 Above: Tracked harvester
operating in steep terrain in Austria |
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International Year of Mountains |
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The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2002
as the International Year of Mountains (IYM). The goal declared in 1998
was to raise international awareness about mountains, their global
importance, the fragility of their resources, and the necessity of
sustainable approaches to mountain development. The IYM builds on the
processes initiated by the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
where more than 178 governments adopted Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development, and the Statement of Principles for the
Sustainable Management of Forests.
 International Year of Mountains objectives are achieved through these activities:
Certainly we recognize that forest harvesting has the potential for detrimental effects on mountain ecosystems and communities. We also know that forest harvesting can be very beneficial to mountain communities. Too often a very narrow view of the world of possibilities is taken by those considering harvesting operations. This can be true whether the primary concern is categorized as social, economic, or environmental. Most of us recognize that sustainable forest management depends upon the balancing of the three major realms of concern. It is often a difficult and complex process to find the best of the sustainable management options that lie within the field of possibilities. This discussion of sustainable forest management has been occurring for years. For example, the keynote speech opening the first technical session of the Eleventh World Forestry Congress, 14 October 1997, Antalya, Turkey, discussed sustainable forest management. David Harcharik, FAO Deputy Director-General, referred to an environmental dimension that aims at the perpetual maintenance of the resource, an economic dimension that includes the production of commodities and services, and a social dimension that involves people in decision-making processes concerning forest management and the distribution of forest benefits. Mountains by their very nature are dynamic landscapes. The geologic processes of mountain building and mountain erosion often yield effects that displease human communities. The ill effects of human activities on mountain systems are well represented in world media but desirable impacts of forest harvesting are seldom reported. Every person involved in forest harvesting, both wood and non-wood forest products, and other forest services should know that there is a much wider range of harvesting operations possible than those that have been traditionally used in a particular locality. The social, economic, and ecological effects of these operations can also be extremely wide ranging, particularly in mountain forests. The following cases studies provide a glimpse of the possibilities and hopefully stimulate further thinking and effort. |
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FAO Case Studies
Forest Harvesting Operations in Papua New Guinea - The PNG Logging Code of Practice FAO Forest Harvesting Case Study 15 
This case study was carried out in tropical natural forest of Sandaun Province and on New Britain Island. The study by Norbert Winkler documents each phase of the forest harvesting system currently applied by two timber companies in Papua New Guinea. The planning and implementation of harvesting operations are compared to the relevant regulations published in the Papua New Guinea Logging Code of Practice. Data were collected through work and time studies. Some social, economic and environmental impacts were estimated. The results of this case study suggest that although major steps have been taken towards environmentally sound forest harvesting much remains to be done. For example comprehensive planning is not yet recognized as an essential tool for conducting environmentally sound and efficient harvesting operations. Supervision of logging operations to improve practices appears to be minimal by both company and Papua New Guinea Forest Authority supervisors. The skill of the logging workforce is low and a higher level of training is required. In the project areas visited for this study, forest harvesting clearly has a significant impact on the social and economic lives of the local people. It is currently the basis for nearly all economic development in the lives of the local people. It is currently the basis for nearly all economic development in the project areas and thus influences the changes that are underway in local lifestyles. Such changes occur as people in remote areas become exposed to towns by road networks developed to support forest harvesting. The money earned through employment and payment of timber royalties permits them to purchase goods rather than relying on the traditional subsistence economy. Papua New Guinea has taken important steps in introducing Planning, Monitoring and Control Procedures, and a Logging Code of Practice. During the implementation phase it is important to recognize the importance of both harvest planning and logger training as integral to the effective implementation of these new regulations. Both the Forest Authority and the logging companies must become committed to the same overall goal, namely to promote the implementation of environmentally sound harvesting so that harvesting systems become fully compatible with the objective of sustainable forest management. Forest Harvesting Practice in a Timber Concession in SurinameFAO Forest Harvesting Case Study 16 
This case study documents each phase of the conventional logging system used nearly exclusively in Suriname's small timber concessions. The productivity and environmental impacts associated with this system are compared with those of carefully planned forest harvesting. Data on the two harvesting operations were collected under almost identical conditions. Work and time studies on harvesting activities for both systems and post-harvest assessments of environmental impacts were carried out in adjacent sample plots. Norbert Winkler and Martin Nöbauer prepared this report based on their field studies. The results of this case study show that even with a minimal planning effort, planned harvesting as applied on the study site sample unit is economically and environmentally superior to conventional logging. There is widespread agreement that the rapid and extensive adoption of environmentally sound forest harvesting is perhaps the highest single priority in the effort to promote sustainable forest management
Suriname Study Results
Harvesting systems that reduce costs while at the same time reducing environmental impacts have the potential to permit the production of tropical forest products in ways that will simultaneously benefit timber producers, consumers, society at large, and the environment. The results of this and further case studies in the region could serve as a basis for developing regional and national codes of forest harvesting practice Financial and Economic Assessment of Timber Harvesting Operations in Sarawak, MalaysiaFAO Forest Harvesting Case Study 17
The cost-benefit analyses reported in this case study by Frank Richter compare the financial and economic worth of the two timber harvesting systems, CL and RIL, for two time frames, a one-year period and a forty-year period. The data necessary for these analyses were gathered from a variety of sources deemed most appropriate for this study. The analyses were carried out on two hypothetical harvest blocks with a production area of 100 ha each. The table bellow provides some of the pertinent information used in the analysis. The high extraction volume in the first harvesting operation under Conventional Logging strongly influences the results of the cost-benefit analysis. The results show that both harvesting systems are economically viable at the applied discount rate of 10 percent. Using only the market financial costs and benefits, Conventional Logging was calculated to be more profitable for the harvest block than RIL even though the profit per m3 may be greater using Reduced Impact Logging techniques. Sarawak Study Block Characteristics
Observe in the following table that the net present value differences estimated for the two harvesting techniques are small. The economic analysis indicates that from society's point of view Reduced Impact Logging is preferable to Conventional Logging. One of the conclusions that can be reached from this case study is that there are many ways to improve on both the economic and financial results presented here. Relatively small improvements in several operational elements could yield significant improvements in total. Sarawak Study Block Results
Values presented in Malaysian Ringgit Sensitivity analysis suggested that incentive
systems could significantly motivate the introduction of RIL techniques.
The final chapter of the report discusses the potential of Innovative
Financing and Financial Incentive Mechanisms to promote the application of
Reduced Impact Logging techniques. |
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Promoting Sound Forest Harvesting Practices in Tropical Forests of Central and Western Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Commercial timber harvesting has long been considered one of the main threats to the conservation of tropical forests. Today the international community, decision-makers and forest industries are increasingly aware that only sustainable management of forest resources can guarantee their survival and yield. Harvesting, which can drastically alter the composition of forests, should be practised without jeopardising future forest potential to regenerate properly and to provide the products and services that are essential for the well-being of both current and future generations. Unlike Southeast Asia where large forest areas have been over-exploited, harvesting intensities in Africa's tropical forests usually do not exceed 15 m3 per hectare. However, wood wasted during harvesting can reach 50 percent of the volume cut. Often 20 to 40 percent of remaining stands are damaged. Negative impacts must be reduced to a minimum by using best practices in all harvesting and transport operations, particularly in felling and extraction. Otherwise environmental services such as protection of watersheds, regulation of climate, and habitat for plants and animals will be comprised and forest degradation will continue unabated. In 1996, FAO's Model Code of Harvesting Practice formulated the technical baseline for the application of substantially improved practices in high forests worldwide. Under the Sustainable Forest Management Programme in African ACP-countries, co-funded by FAO and the European Commission, FOPH is now designing a Regional Model Code (RMC) adapted to the specific regional conditions in Central and West Africa («Code régional modèle d'exploitation forestière à faible impact dans les forêts denses tropicales humides d'Afrique»). The approach of the programme's harvesting component is to develop and promote reduced impact practices, by creating an exemplary regulatory framework, field-testing it for its practical feasibility, and encouraging decision-makers and senior industry personnel to appreciate the environmental, social and economic benefits of the programme The preparation of the RMC has been coordinated by a Steering Committee established to avoid duplication of effort, to promote synergies with ongoing activities, and to make use of the expertise and experience of stakeholders involved in the management of forest resources. Members of the Steering Committee are: FAO as executing organization, ADIE (Association de dévelopment d'information environnementale), ATIBT (Association technique de bois tropicaux), WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) and TFF (Tropical Forest Foundation). During Steering Committee meetings, held at regular intervals in FAO Headquarters, Rome (Italy), in Libreville (Gabon) and in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), critical issues were discussed in a participatory and open manner. Currently national experts are conducting case studies on the environmental, economic and social impacts of forest harvesting. Data collection is underway in the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Ghana. The results are expected to answer some of the most urgent questions:
The case studies are expected to produce conclusions concerning the origin and magnitude of impacts caused by harvesting as it is currently applied and show the potential of reduced impact practices. This enables us to design a forest harvesting code where recommended practices have been field-tested for their practical feasibility. This is an important prerequisite for making the code a guideline acknowledged by national authorities and industries, thus a significant contribution to promoting sustainable forest management. For the final phase of the project programme a participatory workshop is scheduled to review the draft RMC and discuss the case study findings with a broad range of stakeholders. The final version of the Regional Model Code will then be produced and presented at a training workshop where techtechnicians and trainers from across the region will be introduced to improved harvesting practices as proposed by the Code. The final RMC will also be presented to the African Forest and Wildlife Commission for their consideration and adoption in member countries. For disseminating information related to reduced impact harvesting in the region, FOPH has established «RIL-Afrique-L», an e-mail list server edited in French. This provides an electronic network for harvesting specialists, forestry administrations, and the private sector in francophone countries of Central and West Africa. The first edition was issued in November 2001. Three additional issues have been produced. To subscribe to the list server, send an e-mail to: mailserv@mailserv.fao.org and simply enter the phrase: "subscribe RIL-Afrique-L". You can also subscribe to RIL-Afrique-L from the Forestry homepage of FAO's website. Código de Prácticas ForestalesUruguay, ha comenzado a transformarse en un país forestal y el sector forestal ha tomado el desafío de la Gestión Forestal Sostenible: el Gobierno trabajando sobre los Criterios e Indicadores del Proceso de Montreal y las empresas certificándose, ya sea por el «Forest Stewardship Council» (FSC) o las Normas ISO 14.000. Ante la inexistencia de estándares nacionales de certificación y de un Código de Prácticas Forestales (CPF), el Departamento Forestal de la Facultad de Agronomía, con la colaboración del World Forestry Institute, ha comenzado a elaborar un CPF que permita conjugar las necesidades y aspiraciones gubernamentales, empresariales y de la sociedad en general. Para la elaboración del CPF se tomó como base los Criterios e Indicadores del Proceso de Montreal y paulatinamente se le fueron agregando las exigencias específicas de los principales sistemas de certificación de Estados Unidos y Europa, «Sustainable Forest Initiative» (SFI) y el «Pan European Forest Certification» (PEFC). Uno de los problemas identificados para la aplicación del CPF, son las diferencias de actividades y formación de las personas que deben utilizarlo. Por este motivo, se está elaborando a tres niveles diferentes: un primer nivel, con un enfoque estratégico; un segundo nivel, dirigido a supervisores y un tercer nivel, para los trabajadores forestales. Una vez culminado el CPF, para lo cual además de trabajar un equipo multidisciplinario de la Facultad de Agronomía, se están consultando referentes del sector público, privado y ONG, se realizará una consulta pública y se crearán grupos de trabajo con todas las partes interesadas en busca de lograr un Código consensuado. Si bien es un proyecto ambicioso, su fortaleza
radica en que es un proyecto prioritario para tres importantes grupos de
interés, el gobierno (cumplir con el Proceso de Montreal), los productores
y las empresas (alcanzar el mutuo reconocimiento con los principales
sistemas de certificación internacional) y las ONG (contribuir a un
desarrollo forestal sostenible). |
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News and NotesHarvesting Wild Rattan: Opportunities, Constraints and Monitoring MethodsStephen Siebert presented opportunities and constraints of cane harvesting and methods to assess and monitor their ecological effects based on a case study and ongoing research in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. He described the social, economic and institutional challenges to rattan harvesting and cultivation by emphasizing the success of smallholder rattan production systems vis-à-vis industrial-scale rattan estates. He concluded that declining supplies, particularly of large-diameter cane, and strong market demand called for better management systems, which would require adequate policy and institutional support, to provide small farmers and rattan collectors with adequate economic incentives. This paper is found in the Report of the FAO Expert Consultation on Rattan Development, FAO, Rome 2001. Successful Trial with Long KnuckleboomUlf Hallonborg and Berndt Nordén reported in SkogForsk Results Nr. 3, 2001 that a single-grip harvester equipped with a boom having an 11 m reach can perform just as well in thinning as a harvester with a shorter boom. This was the finding of a trial conducted by SkogForsk with a Timberjack 1270B harvester equipped with a long boom. Even though the harvester reached further into the stand, there was no appreciable increase in the harvesting time. Admittedly, some work elements, such as boom out and slash spreading, took longer but the additional time was off-set by the shorter time taken for driving between setups since a larger number of trees could be accessed from the same setup.
A Landowner's Guide to Building Forest Access Roads
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| XII World Forestry Congress, 21-28 September 2003, Québec City, Canada. "Forests, Source of Life" is the theme for this largest international meeting in the field of forestry that takes place every six years. Please see www.wfc2003.org. |
PublicationsButt, N. and Price M. Editors, 2000. Mountain People, Forests, and Trees: Strategies for Balancing Local Management and Outside Interests. This report, supported by FAO and SDC, is a synthesis of an electronic conference of the Mountain Forum, 12 April-14 May 1999 Durst P. and Enters T. 2001. Illegal logging and the adoption of reduced impact logging, presented at the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance: East Asia Regional Ministerial Conference, Denpasar, Indonesia. FAO 2002. Expert Meeting on Harmonizing forest-related definitions for use by various stakeholders. Proceedings of meeting in Rome, 22-25 January 2002. jointly organized by FAO, IPCC, CIFOR and IUFRO. The meeting started a process that aims to achieve more consistency in the use of forest-related definitions thus facilitating communication and negotiation among countries and international conventions, processes and instruments. FAO 2002. Logging impacts on the training and model forest (TMF) of the National University of Lao P.D.R., Forest Harvesting Case-Study 13, FAO, Rome. See page 3. FAO 2002. Rural Road Infrastructure as Introduced in Nepal: The Green Road Concept. Forest Harvesting Case-Study 14, FAO, Rome. See page 3. Grace III, J. 2002. Sediment Transport Investigations on the National Forests of Alabama, in Proceedings of the International Erosion Control Association Conference 33, 25 February-1 March, 2002, Orlando, Florida, USA, pp. 347-357. Treatments were examined that significantly affect sediment yield and runoff from forest roads. Hammond D., van der Hout P., Zagt R., Marshall G., Evans J. and Cassells D. 2000. Benefits, bottlenecks and uncertainties in the pantropical implementation of reduced impact logging techniques; International Forestry Review 2(1). Richter, F. 2001. Financial and economic assessment of timber harvesting operations in Sarawak, Malaysia, Forest Harvesting Case-Study 17, FAO, Rome. See page 4. Walter, Sven 2001. Non-Wood Forest Products in Africa: A Regional and National Overview. EC-FAO Partner-ship Programme, see www.fao.org/forestry, English & French. Winkler, N. 2001. Forest harvesting operations in Papua New Guinea, The PNG Logging Code of Practice, Forest Harvesting Case-Study 15, FAO, Rome. See page 3. Winkler, N. and Nöbauer, M., 2001. Forest harvesting practice in a timber concession in Suriname, Forest Harvesting Case-Study 16, FAO, Rome. See page 4. Wurtz, T.L. and Zasada, J.C. 2001. An alternative to clearcutting in the boreal forest of Alaska: a twenty-seven-year study of regeneration after shelterwood harvesting. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 31:999-1011. 
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It has been estimated that mountains occupy one fifth of the world land area,
are home to one tenth of the world's popu lation, and provide water for
more than half of the world. The state of mountains is important to all of
us yet there is a disproportionate level of poverty in mountain areas. The
aim of IYM is to ensure the wellbeing of mountain and lowland communities
by promoting the conservation and sustainable development of mountain
regions. FAO, the lead agency for IYM, is working with many other
organizations to make sure the broadest possible range of expertise is
focused on reaching the goals of sustainable mountain development. 
Timber harvesting with tractors is the standard extraction method in the Mixed Hill Dipterocarp Forests of Sarawak. Conventional Logging (CL) systems cause substantial disturbance and damage to forest stands and the environment. This is why over the last few years Codes of Practice on Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) have been developed and implemented in many areas of tropical natural forests. 
This guide by Richard Wiest applies to
low-speed forest roads with a running surface needed only temporarily or
only during certain times of the year. Recommendations in this guide cover
basic planning, construction, drainage, maintenance, and closure of such
forest roads. This is one of the better online publications dealing with
this topic. Unfortunately the measurements are not in metric units but the
many illustrations and photos tend to compensate for this short-coming.
See at: