Forest Resources Assessment WP 83

Global forest resources assessment update 2005
Terms and definitions
(Final version)

Rome, 2004

The Forest Resources Assessment Programme

Forests are crucial for the well being of humanity. They provide foundations for life on earth through ecological functions, by regulating the climate and water resources and by serving as habitats for plants and animals. Forests also furnish a wide range of essential goods such as wood, food, fodder and medicines, in addition to opportunities for recreation, spiritual renewal and other services.

Today, forests are under pressure from increasing demands for land-based products and services, which frequently leads to the conversion or degradation of forests into unsustainable forms of land use. When forests are lost or severely degraded, their capacity to function as regulators of the environment is also lost, increasing flood and erosion hazards, reducing soil fertility and contributing to the loss of plant and animal life. As a result, the sustainable provision of goods and services from forests is jeopardized.

FAO, at the request of the member nations and the world community, regularly monitors the world’s forests through the Forest Resources Assessment Programme. The Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000 (FRA 2000) reviewed the forest situation by the end of the millennium. FRA 2000 included country-level information based on existing forest inventory data, regional investigations of land-cover change processes and a number of global studies focusing on the interaction between people and forests. The FRA 2000 Main report is published in print and is available on the World Wide Web.

The Global Forest Resources Assessment update 2005 (FRA 2005) has been requested by the FAO Committee on Forestry in 2003. The FRA 2005 will use common thematic areas of the Criteria for Sustainable Forest Management as a reporting framework. FRA 2005 will also focus on the specific conditions and issues in each country.

The Forest Resources Assessment Programme is organized under the Forest Resources Division (FOR) at FAO headquarters in Rome. Contact persons are:

Peter Holmgren, Chief FORM [email protected]

Mette Løyche Wilkie, Senior Forestry Officer, Global Forest Resources Assessment [email protected]

or use the e-mail address: [email protected]

DISCLAIMER

The Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) Working Paper Series is designed to reflect the activities and progress of the FRA Programme of FAO. Working Papers are not authoritative information sources – they do not reflect the official position of FAO and should not be used for official purposes. Please refer to the FAO forestry website (www.fao.org/forestry ) for access to official information.

The FRA Working Paper Series provides an important forum for the rapid release of preliminary findings needed for validation and to facilitate the final development of official quality-controlled publications. Should users find any errors in the documents or have comments for improving their quality they should contact [email protected].

Abbreviations

1 Introduction
1.1 Terms and Definitions
1.2 Purpose of this document
1.3 Structure of the document

2 Terms and Definitions for the National Reporting tables for FRA 2005

BIOMASS
Above-ground biomass
Below-ground biomass
Dead wood biomass

CARBON STOCK
Carbon in above-ground biomass
Carbon in below-ground biomass
Carbon in dead wood biomass
Carbon in litter
Soil Carbon

DESIGNATED FUNCTIONS (of Forest and Other wooded land)
Conservation of biodiversity
Multiple purpose
Primary function
Production
Protection of soil and water
Social services
Total area with function
Unknown function

DISTURBANCES (affecting forest health and vitality)
Disturbance by diseases
Disturbance by fire
Disturbance by insects
Other disturbance

EMPLOYMENT
Employment related to the Primary production of goods \
Employment related to the Provision of services
Employment in Unspecified forestry activities

ENDANGERED SPECIES
Critically Endangered Species (CR)
Vulnerable Species (VU)
Native species

FOREST AND OTHER WOODED LAND
Forest
Other wooded land

FOREST CHARACTERISTCS
Modified natural Forest/Other Wooded Land
Primary Forest/Other wooded land
Productive plantation (in Forest/Other wooded land)
Protective plantation (in Forest/Other wooded land)
Semi-natural Forest/Other wooded land

GROWING STOCK
Commercial growing stock