STATE OF THE WORLDs FORESTs 2003 Planning future direction In July 2002, FAO and several partners convened Gaps in the forest estate a global expert consultation on forest assessments in Finland (entitled Global Forest Resources Assessments- Linking National and International Efforts referred to in short as kotka Much of the agricultural expansion on to forest lands, particu IV)to review the results of FRA 2000 and to plan larly in the tropics, is temporary, inasmuch as fields are aban- the future direction of FAo global assessments doned three or four years after clearing because of a significant Among its many recommendations, Kotka IV loss of nutrients and hence of agricultural productivity. Some of agreed on the importance of capacity building in develop true shifting cultivation, becomes managed forest fallows. The the quality, timeliness and usefulness of forest official figures indicating the balance between the removal of inventories and assessments Kotka iv also forest and reforestation or afforestation miss these additions to concluded that national forest inventories and the forest estate, as well as the millions of trees outside forests that assessments should be driven by the needs of are planted and tended by rural inhabitants. Many forest fallows ational policy processes in Africa and other tropical regions that appear to be unproduc- In addition, the meeting noted that global tive are in fact well managed to meet a variety of basic local forest assessments should continue to be broad needs resources. This means that the wide range of forest goods and services must be assessed and the quantitative and qualitative values of the benefits studied, so far as possible. The provision overall picture of forest degradation without of industrial wood and conditions for biological also taking into account improvements that diversity, for example, should therefore be result in increased benefits. In this regard, future reported assessments will have to delve into aspects Precedents for assessing all benefits from related to function, impact and potential, forests have already been set with the providing much more information than in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a four-year past. Weighing different benefits to determine initiative designed to provide decision-makers whether the total is increasing or decreasing in a and the public with relevant scientific given forest stand therefore becomes an information on the condition of ecosystems, equation. Similarly, there is a need to review the options for response; and the United Nationg o important element in the forest assessment expected consequences of ecosystem change and omplementarity of products and services from Environment Programme(UNEP)Global different forest stands at the landscape and Environmental Outlook studies which, while national levels. While it is generally agreed that focusing on environmental issues, also place forest degradation is more common than forest trends in the context of forest benefits systematic data prevents a balanced calculation systematic assessments and generate theonduct improvement in many countries, the lack of As many countries lack the capacity to of positive and negative trends information required to meet policy and Although evaluating trends in local forest planning needs, FAO has a programme to stands is a fairly straightforward matter, the support national forest assessments and build challenge is to make such samples representative country capacity. The pr ogramme for a country or the world. It would therefore support for systematic field measurements and appear that the solution to complex national or observations of forests and their use in order to global accounting of forest resources lies in obtain national-level statistics. a balanced use of stematic local observation and assessment remote sensing and field sampling is essential, as2003 FORESTS S’WORLD THE OF STATE 2 without degradation forest of picture overall that improvements account into taking also future, regard this In. benefits increased in result aspects into delve to have will assessments ,potential and impact, function to related the in than information more much providing determine to benefits different Weighing. past a in decreasing or increasing is total the whether an becomes therefore stand forest given assessment forest the in element important the review to need a is there, Similarly. equation from services and products of complementarity and landscape the at stands forest different that agreed generally is it While. levels national forest than common more is degradation forest of lack the, countries many in improvement calculation balanced a prevents data systematic .trends negative and positive of forest local in trends evaluating Although the, matter straightforward fairly a is stands representative samples such make to is challenge therefore would It. world the or country a for or national complex to solution the that appear in lies resources forest of accounting global .assessment and observation local systematic direction future Planning convened partners several and FAO, 2002 July In forest on consultation expert global a Forest Global entitled (Finland in assessments and National Linking – Assessments Resources Kotka as short in to referred, Efforts International plan to and 2000 FRA of results the review to) IV .assessments global FAO of direction future the IV Kotka, recommendations many its Among ,building capacity of importance the on agreed increase to, countries developing in especially forest of usefulness and timeliness, quality the also IV Kotka. assessments and inventories and inventories forest national that concluded of needs the by driven be should assessments .processes policy national global that noted meeting the, addition In ,broad be to continue should assessments forest forest of aspects all on information including of range wide the that means This. resources and assessed be must services and goods forest the of values qualitative and quantitative the provision The. possible as far so, studied benefits biological for conditions and wood industrial of be therefore should, example for, diversity .reported from benefits all assessing for Precedents the with set been already have forests year-four a, Assessment Ecosystem Millennium makers-decision provide to designed initiative scientific relevant with public the and ,ecosystems of condition the on information and change ecosystem of consequences expected Nations United the and; response for options Global) UNEP (Programme Environment while, which studies Outlook Environmental place also, issues environmental on focusing .benefits forest of context the in trends conduct to capacity the lack countries many As the generate and assessments systematic and policy meet to required information to programme a has FAO, needs planning build and assessments forest national support on focuses programme The. capacity country and measurements field systematic for support to order in use their and forests of observations of use balanced A. statistics level-national obtain as, essential is sampling field and sensing remote significant a of because clearing after years four or three doned￾aban are fields as inasmuch, temporary is, tropics the in larly￾particu, lands forest to on expansion agricultural the of Much of Some. productivity agricultural of hence and nutrients of loss of case the in, some while, forest abandoned remains land this The. fallows forest managed becomes, cultivation shifting true of removal the between balance the indicating figures official to additions these miss afforestation or reforestation and forest that forests outside trees of millions the as well as, estate forest the fallows forest Many. inhabitants rural by tended and planted are local basic of variety a meet to managed well fact in are tive￾unproduc be to appear that regions tropical other and Africa in .needs estate forest the in Gaps