Three main issues were identified to facilitate the discussion among CCs
• Agency for forest information
• Forest data at national level versus management level information
• Methodological approach to forest assessment: remote sensing and or terrestrial inventories
Agency for forest information
Three basic models were discussed and evaluated if:
1. The capacity to produce forest cover maps and collect forest information should be responsibility of the forestry department;
2. Forest cover maps and forest data should they be done by other government agencies like for example the central planning unit;
3. The preparation of forest cover maps and collection of forest information data, should be outsourced to private entities or companies.
The general consensus was that the capacity to produce forest cover maps and collect forest data should done by the forestry departments. It was widely felt that other government agencies would not have the interest to prepare, maintain and collect this information and prepare the maps. The need to be able to prepare forest cover maps and to conduct forest assessments was clearly presented by the island representatives.
The model presented by Jamaica with a well equipped forest mapping and inventory unit within the Departments was considered to be the ideal scenario.
NGOs can contribute to the gathering and preparation of forest related information but it was pointed out very clearly from the representative from Belize that their information system serves a specific purpose. In general the focus of their information gathering is more on biodiversity and to a lesser extent on the economic functions of the forest.
In French Guiana the preparation of a detailed forest vegetation map, a map of national biodiversity and mapping of the interface between forest to urban development areas was considered a task for universities or research institutions while the preparation of forest inventories and forest cover maps for forest production was considered to be the main task of the National forest administration (ONF).
• Forest data at national level and or management level information
Forest data at national level was considered to be important mainly to fulfil the reporting obligation with regards to international conventions. Especially the smaller and medium size island countries emphasised the need to be able to expand national data on forest cover into forest information system at the management level. The investment into a national information system was considered to be justifiable only if the same information system could be expanded into an inventory system for the management units.
With regards to Suriname, Guyana and Belize the approach is somehow different from the islands. In the continental countries the forestry departments would set standards for forest management related information systems while the information gathering and compilations would be left to the concession holder.
• Regional collaboration for the preparation of forest cover maps and forestry inventories
The preparation of a forest cover or vegetation cover map together with terrestrial inventory is considered to be important in the Caribbean Region. A limiting factor is the funding. Most of the countries will be interested in the development of forestry inventories for management purposes, but it was clear that are very costly. A low sampling inventory together with forest cover maps and vegetations was looked as a more realistic option for the sub-region.
Increased regional collaboration was considered to be important. This collaboration should focus on the preparation of national forest cover maps and perhaps the development of an forest inventory system which could be standardised throughout the Caribbean.
Countries potential interested is such a regional approach are St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. The preparation of a forest cover maps for management purposes could be based on the vegetation cover map prepared from the Caribbean mapping initiative from IITF and TNC or could be based on the preparation of forest cover maps using the mapmaker approach.
National Forest Assessment component of the FRA programme could be an alternative for developing national forestry inventories with low sampling plots. An ultimate goal for increased regional collaboration could be the establishment of a network of permanent sample plots to monitor forest growth and dynamics.
