FRA 2000 - Forest plantation resource in developing countries

Abstract

An assessment of the resource of forest plantations is an integral component of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000 Programme of FAO. At a meeting of specialists held in April 1999 at FAO Headquarters, Rome, on the plantation report for FRA 2000, it was decided that the report should consist of detailed country reports on the 20 countries having the largest area of plantations. These countries comprised more than 93 percent of the plantation area of the developing world in past asse ssments. These countries, by region, are: Asia (nine countries): Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam Africa (four countries): Algeria, Morocco, South Africa and Sudan Latin America (seven countries): Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela Later on, two more countries (Madagascar and Mexico) were added to the list. These countries had a sizeable area of plantations (more than 100 000 ha) reported in 1990 but no report has been received since then. In respect to other countries, which have relatively less area of forest plantations, only the area figures will be updated to the year 2000. A standard format output table for presenting the plantation data of each country was designed. The main feature of the table is a breakdown of the total plantation area by the main species or species groups with a further break-down by purpose and ownership. To support the data, the output table of ea ch country has references to the source data and a note explaining how the figures quoted in the table were estimated. The data contained in this report will be entered into the Forest Resources Information System (FORIS). This provide an estimation of the area of plantations at the global, regional and sub-regional levels by major species, purpose and ownership as well as presentation of a synoptic overview.