Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study: Urban Forestry in the Asia-Pacific Region - Situation and Prospects

WORKING PAPER SERIES

Working Paper No: APFSOS/WP/44

Dr. Guido Kuchelmeister

TREE CITY

Forestry Policy and Planning Division, Rome

Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok

August 1998

The Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study is being undertaken under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission.

INFORMATION NOTE ON ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY SECTOR OUTLOOK STUDY

At its sixteenth session held in Yangon, Myanmar, in January 1996, the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission, which has membership open to all governments in the Asia-Pacific region, decided to carry out an outlook study for forestry with horizon year 2010. The study is being coordinated by FAO through its regional office in Bangkok and its Headquarters in Rome, but is being implemented in close partnership with governments, many of which have nominated national focal points.

The scope of the study is to look at the main external and sectoral developments in policies, programmes and institutions that will affect the forestry sector and to assess from this the likely direction of its evolution and to present its likely situation in 2010. The study involves assessment of current status but also of trends from the past and the main forces which are shaping those trends and then builds on this to explore future prospects.

Working papers have been contributed or commissioned on a wide range of topics. They fall under the following categories: country profiles, selected in-depth country or sub-regional studies and thematic studies. Working papers are prepared by individual authors or groups of authors on their own professional responsibility; therefore, the opinions expressed in them do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers, the governments of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission or of the Food and Agriculture Organization. In preparing the substantive report to be presented at the next session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission early in 1998, material from these working papers will be an important element but will be blended and interpreted alongside a lot of other material.

Working papers are being produced and issued as they arrive. Some effort at uniformity of presentation is being attempted but the contents are only minimally edited for style or clarity. FAO welcomes from readers any information which they feel would be useful to the study on the subject of any of the working papers or on any other subject that has importance for the Asia-Pacific forestry sector. Such material can be mailed to the contacts given below from whom further copies of these working papers, as well as more information on the Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Study, can be obtained:

Rome: Mr. Adrian Whiteman

Forestry Officer (Sector Studies)

Policy and Planning Division

Forestry Department

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Viale delle Terme di Caracalla

Rome, 00100, ITALY

Tel: (39-6) 5705 3506

Fax: (39-6) 5705 5514

Email: <Adrian.Whiteman@fao.org>

Bangkok: Mr. Patrick Durst

Regional Forestry Officer

FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Maliwan Mansion

Phra Atit Road

Bangkok 10200

THAILAND

Tel: (66-2) 281 7844

Fax: (66-2) 280 0445

Email: <Patrick.Durst@fao.org>

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This Working Paper on urban forestry in Asia and the Pacific is a voluntary contribution to the study, written by Dr Guido Kuchelmeister of TREE CITY, a Initiative based in Germany. It is a highly valuable input in a new area of sector growth potential. FAO wishes to express to Dr Kuchelmeister and TREE CITY its gratitude and appreciation.

Acronyms

HIGHLIGHTS

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 The phenomenon of urbanization in the region

1.2 Urbanization of poverty

1.3 Urbanization and the environment

2. URBAN FORESTRY DEFINED

3. ROLES AND IMPORTANCE OF URBAN TREES AND FORESTS

4. STATUS OF URBAN TREES AND FORESTS IN THE REGION

4.1 Regional overview of urban forest resources

4.2 Rural/urban forestry interface

5. CURRENT EFFORTS TO MANAGE URBAN TREES AND FORESTS