Mette Løyche Wilkie Senior Forestry Officer Global Forest Resources Assessment FAO, Rome UNECE/FAO Team of Specialists on Monitoring forest resources for SFM in the UNECE Region Geneva April 2005 FRA 2005 Status of implementation

Global forest resources assessments First assessment in 1946/1947 Early assessments: focus on wood supply Later assessments: focus on deforestation rate Latest assessment: FRA 2000 Next assessment: 2005

FRA 2005: The task An updated global forest resources assessment report in 2005: –A broad assessment - including biological diversity, forest health, and resource use –Linked to the criteria/thematic elements of sustainable forest management –Taking other reporting requirements into account –Undertaken in close collaboration with officially nominated national correspondents.

FRA 2005: The mission Increase accuracy, completeness, timeliness, reliability and comparability of FRA 2000 data and parameters Refine reporting formats for parameters reported in FRA 2000 Include new parameters as feasible Increase reporting capacities Reduce overall reporting burden

The framework 1.Extent 2.Health 3.Biodiversity 4.Production 5.Protection 6.Socio-economics 7.Institutions & Policy Focus on TRENDS

15 Global Tables Forest extentTree species diversity OwnershipTree species composition DesignationWood removal Forest characteristicsValue of wood removal Growing stockNWFP removal BiomassValue of NWFP removal Carbon stockEmployment Disturbances

Bamboo Ownership of forests FRA 2005 Thematic studies Planted forests Mangroves Forest pests Forest fires Forests and Water

The process Responsibilities: National correspondents –Coordinate the reporting process within country and submit national reports FRA staff (HQ + regions) –Assistance and review of reports FAO subject specialists –Provision of alternative information sources and analysis of global tables Heads of forestry –Validation of country reports

Facilitation of the reporting process Specifications, guidelines and reporting format disseminated in English, French, Spanish, Russian and Arabic Regular contacts with NCs Electronic discussion forum and FAQ established and web site maintained Sub-regional workshops to review draft reports Additional support to selected countries

The time frame Reporting by countries to FAO Validation of results Publishing of the report Deadline: Second half of 2005 Deadline: December 2004 Deadline: June 2004

FRA 2005 Status Number of countries and areas: Number of NCs: 173 Number of review workshops held in : 8 (133 NCs participating) Draft country reports received by deadline: 97 Draft country reports received to date: 171 (75%) + 30 prepared by FAO = 201 Finalised reports: 57 UNECE: 78% response rate (43 drafts received, 10 finalised, 12 not submitted)

Lessons learned Lack of recent, reliable data Lack of resources and capacity for data collection, analysis and reporting Estimation of trends problematic Better variables needed for biodiversity, values, contribution to food security and poverty alleviation and for informal employment/livelihoods

Information status an example from the Pacific

Lessons learned Network of national correspondents and regional focal points extremely valuable Reporting burden large (many new variables & data not readily available) yet tremendous response and commitment Regional workshops crucial

Lessons learned Process is time consuming and requires adequate resources, but is extremely valuable Strong wish from countries to continue collaboration and networking in between global assessments Early agreement needed for FRA 2010 Targeted support for national forest assessments needed

Next steps Review of reports (ongoing) Generation of global tables: June, 2005 Validation of reports: June, 2005 Publication of main report –Content Tables focusing on trends Analysis of tables by (sub-) region and thematic element Analysis of progress towards SFM –Timing Progress report COFO, UNFF and IUFRO Release of Main Report: Late 2005 Publication of thematic studies:

Beyond 2005 Evaluation of lessons learned Agreement on core tables and on remote sensing component for FRA 2010 Continued capacity building of and networking between national correspondents Development of on-line reporting tool Targeted support to developing countries Fund raising

Thank you!