Preliminary results of the FAO 1990 Forest Resources Assessment reveal that the annual rate of deforestation in the tropics may have risen to more than 17 million hectares during the 1980s, as compared to the 11.3 million ha reported in FAO's 1980 study for the period 1976–1980; the preliminary report is based on data from 62 countries largely located in the moist tropical zone, comprising nearly 80% of the total tropical forest area.
The impacts of deforestation and forest degradation are diverse and far-reaching, having environmental, economic and social impacts. Forests serve a number of environmental functions, which are not yet fully understood in all their aspects. Our lack of knowledge on the functioning of especially tropical forest ecosystems is still very pronounced, hampering our ability to manipulate and manage the forests for sustainable use, as well as to draw up guidelines for the conservation of such ecosystems and the genetic resources they contain.
The remaining years of this century are of critical importance for sound environmental management; time to act is rapidly running out. It is essential that the challenge facing us is confronted, through international agreements and vigorous action in the field, according to the best knowledge presently available, complemented by research and studies to improve such action.
At the request of its Committee on Forestry, FAO is in the process of preparing the contents of a global instrument on forest conservation and management. A survey of existing and planned conventions in related fields shows that there is no single comprehensive convention dealing with all types of forests and all aspects of forest management, conservation and development.
An international instrument for the conservation and development of forests could provide a framework for increased national efforts and bring togeather both ecological and economic approaches to the use of forest resources. It could at the same time provide a mechanism for achieving consensus and compromise between developed and developing countries, as well as for ensuring a vital increase in international support and cooperation for policies and programmes aimed at the conservation and sustainable development of the world's forests and the resources they contain. It would also provide an essential complement to other international instruments with important implications for forestry, notably those relating to Climate Change and to Biodiversity, under preparation.
Within the framework of global agreements and conventions, FAO strongly feels that the conservation of genetic resources of plants and animals is a bottom-up activity. Priority species and activities must be defined by the countries in which the resources occur, within the framework of a global programme at the operational level, such as the one coordinated by FAO's Forestry Department which reflects the general views of our 158 member Governments.
As a consequence of the above, we consider institution building and training to be cornerstones for conservation programmes, supported by the free flow of information and genetic materials, and exchange of know-how and experience. We hope that the present Newsletter, published annually in three languages, will go some way to disseminate information in the genetic resources field, in support of such programmes.
Brief notes and articles of not more than 3 000 words are welcome to help us in this task. The address of the Secretariat is:
Chief, Forest Resources Development Branch
Forest Resources Division
Forestry Department
FAO of the UN
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
I-00100 Rome, Italy
