Appendix 1. Progress in countries of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations working with FAO to establish comprehensive national forest monitoring and assessment systems

National forest monitoring and assessment is a participatory process

The programme of support to National Forest Monitoring and Assessment (NFMA) in member countries evolves around an approach, designed by FAO with the help of a panel of international inventory experts and forest managers (decision makers) from all regions. The approach was developed to generate information on forest and trees outside forest (TOF) biophysical and socio-economic properties needed by the national decision makers at optimised cost and to set up long term monitoring of the resources. The approach is based on systematic field sampling complemented by remote sensing for a wall-to-wall mapping or land use and landscape analysis from e.g.10x10km sites linked with the field sample. The field sampling constitutes a network of permanent sample sites for the monitoring of the land uses and forest and tree cover changes. The generated information is harmonised with the existing national information framework and in consideration of the international reporting requirements e.g. FRA, CBD, CCB, UNCCC, etc.

One of the key outcomes of the NFMA programme is the enhanced south-south collaborations between participating countries, including exchange of experiences and expertise and establishing a foundation for maintaining a critical mass of competence and capacity over the long-term.

In the below, progress is presented for the 13 Coalition countries (out of totally 30 listed on the Coalition website) working with FAO in establishing comprehensive NFMA processes since 2001. This includes countries where results are already being used in the policy dialogue and reporting, as well as countries where the process have only been initiated.

In some of these countries, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica, a second phase of the NMFA is currently initiated, which will allow for estimates of trends for key forest parameters.

1. Bangladesh

Bangladesh has completed its first national forest assessment (NFA) in 2005-2007 using funds from the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) of FAO. The Government contributed about 50% of the project cost. The NMFA was carried out through a wall-to-wall mapping of the land use/land cover systems and a systematic field sampling covering the entire country. The project focussed on building the national capacity and developing a database with a rich information on the state, management, uses and users of the forest and trees outside forest (TOF) resources. The forest types and land uses classification system was harmonised with the historical national information as well as with the international reporting formats.

The results of the project encompassed a wide range of information such as forest and other land use area, tree species composition and distribution by land use category and forest type, growing stock (volume, biomass and carbon), health of the forests and trees, natural and man caused disturbances in forests and trees, management, uses and users of the resources, etc. For instance, the total aboveground woody biomass in forests and TOF in Bangladesh was estimated at 209 millions tons and 427 millions tons respectively.

Focal point: Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad, National Project Director, Ministry of Environment and Forests.

2. Cameroon:

Cameroon has completed its first NFMA in 2003-04 using funds from the FAO/Netherlands Partnership Programme (FNPP) and about US$ 450,000 contribution from the Government. The central and northern regions of the country were inventoried for the first time. The project followed the FAO approach to NFMA.

The field inventory encompassed a large array of biophysical and socio-economic variables (about ninety variables) of the forest and TOF resources. The results included tree species composition in forests (by forest type) and non-forest lands (other land, other wooded land and inland water); wood volume, above ground biomass and carbon in forests and trees; non-wood forest .products and services (wide range of products and services); management, uses and users of the resources.

At present, Cameroon holds a database with very rich field data that can generate a considerable volume of information on different aspects of the resources. The stock of aboveground woody biomass in forests and TOF was estimated at 6.2 billions tons and 0.8 billions tons respectively.

Focal point: Joseph Abena, Directeur des Forêts, Ministère de l’Environnement et des Forêts.

3. Colombia

In 2004, Colombia requested the technical and financial support from FAO to plan and undertake NFMA and build her capacity in this area. A mission was carried out during that year to Bogotá to discuss with the nationals the request and explore the options of funding. The national authorities remained with the responsibility to find funds for the activity. Until now, no further action was taken.

Focal point: Carlos Costa Posada, Director General del Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IHMEA).

4. Congo

In late 2006, the Republic of Congo started its NFMA with the financial and technical support from TCP of FAO. The Government is contributing funds, staff and facilities to carry out the NFMA. The project has completed its first phase which focussed on capacity building, developing manuals and field forms, procuring equipments, designing and harmonising land use classification system with the historical information in the country and planning the project activities including the fieldwork. The second phase was initiated recently by sending the inventory teams to the field for data collection in the selected sample sites.

Like the NFMA projects in the other countries supported by FAO, the NFMA project of Congo is planned to generate a wide range of information on forest and other land use areas, tree species composition and distribution by land use category, growing stock (volume, biomass and carbon), health of the forests and trees, natural and man induced disturbances in forests and trees, management, uses and users of the resources, etc.

Focal point: Grégoire Nkéoua, Directeur des forêts, Ministère de l’Economie.

5. Costa Rica

Following the approach developed for the NFMA, Costa Rica was the first country to carry a national forest assessment. The project was intended to test the approach with funds and technical assistance from FAO and facilitation by the Centro “Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza” (CATIE).

The project was designed to build the capacity of “Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación” (SINAC) and to generate the information needed by the country for national decision making and for reporting to the international processes. Considerable amount of information was produced by the project from the systematic sample plots materialised in all land uses. It included area of forest types and other land uses, wood volume and corresponding biomass and carbon, tree species composition, management, uses and users of the resources in forests and TOF. The stock of aboveground woody biomass in forests and TOF was estimated at 222 millions tons and 29 millions tons respectively.

Focal point: Jorge Rodriguez, Viceministro del Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación.

6. Ecuador

In 2006, Ecuador requested the technical and financial support from FAO to plan and undertake the NFMA and build its capacity in this area. A mission was carried out during that year to Quito to discuss with the nationals the request and explore the funding options. A national workshop was organised with assistance from FAO where partners and stakeholders in the forestry sector took part and discussed the need of and requirements from a NFMA and the approach that can be applied. The workshop recommended that the Directorate of Forests takes the lead in the development of the NFMA programme in Ecuador in coordination with FAO and continue the dialogue with the stakeholders and partners in a Working Group (WG) set up for the purpose to develop a comprehensive programme and a long term strategy for NFMA and monitoring of forests and trees.

The Directorate of Forests remained with the responsibility to find funds for the programme. Until now, no further action was taken.

Focal point: Christian Velasco, Director Nacional Forestal.

7. Guatemala

Guatemala was the second country to carry out a NFMA and set up a long monitoring system of the forestry resources. The first NFMA of the country was completed by the “Instituto Nacional de Bosques” INAB in 2002-2003 using funds from the FNPP. INAB worked in this project with two other major national partners namely the Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) and the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala.

The NFMA was carried out through a systematic sampling covering the entire country. The project focussed on building the national capacity and developing a database with rich information on the state, management, uses and users of the forest and TOF resources. The forest type and land use classification system was harmonised with the historical national information as well as to meet the international reporting formats.

The results of the project included a wide range of information e.g. forest and other land use areas, tree species composition and distribution by forest type and land use category, growing stock (volume, biomass and carbon), health of the forests and trees, natural and man induced disturbances in forests and trees, management, uses and users of the resources. For instance, the total aboveground woody biomass estimated in Guatemala in forests and TOF is 502 millions tons and 204 millions tons respectively. About 50% of the natural forest is moderately (23%) to highly (27%) disturbed mainly by human activities. Fires run every year over about 25% of the natural forest.

Focal point: Claudio Cabrera, Viceministro de Agricultura, Recursos Naturales y Alimentación.

8. Honduras

In 2005-2006, Honduras has carried out its first NFMA and set up a long monitoring system of the forestry resources. The NFMA was completed by the Administración Forestal del Estado – Corporación Hondureña de Desarrollo Forestal (AFE-COHDEFOR) using TCP funds from FAO. AFE-COHDEFOR worked with the Agenda Forestal in Honduras to implement the project.

The NFMA was carried out through a systematic sampling covering the entire country. The project focussed on building the national capacity and developing a database with wide information on the state, management, uses and users of the forest and TOF resources. The forest type and land use classification system was harmonised with the historical national information framework and with the international reporting formats.

The results of the project covered a wide range of information e.g. forest and other land use areas, tree species composition and distribution by forest type and land use category, growing stock (volume, biomass and carbon), health of the forests and trees, natural and man induced disturbances in forests and trees, management, uses and users of the resources. For instance, the forests and TOF retain a total 563 millions tons and 104 millions tons respectively of aboveground woody biomass. About 48% of the natural forest is disturbed mainly human activities (74%). 61% of the disturbances were caused by fires and 18% by the livestock.

Focal point: Ramón Alvarez, Director, COHDEFOR.

9. Kenya

Kenya negotiated with FAO a project for forestry resources assessment. As the approach to be followed is build on nationwide systematic sampling covering all land uses, the Government of Kenya opted for a broader assessment of natural resources to optimise the cost and generate wider scope of information not only on forests and TOF but also on wildlife, livestock, crop, soil and water. An Integrated Natural Assessment project was designed and a pilot phase in three districts was funded by FAO through the FNPP and by the Government. The ongoing pilot phase is expected to extend to the rest of the country using Government funds.

The project will yield the usual information produced by a NFMA on forestry biodiversity, growing stock, areas, etc. It will generate considerable information from non-forest land use for national integrated policies.

Focal Point: James L. ole Kiyiapi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources

10. Nicaragua

In December 2006, the Instituto Nacional Forestal (INAFOR) co-signed with FAO a project funded totally by the Government of Nicaragua to plan and carry out the NFMA. The project was launched in Mars 2007. The first phase of the project was implemented focussing on building the national capacity, developing manuals and field forms, procuring equipments, designing a harmonised land use classification system with the historical information in the country and planning the project activities including the fieldwork. The second phase was just initiated by sending the inventory teams to the field for data collection in the selected sample sites

Focal point: William Schwartz, Director Ejecutivo, Instituto Nacional Forestal, INAFOR.

11. Nigeria

Upon request from the Government of Nigeria in 2003, FAO fielded a mission to Abuja to assist the forestry personnel in formulating a project proposal for NFMA. A two-phase project was agreed. For the first phase, a small size project was formulated for implementation in ONDO and BORNO States. ONDO is located in the humid ecological zone in the south with high forest formation. While BORNO is located in the north-eastern reaches of the country and makes border with Niger and Chad in the North and Cameroon in the East. It falls in the drier part of the country where vegetation is of Savannah woodland type. The project could not materialise for lack of funds.

Focal point: M. A. Obeyo, Director, Federal Department of Forestry, FME.

12. Uruguay

Upon request from the forestry authorities in Uruguay, a mission was fielded to Montevideo in 2006 to work on the formulation of NFMA project and identify the funding sources. The NFMA was identified as a priority of the Directorate of Forests since accurate forestry information, except for the plantations, is widely lacking.

A concept note of the project was prepared by the FAO mission and left with the forestry authorities for use in approaching donors like the Government of Finland. So far, there is no indication that the Government has identified reliable source of funding.

Focal point: Andrés Berterreche, General Director of Forests.

13. Uganda

In 2006, FAO helped the National Forestry Authority of the Ministry of Water and Environment of Uganda in formulating a project proposal for funding by FAO through the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP). The project was designed to improve the information framework in the country since the historical data focussed essentially on woodfuel biomass. The FAO approach to NFMA will be followed by the project.

The document of the project is still in the hands of the national authority for submission to FAO once the national counterpart contribution is secured.

Focal point: Paul Drichi, Ag. Director, Plantations Division, National Forestry Authority.

Global status of Cooperation between FAO and its Member Countries in Improving National Forest Monitoring and Assessment (as of 28 September 2007)

FA: Forest Assessment
FNPP: FAO Netherlands Partnership Programme
GCP: Government Cooperation Programme
GEF: Global Environment Facility
INRA: Integrated Natural Resources Assessment
ILUA: Integrated Land Use Assessment
NFA: National Forest Assessment
NFI: National Forest Inventory
n.i: Not identified
TCP: Technical Cooperation Programme of FAO
UTF: Unilateral Trust Funds
WB: World Bank