7NC FRA 2003//groups work

International Tropical Timber Organization

GROUP WORK NUMBER ONE

GROUPE DE TRAVAIL NUMÉRO UN

GRUPO DE TRABAJO NÚMERO UNO

Terms of Reference for Group Work 1

National Reporting Tables for FRA 2005

Introduction

The Group work will be organized as round table discussions. Each working group will consist of 14 to 18 participants. The constellation of each working group is made to maximize that as many regions as possible are represented in every working group.

Organization of Working Group Session

There will be eight working groups working on four different sets of FRA 2005 national reporting tables meaning that each set of national tables will processed by two working groups. Common for all working groups is that national tables 1 “Extent of Forests”, 3 “Designation”, 4 “Characteristics” and national table 5 “Forest Growing Stock” are included in the set of tables to be covered.

Working groups should elect a chairperson for each group and each group will have one secretary responsible for summarizing main discussions and outcomes as group reports according to the attached two templates. The group reports will be compiled by the secretariat and main conclusions will be presented during the Wednesday morning session (19 November 2003).

Working Groups Tasks

1. The group should in detail discuss and bring together FRA 2005 national reporting table 1 “Extent of Forest” in the proposed format by going through each of the following eight steps in the transformation process for reporting to the global tables. Any difficulties/questions/issues identified within the group should be discussed and documented.

A. Global Classifications & Definitions

B. National Data Sources

C. National Classifications & Definitions

D. National Data

E. Calibration

F. Estimation & Forecasting

G. Reclassification into FRA 2005 Classes

H. National Information for FRA 2005 Global Tables

2. The groups should go through the other tables as assigned and come to following output on each table:

A. Comments and conclusions in regards of the scope and relevance of the national reporting tables for FRA 2005 for countries, as well as international reporting needs.

B. Comments and recommendations on reporting format (classification and definitions) used.

C. Assessment of availability of information and time series for reporting

D. Other relevant issues, suggestions (e.g. reporting capacity, need for additional resources, etc).

Expected Working Groups Outputs

Output 1

Each working group should complete and bring together national reporting table 1 “Extent of forests”

Template 1 for National Reporting Table 1 “Extent of Forests”

Country: C

Rationale:

The information on “extent of forests” is necessary for assessment of state and change in forest resources (including goods and services provided by forests) on a global basis. It helps to develop trends of expansion or deforestation of forests and review the sustainability of forests. It facilitates establishing links between national and global classification of extent of forests.

A. Global Classification and Definitions

Forest	Land under forestry or no land use, spanning more than 0.5 hectares; with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ.
Other Wooded Land	Land under forestry or no land use, spanning more than 0.5 hectares; with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of 5-10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ; or with a combined cover of shrubs, bushes and trees above 10 percent.
Other Land with Tree Cover	The lands primarily not under forests having more than 0.5 hectares with a canopy cover of more than 10 percent of trees able to reach a height of 5 m at maturity. It includes trees outside forests.
Other Land	Land not classified as “forest”, “other wooded land” or “other land with tree cover”.
Inland Water bodies	Inland water bodies generally include major rivers and lakes.

(Source: For Comparison of Definition of Terms used in FRA 1990 and 2000 see Annex 4 to Guidelines)

B. National Data Sources

Reference of the Source Information	Quality* (H/M/L)	For following Variables	For Years
Author. Year of Publication. Name of the Report/book/ etc. etc. name of the Publisher, Name of Country.		Name of Variable for which information has been taken from this source	Years for which information has been derived for this source

(Note: * = Quality of Information is H (High) if Remotely sensed information is supported by good ground survey. It is M (Medium) if supporting ground survey is just appropriate and it is L (Low) if the supporting ground survey is weak or absent)

C. National Classification and Definitions

The following tables provide the classification and sub-classification patterns and their definitions in use for country C.

National Classification	Definition
Forest Cover	All lands, more than one hectare in area, with a tree canopy density of more than 10 percent. Such lands may not be statutorily notified as forest area.
Dense Forest	All lands, with a forest cover with canopy density of 40 percent and above.
Open Forest	All lands, with forest cover with canopy density of 10 to 40 percent.
Trees Outside Forests	Land with trees existing outside recorded Forest Areas with a canopy density of more than 12 percent
Scrub	All lands, generally in and around forest areas, having bushes and or poor tree growth chiefly small or stunted trees with canopy density less than 10 percent.
Non Forest Land	Lands without any forest cover.

(Source: xxx)

D. National Data

The following table presents the national data on forest cover in country C.

National Class	Extent in “1000” ha
	1988	1992	2000
Forest cover	12,000	11,800	11,500
Dense Forest	2,000	1,900	1,800
Open Forest	10,000	10,100	10,500
Trees Outside Forests	8,000	7,800	7,800
Scrub	5,000	4,800	4,900
Non Forest Land	3,000	3,200	3,300
Total Land Area	40,000	39,600	39,800

E. Calibration

The calibration is the proportional adjustment of the national reported land area (the sum of all land classes) to the official land area as maintained by FAO.

National Class	1990	2000
Land Area – Total of National Data
Land Area – UN Statistical Division	40,198	40,198
Calibration Factor

F. Estimation and Forecasting

Estimation is the process of recalculating national information to the specified reference years 1990 and 2000. Forecasting refers to forecasting the global data for the last reference period 2005.

National Class	Extent in “1000” ha
	1990	2000	2005
Forest Cover
Dense Forest
Open Forest
Trees Outside Forests
Scrub
Non Forest Land
Total Area

G. Reclassification into FRA 2005 Classes

Reclassification is the process of aggregation or disaggregation of original (national) classes into one or many global FRA 2005 variables/classes/categories based on respective definitions and specifications.

	Percentage of a National Class Belonging to a FRA Class
	Forest	Other Wooded Land	Other Land with Tree Cover	Other Land
National Class	%	%	%	%
Forest
Dense Forest
Open Forest
Trees Outside Forests
Scrub
Non Forest Land

H. National Information for FRA 2005 Global Tables

FRA 2005 Classes	Extent in "1000" ha
	1990	2000	2005
Forest
Other Wooded Land
Other Land with Tree Cover
Other Land
Total for country

Output 2

Working groups should complete and review each assigned set of national reporting table according to template 2

Template 2, for National Reporting Tables Review

Name of National Reporting Table:

A	B	C	D
Comments and conclusions in regards of the scope and relevance of the national table for countries as well as international reporting needs.	Comments and recommendations on reporting format (classifications and definitions) used.	Assessment of availability of information (time series) for this reporting table and quality of data.	Other relevant issues, suggestions.
Does the scope of the table comply with the rationale?	Comments on global classification system:	Availability of national data for this National Table? Availability of sub-national data (including partial data)? Availability of regional data (group of countries)
Is this national /global table useful for other International reporting processes?	Comments on global definitions:	Availability of time series (1990, 2000)? Data quality (H/M/L) (High, Medium, Low)
Does the table meet national reporting needs?	Comments on proposed reporting template:	Name of countries that will be able to report on this global table: If no, why?

Background Material

The Working Group should use information, which National Correspondents in their group may have brought with them. If such information is not available then they can use information contained in any of the five pilot studies developed by FRA at Rome and attached templates. The groups will further have at their disposal copies of following documents.

Draft Terms and Definitions

Draft National Reporting Tables

Draft Guidelines for Country Reporting

FRA 2005 Pilot Studies

Assignment of National Reporting Tables for Group Work 1

Working Groups for Group Work 1	National Reporting Tables
1 & 5	1. Extent of Forests 3. Designation 4. Characteristics 5. Forest Growing Stock 11. Wood Removal 12. Value of Primary Wood Removal 16. Employment through Primary Activities
2 & 6	1. Extent of Forests 3. Designation 4. Characteristics 5. Forest Growing Stock 6. Biomass Stock (Forest Biomass) 7. Carbon Stock (Forest Carbon) 15. Sites for Social Functions
3 & 7	1. Extent of Forests 3. Designation 4. Characteristics 5. Forest Growing Stock 8. Disturbances to Health and Vitality of Forests 9. Forest Tree Species 10. Forest Composition
4 & 8	1. Extent of Forests 2. Ownership 3. Designation 4. Characteristics 5. Forest Growing Stock 13. NWFP Removal 14. Value of NWFP Removal