is better docu- companies operating in these countries mented, based on better consultation among would have to adhere; stakeholders, capable of better control, and re- sulting in improved returns to the Government, • urgently improving the monitoring of log- landowners and the industry. ging and export of timber; and, The following activities have been undertaken a meeting of senior officers within two as part of this project: months to begin to implement these discussions. • Production of maps - prepared from ex- isting aerial photographs - suitable for The first meeting of senior forestry officials took detailed forest management planning place in Vanuatu in September 1994, followed (ie., scale of 1:10 000). by the second meeting in Fiji in December 1994, where a common code for logging conduct was Preparation of logging plans and plans discussed. The code is nearly finalized and will for hardwood reforestation activities. be presented for adoption at the next Forum This involves the incorporation of the Meeting scheduled to be held in Papua New maps into a document describing the Guinea in the first quarter of 1995. logging operation for particular coupes.

51 Counti'y statements A planning and monitoring process will intensity so that the regenerative capacity of the be developed in consultation with inter- forest is not adversely affected. ested parties, primarily the Department of Forestry, timber industry, land own- ers and the Native Land Trust Board. Amendment of Forest Act and Legislation

Preparation of management plans and The Forest Act was reviewed and decreed in plans for sustained yield of forest pro- 1990. Forest legislation is currently under re- duce. The plans use national and re- view. gional level information to calculate long term sustainable yield for concession or region-sized areas. The calculation will Forest Reser.'es be formalized in written management plans subject to environmental con- Forest Reserves cover about 37,000 hectares straints and reservations. of native forests (currently the boundaries of these reserves are being demarcated). The de- • Training to carry out the above three partment has developed two forest-based components. Heavy emphasis is placed ecotourism areas for the landowners to man- on training counterparts for the special- age. ist consultants.

• Project management, providing for ad- Royalties Review ministration, monitoring, preparation of a Project Implementation Document and Timber royalty rates were last reviewed in 1990 a Midterm Review. and another review is presently under consid- eration. The primary target groups are Department of Forestry staff, logging industry representatives and local communities. The most important Constraints beneficiary will be the natural forest environment of Fiji. The main constraints in implementing the For- est Principles are:

Fiji German Forestry Project on Reduced inadequate resources to pay landown- Impact Logging ers compensation for reserves, conser- vation and protection areas. The Fiji-German Forestry Project has initiated research into low-impact logging in natural for- • lack of training and awareness at all lev- ests as a pilot project whereby different com- els - landowners, forestry staff, industry partments are logged at varying intensities. and in the general public. Logged compartments will be monitored to as- sess the response of the residual trees and to • insufficient landowner participation at all evaluate natural regeneration. Records of cost levels (particularly in processing and and revenue generated from the sale of the logs marketing of forest products). have also been stored. In addition, variable di- ameter limits have been used for different spe- • lack of industrial structure for high value cies. When the exercise is complete. it will en- export markets. able new prescriptions to be written to allow se- lective logging in native forest at the appropriate

52 Count,y Statements India

M. F. Ahmed Inspector-General of Forests Ministry of Environment and Forests

Background generation in the forests. This is mainly due to overgrazing and fires. Forest degradation is widespread near communities and the vari- India has an area of 3,287,263 square kilome- ous rights, concessions and privileges enjoyed ters and is the second most populous country by the growing population, plus other biotic in the world. Its population in 1991 was 843.9 pressures, are increasingly threatening the for- million. The Forest Survey of India monitors the state of the forests every two years. The report ests. for 1991 showed that, although the officially re- To increase the forest cover and also satisfy corded forest area in the country was 77 mil- the increased demand for forest resources, lion hectares, the area actually covered by for- plantations are being established to supply fire- ests was only 64.1 million hectares. wood, fodder, and wood for use in industries and construction (Table 1). Ten million hectares of forest cover are man- aged as "protection forests" for ecological sta- Table I bility; 15 million hectares for produce timber for various industries, commerce, defense needs Progress of and railways; 25 million hectares are used in afforestation/reforestation social forestry projects to meet the demand for firewood and fodder; 14 million hectares are Period Million hectares national parks and wildlife sanctuaries; 41.49 million hectares are Reserved Forests; 23.31 Prior to 1979 3.334 million hectares are designated as Protected Forest and the remaining 12.21 million hectares 1979-80 0.222 are unclassed forest areas. 1980-85 4.650 Forest Resources and 1985-90 8.870 Their Management 190-91 0.744 The forest vegetation in India ranges from tropi- cal evergreen forests to alpine forests. Tropical 1991-92 1.015 rain forests constitute the principal component and are comprised of mostly broad leaved hard- Total 18.835 woods. Nearly 1,600 wood species are com- mercially exploited and, of these, nearly 200 species have industrial value and specific end During the last decade (1 980-1 990) India pro- uses. moted the Social Forestry Program with the main objective being to produce fuelwood, fod- About 80 percent of India's forests are managed der, small timber and other products to meet under working plans which usually cover a pe the needs of rural communities. A number of nod of 10-15 years. Although the working plans externally aided social forestry projects were have been by and large adhered to, it has not implemented during this period with an empha- been possible to secure adequate natural re- sis on the afforestation of non-forest lands.

53 Country Statement The present forest management approach is velopment of the degraded forests. In aimed at comprehensive and sustainable for- pursuance of the guidelines of the June 1990 estry development. The rehabilitation of de- circular, several State Governments have in turn graded forests, primarily through natural regen- issued appropriate resolutions/orders providing eration, has been given high priority. Forestry for the village communities to share the ben- projects encompassing all elements of forestry efits from the adjoining degraded forest areas (e.g., social and farm forestry, participatory that they agree to protect and develop. Due to management and wildlife conservation) have the high level of people's participation, Forest been launched in •three States and similar Protection Committees (FPC) and Forest De- projects are being formulated in other states. velopment Committees (FDC) have been formed in many areas. Increasing attention is being given to protection of natural forests and the planting of indigenous Under the redefined priorities of the Forest species in various afforestation programs. Policy of 1988, the supply of raw material for Emphasis is also being placed on the preser- industries is to come from private sources vation and propagation of various non-wood for- rather than from Government forests. Forest- est products including medicinal plants. based industries should, as far as possible, raise their own raw materials, preferably by The concept of participatory forest management establishing direct relationship with individuals on a usufruct basis has been gaining ground who can grow them. A positive development of as an effective means for regenerating India's the policy is that many of the forest-based in- degraded forests. The National Forest Policy dustries with the assistance of financial institu- of 1988 stresses that rights and concessions tions, have encouraged private farmers to plant from forests should primarily be for the bona trees in their farm lands. Paper and pulp in- fide use of the communities living in and around dustries now obtain a sizeable portion of their the forests, especially tribal people. raw materials from private sources. Plywood and matchwood species are also being planted It is in this context that in June 1990 the Gov- in farmlands and community wastelands in a ernment of India issued a circular highlighting number of States. the need, and the procedures, to be adopted, for the involvement of village communities and voluntary agencies in the protection and devel- opment of degraded forests. To ensure com- Environmental Protection, Conserva- munity participation, the State Governments tion and Watershed Management have been advised to enlist the communication and extension expertise of local non-government The increasing pressures on the environment organizations to serve as interfaces between and natural resources emphasize the need for the Forest Departments and the communities. conservation and sustainable development. In These guidelines constitute a significant depar- order to lay down guidelines that will incorpo- ture in forest management practice because rate environmental considerations into the de- increasing emphasis has been laid on the ac- velopment process, the Government of India tive participation of the people. They are involved adopted the National Conservation Strategy, in in the development of micro-level plans whereby June 1992. The Strategy has identified popula- they participate in the decision making stages tion control and conservation of natural re- right through to implementation. sources including land, water, air, biodiversity and biomass, as the priority areas needing spe- Another significant point is the benefit-sharing cific, concerted action. arrangement which is intended to give village communities a stake in the protection and de-

Countiy Statement 54 The conservation strategy recognizes that af- forest-based industries. Farmers are encour- forestation and forest conservation must inte- aged to establish plantations on their farm lands grate activities and expertise from different sec- in consultations with industries and financial in- tors and departments. Specifically such a strat- stitutions. egy must include efforts to involve government agencies dealing with rural development, wa- The remaining shortage of timber will be met ter conservation and harvesting, soil conserva- by imports. India has been importing about 1.4 tion, animal husbandry, sericulture and agri- million tons of timber, worth about US$ 150 mil- culture. Such an integrated approach is all the lion, annually from the Southeast Asian coun- more essential because the factors that have tries. led to the degradation of our forests often relate to problems occurring in other sectors. Forest Industries Under the new forest management approach, biodiversity conservation has become an inte- In India, non-wood forest products (NWFPs) are gral part of overall forest management. The derived from over 3,000 plant species. In addi- network of protected areas in the country, which tion to their value as food, they provide em ploy- is being progressively expanded, now covers ment to indigenous people and villagers living 75 national parks and 421 sanctuaries over an near the forests. Some of the NWFPs are ac- area of about 141,000 square kilometers This tually industrial raw materials of great economic constitutes 4.26 percent of the total land area value. and 13.9 percent of the forest area of the coun- try. Most of the forest-based industries in the coun- try are small scale. There are also a large num- ber of processing enterprises. Forest Products India's Forest Policy of 1988 stipulates the fol- The estimated annual production of timber and lowing considerations for establishing forest- fuelwood in the country is 12 million cubic based industries and the raw materials needed meters and 40 million cubic meters, respec- to supply them: tively, as against the current estimated demand of 27 million cubic meters and 450 million cu- • As far as possible, forest-based indus- bic meters, respectively. tries should meet their raw material re- quirements by establishing a direct re- The large gap between demand and supply of lationship with the individuals who can timber, firewood and fodder is being reduced grow the raw material. through various methods, including extensive plantations of appropriate species in degraded • The establishment of a forest-based en- forests and community lands; protection of for- terprise should be permitted only if there est areas to facilitate natural regeneration; en- is assured availability of raw material. couraging farm forestry and agroforestry on pri- The fuel, fodder and timber re- vate lands; improving wood utilization by in- quirements of the local population creasing use of wood saving devices; etc. Al- should not be sacrificed for this purpose. though many of these activities are sponsored by the Government, there has also been increas- • Forest-based industries must not only ing participation of communities and voluntary give priority to providing employment to organizations. local people, but also involve them fully in raising trees and raw material. Farm forestry and agroforestry have been en- couraged for the production of raw material for

55 Country Statement • Industries will not be allowed to utilize The priority areas of the Eighth Five Year Plan natural forest areas for plantations or are: preservation of biological and genetic di- other activities. Such forests serve as versity in terms of fauna and flora; protection of a gene pool resource and help to main- forest cover from further degradation; rehabili- tain the ecological balance. tation of wastelands to make them productive; preservation and conservation of the fragile and Small and marginal farmers will be en- critical ecosystems; decentralization and involv- couraged to grow wood species re- ing the general public in the development pro- quired for industries on marginal/de- cess. graded lands available to them.

• The supply of forest produce to indus- Forest Policy tries at concessional prices should cease. Industries should be encouraged India's current policies, programs and initiatives to use alternative raw materials, and the in the realm of forestry broadly conform to the import of wood and wood products "Forest Principles." The 1988 National Forest should be liberalized. Policy embodies many of the highlights of these principles. The Government's commitment to • The above considerations will, however, the management of forests through a partici- be subject to the current policy relating patory process is reflected in the June 1990 cir- to land ceiling and land laws. cular which envisages the active involvement of the village communities, especially women, The change in the National Forest Policy with the disadvantaged, and NGOs, to assist the regard to forest-based industries has no doubt forest departments in sustainable forest protec- affected the industries which previously received tion and regeneration initiatives. Various prob- preferential treatment and concessions from the lems and conflicts arising out of the tribal forest government. The shortage of industrial raw ma- interface are being addressed through a num- terials from forests and subsequent increase ber of administrative measures. Increasing in prices have forced the industries to look for importance is being given to the conservation alternative sources. Timber imports are on the of existing natural forests with emphasis on rise. The industries have also started obtain- natural regeneration. The current integrated ing a part of their raw material requirements from approach to afforestation and forest conserva- private farmers. It is hoped that in a decade or tion is necessary to deal with pressures from so, the nexus between forest-based industries different sectors which are responsible for deg- and farmers will be strong enough to reduce radation of forests. Biodiversity conservation has the dependence on natural forests to a mini- become an integral part of forest management. The Government aims to increase the vegetal mum. cover to one third of the country's land mass.

Planning of Forestry Development Various conservation measures have been taken up for the management of protected ar- eas such as the strengthening of legislation and Funding for the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992- eco-development efforts. There has been in- 97) is nearly three times that of the Seventh Plan. creasing association with international and ex- However, the present level of funding for the ternal agencies (e.g., the World Bank, FAO/ forestry sector is not adequate and efforts are UNDP, ODA, OECF, SIDA, CIDA, DANIDA, etc.) being made at various levels to augment invest- in the execution of a number of forestry projects ment in this priority sector. for afforestation, forest conservation, wildlife conservation, research, education and training.

56 Country Statement Forest Legislation Prior to August 1992, the country's forestry pro- grams were overseen by the Forestry Division The 1927 Indian Forest Act is the principal leg- and the National Wastelands Development islation which regulates the management of for- Board (NWDB), both under the Ministry of Envi- ests by the States. Since its adoption, forestry ronment and Forests. Consequent to the for- has undergone many conceptual changes lead- mation of a Department of Wastelands Devel- ing to the new National Forest Policy in 1988. opment in the Ministry of Rural Development, A revised and more comprehensive legislation and the transfer of the National Wastelands is now needed which will take into account the Development Board (NWDB) to that Depart- new National Forest Policy and the emerging ment, a new Board called the National Affores- imperatives of conservation of forests and wild- tation and Eco-development Board (NAEB) was life and preservation of the nation's biodiversity. set up in the Ministry of Environment and For- The 1927 Indian Forest Act is therefore being ests in August, 1992. The NAEB, under the amended. The draft of the revised legislation Chairmanship of the Union Minister for Environ- is being circulated among the State Govern- ment and Forests, is responsible for promoting ments for their views before finalizing the legis- afforestation, tree planting, ecological restora- lation. tion and eco-development activities with spe- cial attention to the regeneration of degraded The 1980 Forest (Conservation) Act was en- forest areas and lands adjoining forest areas, acted to check the indiscriminate diversion of national parks, sanctuaries and other protected forest land to non-forest purposes. Under this areas. Act, prior approval of the Central Government is required before any forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes. In 1988, the Act was Forestry Research amended to make the existing provisions more stringent. Revised and comprehensive rules India has a long history of forestry research. The and guidelines underthe 1980 Forest (Conser- first issue of the Indian Forester, a monthly jour- vation) Act were reformulated in 1992. nal devoted to forestry and research, was pub- lished in 1875. Laboratory research started in Guidelines for promoting people's participation 1878 and a National Forest Institute was estab- in forestry have been issued to the State Gov- lished in 1906. ernments. Most of the States have issued Gov- ernment orders/Resolutions facilitating partici- In 1986, the Indian Council of Forestry Research pation of people not only in forest protection and and Education (ICFRE) was established. ICFRE management, but also in sharing of usufructs. is a national council that promotes and funds research through different agencies. Six re- search institutes and two research centers are Forestry Institutions currently under the umbrella of ICFRE. Spe- cific research programs have been assigned Forestry and wildlife are in the concurrent list to these institutes, which are listed below: of the Indian Constitution. The basic policy guidelines are formulated by the Union Govern- ment through the Ministry of Environment and Forest Research Institute, Dehradun Forests. The responsibility of administering the forests is primarily vested with the State Gov- Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree ernments, whose specialized agencies are the Breeding, Coimbatore State Forest Departments.

57 Country Statement are responsible for training State Forest Ser- Institute of Wood Science and Technol- vice Officers. There are six colleges for train- ogy, Bangalore ing Range Forest Officers and a large number of Foresters and Forest Guards' Schools in dif- • Institute of Deciduous Forest Research, ferent parts of the country, imparting training to Jabalpur Deputy Rangers, Foresters, Forest Guards and others. Institute of Rain and Moist Deciduous Forest Research, Jorhat To broaden the base of forestry education, a number of agricultural and other universities • Arid Forestry Research Institute, Jodh- have started graduate and post graduate courses in forestry. Since 1989, ICFRE pro- pur vided financial support to these universities to strengthen their forestry faculties. Curricula Conifers Research Center, Shimla have been updated and reoriented to keep pace with the emerging trends in forestry develop- • Advanced Center for Forest Productiv- ment. ity, Ranchi

In June 1991, ICFRE was made an autonomous Economic Contribution of Forestry body of the Ministry of Environment and For- ests to allow it to function more effectively. Although the percentage contribution from the forestry sector to GDP is negligible, it should Many State Agricultural Universities also carry be remembered that its contribution is based out forestry related research, and the Indian on recorded removals from the forests. Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) also Unrecorded removals, especially of fuelwood, promotes research in agroforestry through its fodder and non-wood forest products, are very institutes/centers. The Indian Plywood Industry high. It is conservatively estimated that the Research and Training Institute, Bangalore, is value of total removals from India's forests is of carrying out research on timber products. the order of US$ 10 billion per year.

The Indian Institute of Forest Management (II FM), Employment generated in the forestry sector is Bhopal is a post graduate training institute and estimated at about 250 million working days per is planning to start research on environmental year under various development schemes in for- forestry, with particular emphasis on natural est areas and other Government lands; about forest management. 75 million working days are generated annually under agroforestry and farm forestry programs. Non-plan activities (e.g. protection, maintenance Forestry Education and Training and harvesting of forests) are estimated to gen- erate about 100 million working days. The over- Forestry education in India has two branches. all employment generated in the forestry sec- The first gives professional training for those tor is even more when the considerable em- who will make it their career; the second is the ployment of the rural poor and tribal people and academic education in the universities, leading the processing of forest products, in the orga- to a formal degree. nized and unorganized sector are included.

The Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), in Dehradun, trains Indian Forest Ser- Forestry Investment vice Officers. The State Forest Service Col- leges at Dehradun, Coimbatore and Burnihat Forestry investment is made through various schemes in the Central and State sectors 58 Country Statement (Table 2). It is difficult to identify one scheme integrated perspective program for the long and with one objective since in most cases a num- midterm development of the forestry sector at ber of objectives such as natural regeneration, the National and State levels, and a short-term production, social forestry, cultural operations, priority action program for the next five years protection etc. are included in the same are being prepared under the project "National scheme. However, judging by the pattern of Forestry Action Plan" as a part of the global investments made in past Plan periods, for- Tropical Forests Action Program with assis- estry investments can be broadly classified into tance from UNDP and FAO. the following components: All forested States have prepared sector review Social Forestry 50% documents for the first countrywide study ever Production Forestry 15% attempted. The exercise has been completed Protection and Conservation 20% and a wealth of information has been gener- Environmental Forestry ated. A strategy paper will be prepared for con- (including Wildlife Conservation) 10% sideration by the steering committee and there- Research, Education & Training 50/0 after preparation of State Forestry Action Plans Total 100% will start.

Studies are also being undertaken on ecosys- Table 2 tem management, rural sociology, land use, silviculture and management, wood substitution, Estimates of forestry funding agroforestry, data base management, resource by sector assessment, industry, extension, markets, de- (Million US $) sertification, seed technology, and non-wood for- est products. Other areas may be considered Fiscal Total State Central as work progresses. The data generated in the Year Funding Funding Fundinç studies will be put into an interactive computer format, which will form the basis for a national 1980-81 32.08 28.55 3.53 data base. Ultimately, it should be possible to 1981-82 39.66 36.19 147 put all the data from forest management plans 1982-83 49.76 43.74 6.02 in this format with the help of the National 1983-84 65.45 57.90 7.55 Informatics Centre of the planning commission, 1984-85 83.00 70.75 12.25 which has a network connecting all the districts 1985-86 94.89 80.37 14.52 of the country. The Forest Survey of India is 1986-87 113.43 92.20 21.23 acquiring GIS capabilities and should be able 1987-88 129.64 106.68 22.96 to assist the States in developing GIS applica- 1988-89 148.98 120.95 28.03 tions. 1989-90 17170 139.78 31.92 1990-91 192.14 152.08 40.06 After the State Forestry Action Plans and the 1991-92 23844 180.76 57.68 results of the studies have been reviewed, a draft National Forestry Action Plan will be pre- pared for consideration by the steering com- Implementation of the National mittee. It is proposed to have a wide- ranging Forestry Action Plan debate on the draft in regional workshops, fol- lowed by a national workshop. Under the 1988 National Forest Policy, it is nec- essary to reorient all the on-going forestry prac- tices and programs to meet the objectives. An

59 Country Statement Indonesia

Roedjai Djakaria Senior Advisor Minister of Forestry

Background Forest Plantations

Indonesia's forested land totals nearly 119 mil- To improve land productivity, Indonesia is de- lion hectares or 62.3 percent of the total land veloping industrial plantation forests (especially area. In 1993 the foreign exchange earnings on degraded and unproductive lands), rehabili- generated from the forestry sector were tating its watersheds through regreening pro- US$5.47 billion. In addition, substantial employ- grams, and promoting the establishment of pn- ment, and social and cultural benefits are de- vate forests. Therefore, Indonesia has estab- rived from forestry. The forestry sector is indeed lished over 3 million hectares of industrial for- vital to the national economy. Indonesia is there- est plantation, and has targeted another 1.25 fore strongly committed to implementation of million hectares of new plantation forests for the the Forest Principles and Agenda 21, especially period of 1994-1999. The intention is to main- Chapter 11 (Combating Deforestation). tain timber production from private forests at an annual level of 8 million cubic meters.

Forest Resources and Biodiversity The plantation forests play an important role in the promotion of national conservation efforts. In the early 1980s, prior to the introduction of High yield and superior local species plantations the National Land Use Plan, the forest re- could meet higher wood demand while main- sources useage was determined by the For- taining and reducing the area of natural forest est Land Use by Consensus (TGHK). In 1992, harvested. This program also provides employ- Indonesia adopted Act No. 24 of 1992 concern- ment for rural people and decreases local ing General Planning on National Land Use. people's reliance on natural forests. This act provides a mechanism for effective inter-sectoral cooperation and consensus re- garding disputed forest areas under the exist- Forest Production ing Forest Land Use by Consensus. With the new regulation, the legal status of forest areas With 64 million hectares of public production has been further harmonized and strengthened. forests, Indonesia's annual timber (log) produc- tion in the last six years has remained relatively Indonesia has finalized a thorough inventory of stable, yielding on the order of 22 to 27 million its permanent forested estate through the use cubic meters per year. The timber production of satellite imagery covering an area of 167.9 target for the 1994/1995 period has been a con- million hectares. A terrestrial inventory has been servative 22.5 million cubic meters per year, ex- completed for 107 million hectares and forest cluding timber coming from the private forests. boundary establishment has been carried out for 181,766 kilometers. To improve the moni- toring of production forests, aerial photographs Forest sustainability have been made available for over 70 million hectares of forest at an annual cost of US$2 To further promote forest sustainability, in April million. 1993, the Minister of Forestry issued the Crite- ria and Indicators of Natural Production Forest

60 Count,', Statement Sustainability on the National Level Decree Broader use of forestry to allevi- (No.252/Kpts-11/1993). The Director General for ate poverty and enhance the Forest Utilization, then issued the Technical welfare of local people residing Guidance on Criteria and Indicators for Manage- in the vicinity of the forests; and, ment Unit (concessionaire) Levels (Decree No. .208/Kpts/l V-Set/I 993). The basic structure Increased awareness and capa- of these decrees was derived from the 1110 bility of local governments to criteria and indicators. conserve and manage forests as an economic resource and In recent years, it has also been the policy of to provide environmental ser- the Ministry of Forestry to assume responsibil- vices. ity for the management of those concession- aires which were not conforming with regula- Soda-economic benefits and sustain- tions. This has been possible by establishing ability new joint ventures between the former forest concessionaires and public forestry enterprises. In an effort to promote local government capac- The management of the joint concession is ity and involvement in managing forestry, the regulated by, among others, the Minister of government, in 1994, decided to decentralize Forestry's decree. Thus far, 23 joint venture some forestry activities by establishing the For- concessions "patungan have been created. estry and Soil Conservation Service at the dis- trict level. This District Forestry Service is also In spite of some success in improving the man- seeking solutions to the socio-economic con- agement of its forests, Indonesia recognizes the ditions of the local people. challenging tasks which need special priority during the current Five Year Plan Period (1994- In line with the country's policy to increase the 1999). They are: earnings from non-oil exports, Indonesia tried to move away from exporting unfinished hard- • Enhancement of natural forest woods toward the export of finished products. quality through rehabilitation and This policy is also intended to increase job op- resource security; portunities. Because of this policy, Indonesia has developed 1,973 saw mills, 115 plywood • More efficient forest product uti- mills, 114 block board mills, 80 particle board lization through better industrial mills, 19 chip mills, 3 pulp mills, 2 MDF mills, processing and better harvest- and over 600 various secondary wood process- ing systems; ing mills.

• Improved land productivity Indonesia's forestry sector has provided ben- through the development of in efits at both national and local levels. Most for- dustrial plantation forests (HTI) estry activities have positive impacts on local and promotion of private forests; and regional development through multiplier ef- fects. Revenue gained through forest utilization • Enhancement of the private sec- leases has escalated through regular adjust- tor to better manage natural for- ment of royalties. Funds secured from forest ests using appropriate silvicul- resources are used primarily for forest man- tural systems and appropriate agement improvement and for local regional de- economic incentives; velopment.

Promotion of trade in forest prod- People's participation in forestry has been a ucts which are produced through niajor development objective in Indonesia. Vari- sustainably managed forests; ous programs for local community involvement

61 Count,y Statement have been successfully implemented. use planning, improvement of silvicultural sys- Agroforestry and social forestry have been tems, information dissemination, and training. practiced for over 100 years in the teak grow- ing areas of Java. To increase the contribution Under its Tropical Forestry Action Programme, of the concessionaires to the local economy, Indonesia has institutionalized donor coordina- the government has launched various programs tion through a fora called the Coordinating Group such as the Village Development Scheme on Indonesian Forestry (CGIF). Presently, In- ("HPH Bina Desa"). As of August 1994, more donesia is implementing 60 international forestry than 511 villages have participated in this projects at a cost of about US$260 million. scheme. Forestry will continue to be an impor- tant sector in the foreseeable future. By the As a follow-up to the UNCED outcomes, Indo- year 2000, the forestry sector is expected to nesia conducted the Global Forest Conference, provide some 6 to 8 million jobs. held in Bandung, in February 1993. The result of this Conference, the "Bandung Initiative", identified the following measures as being im- Biodiversity perative: strengthening national capacity in the area of forest management, increasing the area In order to conserve biodiversity, Indonesia has of forest, promoting the active participation of set aside almost 25 percent of its land area or all sectors of society in forest development 49.6 million hectares, as "totally protected ar- through education, and mobilizing scientific re- eas" (TPA). They consist of protected forests search to resolve problems of forest sustain- (30.8 million hectares) and conservation areas ably. The Bandung Initiative also emphasized (18.8 million hectares) including national parks, the importance of global partnerships to solve game reserves, nature reserves, and grand for- global forestry problems. est parks. Realizing the importance of science for sus- In October 1994, in cooperation with the Gov- tainable forestry, the Government of Indonesia, ernment of Malaysia and the ITTO, Indonesia in cooperation with the Centre for International launched a joint conservation project, the Forestry Research (CIFOR) conducted a Transfrontier Reserve Bentuang-Karim un and "Policy Dialogue on Science, Forests and Sus- Lanjak-Entimau, located in Kalimantan. This tainability" in December 1994, in Bali. This dia- transboundary conservation area covers over logue stressed the significance of forest sci- one million hectares of virgin tropical forest. ence and research in attaining sustainable for- estry and identified research field priorities.

Follow up to UNCED Conclusion After the UNCED Summit Meeting, in July 1992, the Ministry of Forestry convened all high rank- Indonesia strongly endorses the idea of global ing forestry officials to introduce the UNCED out- partnerships, including South-South coopera- comes and to evaluate the state of forestry man- tion, and the importance of promoting forestry agement in Indonesia relative to the Forest Prin- research and technology and science for solv- ciples and Agenda 21. The meeting concluded ing forestry problems. This idea should be given that Indonesia's forest management was prin- high priority by the FAO Ministerial Meeting, in cipally in line with the Forest Principles and Rome, in March 1995 and eventually to the Com- Agenda 21, but that further forest management mission on Sustainable Development Meeting improvement and fine tuning were needed. in New York, in April 1995. Since then, Indonesia has been intensifying its forest management efforts through law enforce- ment, standardization of the inventory and land

62 Count,y Statement Japan

Yoshiaki Hata Chief Officer International Forestry Cooperation Office Forestry Agency

Background The following are the some of those measures listed in Japan's report to the Commission on Recognizing the multi-functional nature of for- Sustainable Development. ests, continuous improvement of forest management has been one of the priority ar- eas of forest policy in Japan. A clear example Overall Aspects of Sustainable Develop- of this is the establishment of the "Forest ment Management System Based on River Basins". It covers national and private forest manage- A "Forest Reserve System" for the national for- ment and ensures conservation and sustain- ests was reformed and reinforced in 1989. Con- able use of forests, while simultaneously pro- sequently, newly categorized forest reserves tecting each river basin. have been designated. These are: Forest Eco- system Reserves (for the conservation of the Japan has also made great efforts to conserve whole forest ecosystem), Forestry Woods Ge- biodiversity and outstanding natural scenery. netic Resource Reserves (for the conservation Similar efforts are made to promote the proper of forest species), and Forest Organisms Ge- utilization of its forests for recreation. netic Resource Reserves (for the conservation of genetics). Furthermore, Japan promotes the effective use of timber and encourages paper recycling. At- tention is being given to the construction of Economic Developmejit more durable wooden houses. A "Forestry Structure Improvement Programme Being aware of the rapid depletion and deterio- for the Vitalization of Rural Communities" has ration of forests on a global scale, Japan has been working since 1990. Infrastructure for for- increasingly contributed to the sustainable estry activities and living conditions of rural management of forests throughout the world. communities have been improved under this Making the most of its accumulated expertise Programme. obtained through the management of forests and national parks, Japan has actively intensi- fied and expanded its international cooperation Social Aspects of Forests activities. A new fund called the "National Fund for Green- ery and Waters" was established in 1988 to pro- The Influence of UNCED mote public awareness and support research activities related to forest management. The total Japan had already launched several important amount of 20 billion yen will have accumulated measures, partly in advance of UNCED 1992, in the seven year period ending in 1995. Vari- anticipating the fundamental idea of sustainable ous projects have already been sponsored by development in the forest sector. the Fund.

63 Country Statements Institutional Strengthening and Capac- management and wildlife protection. Examples ity Building of such activities include:

The Forest Law, originally formulated in 1898, • research for the development of nature was revised in 1991. The purpose of the revi- conservation for developing countries sion was to promote the management and carried out from 1990 to 1993; conservation of various types of forests, and to improve the production and distribution process • basic surveys on environmental of forest products. Under the Forest Law, sev- conservation in the tropics carried out eral measures, including the "Forest Planning from 1991 to 1993; and Systems", were improved so as to put the con- cept of "Forest Management System Based on • research on the development of meth- River Basins" into practice. ods to examine the state of environmen- tal resources in Asia-Pacific Region.

International and Regional Cooperation Furthermore, Japan has carried out various bi- lateral technical and financial cooperation Japan has actively participated in, and contrib- projects through the "Japan International uted to, various international forestry initiatives. Cooperation Agency" (JICA) and the "Overseas Such initiatives include the "Working Group on Economic Cooperation Fund" (OECF). Japan Criteria and Indicators for Conservation and has also made contributions to international Sustainable Management of Temperate and organizations, such as FAO and 1110, support- Boreal Forests" (Montreal Process), "Intergov- ing their cooperation with developing countries ernmental Working Group on Forests" (Canada- in the forest sector. Malaysia Initiative) and "Workshop Towards Sustainable Forestry: Preparing for Commis- sion on Sustainable Development 1995" (lndo- Conclusion British Initiative). Japan will continue to make its best efforts to Japan has also conducted overseas research improve its own forest management so as to activities, making use of its experience and ex- meet the wide variety of needs of both today's pertise obtained through the national parks and tomorrow's generations.

64 Country Statements Republic of Korea

Kim Young Han Director International Cooperation Division

Background been very important in maintaining and improv- ing environmental standards and welfare ben- Korea has a forest cover of 6.45 million hect- efits. The current five-year forest plan proposes ares, or 65 percent of the total land area. Due to increase the national forest lands from the to the relatively large population, there has been current 21 percent of total forests up to 40 per- increased conversion of forest lands for other cent. To accomplish this, national forests would uses, including housing, industrial sites, roads, be exchanged with public and private forests, and croplands. In the past decade, about 9,000 or private forests would be purchased by the hectares of forest lands a year have been con- government. veiled for other uses. Recently, the rate of for- est conversion slowed due to the decline of To improve the utilization and value of small di- the population growth, abandonment of some ameter timber, research has been carried out croplands, and strict restrictions against forest to expand its use and create new demand. In land conversion. addition, timber utilization is being improved by enhancing the pattern of timber consumption Forests in Korea are mostly located in moun- and increasing recycling. tainous regions. Therefore management prac- tices difficult to apply. Protection and Conservation To improve forest productivity, the Korean Gov- ernment has established the National Forest To protect the forests, denuded forest land will Plan, in the spirit of UNCED. The objective of be rehabilitated, erosion control measures will this forest policy is to change from an orienta- be taken in susceptible areas, and precaution- tion of forest use mainly for economic develop- ary actions will be applied in rehabilitated areas ment to one of harmony between development to prevent reoccurrence of land degradation. and conservation. To control forest fires, early warning systems have been established. The fire lookout sys- Sustainable Forest Management tem has been improved, and special attention paid to improving the Forest Aviation Office's To increase the economic value of forests and management and logistics. Early warning sys- improve the structure for sustainable produc- tems are also being improved to detect and tion, commercial forests with poor quality spe- control pests and diseases. The use of pesti- cies are being replaced by quality species. Man- cides with low toxicity and natural enemies is agement practices have been adopted to moni- encouraged as much as possible to conserve tor and develop water resources, land conser- the natural ecosystems. vation, aesthetic beauty, biodiversity conserva- tion, and recreational areas. To check the loss of forests, methods of as- sessing the impact of forest conversion are The increase of national forest lands and the being developed and utilized as criteria for for- enhancement of management systems have est land conversions. In addition, institutional instruments will be established to induce affor-

65 Count,y Statement estation in marginal and abandoned croplands. to coordinate specific action plans in relevant Research on quantification and value assess- sectors as recommended by Agenda 21. ment of forest benefits will be strengthened to In early 1994, a working group was organized reflect the forest's environmental value, so as involving members from the Forestry Adminis- to clearly define policies. tration and the Forestry Research Institute.

Improvement of Related Institutions International Cooperation Forest-related legislation is being revised, so as to maintain the harmony between develop- Contributing to global environment conserva- ment and forest protection, conservation, and tion, the government actively participates in dis- sustainable management. cussions of criteria and indicators for sustain- able forest management, and in other meetings, Financial incentives and tax benefits will be in- related to the International Convention to Com- troduced: bat Desertification, and the Convention on Bio- logical Diversity. to increase productivity and to improve the public benefits from Foreign timber purchasing in the future will de- private forests through sustainable pend more on overseas plantation programs forest management; rather than blindly buying from foreign sources.

• to strengthen and develop related re- The experiences and techniques that Korea has search; and accumulated in successful land rehabilitation programs can be shared with developing coun- • to encourage joint research programs tries to contribute to global environmental con- for closer cooperation among industry, servation. For this purpose, experts in these university, and research institutes subjects may be dispatched to relevant coun- tries. Through strengthened bilateral and multi- National Coordination lateral cooperation, exchange of forest-related knowledge and information will enlarge each In 1992, the Ministerial Committee on Global En- country's understanding of how to acheive sus- vironment was established. Under the Ministe- tainable forest management. rial Committee, a Task Force was established

Country Statement 66 Lao People's Democratic Republic

Bounthong Xaisida Deputy Director Department of Forestry Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Background Progress and issues in implementing Agenda 21 and the Forest Principles Laos has abundant natural resources, includ- ing forests covering a variety of ecosystems. Since the initiation of New Economic Mecha- The central purpose of economic development nism (NEM) in 1986, which encouraged private in Laos is to improve the quality of life for the ownership and foreign investment, the average country's population. Therefore, socio-eco- economic growth rate has been approximately nomic development programs have been aimed 5 percent per year. However, the social-eco- at combating general and rural poverty, and nomic conditions remain largely underdevel- improving health conditions. These objectives oped especially in the areas of education, pub- could not be achieved without formulating com- lic health, transportation and communication. prehensive programs including the support of a The population growth rate remains high (2.9 number of agencies at local, national and inter- percent), but economic production is still at sub- national levels. sistence levels with an average per capita in- come of US$350. Approximately 80 percent of the Lao people live in rural areas. Due to poverty, many local com- Agricultural and forest products constitute a munities are forced to encroach upon forested major portion of the GNP. This factor alone has areas to cultivate rice and other crops. Fully been a major cause of the existing environmen- aware of the dangers posed by rural poverty, tal problems. More than one third of the popu- the state introduced economic reforms in 1986, lation still relies on swidden agriculture as a which have been successfully employed in all means of food production. The area under shift- sectors of the economy under the New Eco- ing cultivation each year varies from 250,000 to nomic Mechanism. Basic infrastructure con- 300,000 hectares depending largely on the suc- struction has been the predominant focus of de- cess or failure of the previous year's produc- velopment programs. In addition to economic tion. development, the government has given high priority to human resources development. In formulating economic policy, the Lao govern- ment has not neglected environmental protec- tion. In this regard the Lao People's Democratic Forest Resources and Biodiversity Republic constitution states the follQwing: In the early 1940's the forest cover was esti- 0All organizations and citizens mated to be 70 percent of the total land area. must protect the environment Now the remaining forests occupy only 47 per- and natural resources, land, un- cent of the national area. Although a compre- derground resources, forests, hensive study has not been carried out, it is fauna, water resources and at- obvious the main causes of deforestation are mosphere." shifting cultivation, unsustainable and illegal log- ging, and forest fires.

67 Count,y Statements Forestry production In October 1994, the most recent decree ad- dressing forestry promotion was promulgated, In 1991 the National Forest Action Plan (NFAP) offering attractive incentives to local communi- (officially known as Prime Minister Degree No. ties for reforestation. A farmer who now plants 66), was introduced and all inefficient state-run more than 1,100 trees per hectare is not re- forest enterprises were transferred to other quired to pay a land use tax. If the farmer cuts forms of ownership. The government encour- down trees, he is still exempt from taxation pro- aged the private sector to undertake entire spec- viding the tree he has cut down is for his own trum of forest industry activities. This includes use. reforestation, tree harvesting, timber process- ing and marketing of lumber products. More- over, all business ventures are to simulta- Biodiversity neously include tree planting to ensure future timber supplies. Emphasis must also be given Laos has a rich biodiversity, although many habi- to rural development. In further support of these tats have been lost due to environmental de- initiatives, government policy promotes timber struction. Decree No. 184/PM addresses this processing domestically by restricting log ex- issue through the creation of 18 protected ar- ports. Furthermore, Prime Minister Decree No. eas encompassing approximately 2.5 million 67 placed a temporary ban on timber harvest- hectares, representing more than 10 percent ing. of the total land area.

Forest preservation Watershed management

In an effort to shift from employing only admin- The Mekong river and its tributaries play a very istrative measures to tackle the problem of de- important role in the national economy. There- forestation the Lao government has taken a fore, the consejvation of watersheds is essen- more participatory approach. Local communi- tial. Donor countries as well as international aid ties are granted the right to manage the forests organizations, including NGOs, are assisting the for their own interests, however, local commu- Lao government to study and understand the nities must comply with the regulatory frame- problems of watershed degradation. work. In 1993, the New Decree on Forest Man- agement and Civilization was promulgated ad- dressing all aspects of the forestry sector and Agricultural development recognizing the customary rights of the villag- ers. Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy. Major projects and results have been accom- plished primarily around the urban areas. How- Forest plantations ever, agricultural systems in rural and remote areas remain at subsistence levels. The Lao government has continuously encour- aged reforestation and to this end has declared June 1 as National Tree Planting Day. Under Shifting cultivation and alternative the old economic management mechanism, the livelihood campaign for tree planting had not been suc- cessful. Following the 1986 open door policy, More than 1.5 million people continue to prac- there has been noticeable progress in this area. tice swidden agriculture with significant detri-

68 Countty Statements mental impact on the environment. Therefore, been provided from a variety of donors includ- the two-pronged focus of the government agri- ing SIDA, Mekong Committee Secretariat, FAQ, cultural program is food production and the sta- ADB, World Bank, GTZ, IDRC, JICA, IUCN, bilization of areas vulnerable to shifting cul- CUSO, JVC, ACIAR, NOVIB. The total amount tivation. According to government plans, the of assistance is still far less than needed lev- number of families using swidden agriculture els, however, other donors have expressed their should be reduced to 100,000 by the year 2000. intention to take part in the implementation of During 1995, a target population of 30,000 will the TFAP. For that purpose, the Ministry of Agri- be shifted to other modes of production such culture, and Forestry planned another donors as animal husbandry, coffee and other cash meeting in March of 1995. crops.

Conclusion Hydro electricity production Since the introduction of economic reforms, Future consideration of hydro-electric power progress has been achieved in many areas of plants will take into account not only economic society. The general living standard of the popu- aspects, but also assess environmental and lation has been acheived in many areas of so- social impacts. ciety. The general living standard of the popula- tion has been raised and the basic structure of all economic sectors has been expanded. The International cooperation private sector and foreign investors are partici- pating in development projects including forestry In accordance with the 1990 Tropical Forestry and agriculture, reflecting the commitment of Action Plan (TFAP), international assistance has the Lao Government to combat general poverty and to find alternatives for shifting cultivators.

69 t.ountnj Statements Nepal

Shesh Hari Bhattarai Regional Director Minister of Forest and Soil Conversation

Background community and private forestry

Nepal, extending 800 kilometers east to west national and leasehold forestry along the central Himalayas, contains dramatic physiographic and climatic contrasts consider- soil conservation and watershed man- ing its small area of 147,181 square kilometers. agement About two-thirds of the country is occupied by hills and mountains. Nepal's current population, conservation of the ecosystem and ge- estimated to be 19 million and growing at slightly netic resources over 2 percent per year, is expected to reach 24 million by 2000. Over 90 percent of the popu- • medicinal and aromatic plant develop- lation relies on agriculture for its livelihood. Thirty- ment. seven percent of the country's area is under forest cover while that under agriculture is about A National Conservation Strategy for Nepal, en- 20 percent. dorsed by the Government in 1988, outlines a conservation action agenda to facilitate the in- The country's economy depends largely on the tegration of conservation prescriptions into the use of its natural resource base. Lack of eco- socio-economic development plans and pro- nomic opportunities and infrastructure has ham- grams. pered economic growth. The problems have been further exacerbated by the growing pov- The objectives of the current Eighth Five-Year- erty and environmental deterioration which is Plan (1992-97) include the following: accelerated due to excessive dependence on the use of natural resources. • sustainable economic development Seventy-five percent of the country's energy re- quirements are met through fuelwood. Defor- • poverty alleviation estation in Nepal is primarily due to the extrac- tion of fuelwood, fodder and timber, over graz- • rural development and regional balance. ing, frequent fires, encroachment on forest land for agricultural expansion, and poaching and To achieve these objectives, priority programs smuggling. The current tree plantation rate is include: unable to offset the deforestation rate. As for- ests are not evenly distributed in relation to the • agricultural intensification and diversifi- population, all accessible forests are over-used cation and depleted. • energy development

Management, Conservation and Sus- • rural infrastructure development tainable Development of Forests • employment generation and human re- A 21- year Master Plan for the Forestry Sector, sources development implemented since 1989, concentrates on:

Count,y Statements 70 • industrial development and tourism pro- Promotion of Sustainable Patterns of motion Production and Consumption of Goods and Services from Forests • export promotion and diversification Community forests will be managed and utilized • macro-economic stabilization on a sustainable basis through user groups mo- bilized as autonomous bodies. • reforming development administration In the national parks and wildlife reserves, to • institutionalization of performance moni- solve the conflicts between the parks and local taring and evaluation system people, local communities will be mobilized for the sustainable development and management The Nepal Environmental Policy and Action Plan, of buffer zones. Sharing of 30 to 50 percent of prepared in 1993, aiming to maintain a balance the revenue generated from the parks is being between economic development and environ- provided for community development activities ment, has focused on program priorities in the as an incentive. field of: sustainable management of natural re- sources; preservation of national heritage includ- Soil conservation and watershed management ing biological resources; mitigation of adverse programs launched in 40 districts have helped environmental impacts by amending existing minimize soil loss and increase soil productiv- legislation; institutional reform; and, public ity. Endangered species have been identified awareness programs. and their trade and exploitation restricted under CITES. In the continuous and arduous efforts The National Environmental Impact Assessment to protect the one-horned rhinoceros, its popu- (EtA) guidelines for Nepal, endorsed in 1992, lation has increased from 60 to 80 in the late mandates the identification, prediction, and 1960s to 460 in 1994, an annual rate of in- evaluation of all potential environmental impacts crease of 3.7 percent. and assessment of mitigation measures for the conservation of environment and biodiversity in Pressure on traditional energy sources, prima- all major development projects and programs. rily fuelwood, will be reduced by developing fuelwood saving devices. Of particular focus will The 1993 New Forest Act, ensures the conser- be improved cook-stoves and bio-gas plants. vation, management and sustainable use of for- ests and forestry resources with the extended cooperation of the private sector. The 1973 Social Aspects of Forests National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, (amended in June 1993) has a provision for Local community participation in managing the declaring buffer zones to ensure the regular existing natural forest has been given high pri- supply of forest products to the local people. ority. Under current policies, local people can The 1982 Soil Conservation and Watershed Man- fulfil their demands for fuel, fodder and small agement Act, has provisions to regulate land- timber. They can also allocate some revenue use practices in protected areas in order to best generated by managing the forest to other nec- utilize the watershed resources in reducing soil essary local developments such as primary erosion, landslides, floods and other environ- health, education, irrigation, etc. The program mental problems. of leasehold forestry has been launched in order

71 untry Statements to uplift the living conditions of the absolute poor. Forestry research was completely reorganized Nepali women have been encouraged to par- in July 1993 with the formation of the Forest ticipate in managing the natural forest and af- Research and Survey Center, once again com- forestation programs. Some of the forest bining the responsibility for research and sur- user's committees are composed exclusively vey within the Ministry of Forests and Soil Con- of women. servation. Planning capacity has been en- hanced by exposing central, regional and dis- Various forestry development programs - affor- trict-level officers to the latest planning tools. estation, soil conservation and watershed man- Training on community forest management has agement, pasture development, agroforestry, been assigned to different categories of field national parks and reserves - have provided staff. considerable employment opportunities and in- come generation to the local people. Forest user groups have been organized in the villages and operational plans have been pre- Tourism potential is increasing with the estab- pared with their consent and contribution. Na- lishment of the national parks and wildlife re- tional forest areas have been handed over to serves. Environmental measures have been local user groups. Responsibility for managing provided to maintain the ecological conditions. and utilizing the forests has been given to them.

Institutional Strengthening and Capac- International and Regional Cooperation ity Building and Support

An interministerial Environmental Protection Nepal is an active member in regional and in- Council was constituted under the chairman- ternational cooperation and support programs ship of the Prime Minister in 1992 as a policy and is a signatory to a number of international coordination body. The council is charged with conventions. Many forestry development pro- managing natural and physical resources, main- grams have been launched with the technical taining balance between environment and de- and financial assistance of bilateral and multi- velopment to meet basic needs in a sustain- national donor agencies such as UNDP, UNEP, able manner, and supporting sustainable devel- FAO, USAID, ODA, JICA, SIDA, DANIDA, WB, opment. CIDA, AIDAB, SDC, GTZ, etc. Implementation of the Forest Principles and other forestry re- The 1994 institutional reform of almost all gov- lated issues of Agenda 21 and various conven- ernment institutions has made the policy mak- tions of the Earth summit have been initiated. ing bodies smaller, more focused and involved at the implementation stage. This will in turn help the government to deliver services to needy Forestry Elements Relating to Other people in more efficient and effective ways. Chapters and Conventions

Furthermore, the decentralization of adminis- Past initiatives in managing fragile ecosystems trative powers and tasks has created a devel- and sustainable mountain development (Chap- opment-cadre for decision makin9 and imple- ter 13 of Agenda 21) have been further ex- mentation of the plans and programs. A num- panded. The program of action emphasizes ber of non-governmental organizations, estab- soil conservation and watershed management lished after the reinstatement of democracy in and sustainable use of biological resources. 1990, are developing conservation packages to ensure equitable sharing of forest benefits.

Country Statements 72 To implement the Convention on Biological Di- WWF-funded biodiveristy conservation pro- versity, four biodiversity conservation projects gram is providing assistance to implement on- are being launched. They focus on the conser- servation-oriented development activities in vation and sustainable use of the wild flora and national parks. fauna. The 3-year Park-People Project funded by One component of a 5-year GEF-funded UNDP will be instrumental in conserving bio- biodiveristy conservation project is to develop logical resources at a sustainable level in two and implement a National Biodiveristy Action national parks and three wildlife reserves and Plan (BAP). A Dutch-funded biodiveristy project their buffer zones. The 1993 Forest Act en- has been launched to assess the present state sures the conservation, management and sus- of biological diversity in Nepal. In addition, a tainable use of forests and forest resources with the extended cooperation of the private sector.

73 Count,y statements Papua New Guinea

Martin Go/man Senior Forest Plans Officer National Forest Authority

Background was developed with two major policy objectives. Objective #1: Management and protec- In recent years, the forestry sector in Papua tion of the nations forest resources as a New Guinea has gone through a major trans- renewable natural asset formation. The Commission of Inquiry, which was set up by the Government in 1988 to look Under this objective, the following actions are into the various aspects of the Forest and For- pursued: est Industry, has been the reason behind the change. The Commission revealed serious • Enforcement of sustained yield forest malpractices and irregularities and recom- management. mended swift changes to correct these prac- tices. It also advised the Government to review National and Provincial consultation for policies and draft legislation to control the tim- the orderly harvesting of the forest, ber industry. Consequently, the Government through the development of National and with the help of the World Bank undertook the Provincial Forest Plans (NFP, PFP). drafting of policy and legislation to properly man- Present status: scheduled to begin in age forest resources and monitor the timber in- 1994 but delayed until 1995 and 1996 dustry. Along with the new policy and legisla- due to financial constraints. tion, the National Forest Service was estab- lished. Plantation establishment to comple- ment the use of natural forests on a sus- In early October 1993, all staff previously em- tainable basis. Timber companies, and ployed by the Department of Forests, Provin- landowners will be encouraged to par- cial Forest Departments and Forest Industries ticipate in plantation programs. Present Council were united to form the National Forest status: A study was carried out and sites Service. have been identified, but there is no funds support the establishment of Forest Policy (1991) these plantations.

The fourth goal of Papua New Guinea's consti- Development of Forest Management tution, states: Agreements (FMAs) to replace Timber Rights Purchase Agreements (TRP5), "our forest resources must be used for granting rights to manage, harvest for the collective benefit of us all and and plant timber and to establish infra- be replenished for future genera- structure (e.g., roads and bridges). tions." Under FMAs, landowners have in- creased decision making authority and With this goal in mind and the belief that forest participatory roles in the utilization of resources are renewal natural assets if used their forests. Present status: Initial and managed wisely, the 1991 Forest Policy FMAs have already been granted. How- ever, more funding will be needed for FMAs to be established throughout the whole country.

74 Country statements • Conservation and protection of forest Restricting exports of forest products. areas through the establishment of The export of certain premium timbers Conservation/World Heritage Areas. in log and fitch forms has been banned. Present status: Areas have been iden- tified, but there is a need for further plan- • Restricting imports of forest products. ning of the preservation of these areas Incentives will be provided to encourage as they are owned by landowners who greater use of locally made wooden retain the right to conserve or develop products such as furniture. their land. Encouraging the creation of employ- Control of logging operations to mini- ment and local participation, nationals mize environmental damage. Two op- will be actively involved at all levels of tions are being pursued: the forest industry. National companies, especially landowner-based compa- silvicultural knowledge is being broadened nies, will be encouraged to be involved to minimize the environmental damage; in the forestry sector. Present status: This is to be organised through FMAs. landowners are being given the responsi- bility to control all logging activities. Promoting small-scale, forest-based industries (e.g., the use of "Wokabout The latter option requires training of landown- Somils"). An advisory service will be ers. provided to assist small scale operators. Present status: This service is sched- uled for 1995. Objective #2: Utilization of the forest resource for economic growth, employ- Allocating all royalties from the timber ment creation, greater Papua New harvest to the landowners. This will be Guinea participation in the forest indus- a faster and improved system of roy- try and increased viable domestic alty distribution. processing: • Providing support and guidance to com- munity forestry, (e.g., village woodlots This objective will be achieved through the fol- and agro forestry projects). Present sta- lowing activities: tus: Scheduled to begin in 1995. Relying less on log exports for revenues • Welcoming foreign investment, espe- and by increasing domestic processing cially capital-intensive higher technology to provide value-added and other "spin- projects. off' effects. Present status: A study has been completed by ITTO and strategies are now being formulated to reduce log Post 1992 Forest Policy Achievements exports and increase domestic pro- cessing. There has been gradual progress in the imple- mentation of projects that were forthcoming From negotiation of contracts for the due to the Forest Policy change. Two of the con- processing forest products. There is no straints the PNG Government encountered automatic 'right" for operators to export logs.

75 Country Statements were related to finance and manpower. Thus The major policy changes proposed under the the World Bank made contributions through the new forest program include: National Forest and Conservation Action Pro- gram (NFCAP) to support the Forest Policy • A 2-year moratorium on logging in new 1991. areas;

Some of the major programs are listed below • Timber right purchases (formally used in order of priority: as a timber right by customary land owners) have been incorporated into Rapid resource appraisal (RRA) and re- the forest management agreement inventory of resources; the RRA is almost (FMA); complete, with all forest types zoned, the density and volumes have been collected • Increased emphasis on the develop- for each forest category and mapped with ment of plantation forests and on in- assistance from AIDAB, CSIRO and the creasing the country's timber process- World Bank. ing capacity; and,

A new resource management structure in- • Involvement of NGOs in policy making cluding a National Forestry Board, special- and project execution, and their integra- ized Standing Committees, a new Forest tion as members of the technical sup- Service and a new financial framework has port team. been set up. Critical limitations to implementing NFCAP are Maximizing returns from logging with a com- insufficient qualified manpower in specialist ar- prehensive review of royalties, export taxes eas and lack of information about the regen- and other revenues from log exports. Mar- erative capacity of the forest resources. Build- keting firms will be consulted to improve ing upon the progress achieved with respect to sales and revenues. changes in forest policies and forest organiza- tion, the PNG Forest Authority will continue to Industrial development prospecting with a focus efforts on implementating new policies review of the log export ban and feasibility and identifying external technical assistance and studies for sawmill/board plants, wood chip- funds for NFCAP programs. Progress will be ping and pulp mills. Present status: This continually monitored and evaluated. study has been carried out by ITTO and strategies are presently being formulated. Follow-up to UNCED Conservation and land use planning includ- ing a World Heritage site proposal, a na- The PNG National Forestry Policy (1991) has tional conservation strategy, rehabilitation of adapted all the principles of UNCED. The the existing national parks, improved eco- NFCAP has incorporated a wide range of spe- logical and monitonng programs, training of cific interventions to strike a balance between local people, support to NGO activities, and environment and development. a feasibility study for establishing a land use research council. Since 1992, PNG has been able to reorganize institutional structure and attempts have been Institutional and human resource develop- made to achieve sustainable forestry develop- ment. Present status: A study has been ment. However, progress has been slower than carried out and strategies will be formulated expected due to fund shortages and structural in the near future. transition. The National Forest Plan which is

Country Statements —76 now being undertaken will bring the new policy praise for the speedy accomplishment of new initiatives into perspective, forest policy and legislation.

The implementation of the National Forest Plan Non-governmental organizations are, for the first (NFP) and Provincial Forest Plans (PFP) has time, represented both formally and informally also been obstructed by the lack of detailed in- in forestry affairs. Forest industries and the formation about the resource base in the coun- private sector are represented on the Board of try. However, this is being addressed by the the Forest Authority and are increasingly being NFCAP with the Rapid Resource Appraisal drawn into the consultative process. A frame- Project that will eventually determine the up-to- work has been established for landowners to date resource information to be incorporated into increase participation in forest sector develop- the plan. ment.

The delay in resource allocation decisions due Environmental consciousness has been to the moratorium on the issuance of new log- strengthened. Papua New Guinea is now rec- ging concessions has been prudent. Future al- ognized as a significant global reservoir of biodi- locations must be based on sound land use versity and international assistance is sought planning. to help safeguard these resources for future generations. The commitment to manage the forest on a sus- tainable basis for today and the future is present, The PNG National Forest Authority faces many with a goal, of achieving full implementation of challenges in coordinating the many and varied new policies, by the year 2000. inputs from the landowners, government depart- ments, NGOs, industry and international con- servation organizations to achieve the goal of Prospects and Constraints sustainable forest development. For the first time in many years, Papua New Guinea has While there have been set-backs, overall the major interest groups working together towards Government has demonstrated a genuine com- a more just and sustainable future of forest re- mitment to change. It has earned particular sources use and conservation.

77 Count,)' Statements Philippines

Jose D. Malvas, Jr. Director, Forest Management Bureau Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Background Enacting a "Law on Ancestral Land" as well as other land use bills. Only about 5.78 million hectares, or roughly 19 percent of the total land area of the Philippines, Promoting people's participation through are covered with forests today. To meet the the "Community's Right to Know" policy country's wood requirements and the basic and community-based organizations in- needs of the people who are dependent upon cluding indigenous groups in forest man- the forest resources and forest-based indus- agement activities. tries, immediate appropriate management di- rections and strategies have to be initiated. Strengthening the capability and partici- pation of local overnments in refores- Operationally the strategies are clear and tation and forest protection. simple. The remaining forests have to be pro- tected and sustainably managed. These are Focusing on sustainability requirements well articulated in the Philippine Strategy for in logging and other forest utilization. Sustainable Development and in the Philippine Forestry Master Plan. Developing and promoting non-conven- tional energy resources, particularly to relieve pressure for fuelwood harvest- Strategy for Sustainable Development ing.

In September 1992, taking into consideration Supporting the establishment of indus- UNCED's Agenda 21, the Philippine Agenda 21 trial tree plantations in the shift towards was adopted in a National Conference called non-exploitation of natural forest while "Response to Earth Summit: Implementing the diversifying tree planting and supporting Philippine Agenda 21 for Sustainable Develop- the use of endemic species to approxi- ment". The Philippine Council for Sustainable mate the natural forest. Development (PCSD) was created to provide the mechanism for implementing the principles of Sustainable Development in the country. The Master Plan for Forestry Development PCSD and its various committees and sub- (MPFD) committees are now fully functional and are working hard to fulfill their mandates. In 1990, the Master Plan for Forestry Develop- ment was completed. Under this plan, the for- The following have been agreed upon as the estry sector will be directed towards efficient priority activities and key elements for the Phil- and equitable management, conservation, and ippine Agenda: utilization of all the forest resources, satisfying in appropriate ways and on a sustainable basis 1. Complete planning of land use and of the needs of the people for forest-based com- the allocation system - delineation of for- modities and services. Thus, the Philippine est boundaries and amendment of poli- Forestry Master Plan has already integrated cies for agricultural lands.

Coun fry Statements 78 most of the principles proclaimed by UNCED in tal organizations in the development and

1992, with the following objectives: management of forest resources.

To meet the national demand for wood Conscientious effort to practice soil and and other forest products by putting all water conservation. of the country's production forest re- sources under sustainable manage- • Development of an integrated protected ment. area system that recognized and is re- spected by the people and is kept in- To contribute to the production of food, tact. water, energy, and other necessary com- modities by properly managing the up- • Active practice of urban forestry in cit- land watersheds and through effective ies and towns. cooperation between forestry and agri- culture practices. • Elimination of conversion of forests to other land uses, and excessive and ille- To protect the land and its resources gal cutting, as well as unplanned exploi- against degradation such as desertifi- tation. cation, soil erosion, landslides, floods, and other ecological devastation through • Scientific management of natural proper land management systems and dipterocarp forests. practices. • Development of plantation forests and To conserve the forest ecosystems and tree farms, with high productivity, their diverse genetic resources through complementing the yields from natural wise use. forests.

To contribute to employment and growth • Development of well-equipped and effi- of national and local economies through cient wood-based and non wood-based fully developed and integrated forest- industries that contribute to the supply based industries. of finished products, the generation of foreign exchange, and the development To promote social justice and equity, and of the economy. to honor the rights of indigenous cultural communities in the management, con- • Enactment of forest policies and legis- servation and utilization of forest re- lation which promotes the efficient and sources. equitable management, conservation, protection, and utilization of forest re- The MPFD envisaged that the general, long-term sources. goal will be attained in stages within the Master Plan span of 25 years. In the medium-term of • Development of properly organized, 10-15 years, the objectives of the Master Plan staffed, and equipped forestry institu- are: tions.

Equitable access to opportunities in • Full research and development support management and sharing of benefits to field operations. from forest resources, including a keenly developed private sector, with active • Organized mass communication and leadership provided by non-governmen- field extension cooperative efforts for the

79 Countiy Statements Philippines

public and non-governmental organiza- Forest Management and Products tions. Development Programs

• Accurate monitoring and evaluation of • Natural dipterocarp forests the impacts on forest resources of for- • Pines, mangreve, and other estry programs, projects, and activities. natural forests • Plantation forests and tree farms In the immediate term of five years , emphasis • Wood-based industries is being placed on the attainment of top quality • Nonwood forest-based industries service in all components of the sector. Meet- ing quantitative targets is of secondary impor- tance and used mainly to build capacities for Institutional Development Programs performance. Quantitative targets can later be increased and their attainment can be practi- • Policy and legislation cally pursued after the capability and vitality of • Organization, human resources, infra- institutions have been strengthened. structure, and facilities • Research and development Three umbrella programs with five component • Education, training, and extension programs under each encompass the areas • Monitoring and evaluation of resource related to the specific goals. These are the information and program impacts "Programs on Man and the Environment," the Forest Management and Products Develop- ment Programs," and the "Institutional Devel- Man and the Environment Programs opment Programs." People-Oriented Forestry The first two umbrella programs deal directly with a set of primary concerns on the forest The strategies of this sub-program provide a resources and their use by the people, while good indication of the detailed planning which the third deals with supportive concerns which has been undertaken for all the sub-programs. are necessary for the successful implemen- The strategies are to: tation. The latter set can therefore be consid- ered as the action program of the Master Plan. The component programs are as follows: Provide equitable access to upland re- sources and security of tenure, using Community Stewardship Contracts and Programs on Man and the Environment other tenurial instruments.

• People-oriented forestry Implement community-based forest •Soil conservation and watershed man- management to ensure upland develop agement ment. •lntegrated protected area system and biodiversity conservation Recognize the rights of indigenous cul- •Urban forestry tural communities to their ancestral •Forest protection lands.

• Encourage and institutionalize active community participation in planning and implementation of programs.

Country Statements 80 • Implement agroforestry and other con- Integrated Protected Areas System servation measures in the uplands. (IPA S)

• Prevent destructive farming and re- This sub-program was created to: source utilization practices in the up- lands. • Establish, over the next 10 years an • Provide adequate training to the partici- IPAS that is representative of major bio- pants in all aspects of the program. units and ecosystems, recognizes cu!- tural values, and is consistent with cri- • Provide adequate support services to teria of international conservation bod- agricultural activities, as well as social ies and the principle of sustainable de- services to the uplands. velopment.

• Promote coordination and active partici- • Provide effective management and pro- pation of various agencies, including lo- tection of existing and future protectd cal government units (LGUs), NGOs, and areas according to each area's specific the private sector, in the delivery of vital requirements. technical and social support services. • Revise legislation and policies for IPAS • Develop the capabilities of LGUs and to reflect the concepts of biodiversity NGOs so that they can perform their conservation and sustainable develop- roles effectively and expand their ser- ment, and provide for an effective blend vices for more widespread action. of public participation.

• Provide a system for the selection and Soil Conse,vation and Watershed Man- inclusion of important bio-units that agement need protection into the IPAS.

The goal of this sub-program is environmentally • Provide recognition of Department of sound and sustainable land use for both tan- Environment and Natural Resources gible and nontangible benefits. Four main strat- (DENR) as the principal agency of the egies are to be taken for watershed manage- Government of the Philippines respon- ment. These are: sible for all IPAS and wildlife conserva- tion management activities. Isolation of the effects of poor land use. • Improve attitudes toward conservation • Elimination of destructive land-use prac- programs by developing awareness and tices. understanding of conservation values and by promoting viable alternatives to • Enhancement of the productivity of wa- unsound resource utilization. tershed resources. • Develop research and monitoring capa- • Improved protecton of the watershed for- bilities that provide reliable data for est reserves. preparing management policies and plans, and providing links to other national, regional, and international conservation databases.

81 Country Statements The major constraints for establishing and Forest Management and Products De- managing IPAS need to be addressed and velopment Programs removed as soon as possible. Highest pri- orities include immediate protection and in- Natural Forest Management clusion into the IPAS of mossy forests, dipterocarp forests on slopes steeper than The goal of these sub-programs is to bring about 50 percent and virgin forests. sustainable management of natural forests in a practical and feasible manner with accompa- nying environmental stability. Urban Forestry Under the Master Plan scenario, the natural pro- The goal of the sub-program is the rehabili- duction forests will include about 2.5 million tation of the environment in urban centers. hectares of second-growth dipterocarp forests The idea is to establish tree strips and for- and at least 100,000 hectares of pine forests. est parks to help in reducing air, noise, and Logging has been banned in the remaining sight pollution and to improve the air tem- 980,000 hectares of old-growth forests, and in perature in urban areas. This program aims second-growth forests on slopes greater than to plant one tree for every four persons in 50 percent or above 1,000 meters in elevation. urban areas. Among some of the initiatives Logging has also been banned in mossy and are: marginal forests, mangrove forests, national parks and reserves. • Provision of tax incentives to encour- age owners of vacant and idle lots to Management of the second-growth dipterocarp plant trees. production forest will be through a mix of op- erator-managers from local communities and • Initiation of an intensive information corporations. This addresses the issue of ac- campaign on the benefits derived cess to forest resources by giving local people from urban forests. the opportunity to manage these resources.

• Enactment of laws and local ordi- nances directed toward urban envi- Forest Plantations ronmental enhancement. The goal this sub-program is to establish and manage forest plantations to complement pro- Forest Protection duction from the natural forests, taking into ac- count environmentally sound and sustainable Several strategies have been undertaken to development. It is envisaged that close to 3 mil- protect the forests. These work to prevent lion hectares of plantations will be created by land conversion, illegal logging, fire, pests the year 2015. New plantations are expected to and diseases, poor management, and other yield 14.8 million cubic meters of wood annu- causes of forest destruction. ally.

82 Count,y Statements The objectives of the plantation program are sustainable management these resources for the economic and ecological benefit of the • To set aside suitable and available ar- greatest number of Filipino people. he main ob- eas for production and protection plan- jectives are to: tations. • Provide adequate raw materials to vari- • To provide livelihood and sustained de- ous end users and industries while con- velopment opportunities for rural people. serving the resources.

• To contribute to environmental upgrad- • Promote equitable access to opportu- ing. nities in the utilization of the resources.

• To produce large volumes of raw mate- • Promote economic development in the rial for processing plants that will serve rural areas. established or future markets. • Institutionalize the development of non- wood forest resources. Wood-based Industries

The goal of this program is to develop wood- Institutional Development Programs based industries for economic development, especially taking the rural areas into consider- This umbrella program has 5 sub-programs: ation. Policy and Legislation; Organization, Human Resources, Infrastructure and Facilities; Edu- The main objectives are to: cation, Training and Extension; Research and Development; and Monitoring and Evaluation.

• Develop an industry that is efficient, Existing forest policies are being reviewed to competitive and economically profitable. ensure that they support the objectives and strat- egies of the Master Plan for Forestry Develop- • Satisfy the growing demand for wood ment. DENR staff members are being placed products. in a work environment that will allow them to best serve the institution and its mission. Rela- • Maintain present employment, with a tive to this, existing infrastructure and facilities goal of increasing it in the future. are being improved. Under the MPFD, human resources development is a priority concern, Increase export earnings. hand-in-hand with the implementation of an appropriate research and development pro- • Promote further processing and down- gram. More research will be directed toward stream industries, determining appropriate silvicultural practices for residual forests. • Develop community-based wood pocessing industries as a complement To promote transparency in the implementation to large processing firms. of the different forestry programs, a multisectoral approach has been developed. Non-Wood Forest Based Industry Multisectoral teams, or committees, have been created in pilot areas of the country and are in- The goal of the sub-program of non-wood for- volved in forest protection, watershed manage- est products is to develop and bring under the ment, protected area management and the monitoring and evaluation of forestry projects.

83 Count,y Statements Policy Framework for Sustainable For- Program Thrusts for 1995 est Management The DENR program thrusts for calendar year The Philippine Constitution mandates that the 1995 are to: State shall protect and advance the right of the people to enjoy a balanced and healthy envi- • Integrate environmental considerations ronment in harmony with nature. This consti- in the decision making of forestry tutional provision alone provides justification for projects; government efforts to prevent environmental im- balance. • Continue with the forest renewal and rehabilitation efforts in support of OPLAN The DENR has been given primary responsi- ALIS KALBO(Operation "Stop Bald- bility for the protection and conservation of the ness"); country's natural resources. Key areas of the DENR's mission include the sustainable devel- Establish permanent forest estates; opment of the ecologically critical uplands; pro- tection/conservation of the remaining natural • Concentrate on the implementation of forests; rehabilitation of denuded and marginal the current program on forest protec- areas; expansion of the integrated social for tion and strengthen the administrative estry program; and establishment of commu- capacity of the DENR in support of nity-based industries. OPLAN ALIS KALBO;

A new Forestry Code has been proposed that • Integrate forest protection in forest man- stresses sustainable development as the guid- agement; ing principles in the management, conservation and development of forest resources. It adopts • Expand the existing people-oriented the Philippine Strategy for Sustainable Devel- forestry programs; opment and the Master Plan for forestry De- velopment. The protection and rehabilitation • Generate programs focusing on the live- of forest land is given the highest priority, and lihood of displaced workers of cancelled people participation is strongly promoted. Timber Lisence Agreements;

Some other salient features of the New Forestry • Continue providing technical support to Code include the establishment of a permanent Industrial Forest Management Agree- forest estate and delineation of the limits of the ment (IFMA) applicants; forest land in the country. • Accelerate the implementation of the The Code provides for equitable sharing of the Forest Land Management Agreements; benefits derived from the forests by empower- complete the delineation of the forest ing communities to develop and manage forest line; resources. It also provides incentives to for- est-based industries to encourage them to be • Complete the delineation of the old- efficient, competitive and profitable. A Forest growth forest; Management Fund for forest rehabilitation is to be established. • Continue the inventory, assessment and delineation of residual forests to deter- Under the new code, there will be less conver- mine the extent of protection and pro- sion of forest lands to other uses since farm- duction areas; ers will be given secure tenure and incentives to practice soil and water conservation. 84 Country Statements • Ensure the implemntation of the nation- of new industries for domestic and export pur- wide tree planting program; poses. It is expected that the country will not only be able to satisfy its domestic require- • Recognize the rights of indigenous cul- ments for sawnwood and plywood but will also tural communities concerning their an- be able to export these products. cestral lands.

Conclusion Outlook The management of forest resources follows Reforestation will be given a boost by increased the DENR's mandate of sustainable develop- local people participation. It is envisaged that ment of the country's natural resources and the effortsof the Government and private sec- ecosystems. The overriding aspect of this tor will lead to nearly 3 million hectares of plan- policy is the promotion of the well-being of the tation forests by 2015. Filipino people through sustainable resource de- velopment, social equity, efficiency of natural re- The implementation of the Master Plan will also sources-based industries, and effective envi- result in the reduction of brushlands, from 2.46 ronmental management and protection. million hectares to only 900,000 hectares; grasslands from 1.54 million hectares to Renewed efforts are being taken to ensure the 680,000 hectares and the other extensive land protection and conservation of the Philippine uses from 6.59 million hectares to about 5 mil- forests under the new system of sustainable lion hectares. forest management. All policies, plans, and pro- grams of the Government are now geared to- The Master Plan will encourage re-engineering ward this goal, which can hopefully be acheived of the wood industry and also the establishment fully by the year 2015.

p5 Country Statements Sri Lanka

Thosa pa/a Hewage Director, Forest Planning Unit Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry

Background Planning and Management of Land Re- sources to Control Land Degradation Measures to address the concerns expressed (Agenda 21 - Chapter 10) in Agenda 21 and the 15 Forest Principles are interlinked and can be grouped under the fol- The first attempts to arrest land degradation took lowing headings: place over a century ago. Legislation has not always been effectively enforced, however, due • Reforestation and afforestation to meet to institutional weaknesses, inadequate finan- national timber and biom ass demands; cial resources and the soclo-political changes of the post-independence era commencing in • Forest protection and management of 1948. natural areas for preservation of biodi- versity and to ensure soil and water con- There are a multitude of institutions respon- servation to support agriculture; sible for land management and most-are not responsive to innovative approaches. Coordi- Management of other forests for mul- nated approaches and working mechanisms, tipte purposes; backed by reliable information on land use and land cegradation, are needed to deal with • National Conservation Review (NCR) of today's land problems. However, the prime natural and near-natural areas for the concern is a National Land Use Policy for the development of a more representative conservation of natural resources and the en- Protected Area System; vironment. There should be provisions for ar- resting land degradation through erosion and Studies on the traditional use of forests loss of soil fertility, and for the safeguarding of by nearby communities; biodiversity and natural ecosystems.

• Updating national policies and strategies The long-term rehabilitation of shifting cultiva- relating to environmental issues. tion areas is the focus of many agroforestry research projects at the district level, but there The ministries responsible for the above activi- are no concrete solutions yet. ties are the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry; the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Plantation Industries and Parlia- Combating Deforestation mentary Affairs; and, the Ministry of Transport, (Agenda 21 - Chapter 11) Environment and Womens' Affairs. Sri Lanka has identified four programs for imple- mentation under Chapter 11 of Agenda 21.

• Sustaining multiple roles and functions of all forest types;

86 Country statements • Enhancing protection, management and Administration of forest resources conservation of forests and converting of degraded areas into forest planta- Nearly all the natural forests in the country are tions; State-owned. They fall mainly within the juris- diction of two institutions, the Forest Depart- Promoting efficient utilization of wood ment and the Department of Wild Life Conser- and services from forests to obtain full vation. Most of the natural forests that fall Un- value from the forests; der the jurisdiction of the Forest Department are designated Reserve Forests or Proposed Re- Establishing and/or strengthening ca- serve Forests. Reserve forests have been de- pacity for planning. marcated, proclaimed reserves by gazette no- tification, and set apart as areas to be dedicated permanently to forestry. The removal of timber Forest Resources and their Degradation from these forests has been carried out by the State Timber Corporation since 1968 accord- ing to regulations prescribed by the Forest De- The natural forests of Sri Lanka are comprised partment. There is also a third category called of four basic forest types: dry mixed evergreen "other state forests". These are jointly admin- forest of the dry zone; tropical rainforest; wet istered by the Forest Department and the Pro- evergreen forest of the low and mid country wet vincial Administration according to their size. zone; and tropical mountain forest of the moun- These forests are now devoid of timber and tain wet zone. have been degraded to scrub by past exploita- Deforestation has continued throughout history, tion. reaching its peak during the British period when forests started being exploited for timber. Dur- The areas falling within the jurisdiction of the ing the present century, the forest cover has Department of Wild Life Conservation are of two - gradually declined from about 70 percent of the broad types: national reserves and sanctuar total land area to the present level of 20.3 per- ies. There are five types of national reserves: cent, as shown through satellite imagery in 1992. Strict Natural Reserves, National Parks, Nature Reserves, Jungle Corridors, and Intermediate Forest clearing for irrigation, agriculture, human Zones. While all national reserves are State settlement, and hydropower development are land, the sanctuaries may include privately trade-offs that have to be made in pursuit of owned land. socio-economic development. However, a large amount of forest clearing is a result of shifting All the State forests, and particularly those un- der the control of the Forest Department have cultivation and encroachment. been subject to varying degrees of clearing. In Another disturbing aspect of forest degradation order to ensure that representative forest eco- is the exploitation of merchantable timber con- systems are saved from exploitation and clear- trary to the principles of sustainable manage- ing, the Forest Department marked out Man and ment. This has led to severe degradation of all Biosphere reserves within its reserve forests. the dry zone forests. In the wet zone, exploita- By 1990, the total area of these special reserves tion has also been severe. There is only about was 120,000 hectares, but even they had been 47,500 hectares of well-stocked forest available subject to some degree of illicit clearing and for timber harvesting, and this is mainly in rela- encroachment. Further erosion of the Man and tively inaccessible areas. Biosphere reserves is bound to take place un- less effective measures are taken to make their boundaries readily identifiable and to protect them from illicit felling and clearing.

'S. Countiy Statements In 1988, Parliament passed the National Heri- developing a database and training personnel tage Wilderness Act, "to preserve in their natu- for these specific tasks. ral state unique ecosystems and genetic re- sources and habitats of threatened species of animals and plants and for enhancing the natu- Main Environment and Development ral beauty of the wilderness of Sri Lanka." The Issues and Suggestions for the Future Sinharaja biosphere reserve, a primeval rainfo rest of 11,000 hectares, has been declared In the low wet country and mountain zones, a National Heritage site under this Act. It has where the forest cover is already heavily de- also been identified as a Natural World Heri- pleted and the need to conserve soil and water tage Site by UNESCO. is paramount, it is agreed that no forestry op- erations will be allowed. In addition, selective fellings which had been prescribed in the first Environment Forestry Resources Development Project (1986) have been suspended pending the ex- During the 1980s, the Government of Sri Lanka ecution of the National Conservation Review took steps to develop scientifically sound and (NCR) when all natural and near-natural areas, acceptable resource management and environ- including grasslands, mangroves and forests, mental conservation principles. Sri Lanka was will be assessed for their biodiversity status. one of the first countries to recognize the ob- jectives of the World Conservation Strategy In the dry zone, illicit felling has been heavy and (WCS) of 1980. A major recommendation of widespread. While the land presently under the WCS was that each country should pre- shifting cultivation could be given to the land- pare its own National Conservation Strategy less for permanent agroforestry after providing (NCS) to guide the management and utilization appropriate inputs for long-term settlements, of natural resources in achieving development any further illicit felling should be stopped by a objectives. A task force appointed by the Head combined effort of people's participation and law of State completed the NCS in 1988 which iden- enforcement. Land-use plans should be drawn tified priority areas and a strategy to deal with up taking into account adequate areas for per- problems of environmental degradation. The manent reserves or protected areas in the dry Central Environmental Authority was empow- zone. The on-going National Conservation ered to exercise provision of the National Envi- Review, which extends to the dry zone, will fa- ronmental Act. In 1990, the Cabinet Ministry of cilitate this activity. Environment was set up to formulate and coor- dinate all policy matters related to environmen- The raising of forest plantations, primarily for tal matters. the purpose of increasing supplies of industrial wood and woodfuel, should continue. Partici- Recognizing the need to pay attentiono envi- patory agroforestry programs have an impor- ronmental issues relating to forestry develop- tant role to play in increasing the productivity of ment prior to the implementation of the Forestry abandoned and sparsely cropped areas. Plan- Sector Development Project, a separate Envi- tation forestry has been carried out and ex- ronment Management Division was set up panded mainly by the Forest Department and within the Forest Department in 1991. The main to a lesser extent by the commercial tea plan- objective of the Division is to ensure the appli- tations in the central hill country. At the end of cation of environmental safeguards to all for- 1992, it was recorded that 142,747 hectares of estry operations and to prepare conservation forest plantations had been established by the management plans for selected forest areas, Forest Department throughout the country.

Counfiy Statements 88 In 1991, the Forestry Sector Development A self-financing scheme for production planta- Project (FSDP) commenced a five year invest- tions was suggested at the 1993 Mid-Term Re- ment program. The project is designed to: view of the FSDP. More recently, the involve- ment of village communities, NGOs and the • Strengthen the management of forests, private sector as partners in reforestation ac- establish plantations, and inventory ad- tivities with technical backing from the For- ditional natural forests and young plan- est Department has been suggested. tations for management purposes; Another area which needs strengthening in for- • Establish an environmental manage- estry development is the preparation of forest ment system to ensure conformity of management plans and their timely implementa- forestry operations with environmental tion. Special attention is now being given to this guidelines; need by the Forest Department, withsuuprt from the Overseas Development Administration • Establish and maintain 23,000 hectares (ODA) of the United Kingdom. Extensive for- of new plantations; est mapping programs, and the preparation of management plans for established forest plan- • Expand and augment resources for pro- tations, are a part of the program. An efficient fessional and technical education and and innovative mechanism for implementation training; and of the forest management plans is necessary as a follow-up action. • Strengthen the Forestry Planning Unit of Most of the current issues in the forestry sector the Ministry in charge of forestry; reor- have been addressed by the FSDP, but two ar- ganize and strengthen the management eas which require attention have not been in- and field organization of the Forest De- cluded. They are forest protection and timber partment; and upgrade information and utilization. data processing at the State Timber Corporation.

The project also includes the establishment of Forest Protection a Forestry Information System and the strength- ening of the research facilities of the Forest The country's most serious problem in the for- Department. estry sector is the decline in the area and qual- ity of the forests mainly due to shifting cultiva- Under the ongoing FSDP, (1991) a target of tion, illicit felling of trees and encroachments. 23,000 hectares for reforestation has been set. The Forest Department is unable to control At the mid-term review in 1993, it was recorded these illicit activities fully, due to insufficient staff that the target appeared unattainable, mainly due and lack of mobility. Forest fires have also been to difficulties in obtaining suitable plantation sites. a major cause of forest destruction, particularly Survival rates, particularly in the dry zone, were in forest plantations. also below optimum, indicating the need to de- velop a reliable plantation establishment system Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the for relatively large areas. Reverting to the co- capacity of the Forest Department to combat operative reforestation system (taungya), which illicit activities and fire hazards through the pro- was the principal method for the dry zone till vision of vehicles, equipment and staff. In addi- 1981, has been accepted as a means of ex- tion, new approaches to solicit the assistance panding forest plantations in that zone. of villagers residing on the fringes of forest ar- eas, and the establishment of buffer zones in specified areas, should be instigated.

89 Countiy statements

Timber Utilization and Product gone well beyond renewable levels. If these Research trends continue, much of the country's forest based biodiversity will soon be irretrievably lost. To commercialize timber extraction, conversion and sale by the State, the State Timber Corpo- Compounding the problem is Sri Lanka's high ration (SIC) was set up in 1968. Utilization re- population density, which is amongst the high- search was also entrusted to the STC. Due to est in the world. The population is largely rural the lackadaisical performance of the STC, how- and agrarian, and its growth will continue to ex- ever, the State has ceased to be the major sup- ert severe pressure on the limited biological re- plier of timber and nearly 70 percent of the tim- sources of the country. ber now being used is supplied from homegardens and from trees in the plantation There have been many initiatives taken to ad- sector or private lands. dress and arrest these adverse trends. A pack- age of activities has been introduced in the for- The efficient use of available timber resources estry sector. It includes the suspension of tim- is vital. This can only be achieved by strength- ber extraction from the natural forests; a Na- ening timber utilization research, particularly in tional Conservation Review (NCR) that will in- relation to non-traditional timber. The setting ventory the flora and fauna; the declaration of up of an appropriate institute either within the many wet zone forests as conservation areas; State sector or outside to provide technical stan- a nationwide survey of traditional uses of for- dards and advisory service in wood technology ests; and the current revision of the forestry and utilization is urgently needed. master plan to place special emphasis on con- servation. Another move that aims to deal with the underlying causes of loss of biodiversity is Establishing and Strengthening the action being taken to address the interests Capacity for Planning and needs of villagers living in the peripheral areas of the forests. The Forestry Planning Unit (FPU) and the Gov- ernment plan the budget and monitor the pro- Despite these initiatives, the loss of biodiversity grams that are implemented. Previously, plan- continues. It is of critical importance to the na- fling has lacked order and long term vision. The tional interest to review the current conserva- main activities of the FPU include the prepara- tion measures and their effectiveness in con- tion of a comprehensive National Forestry serving biodiversity. A coordinated, coherent, Policy, the proposal and revision of the Forestry national Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) is needed Master Plan and the preparation of a compre- to address the present problems. hensive development plan to cover a 25-year period commencing in 1995. The Ministry in charge of Environment has set up a National Experts Committee on Biodiver- sity to guide and advise on action necessary to Conservation of Biological Diversity fulfil Sri Lanka's objectives for the conservation of biodiversity. A Biodiversity Action Plan for Sri (Agenda 21 - Chapter 15) Lanka will be prepared during a 15-month pe- riod commencing March, 1995. The past few decades have seen development activities that have posed a serious threat to the nation's unique indigenous biological wealth. The rate of deforestation has been rapid, and exploitation of the remaining natural forests has

90 Countty statements Thailand

Pong Leng-Ee Director-General Royal Forest Department of Thailand

Background

In 1996, Thailand will celebrate the 501h anni- Thailand has an area of 513,115 square kilo- versary of the coronation of His Majesty the meters and a population close to 59 million. In King. The RED will honor this occasion by plant- recent years its economic growth has been ing trees on 5 million rai (800,000 hecatares) of phenomenal; its buoyant economy has been degraded forest land. This 3 year project (1994- fueled by strong agricultural and industrial ex- 1996) will be conducted in cooperation with the ports. This development, however, has had ad- private sector. verse effects on the environment, mainly by upsetting the land-use balance. The Forestry Extension Fund will support plant- The country has been rapidly losing its forests ing on private and occupied lands during the 3- to agriculture and other land uses. In 1961, for- year period (1994-1996). Farmers will be paid ests covered 27.4 million hectares, or 53.3 per- 3,000 Baht per rai (or US$750 per hectare to cent of the land area. In 1993, the figures were plant and take care of plantations. only 26 percent. Many of the remaining forests have been heavily over-exploited, leaving them Loans from the Agricultural Bank will support deficient in both growing stock and biodiversity. efforts to replace cassava with trees on 68,800 hectares between 1994 and 1996. The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has imple- mented, with the approval of the cabinet, a "for- estzonation" of the national forest reserved land. Seedling Distribution Program The 23.6 million hectares of reserved forest land was divided into three zones as follows: The rapid expansion of reforestation projects is reflected by dramatic increases in seedling pro- • Conservation forest (Zone C) = 14.1 mil- duction. Tree seedlings produced by RFD for lion hectares. distribution jumped from 52 million seedlings in 1993 to 700 million in 1994. Production is ex- • Agricultural land (Zone A) = 1.2 million pected to rise further, to 997 million seedlings, hectares. in 1995.

• Economic forest (Zone E) = 8.3 million hectares. Protected Natural Resources

Protected areas in Thailand are managed by Tree Planting Programs four divisions within the RED: the Marine Na- tional Parks Division, the National Parks Divi- Future planting efforts will clearly exceed those sion, the Wildlife Conservation Division and the of the past. The budget for the programs have Watershed Management Division. In addition, already received approval by Parliament. the RFD has responsibility for managing buffer zones surrounding protected areas.

91 Country statements There are now 99 national parks, covering 5.2 International Cooperation million hectares in Thailand. In 1995, seven new parks, totalling 500,000 hectares, will be Thailand continued to cooperate with various established. international NGOs and respective foreign gov- ernment donor agencies to enhance forest man- Thailand has 37 wildlife sanctuaries covering agement in the country. Specific support is be- 2.9 million hectares. One more 40,000-hect- ing provided by international organizations in the are sanctuary will be added in 1995. areas of protected area management, tree im- provement, reforestation, platation develop- Thailand had 13 botanical gardens and 45 for- ment, biodiversity, conservation, agroforestry, est parks as of 1994. In 1995, one more and cornmuhity"Yorstry. botanic garden and two more forest parks will be added.

Country statements 92