The Secretary, Forest and Agriculture, Royal Government of Bhutan, inaugurated the workshop recalling long association of FAO and the Forest Department of Bhutan. He welcomed the participants and wished workshop a great success. He hoped that this workshop would familiarize the forestry professional with alternative forestry technologies practices by their neighbouring countries and would also come up with concrete recommendations for improvement of forest management planning, database management and internet networking. He assured that the recommendations would receive due attention from his Ministry and the Royal Government. Following provides full text of this inaugural speech.
"I am indeed very pleased to be here with you this morning at this inaugural session of the Workshop on Forest Planning, Database and Networking. We feel deeply honoured and privileged to have so many professionals from many different countries participating in this important workshop. For us in Bhutan, this workshop comes at a very opportune time as we have just entered the information highway with the launching of television and Internet last year around this time. Let me join my colleague the Director of Forest in welcoming you all, particularly our guests from other countries, to this Workshop and to our country.
This workshop marks yet another important milestone in the history of collaboration between the Government of Bhutan and the FAO which began in the early seventies. The Forestry Sector has always enjoyed the highest priority from the Royal Government as well as our development partners of which FAO has until recently, been a major player, either as a donor or as an implementing agency for other UN agencies. As a result we have enjoyed tremendous success in the development of this sector, particularly in the area of forest protection and conservation.
Having worked in the forestry sector for over two decades, it gives me great satisfaction to inform this august gathering that today, we have a forest cover of 72% of our geographical area most of which is in pristine state. Unlike many other countries, the forest cover in Bhutan has increased over the years as a result of our policy of placing conservation ahead of exploitation in terms of priority.
Our efforts to protect our environment and conserve our bio-diversity have paid off rich dividends. We have received worldwide acclaim for our success in this area and the country itself is recognized as one of the 10 global hotspots of bio-diversity. As of now, we have over 10,000 sq. km., which is about 26% of our total area under protected area system consisting of nine national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. A further 3,800 sq.km. has been declared as biological corridors as Bhutan’s Gift to the Earth last year under the WWF’ s Gift to the Earth Program.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
In spite of the above success stories, we have not remained complacent nor could we afford to do so. For a mountainous country like ours with its fragile ecosystems, it is of utmost importance for us to manage our forest resources properly. It is central to our economic sustenance and environmental well-being. Our population, which is still 80% rural, depends heavily on the forests for fuel, fodder, organic nutrients and timber. Our enormous hydropower potential can be realized only if we can protect and manage the watersheds. Without forests, our landscape will be scarred with landslides, floods and other forms of mass wasting. Realizing the importance of forests to our nation, His Majesty, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, has decreed that 60% of our country’s area must remain under forest cover at all times.
Bhutan’s commitment to the cause of sustainable management of our forest resources is amply reflected in our timber harvesting system. We have ensured that commercial exploitation of forests is allowed only after a detailed plan is formulated and approved for a particular area of forest, known as forest management units (FMU). This FMU must comply with the code of best practices for forest management incorporating social, economic and environmental dimensions, developed under a UNDP funded and FAO implemented project. Due to our strict observation of this protocol, commercial harvesting of timber is less than 30% of the Annual Allowable Cut of around 1.2 million cubic meters.
With the increasing demands on forests and forest products from both domestic and export markets arising from the growth in population and increasing access to markets beyond our immediate borders, we are aware of the need to step up our planning process. Besides producing fuel-wood, timber and fodder, our forests have to serve various functions like watershed protection, soil conservation, biodiversity conservation and preservation of cultural heritage. In order to take into account all these functions in our management plans, it is crucial to enhance our capacity for planning, data collection and information management.
Although, the planning process is well established, it needs to be further refined and updated to cope with the increasing demands for more FMUs. Similarly, while we do have data on various parameters, their adequacy and reliability are often wanting and accessing them has been difficult due to lack of a proper information management system.
Therefore, as I mentioned earlier, this workshop would serve a very useful purpose in addressing these shortcomings. I hope that it would not only expose my colleagues from the Department of Forestry Services to advanced planning tools, data base management and networking in other countries, but would also come up with concrete recommendations for improvement of our forest management planning. In doing so, let me ask you to look at ways and means of capitalizing on the excellent telecommunication facilities available in the country and built upon the initiatives already taken by the Ministry of Agriculture to establish a Local Area Network. I, on my part will ensure that the recommendations receive due attention from the Ministry and the Royal Government.
Honourable guests, ladies and gentlemen:
Let me once again offer my warmest welcome to our colleagues from outside and wish them a very pleasant stay in Thimphu. I hope that you will find time to absorb some of our tradition and culture as well our natural environment while you are here and take back with you pleasant memories of our little Kingdom. Please feel free to contact me or any of my colleagues should you require any assistance during your stay here.
I wish you all a successful Workshop.
Thank you and Tashi Delek!!!! "
