Held in Washington 11-14 February 1947, and in Rome 31 March - 3 April 1947
IN accordance with the recommendations of the Second Annual Conference of FAO at Copenhagen in September 1946, the Forestry and Forest Products Division undertook the preparation of two statistical programs. The first is concerned with an assessment of the forest resources of the world, their actual and potential productive capacities, the rates at which they are being used and wasted; and special losses arising from way. The second program provides for the preparation of periodic statements respecting production, stocks, consumption of forest products, and international trade in these commodities.
Draft questionnaires for use in both programs were designed by the staff of the Forestry and Forest Products Division and discussed in detail with the Economics and Statistics Division of FAO. Because of the great diversity between units in common use for the measurement of forest products, and because the statistical programs will be world-wide in scope, it was necessary to prepare lists of converting factors.
The importance of these statistical programs, and the considerable amount of work which will inevitably devolve on participating governments, made it essential to obtain the advice and approval of as many governments as possible before the programs were instituted. Arrangements were accordingly made for the calling of two statistical conferences, one in North America and the other in Europe. Through this means it was hoped to obtain the participation of the largest possible number of governments and to reduce the, costs of travel as much as possible.
The Director-General of FAO invited governments of North and South America and the Far East to participate in a conference which was held in Washington from 11 to 14 February 1947. Subsequently, he invited the governments of all European countries and member nations in Africa and the Near and Middle East to take part in a conference in Rome from 31 March to 3 April. Fourteen governments sent delegations to Washington and thirteen nations were represented at Rome. In addition, representatives of interested international organizations participated in the work of these conferences, including the Caribbean Commission, the Emergency Economic Committee for Europe, and the Allied Control Council for Austria.
The Rome Conference reviewed the recommendations adopted in Washington, and it was found that very little difference of opinion existed. Since some minor differences between the recommendations of the two conferences were inevitable, it was agreed that the task of harmonizing these differences and preparing the questionnaires in their final form should be entrusted to the staff of FAO.
Both statistical conferences endorsed the proposals of the Division for a new inventory of the world's forest resources and for the institution of a world-wide program of annual forest products statistics. It was decided that, for the present, the collection of quarterly statistics on forest products would be restricted to the countries of Europe and the principal exporting countries of North and South America.
In general, the questionnaires presented for the consideration of the conferences were approved; many valuable recommendations, however, were made which will result in marked improvements in the series. Particularly valuable advice was received in connection with the complex and difficult matter of establishing a satisfactory series of converting factors.
The questionnaires have now been revised in detail and supplies are being printed in English, French, and Spanish. Distribution will begin at an early date.
As a result of the conferences, the Division feels that it has received the advice and assistance of the largest possible number of government representatives and experts, and that it can proceed confidently in the knowledge that its programs meet with approval.
