North American forestry commission
Tenth world forestry congress
The 15th session of the North American Forestry Commission was held from 6 to 9 February 1990 in San Diego, California, at the invitation of the Government of the United States of America. The session was attended by 36 participants from the three member countries of the Commission (Canada, Mexico, United States of America) and by an observer from the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations. Mr C.H. Murray, Assistant Director-General and Head of the FAO Forestry Department, represented the Organization's Director-General.
After adoption of the agenda, the participants reviewed the state of forestry in the three member countries.
Canada
In December 1988, the status of the Canadian forestry service was raised to that of a full federal department, Forestry Canada (for more detail, see article on Canadian forestry in this issue).
Mexico
The Commission was informed that the forestry sector was receiving increasing attention as a national priority. Revised forestry legislation provides a framework for forestry action in the national development plan for 1989-94, which includes specific instructions for strategic programmes for forest resources. Related actions designed to facilitate progress of the forestry sector include restructuring and strengthening of the national forest administration, formulation of a forestry sector programme, strengthening the activities related to organization and training of forest owners, improving road infrastructure, developing new markets, encouraging investments, and financing and incentives. Integrated forest management was considered indispensable in order to generate direct employment and earnings for rural people.
The forestry enterprises owned by the government are in the process of being transferred to organized peasant groups and potential investors. Non-governmental organizations with an environmental focus are increasingly interested in forestry activities, and their full support for and participation in forestry development should be encouraged.
United States of America
The presentation on United States forestry reviewed the major trends in forest resource management during the past two years, including increasing concern over environmental quality, increasing dominance of a global economy and environment, increasing demand for forest products, and increasing knowledge about ecological pressure.
Under the heading, "New perspectives in forestry", the US Forest Service is endeavouring to develop forest management systems that will maintain or enhance ecosystem diversity and productivity while providing a sustainable flow of resource outputs. Four major premises underlie this concept. First, there is a need for continued research to assure that management practices have a sound scientific base. Second, ecological values must be compatible with commodity production. Third, a broad range of forest management approaches must be adopted to meet non-timber objectives and protect ecological values. Finally, landscape-level management strategies need to be developed to provide a full range of ecological values and still generate economic benefits.
Timber demand in the United States is at an all-time high, and 1987 and 1988 saw record-breaking harvests. Therefore, management intensity is also being increased, particularly on privately owned, non-industrial forests. In fact, tree planting is at record levels, with 1.4 million ha planted in 1988, primarily by private forest owners.
International forestry received much greater attention in 1989, and the Forest Service has increased funds for work in tropical forestry. This work includes cooperation with FAO in several areas.
Committee of Alternates
Between sessions, the work of the NAFC is coordinated by a Committee of Alternates (COA). The COA chairman summarized the activities of the Committee since the 14th session, noting accomplishments in terms of publications, meetings and special missions of experts, which provided assistance on disaster follow-up. Special attention was dedicated to the work of the eight study groups covering: forest tree improvement; fire management; forest insects and diseases; silviculture; multilingual vocabulary; forest engineering; atmospheric pollution; and light-frame structures.
The Commission noted the excellent work under way by the Study Group on Forest Tree Improvement in investigating the taxonomic variation of North American white pines, closed cone pines and spruce taxa.
The progress in preparation of a five-language "Glossary of forest genetics" was also welcomed.
The Study Group on Fire Management is currently involved in training, exchanges of expertise and equipment, and coordination of suppression activities during major fires. For example, the study group has had a significant role in the enactment of legislation by the United States that authorizes cross-border fire suppression activities and the reimbursement of expenses borne by other countries when combating fires in the United States.
Over the past two years the work of the Study Group on Forest Insects and Diseases has targeted bark beetle management, air pollution and forest health, and integrated pest management. Important work continues on the development of quarantine import requirements of Canada, Mexico and the United States.
US TIMBER HARVESTS are at an all-time high
The Commission welcomed the publication plans of the Study Group on Silviculture, including an updated edition of the Directory of Tropical Silviculturists, and 19 new volumes in the series "Useful Trees of Tropical North America". The plan to hold a Tropical Silvicultural Research Workshop in Campeche, Mexico, in October 1990 was also endorsed.
The Commission was informed that the Study Group on Multilingual Vocabulary was ready to begin conversion of the Spanish version of the terminology to computer-readable format, following on completion of the English and French versions. Procedures for ensuring regular maintenance and updating of the data base are also being developed.
The Study Group on Forest Engineering acts in an advisory capacity to forest industries, primarily in Mexico. Consultancies on training, work methods and operational planning have been held over the past two years.
It was recognized that the originally defined purposes of the Study Group on Atmospheric Pollution and Deposition had been considerably broadened as a reaction to growing interest in the effects of global climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and other predicted atmospheric changes on the health, productivity and diversity of forest ecosystems. It was therefore recommended that the name of the study group be changed to Atmospheric Changes and Forests.
In the presentation on the work of the Study Group on Light-Frame Structures, the need was stressed for improved housing for the rural population and for low-income families in areas of Mexico. However, it was noted that wooden construction was not widely accepted in Mexico, whereas in Canada and the United States there was a long history of wood house construction. A project was formulated to prepare a construction manual for wooden frame housing with emphasis on appropriate technology for Mexico, but funding had not yet been ensured.
The Chairman of the COA also summarized the bilateral efforts under way in the region, including programmes between the United States and Mexico concerning aviation and fire, pest management, information, land management, planning, timber, watershed management, wildlife management and recreation; programmes between Canada and the United States covering experiments on fires, atmospheric pollution and acid deposition; and collaboration between Canada and Mexico in the areas of forest productivity, fire management, wood use in housing, and pulp.
Technical topics of regional concern
The Commission also considered presentations on three technical topics of regional concern.
The first paper, covering tropical deforestation in Mexico, provided an insight into composition of the tropical forests of Mexico and gave information on the actions needed to recuperate and/or manage the forests in the seven southern Mexican states that were most seriously affected. The government has introduced fiscal incentives for commercial management of the tropical forests, by either enterprises or farmer associations. The major thrust of forest development is being channelled through the recently initiated TFAP exercise.
The Commission strongly recommended that the skills and experience of Canada and the United States be made available to Mexico through the NAFC to the extent that such cooperation was required. In order to mobilize early and efficient support to the TFAP process and follow-up action in Mexico, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the imperatives in the NAFC framework, the Commission entrusted the Committee of Alternates with the task of maintaining the liaison with Mexico and FAO, of identifying the specific needs for support and the possible response by Canada and the United States, and of providing adequate information to the authorities concerned for early decision. The Commission recommended that special support be provided for the successful implementation of the TFAP initiative in Mexico.
The second paper concerned pollution and atmospheric deposition. There has been a great deal of concern raised over forest damage in North America, but most of the forests are neither exposed to significant pollution levels nor responding abnormally. Although air pollutants at sufficiently high levels can impact on forests, it has been extremely difficult to make definitive linkages between the pollution and forest response in most cases. The only exception to this had been the cases of ozone-damaged forests in southern California and Mexico. In general, the overall impact of air pollution was considered small in relation to damage caused by fires and pests, but it was a stress that could and should be avoided.
The concern over the impact of pollutants on forests revolved around both recreational and aesthetic values as well as the intrinsic value of forests as part of the world's environment. In all three countries in North America, therefore, air pollution must be considered a social issue, driven by people's desire to have both industrial development and a clean environment. It was important that forestry organizations recognize that they have a legitimate role to play in this type of issue.
The third paper covered the uncertainties related to the environmental changes that may occur if predicted climatic changes take place. Confirmed increases of concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and other so-called greenhouse gases in the atmosphere had taken place since initiation of the industrial age and sharp increases in deforestation, and were likely to continue into the next century. However, the nature of the responses and their magnitude or timing were not known, and much research will be needed to be able to predict changes in species composition and migration and other forest responses.
For more information on the 15th session of the North American Forestry Commission, contact the Meetings Officer, FAO Forestry Department, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.
The First World Forestry Congress was organized in Rome in 1926, and since then a similar gathering has been held approximately every six years. After Jakarta in 1978 and Mexico City in 1985, in September 1991 Paris will be the site of the Tenth World Forestry Congress.
The attendance by representatives at the highest level from the majority of nations in the world, the notable volume of written presentations by the most eminent specialists, and the presence of 2500-3000 participants give a unique importance to this event.
A Congress that brings together politicians, administrators, researchers, instructors at all levels, the world's top-ranking experts-professionals in all sectors of forest management and industry - has as its objective the forging of new personal relationships, the cross-examination of ideas, the analysis of experience, the formulation of new proposals, the sensitization of decision-makers and the public at large, and the presentation of recommendations to governments.
Worldwide, forestry has never been so much in the forefront of popular and political concern. In fact, this precious heritage is increasingly menaced-by abusive exploitation, deforestation, pest and insect attack, climatic variation, pollution-to the point that many countries are faced with the prospect of desertification and wide-reaching shortages of forest raw materials.
"Forests, a heritage for the future" is the theme selected by the Government of France and FAO, the co-sponsors of this Tenth World Forestry Congress. It is theme that will permit the consideration of all issues related to the conservation and valorization of forest resources, as well as the search for solutions to the grave problems that face the forestry sector in all countries across the globe.
At the official opening of the international conference on trees and forests commonly known as "Silva", organized by the Government of France in February 1986, President Mitterand declared:
"Worldwide, consciousness has been raised and there is a commitment to coordinated action to safeguard one of humanity's greatest heritages. It is my sincere hope that the next World Forestry Congress, which would be hosted with great pride by my country, will offer the opportunity for foresters and forest scientists to make concrete strides toward the achievement of this goal."
THE FORESTS OF FRANCE will provide the backdrop to the Tenth World Forestry Congress
Organizing Committee Tenth World Forestry Congress
