Process to Harmonize Definitions

Summary of Agreed Definitions and Recommendations

During the period 2002 to 2005, FAO and a number of partners convened three Expert Meetings on Harmonizing Forest-Related Definitions. The full reports of the meetings are available through the following links:

Proceedings from the 1st Expert Meeting on Harmonizing Forest-Related Definitions for Use by Various Stakeholders. Rome, from 22-25 January 2002

Proceedings from the 2nd Expert Meeting on Harmonizing Forest-Related Definitions for Use by Various Stakeholders. Rome, from 11-13 September 2002

Proceedings from The Third Expert Meeting on Harmonizing Forest-related Definitions for Use by Various Stakeholders. Rome, from 17-19 January 2005

The full reports are only available in English.

The first meeting analyzed and compared definitions for various forest-related terms used by different countries and organizations, but the meeting did not agreed on definitions.

The second meeting agreed on the following definitions:

Forest Degradation and Change Processes within the Forest
Forest improvement Forest improvement is the process which increases the capacity of a forest to provide goods and services
Forest fragmentation Forest fragmentation is the process that results in the conversion of formerly continuous forest into patches of forest separated by non-forest

The third meeting agreed on the following definitions:

Natural and Planted Forests
Natural forest Forest stands composed predominantly of native tree species established naturally. This can include assisted natural regeneration, excluding stands that are visibly offspring/descendants of planted trees
Planted forest Forest stand in which trees have predominantly been established by planting, deliberate seeding or coppicing, where the coppicing is of previously planted trees
Forest plantation Forest stand in which trees have been established by planting or/and deliberate seeding or coppicing (where the coppicing is of previously planted trees) with either native species or non-native species that meet all the following criteria:
  • one or two or a few species;
  • even-aged;
  • regular spacing
    		•
    Forest Management and Managed Forests
    Forest management It is the formal or informal process of planning and implementing practices aimed at fulfilling relevant environmental, economic, social and/or cultural functions of the forest and meeting defined objectives
    Managed forest Managed forest is a forest subject to forest management

    The second meeting agreed on the following set of recommendations:

    <ul> Recommendations for further work</ul> <ul> General recommendations from Conventions, bodies, countries and other stakeholders</ul> 

    The third meeting agreed on the following set of recommendations:

    <ul> Recommendations for further work</ul> <ul> General recommendations from Conventions, bodies, countries and other stakeholders</ul>