331Kb)
by
S. Rouchiche
with the assistance of
M. Salem Abdallah Al-Masheikhi, El Haj Bakhit Ahmed
and S. Eldin Abdallah Mohamed Agieb
October 2003
The Planted Forests and Trees Working Paper, report on issues and activities in planted forests. These working papers do not reflect any official position of FAO. Please refer to the FAO website (http://www.fao.org/forestry) for official information.
The purpose of these papers is to provide early release of information on on-going activities and programmes, and to stimulate discussion.
Comments and feedback are welcome.
For further information please contact:
Mr. Jim Carle, Senior Forestry Officer (Plantations and Protection)
Forest Resources Development Service
Forest Resources Division
Forestry Department
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
I-00100 Rome (Italy)
e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
For quotation:
FAO (2003). Role of Planted Forests and Trees Outside Forests in Sustainable Forest Management in the Sultanate of Oman, by S. Rouchiche with the assistance of M. Salem Abdallah Al-Masheikhi, El Haj Bakhit Ahmed and S. Eldin Abdallah Mohamed Agieb. Planted Forests and Trees Working Papers, Working Paper 31. Forest Resources Development Service, Forest Resources Division. FAO, Rome (unpublished).
©FAO 2003
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LIST OF ACRONYMS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
1. GENERAL SETTING
1.1 CONTEXT
1.1.1 Brief geographical and historical description
1.1.2 Economic and demographic characteristics
1.1.3 Government and administrative set-up and organization
1.1.4 Political and legislative framework
1.1.5 Planning procedures
1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS
1.2.1 Geology
1.2.2 Landscapes and soils
1.2.3 Climate
1.2.4 Biological resources
1.2.5 Land resources - Types, distribution and occupation of lands
1.2.6 Water resources
1.2.6.1 Surface water and drainage systems
1.2.6.2 Occurrence and characteristics of groundwater
1.2.6.3 Desalinated water
1.2.6.4 Treated wastewater effluent
1.2.6.5 Water demand and balance
1.3 HUMAN FACTOR: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
1.3.1 Population demography
1.3.1.1 Population parameters
1.3.1.2 Spatial and temporal mobility of populations
1.3.1.3 The gender issue
1.3.1.4 Employment
1.3.1.5 The tribal nature of the Omani society past and present
1.3.2 Economic overview
1.3.2.1 Economic performance
1.3.2.2 Oil industry and economic diversification
1.3.2.3 Main agricultural production systems
1.3.2.4 Status of agricultural sector in the national economy
1.4 FOOD SECURITY AND CONSUMPTION TRENDS IN OMAN
1.4.1 Agricultural production and self-sufficiency
1.4.2 Firewood and charcoal consumption
2. FOREST AND RANGE RESOURCES: CURRENT STATUS AND MANAGEMENT
2.1 FORESTRY AND RANGE SURVEY INFORMATION
2.1.1 Forestry and range data and information systems
2.1.2 Forest and range surveys
2.2 FEATURES OF COUNTRY'S WOODLANDS/RANGELANDS
2.2.1 Ownership status, structure and distribution of natural woodlands and rangelands
2.2.1.1 Ownership status
2.2.1.2 Structure and distribution
2.2.2 Natural woodland and rangeland global estate and shift in vegetation cover
2.2.2.1 Woodland and rangeland area
2.2.2.2 Woodland and rangeland degradation
2.2.2.3 Shift in vegetation cover following deforestation & rangeland devastation
2.2.3 Structure and magnitude of man-made forests
2.2.4 Structure and importance of trees outside forests
2.2.4.1 Orchard plantations
2.2.4.2 Urban and peri-urban forest and ornamental tree plantations
2.2.4.3 Road plantations
2.3 WOODLAND/RANGELAND ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE
2.3.1 Biodiversity conservation
2.3.2 Other protective functions of woodlands, rangelands & TOFs
2.4 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF WOODLANDS AND RANGELANDS
2.4.1 Populations depending on range and woodland estate
2.4.1.1 Population characteristics
2.4.1.2 Socio-economic benefits derived from woodlands & rangelands
2.4.1.3 Prevailing socio-economic issues related to woodlands & rangelands use
2.4.2 Production versus consumption
2.4.2.1 Fodder production capacity vs. actual consumption
2.4.2.2 Wood production capacity vs. actual consumption
2.4.2.3 NWFPs: production capacity vs. actual consumption
2.4.3 Woodlands & rangelands’ economic contribution
2.4.4 Contribution to employment, revenue generation and food security
2.4.4.1 Contribution to employment & revenue generation
2.4.4.2 Contribution of woodlands and rangelands to food security
2.5 MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION AND PARTICIPATION TOOLS
2.5.1 Woodland/rangeland management objectives, achievements and perspectives
2.5.2 Conservation/extension of woodland/rangeland resources - Tools
2.5.3 Promoting participation in woodland/rangeland management
3. THE FOREST AND RANGE INSTITUTION
3.1 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF FOREST AND RANGE
3.1.1 State institutions in charge of woodland, range and desertification control matters
3.1.1.1 Desertification control matters
3.1.1.2 Woodland and range matters
3.1.2 Main assignments of the Rangeland Resources Department
3.1.2.1 Main assignments of the RRD
3.1.2.2 Assignments of the RRD’s Planning Section
3.1.2.3 Assignments of the RRD’s Rangeland Conservation and Development Section
3.1.2.4 Assignments of the Range Section of Dhofar’s DGAAWF
3.1.3 Main assignments of the forest and range research
3.1.3.1 Forest and range research programme
3.1.3.2 Forestry experimentation carried out in Dhofar
3.1.3.3 Rangeland experimentation carried out in Dhofar
3.1.3.4 Experimentation at Rumais Livestock Research Station (Ash Sharqia)
3.2 LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF FOREST AND RANGE
3.2.1 Forestry and rangeland legislation and regulation
3.2.2 Other environment related legislation and regulation
3.3 POLICY AND PLANNING FOR FOREST AND RANGE
3.3.1 Policy framework
3.3.2 Planning framework - Country Vision
3.3.2.1 National Action Plan to Combat Desertification in the Sultanate of Oman (NAPCD)
3.3.2.2 Desertification Control Symposium
3.4 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STRATEGIES
3.4.1 National strategy for environmental protection
3.4.2 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
3.5 OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION RELATED TO FOREST AND RANGE
3.5.1 Multi-lateral international assistance to the forestry/range sector
3.5.2 Adhesion to international conventions
4. CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION AND WOODLAND AND RANGELAND DEFORESTATION
4.1 INDIRECT CAUSES
4.1.1 Land and water tenure and users’ rights and incentives
4.1.1.1 Land and water tenure and users' rights
4.1.1.2 Incentives in agricultural production
4.1.1.3 Incentives in water, woodlands and rangelands exploitation
4.1.2 Society transformation as foundation to deforestation & rangeland degradation
4.1.2.1 Unchecked population growth versus limited environmental resource base
4.1.2.2 Economic situation and investment patterns
4.1.2.3 Social response to modernization
4.1.3 Capacity to respond on timely basis to misuse issues leading to degradation
4.1.3.1 Economic and financial context – Degree of dependence on foreign aid
4.1.3.2 Dependence on external technical assistance
4.1.3.3 Institutional set up and capabilities
4.1.3.4 Environmental information and monitoring systems
4.1.3.5 Legal, customary and regulatory instruments
4.1.3.6 Degree of community involvement
4.1.3.7 Cultural impact
4.1.4 Policy & Development priorities - Significance in terms of deforestation/degradation
4.1.4.1 Policy perception of roles and significance of woodlands and rangelands
4.1.4.2 Popular perception of woodlands and rangelands as free public good
4.1.4.3 Degree of State commitment to natural resource management
4.1.4.4 Development priorities
4.2 DIRECT CAUSES
4.2.1 Natural causes
4.2.1.1 Climate
4.2.1.2 Soils
4.2.1.3 Topography
4.2.1.4 Natural calamities, floods, pests etc.
4.2.2 Causes linked to human activity
4.2.2.1 Misuse of natural resources
4.2.2.2 Agricultural land affectation
4.2.2.3 Infrastructure construction
4.2.2.4 Man-made catastrophes
4.3 EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION AND OF FOREST AND RANGE DEGRADATION
4.3.1 Loss of land productivity
4.3.2 Soil erosion increase
4.3.3 Surface water wastage & groundwater recharge decline
4.3.4 Poverty expansion
5. STATUS OF KNOWLEDGE
5.1 LESSONS LEARNED
5.1.1 Policy and development choices and issues
5.1.1.1 Policy
5.1.1.2 Development choices
5.1.2 Administrative and legislative aspects
5.1.2.1 Legislative aspects
5.1.2.2 Institutional set up and capacity
5.1.3 Natural rangeland and woodland resources estate and significance
5.1.4 Resource use and management
5.1.4.1 Animal production
5.1.4.2 Woodland and rangeland management
5.2 GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE
5.2.1 Extent & consequences of degradation & desertification
5.2.2 Capturing pastoralists’ experience, technical and managerial skills
5.2.3 Lack of basic information and of statistical databases
5.2.4 Lack of capacity in resource management
5.2.5 Awareness raising on environmental degradation and on participation
6. CONCLUSIONS
6.1 DEVELOPMENT CHOICES AND ISSUES
6.2 INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP, CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY
6.3 NATURAL RESOURCES AND RESOURCE USE AND MANAGEMENT
6.3.1 Biodiversity
6.3.2 National rangeland and woodland estate
6.3.3 Resources’ use and management
7. RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 DEVELOPMENT CHOICES AND ISSUES
7.1.1 Decentralized Planning
7.1.2 Assessment and monitoring of the resources
7.1.3 Popular participation
7.1.4 Poverty alleviation
7.2 ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENTS
7.2.1 Institutional arrangements between MAF & MRME
7.2.2 Institutional arrangements within MAF
7.2.3 Institutional coordination
7.2.4 International Cooperation
7.2.5 Legislation
7.3 CHANGES IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
7.3.1 Land tenure in woodland and rangeland management
7.3.2 Land distribution
7.3.3 Management and regeneration of natural woodlands and rangelands
7.4 ENHANCING THE ROLE OF PLANTED FORESTS AND TREES
7.4.1 Tree planting and water constraints in urban forestry
7.4.2 Promoting reforestation and afforestation in potential areas of Oman
7.4.3 Promoting TOFs in agroforestry and sylvo-pastoralism
7.5 FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION
REFERENCES
ANNEXES
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