The group work 2 addressed “Thematic Reporting” component of FRA 2005 and its links with nine regional Criteria and Indicator (C&I) processes. The participants were organized into nine working groups based on membership of their country membership to the nine regional Criteria and Indicator processes. Each working group was requested to review the six thematic areas (Criteria) out of seven thematic areas that are common to all the nine regional C&I processes.
All working groups unanimously (expect working groups dealing with Montreal and Pan European processes) expressed their willingness to go ahead with thematic reporting, requested to revive their regional processes and to build their country capacities to provide information relating to thematic reporting. Further, they wanted FRA to take leading role on this issue. The working groups with countries under Montreal and Pan European processes informed that they have recently published their thematic reports and there may not be much new information with them for thematic reporting for FRA 2005.
Following provides the consolidated output from the eight working groups. It incorporates individual comments and suggestions from plenary sessions as well as written comments given to FRA secretariat through their chairpersons.
This section presents them the Terms of Reference for “Group Work 2” in brief while Annex 6 contains the complete TOR. Mr. Peter Holmgren gave guidance on Group Work 2 and its Terms of reference (Annex 6) to the participants (Annex 14.1) that deals with Thematic Reporting with regard its relevance and constraints.
Each working group was expected to examine existing/potential linkages between FRA and the relevant Criteria and Indicator process. The working groups were to examine feasibility for their respective countries to provide information on variables (in addition to global variables) for thematic reporting. Lastly they were tasked to report reasons for which some countries in their group may have opted not to go for thematic reporting.
The working groups were tasked to provide comments on need of more national variables in addition to the global variables (reported in national reporting tables T1 to T16) for better understanding or explanation of the state of forests including their sustainability in a country (including wish list or examples of variables). Further, the working groups were expected to indicate what are the perceptions of countries in their group about role of FRA process to facilitate national thematic reporting and to comment on how the linkages between FRA and Criteria and Indicator processes can be further developed. Following section provides a consolidated version of the outputs from each of the nine working groups.
Countries of C&I Process |
Additional Variables Thematic Area 1a: Extent of Forests and OWL |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Forest Type |
Dry Zone Africa |
No additional variables |
Dry Forest Asia |
Area of recorded forests, Extent of Trees Outside Forests, Area of forest under management plans, |
ITTO |
Extent of bamboo resources |
Lepaterique |
Area under management plan |
Near East |
Area of coniferous, broadleaved and mixed forests, Area of coniferous, broadleaved and mixed OWL, Area of evergreen, deciduous and mixed forests, and Area of plantations |
Tarapoto |
Area of forest under approved management plans |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Countries of C&I Process |
Additional Variables Thematic Area 1b: Contribution to global Carbon Cycle |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Forest Type |
Dry Zone Africa |
No additional variables |
Dry Forest Asia |
No additional variables |
ITTO |
No additional variables |
Lepaterique |
No additional variables |
Near East |
Carbon trade |
Tarapoto |
No additional variables |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Countries of C&I Process |
Additional Variables Thematic Area 2: Forest Ecosystem Health and Vitality |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Temporary seasonal flooded forest area |
Dry Zone Africa |
Biotic interference and moisture stress |
Dry Forest Asia |
Natural regeneration, Weed infestation, Pollutants, Indicator species, Grazing, Damage from wildlife, |
ITTO |
No additional variables |
Lepaterique |
Natural catastrophes like hurricane, cyclones etc., |
Near East |
Grazing, Encroachment, Unplanned tourism, Natural disasters, Pollution, Over Exploitation |
Tarapoto |
No additional variables |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Countries of C&I Process |
Additional Variables Thematic Area 3: Biological Diversity |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Endemic species, Species by uses, Introduced species, Indigenous species |
Dry Zone Africa |
Area by Ecosystem |
Dry Forest Asia |
Area of PA, Endemic species, Threatened species, Invasive species, Forest types, Area of buffer zone |
ITTO |
No additional variables |
Lepaterique |
Area of Protected Areas |
Near East |
Genetic resources, Invasive species, Forest by ecosystems, Role of forest in biodiversity |
Tarapoto |
List of commercial species |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Countries of C&I Process |
Additional Variables Thematic Area 4: Productive Functions |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Area of logging, legally exploited annual area |
Dry Zone Africa |
Percentage of managed (forests and OWL) to total |
Dry Forest Asia |
Per hectare growing stock, Annual volume increment, Planting stock improvement |
ITTO |
No additional variables |
Lepaterique |
Non commercial domestic production |
Near East |
Quantities and values of subsistence wood, fuelwood, NWFP in informal market, Wood in formal and informal market, Wood consumption |
Tarapoto |
No additional variables |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Countries of C&I Process |
Additional Variables Thematic Area 5: Protective Function |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
No additional variables |
Dry Zone Africa |
Area under watershed management, Degraded forests, Mangroves, Mountain forests. |
Dry Forest Asia |
Percentage of Protective forest |
ITTO |
Role of PAs and TOF |
Lepaterique |
No additional variables |
Near East |
No additional variables |
Tarapoto |
No additional variables |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Countries of C&I Process |
Additional Variables Thematic Area 6 a: Social Function |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
No additional variables |
Dry Zone Africa |
Number of licenses / exemptions issued |
Dry Forest Asia |
Use of traditional knowledge, extent of rights and concessions, Extent of cultural and sacred forests, Area of forest with communities, Area of buffer zone around PA with local communities, Area of lease-hold forestry |
ITTO |
No additional variables |
Lepaterique |
Area managed by country and area managed by communities |
Near East |
Trees and Forest in religious sites |
Tarapoto |
No additional variables |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Countries of C&I Process |
Additional Variables Thematic Area 6b: Economic Function |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Share of forest sector in GDP |
Dry Zone Africa |
Ecotourism, Share of forest sector in GDP, Value from Secondary Industry, Forest Sector trade balance, Investment in forests and forest industries including informal sector, Benefits accruing to local communities. Contribution to food security |
Dry Forest Asia |
Trade of wood, Trade of NWFP, Financial investment in forests |
ITTO |
No additional variables |
Lepaterique |
Income to community from forest management |
Near East |
Eco tourism (quantitative and qualitative analysed information) |
Tarapoto |
Income at management unit level |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Countries belonging to processes other than Montreal and Pan European processes indicated their willingness for thematic reporting however, they needed help to revive their respective C&I processes and to build their national capacities to satisfy the information needs. The countries belonging to Montreal process have more or less identified their information gaps and are adjusting their inventory systems to better fulfil the requirements of the Montreal process. The Montreal process has recently published its thematic report entitled “First Forest Overview Report” in October 2003. The participants were of the view that they will not be able to report more than what they have recently reported to Montreal Process. They also expressed their reservation on use of their information without qualifiers
Willingness of countries under different processes for Thematic Reporting
Countries of C&I Process |
Willingness for Thematic Reporting |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Willing but need help to build capacity |
Dry Zone Africa |
Willing but need help to build capacity |
Dry Forest Asia |
Willing but need help to build capacity |
ITTO |
Willing but need help to build capacity |
Lepaterique |
Willing but need help to build capacity |
Near East |
Willing but need help to build capacity |
Tarapoto |
Willing but need help to build capacity |
Montreal |
Countries will not be able to report more than what they have recently reported to Montreal Process |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
In view of their recent MCPFE Thematic Reporting, countries of Pan-European process though it will not provide any additional utility. |
The most of the countries belonging to Pan-European process were not willing to provide thematic reports to FRA as they consider it additional reporting burden in light of recent thematic publication by MCPFE covering their region entitled “State of Europe’s Forests 2003”.
Nine groups deliberated on their perception of role of FRA to facilitate national thematic reporting. They suggested following eight roles of FRA to facilitate national thematic reporting.
• Harmonization of International Reporting
• Development of Unified Reporting system
• Interfaces between Country and International Processes
• Enables synergy between National Correspondents & focal points of C&I
• Promotes coordination between various national institutions
• Provides Stability (terms (variables, definitions and framework) over time
• Gives Political and Technical support to National Correspondents
• Establish and maintains electronic resource “Help Line”
Following is summary of expectations by each C&I processes.
Countries of C&I Process |
Role Of FRA Process |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Supporting studies relating to assessment of carbon, Bringing NC in contact with national focal points of international processes like CBD, IPCC and CCD, Technical and financial support to NCs. |
Dry Zone Africa |
National capacity building, Regional workshops, Support of human, financial & technical resources. |
Dry Forest Asia |
Revitalization of the C&I process. National and regional workshops, Establishment secretariat for this process, Financial Support, Sharing digital information through Information Framework”, Changing name like “Tropical Asia” C&I process. |
ITTO |
Guidelines, Training and Capacity Building |
Lepaterique |
Promotion of exchange of information among countries in the region, Enhanced co-ordination between NC and FRA secretariat, Provide stability to the process, Supporting national forest assessments, Technical and Financial support. |
Near East |
National capacity building, Harmonising definitions and reporting formats, Interfacing between countries and processes, enhancing coordination between national institutions and agencies. |
Tarapoto |
Integration of information needs of international processes into FRA, Standardise request for information, building country capacity to generate information, development of unified national database for reporting |
Montreal |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
No additional variables than in their C&I report |
The participants made following main suggestions to FRA that mainly related to revitalizing their C&I processes, developing an electronic network among national correspondents, and building country capacities to generate and submit desired information.
Countries of C&I Process |
Suggestion |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Improve synergy between NC and focal points of C&I, and Enhance role of regional offices in C&I processes. |
Dry Zone Africa |
Enhance convergence between information requests of FRA and C&I. Build national capacities to generate quality and timely information. |
Dry Forest Asia |
Organize national and regional workshops for development and training. Facilitate establishment of a secretariat for this (Dry Forest Asia) C&I process Provide financial support Share digital information through Information Framework Change name of this process to “Tropical Asia” C&I process. |
ITTO |
Improve coordination between FRA and this C&I processes. FRA to take lead role to implement this request. |
Lepaterique |
Harmonise information needs and reporting among international processes, convention and agencies, Develop a unified national database Promote in-country development of information for FRA, Develop a network for NCs. |
Near East |
Enhance FRA involvement in C&I processes Organise regional training workshops to help countries compile and submit quality information in time FRA should cover information needs of C&I processes, Increase interaction between processes, convention and agencies at regional level. |
Tarapoto |
Bring NCs and national focal points of other international processes nearer to each other for better coordination Provide support to countries for training and development of national reports. |
Montreal |
Contribute to improved harmonization with and among C&I processes, Organize Regional Workshops for submission of national information to FRA 20005 |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
Organize Regional Workshops for submission of national information to FRA 20005 |
The country participation in each of the working group for this group work 2 was quite high and productive. Following table indicates the countries that participated in each working group.
Working group by C&I Processes |
Country participation in the working groups |
African Timber Organization (OAB) |
Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Guinee, Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania |
Dry Zone Africa |
Botswana, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, UNEP, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
Dry Forest Asia |
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand |
ITTO |
Brazil, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Togo, Vanuatu |
Lepaterique |
Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama |
Near East |
|
Tarapoto |
Brazil, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Guyana, Jamaica, Peru, St. Kitts-Nevi, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Suriname, Venezuela |
Montreal |
Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Russian Federation, USA, Uruguay. |
Pan European (MCPFE) |
Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom |
