The participants were asked to give a brief description on the current situation and status of forest inventory and resource assessment in their respective countries. Their information can be briefly summarized as follows:
Country |
Information |
Armenia |
• The last forest and land use inventory was done in 1993. The on-going World Bank project on forest inventory is to be completed in 2006. Some 10 % of State forest fund was covered by the inventory in 2004. |
Georgia |
• The forest inventory and assessment is currently based on the World Bank project, and rely mainly on GIS information. The inventory of the first region had already been started. All to be completed by 2010 (including the mountain areas); • The existing data base with forest information cover only state forest and national parks, no information available on private forest |
Kazakhstan |
• Forest and land use inventory had been continued, region after region; financing was a problem • All forests are state owned, covered by management plans. Data come from a stand-wise inventory. No plans to conduct sample based NFIs, but improvements in the methodology of the inventory work are needed. |
Kyrgyzstan |
• The forest management planning service is organized since 1995, with the help from the Swiss programme of technical assistance. Different inventory/management cycles for different types of forests (e.g. walnut stands – 10-year, spruce – 15-year). Satellite images for the whole territory elaborated, as well as 5 NFI-based projects (also with the Swiss cooperation). They think about complex inventory for all forests, i.e. not only those under the forest authority – working with international organizations |
Lithuania |
• Three types of forest inventory exist in the country: a) Stand-wise forest inventory, b) National Forest Inventory (NFI), c) Forest Stand Inventory before cuttings; • The detailed presentation (.ppt) was done on the current state of the national forest inventory and assessment system(s). The presentation is available from the UNECE/FAO secretariat. |
Poland |
• The forest inventory and forest resources assessment are implemented in the framework of the forest management planning; • There are plans to conduct the NFI starting the year 2005 |
Russian Federation |
• There are no changes in the forest management planning and forest inventory system. They are maintaining now the 10-15 –year inventory/management cycles. The last assessment (State Forest Account) was done in 2003 (5 year cycle). The Annual Forest Account results are being published for individual regions. Although there is a theoretical discussion (+ some publications) on the matter, the current position is “there is no need of NFI in the country”. |
Tajikistan |
• The last forest inventory was done in 1987…; Some selective inventory is being done, depending on availability of resources (financing is a problem). On the financing reason there are no access to satellite photographs to map forests (images are too expensive). Partial information on land use is available annually. |
Turkmenistan |
• No new forest inventory since the 1980th…(there is no forest management planning service); they work on old data, but they want to merge landscape planning with forest management planning. All information on the basis of forest districts. The expensive satellite images constitute a problem • They are also interested in NFI/ cooperation/ support with/ from FAO |
Ukraine |
• The latest general assessment was implemented in1996. The forest resources data- information are traditionally coming from Forest management planning; it has turned into a continuous forest management planning (update of management activities), in some cases period could extend up to 15 years. Financing is a problem… • No NFI has been conducted so far, but it is planned for the future |
Uzbekistan |
• “Lesgiproproekt” carries out the forest inventory work… 10-12 forest districts have been inventoried. |
Practically all participating countries from the Central Asian and Caucus region were interested in any kind of support that FAO might be able to offer as regards national forest resources assessments. The process of applying for the support was considered very complicated. The representative of Tajikistan informed that they had tried to apply to FAO for the assistance, but had not get yet any progress in this process. The forestry authorities did not getting the necessary political and financial support in order to carry out new NFIs. The participants from these countries asked FAO to promote country support to NFIs in the high-level dialogue with country officials (as it was noted during other FRA 2005 workshops).
The outcome of the workshop has facilitated considerably the involvement of countries of the sub-region into the global FRA 2005 implementation, and also contributed to corresponding activities which within the UNECE / FAO Integrated Work Programme. The results of the workshop will help to the development of the cooperation with countries of this group on the MCPFE reporting on Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management.
