Part I
REGIONAL SYNTHESIS (continued)

Chapter III
FOREST RESOURCES OF TROPICAL ASIA (continued)

2. PRESENT TRENDS (continued)

TABLE 7 b - Areas of natural woody vegetation estimated at end 1985
Coniferous forests (NS)
(in thousand ha)

TABLE 7 c - Areas of natural woody vegetation estimated at end 1985
Bamboo forests (NHB)
(in thousand ha)

TABLE 7d - Areas of natural woody vegetation estimated at end 1985
Closed broadleaved, coniferous and bamboo forests (N.f)
(in thousand ha)

TABLE 7e - Areas of natural woody vegetation estimated at end 1985
Open broadleaved forests (NHc/NHO)
(in thousand ha)

¹ Intensively managed riverain forest

TABLE 7f - Areas of natural woody vegetation estimated at end 1985
All formations
(in thousand ha)

Forest area changes (end 1980 - end 1985)

The above summary illustrates the changes in forest area that are likely to occur during 1980–85 in the different categories of forests. The 1985 figures represent the combined effect of the following processes:

• change from undisturbed status to logged over or managed status;

• change from productive to unproductive status (in particular through incorporation of forest areas in national parks and equivalent reserves);

• deforestation, which is net loss of forest area for other uses which may take place in any category of forest (see section 2.1.1 and tables 6a to 6d).

The net result is that by 1985 the area under closed forests (N.f) is expected to change from 305.5 million ha to 296.4 million ha, a decrease of more than 9 million ha.

The most noticeable decline would be in the area of closed broadleaved forests (NHCf) which is estimated to decrease by 8 913 000 ha, followed by a decrease in area under coniferous forests by 148 000 ha and of bamboo forests by 70 000 ha.

The area under open broadleaved forests would decrease by 950 000 ha.

In view of the continuing deforestation, the net area under forest and bamboo fallows (N.a), open forest fallows (NHc/NHOa) and shrub formations (nH) is expected to increase. The combined increase of forest area under these categories would be 5 million ha approximately.

2.2 Plantations

The extent to which the twin processes of deforestation and degradation are threatening the tropical forests of the region has been elucidated in sections 2.1.1 and 2.1.2. These disturbing, though not wholly unexpected, trends stimulated initiatives for restoring the natural resources through means other than the slow process of natural regeneration. In almost every country an increased awareness about the need to raise plantations resulted in significant achievements in the 1970's (section 1.2.2). Some 2.095 million ha of plantations out of a cumulative total of 5.111 million ha up to 1980 were raised during 1976–80. An analysis of plantation policies, programmes and projects financed either through domestic or international funds indicate that, during the next five year period 1981–85, the magnitude of effort undertaken during 1976–80 will be maintained at about the same level. The total area planted is likely to be 2.192 million ha. The average annual rate of plantation establishment during 1981–85 compared with the annual rate of planting during the preceding period by subregion is summarized below (tables 5c and 8c).

Average annual rate of plantations establishment
(in thousand ha)

The following observations regarding the trends in the extent of total plantation area arise out of the above summation. When compared with 1976–80, during 1981–85 there is likely to be:

• an increase by some 21% in the plantation area established in south Asia. This increase will mainly be in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka;

• an increase in continental southeast Asia, largely because of a near doubling of effort in Thailand (from 65 000 ha to 121 000 ha);

• an increase in centrally planned countries with Viet Nam escalating its successful achievements from 100 000 ha to 145 000 ha per year;

• a decrease by more than 220 000 ha in insular southeast Asia, stemming from the fact that a significant part of Indonesian industrial plantations will consist in the replantation of former plantations and is therefore not accounted for as newly established plantations. An increased effort will take place in Malaysia (+ 80 000 ha) and the Philippines (+ 39 000 ha).

TABLE 8a - Areas of established plantations estimated at end 1985 (projections)
Industrial plantations
(in thousand ha)