RAP PUBLICATION 2012/10 ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY COMMISSION SOUTH ASIAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY TO 2020 SUBREGIONAL REPORT OF THE SECOND ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY SECTOR OUTLOOK STUDY FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Bangkok, 2012 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion 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 frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specifi c companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Information Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. Cover design: Chanida Chavanich For copies, write to: Patrick B. Durst Senior Forestry Offi cer FAO Regional Offi ce for Asia and the Pacifi c 39 Phra Atit Road Bangkok 10200 Thailand Tel: (66-2) 697 4000 Fax: (66-2) 697 4445 E-mail: [email protected] Printed and published in Bangkok, Thailand. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Offi ce for Asia and the Pacifi c Bangkok, Thailand 2012 © FAO ISBN 978-92-5-107263-9 FOREWORD Great changes have occurred and major advances have been made in Asia-Pacifi c forestry since the fi rst Asia-Pacifi c Forestry Sector Outlook Study was published in 1998. Heightened awareness of the values of forests and their greater inclusion in international climate change agreements have increased the importance of linking spatial levels and broadening understanding of issues and opportunities likely to affect forestry in the coming years. Identifi cation of key trends in forestry – both physical and political – and construction of scenarios for the future add a valuable dimension to regional forestry discussions. Improving the responsiveness of institutional mechanisms and adapting to change constitute the most important steps in creating a robust sector in a fast evolving world. It is in this context that FAO, on behalf of the Asia-Pacifi c Forestry Commission, embarked on revising the fi rst Asia-Pacifi c Forestry Sector Outlook Study to capture the changes that have taken place since 1998 and to outline the probable directions of developments and what may be done to enhance the forest sector’s contribution to societal well being. Considering the enormous diversity in the region, it was considered useful to have an in-depth assessment of the subregional situation in addition to analysing the larger regional trends. The South Asia Outlook Report is one of the four subregional reports that FAO prepared as part of the Asia-Pacifi c Forestry Sector Outlook Study. Signifi cant challenges remain in many parts of the region and it is increasingly evident that countries cannot develop forestry policies in isolation – rights and responsibilities are increasingly spilling across borders and across sectors as populations increase, demands on resources heighten and economies integrate. The collegial nature of the process through which this outlook study was developed gives credence to the success of collaborative regional action and sharing in a common future. By openly contributing information, the countries and organizations involved in the outlook study have demonstrated their commitment to the future of forests and forestry and their desire to improve upon the benefi ts from forests that the current generation has received. FAO welcomes this opportunity to once again contribute, at the behest of the Asia- Pacifi c Forestry Commission, to the regional forestry dialogue. Many organizations and individuals have put huge effort into preparing this subregional report on South Asia. In bringing it together seven country reports and over 15 thematic studies have been prepared. The fi rst Asia-Pacifi c Forestry Sector Outlook Study provided a benchmark in regional and global forestry and was followed by a series of regional outlook studies around the world. We hope that this subregional study will be as well received and that this contribution to the region’s forestry sector is both timely and appropriate and will challenge countries to build forests that future generations will value. Hiroyuki Konuma Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacifi c Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations iii CONTENTS FOREWORD ......................................................................................................................iii BOXES ............................................................................................................................... ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................... xi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................xiii FORESTS AND FORESTRY ............................................................................................................xiii CHANGE DRIVERS ..........................................................................................................................xv SCENARIOS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS ..............................................................................xvii FORESTS AND FORESTRY IN 2020 ........................................................................................ xviii PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES ......................................................................................................xx CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Background ............................................................................................................................1 1.2. Scope and objectives ...........................................................................................................1 1.3. The process ..............................................................................................................................2 1.4. Report structure .....................................................................................................................2 CHAPTER 2 FORESTS AND FORESTRY IN SOUTH ASIA ...................................................................... 5 2.1. Land use: An overview ........................................................................................................5 2.2 Forests in South Asia ............................................................................................................6 2.2.1. Forest types 6 2.2.2. Extent of forests 8 2.2.3. Change in forest area 10 2.2.4. Forest degradation 11 2.2.5. Trees outside forests: An expanding resource 12 2.3. Forest management ......................................................................................................... 15 2.3.1. Management of natural forests for production 15 2.3.2. Planted forests 17 2.3.3. Forest certification 19 2.3.4. Management of forests for environmental protection 20 2.4. Forest policies, legislation and institutions ............................................................. 22 2.4.1. Forest policies 22 2.4.2. Legislation 24 2.4.3. Institutions 26 v CHAPTER 3 ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS ...................35 3.1. Production, trade and consumption of wood and wood products ................35 3.1.1. Industrial roundwood 35 3.1.2. Sawnwood 37 3.1.3. Wood-based panels 37 3.1.4. Paper and paperboard 37 3.1.5. Wood and wood product trade 38 3.1.6. Low levels of consumption 40 3.1.7. Secondary wood products 41 3.2. Wood industry in South Asia ..........................................................................................43 3.3. Wood energy ........................................................................................................................ 44 3.3.1. Dependence on wood energy 45 3.3.2. Projection comparisons: APFSOS I and APFSOS II 46 3.3.3. Issues in wood energy use 47 3.3.4. Developments in biofuel production 48 3.4. Summary overview of the wood products sector ................................................. 49 3.5. Non-wood forest products ............................................................................................ 51 3.5.1. Overview 51 3.5.2. Management of non-wood forest products 53 3.5.3. Development of new processes and products 55 3.5.4. New institutions 56 3.5.5. Non-wood forest products: The changing landscape 57 3.6. Ecosystem services ........................................................................................................... 57 3.6.1. Conservation of biodiversity 57 3.6.2. Protected areas 59 3.6.3. Forest-based recreation and ecotourism 61 3.6.4. Urban forestry 64 3.6.5. Watershed protection 65 3.6.6. Land degradation and desertification 68 3.6.7. Forests and climate change mitigation and adaptation 69 3.7. Socio-economic