9. The Secretariat note (document FO:NEFC/2004/2) and country reports presented during the session provided an overview of the situation in the region with respect to forest areas (as estimated by the Forest Resource Assessment (FRA 2000) as well as indicated in individual country reports), plantation forests, wood fuel production, roundwood production and imports of wood and wood-based products. The region’s total import bill for wood and wood products exceeded US$5.0 billion. For countries where recent inventories had shown area estimates different from those provided by FRA 2000, the Commission suggested that the new figures be included in the country contribution towards FRA 2005. To enhance this contribution and to meet other management purposes, the Commission stressed the importance of conducting national forest assessments and recommended that countries conduct such assessments and seek technical support from FAO and from regional and global funding agencies.
10. The Commission noted an appreciable increase in forest and tree plantation in several member countries as a result of the rising awareness of the importance of forests, increased political will and the availability of treated waste water. It was noted that there had been a marked rise in urban and peri-urban planting in particular. The Commission stressed the importance of information exchange on the successful implementation of reforestation and sustainable forest management activities and recommended that FAO continue to support field level activities and facilitate information exchange, and that countries and FAO record and document success stories to be exchanged for presentation to the 2005 session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO).
11. Pressures and threats facing forestry in the region were discussed and the need to effectively meet imminent challenges were cited as reasons for more empowered forestry institutions manned by capable personnel with broadened training. The need for holistic planning was also stressed. The Commission recommended that countries formulate, update and revise their forest policies and prepare and implement national forest programmes (nfps) as workable frameworks for forestry development and seek support for that purpose from FAO and the nfp Facility.
12. The Commission took note of the continued threats to forests and trees outside forests from overgrazing, forest fires and exotic invasive species. The Commission stressed the importance of collaborative action in facing these threats and recommended that thematic studies be conducted on problems common to countries. Areas to be covered could include use interactions between forest and range resources, and the regulation of such use to achieve integration and sustainability of both resources; and the impact of invasive species on the environment in general and on forests in particular with the establishment of regional information networks on measures to counter such threats.
