OCEANIA PACIFIC - SUB-REGIONAL STATUS AND PROJECTION ANALYSIS

AUSTRALIA
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
NEW ZEALAND
MELANESIA ISLANDS
POLYNESIA ISLANDS

Countries: Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Melanesia Islands, Polynesia Islands.

The forest resources

The Oceania Pacific sub-region has two distinct zones: the tropical developing countries consisting of Papua New Guinea and the Oceania and Pacific groups of small islands; and the temperate and developed zone consisting of New Zealand and Australia. Australia has the largest forest resources (about 75%) in the sub-region.

In the tropical zone, Papua New Guinea has the largest area with natural forest followed by Melanesia Islands. The natural forests are often located in mountain areas where access for both logging and agriculture is difficult so that natural forests are somewhat protected. Almost all forested land is owned by clan groups under customary law. Sustainable management practices are not applied. Under population pressure, natural forests areas are converted into agriculture; coconut is the major commercial crop of the sub-region. Major storms and cyclones may damage tree plantations which are actively developed in places where wood supply is expected to be scarce (Fiji is a prime example of this).

In the temperate zone, the natural forest is practically all under protection status and wood supply already comes largely from tree plantations. New Zealand and Australia are embarked in active reforestation programmes.

Total forest and wooded land of the sub-region should decrease during the next 15 years. However, tree plantations development and the strong protection of the natural forest in Australia and New Zealand mask deforestation problems in the small island countries and in Papua New Guinea.

Forestry sector development

Countries are concerned about their natural forests conservation although some developing countries have to meet the basic needs of their growing population in terms of agricultural products and fuelwood. Tree plantations are actively created to support wood based industries. In many countries, laws and regulations were recently reviewed and updated; the main problems of the sub-region relate to the implementation of the new forests policies, land availability for tree plantations and the financing of the protection of the natural forests.

Wood production and fellings

For the whole sub-region, the net annual increment exceeds total felling. Wood stock increment (SI) from natural forest will remain constant. Timber supply from commercial tree crops is relatively limited due to the reported lack of proper utilisation of that potential. However, total fellings should increase by about 32% in 2010 and wood production will increase by about the same percentage. The ratio SI/fellings would remain largely positive. However, Papua New Guinea and Polynesia have a deficit in the ratio SI/felling. The deficit ratio will be stable for Polynesia but will increase for Papua New Guinea by the year 2010. This deficit ratio increase in PNG is explained factors like limited plantation programmes, deforestation, stagnation of wood production and local consumption augmentation.

Fuelwood supply in the sub-region represents only 20% of the total roundwood supply. This figure will remain stable during the considered period. Industrial roundwood production will increasingly come from tree plantations: 60% in 1990 and 72% in 2010.

In terms of roundwood supply, New Zealand will at 38% be close to Australia by the year 2010 (regional share 41%) and Papua New Guinea will play a minor role in the sub-region in that respect. Although the sub-region is well endowed with natural forest cover, the bulk of industrial wood supply is increasingly coming from tree plantations.

Table II.13 - Oceania Pacific sub-region: Status and projection summary

		Unit (1000)	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010
Production forests
Production forests area - total		ha	28,168	28,303	28,813	29,326	29,843
	- Natural exploitable forests	ha	25,705	25,524	25,346	25,172	25,001
	- Plantation forests	ha	2,463	2,779	3,467	4,154	4,842
Commercial growing stock - total		m3	1,946,207	2,199,769	2,156,035	2,238,094	2,315,788
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3	1,581,106	1,575,662	1,570,319	1,565,077	1,559,932
	- Plantations forests	m3	365,101	408,245	461,289	524,233	597,077
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	65,694	70,802	80,596	90,391	100,189
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3/year	27,767	27,658	27,552	27,447	27,345
	- Plantation forests	m3/year	37,927	43,144	53,044	62,944	72,844
Fellings ind. round. - total		m3/year	38,521	45,917	50,839	58,636	61,057
	- Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	32,336	38,655	42,948	49,680	51,733
	- Waste and residues	m3/year	6,186	7,262	7,891	8,956	9,324
Other forests and wooded lands
Conservation areas		ha	25,645	25,645	25,665	25,695	25,745
Low productive/open forests		ha	177,491	176,918	176,356	175,804	175,264
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	15,316	15,248	15,181	15,116	15,052
Non forest lands
Commercial tree crops		ha	455	465	500	510	550
Arable lands		ha	49,692	50,071	50,414	50,779	51,098
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	3,282	3,488	3,688	3,886	4,074
Fellings fuel/other wood - total		m3/year	11,207	12,168	13,220	14,369	15,626
Wood stock incr., all sources		m3/year	84,291	89,538	99,465	109,393	119,315
Fellings, all sources		m3/year	49,728	58,085	64,059	73,005	76,683
Forests and wooded lands		ha	205,658	205,221	205,169	205,131	205,106
Percentage forested lands		%	24	24	24	24	24

Table II.14 - Oceania-Pacific sub-region: changes between 1995 and 2010 related to some indicators

Unit	000 ha
	Forests and w. lands			Exploitable nat. forest			Plantations areas
Country	1995	2010	%	1995	2010	%	1995	2010	%
Australia	156,920	158,120	1	15,568	15,568	0	1,085	2,285	111
Papua NG	35,410	33,616	-5	8,646	8,200	-5	52	82	58
New Zealand	8,011	8,761	9	266	266	0	1,478	2,228	51
Melanesia	4,584	4,335	-5	1,024	949	-7	157	232	48
Polynesia	296	274	-7	20	18	-10	7	14.5	107
Total	48,301	46,986	-3	25,524	25,001	-2	2,779	4,842	74

Unit	000m3						Unit
	Total fellings			Net Annual Increment			Ratio SI-Felling		Weight*
Country	1995	2010	%	1995	2010	%	1995	2010	%
Australia	28,658	31,600	10	48,650	63,050	30	1.7	2.0	41
Papua NG	10,370	12,485	20	8,691	8,902	2	0.8	0.7	16
New Zealand	16,441	29,398	79	28,574	42,824	50	1.7	1.5	38
Melanesia	2,280	2,802	23	3,390	4,244	25	1.5	1.5	4
Polynesia	336	398	18	234	296	26	0.7	0.7	1
Total	58,085	76,683	32	89,538	119,315	33	1.54	1.56	100

Unit	000 ha
	Total country land area
Country	1990
Australia	768,920
Papua NG	45,286
New Zealand	27,053
Melanesia	7,673
Polynesia	993
Total	849,925

* Countries relative weight related to regional fellings by year 2010

AUSTRALIA

The forest resources

The Australian continent covers a land area of 7.68 million km². A large portion of the country, however, particularly the interior, is arid or desert land though there is still a huge potentially usable land area. Australia's open and closed forests cover only 6% of the land area, but are still sufficiently extensive to give Australia the largest forest resource in the South Pacific. An additional 14% of the land area is classified as woodlands. The vast majority of the Australian forest resource is natural forest, dominated by eucalypts, with the balance being a made up of Acacia spp, cypress pine (Callitris spp.), paperbarks (Melaleuca spp.), and tropical rainforest. Natural forests comprise 99.3% of the forest resource. The remaining forest (1.1 million hectares) is in plantations. Of this, 73% is softwood (mainly radiata pine) and 26% is native hardwoods although government policy aims to accelerate planting to treble the plantation estate by 2020. Plantations are being established at a current rate of around 80,000 hectares per year. Australia also plans to encourage tree planting on farmlands (i.e. outside forests).

Around 19% of forest land is reserved for conservation purposes in National parks and reserves. The remainder is in state forests (25%), private forests (40%) and other Government lands (16%). The state forest resource is generally of considerably higher quality than the private resource and around 60% of the state resource is available and accessible for harvest within a multiple use framework which takes into account social values of forests as well as economic values. Forests contribute to tourism and recreation. They also provide fuelwood and a range of non-wood forest products.

Forestry Sector Development

The broad thrust of forest policy in Australia is summarised in the National Forest Policy Statement (NFPS) (1992). The overriding theme of the NFPS is the ecologically sustainable management of Australia's forests. More recently, a supplementary policy, proposing the establishment of Regional Forest Agreements has been announced. These Agreements are designed to reconcile the inherent conflict between conservation and industrial development aspirations in forestry. The Agreements will provide for comprehensive regional resource assessments to strike a long-term (20 year) regionally (sub-national) based balance between conservation and development objectives. This is likely to see a well balanced approach to sustainable forestry management with probably moderate increases in the conservation estate likely.

Australia's major challenges are in accessing investment capital to maintain competitiveness, resolving industry-environmental tensions and restructuring the government-industry interface particularly as it relates to wood supplies. Australia is expected to become a net exporter of forestry products some time during the next 15 years with the majority of production being increasingly plantation-grown.

Projected development

Australia, with a substantial plantation estate, is expected to manage its natural forests in a sustainable manner for the foreseeable future. The maturing plantation estate should enable Australia to expand wood production to a point of net wood self sufficiency and export by 2010. Plantation establishment will continue at a rate enabling further harvest increases in the long run.

References

A report on wood supply and demand in Australia - McLarin, M., New Zealand Ministry of Forestry - 1995

ABARE - Quarterly Forest Products Statistics - December Quarter 1995 - Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economies - 1995.

Chris Brown - FAO Asia Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study - The South Pacific - Working Paper

Commonwealth of Australia - National Forest Policy Statement - A new focus for Australia's Forests - 1992

FAO - Forest Products Yearbook 1983-1994, 1996

FAO - Forest Resources Assessment 1990 - Global Synthesis - FAO Forestry Paper, 1995

Outlook for Forest Products in Australia - M. Neck, R Curtotti and L.Sar - ABARE Outlook '96 Conference - Australia - 1996

Table II.15 - Australia: Status and projection

		Unit (1000)	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010
Production forests
Production forests area - total		ha	16,591	16,653	17,053	17,453	17,853
	- Natural exploitable forests	ha	15,568	15,568	15,568	15,568	15,568
	- Plantation forests	ha	1,023	1,085	1,485	1,885	2,285
Commercial growing stock - total		m3	1,399,336	1,477,334	1,486,892	1,535,672	1,581,092
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3	1,276,576	1,276,576	1,276,576	1,276,576	1,276,576
	- Plantations forests	m3	122,760	135,780	153,600	176,220	203,640
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	34,071	34,815	39,615	44,415	49,215
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3/year	21,795	21,795	21,795	21,795	21,795
	- Plantation forests	m3/year	12,276	13,020	17,820	22,620	27,420
Fellings ind. round. - total		m3/year	21,076	23,472	23,040	24,240	25,440
	- Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	17,563	19,560	19,200	20,200	21,200
	- Waste and residues	m3/year	3,513	3,912	3,840	4,040	4,240
Other forests and wooded lands
Conservation areas		ha	17,580	17,580	17,580	17,580	17,580
Low productive/open forests		ha	140,267	140,267	140,267	140,267	140,267
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	11,502	11,502	11,502	11,502	11,502
Non forest lands
Commercial tree crops		ha	0	0	0	0	0
Arable lands		ha	46,650	46,650	46,650	46,650	46,650
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	2,333	2,333	2,333	2,333	2,333
Fellings fuel/other wood - total		m3/year	4,898	5,186	5,492	5,817	6,160
Wood stock incr., all sources		m3/year	47,906	48,650	53,450	58,250	63,050
Fellings, all sources		m3/year	25,973	28,658	28,532	30,057	31,600
Forests and wooded lands		ha	156,858	156,920	157,320	157,720	158,120
Percentage forested lands		%	20	20	20	21	21
Parameters for projection to 2010
Deforestation factor		%	0
Forest plantation progr.		ha	80	000 ha per year
Removals - ind. roundwood		m3	17,563	19,560	19,200	20,200	21,200
Conservation areas		ha	17580	17580	17580	17580	17580
Commercial tree crops		ha	0	0	0	0	0
Range lands conversion factor		%	100
Other/range/barren lands		ha	565,412	565,350	564,950	564,550	564,150
Note: Fuel/other felling - ABARE estim.		m3/year	4,972	5,546	5,632	5,507	5,386

Table II.16 - Australia: Known/estimated parameters

	Unit (1000)	1990	Sources
Areas
Total country land (without water)	ha	768,920	BRS - 1:250,000
Forests and wooded lands	ha	156,858	BRS
Natural exploitable forests	ha	15,568	BRS - FORTEN/SOFR
Plantations forests	ha	1,023	ABARE (1990) - NPI (1995)
Conservation areas	ha	17,580	BRS - FORTEN/SOFR less 40%
Low productive/open forests	ha	140,267	deducted
Arable lands	ha	46,650	FAO - 94
Commercial tree crops	ha	0
Other/range/barren lands	ha	565,412	deducted
Commercial Growing Stock (CGS)
CGS natural exploitable forests	m3/ha	82	BRS estimated weighted average
CGS plantation forests	m3/ha	120	BRS - estimated
Mean Annual Increment (MAI)
MAI natural exploitable forests	m3/ha/year	1.4	FAO/BRS - estimated
MAI plantation forests	m3/ha/year	12	BRS - estimated
MAI low prod./open forests	m3/ha/year	0.082	FAO/BRS estimated
MAI commercial tree crops	m3/ha/year	0	estimated
MAI arable land	m3/ha/year	0.05	estimated
Fellings and Removals
Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	17,563	ABARE Quarterly statistics
Waste and residues	% of ind.rem.	20	estimated
Fuel/other wood consumption	m3/inh/year	0.29	FAO/ABARE - estimated
Population	inh	16,888	UN
Increase per year	%	1.18	UN

Note

BRS: Bureau of Rural Resources
ABARE: Australian Bureau of Agric. Res. Economics
NPI: National Plantation Inventory
MAI natural forest and woodlands down graded as proposed by BRS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The forest resources

Forests in Papua New Guinea cover about 80% of the total land area. However, because of the mountainous topography and the large size of the country, only a small part of the forest area is accessible. The climate is mainly maritime tropical but is strongly influenced by the Australian continent. Various climatic and soil conditions have favoured the development of a rich and heterogeneous forest biodiversity. Many vegetation types such as savannah vegetation, tropical hardwood (Pometia and Calophyllum species), montane forests with Araucaria species can be found. As a consequence, about 70 forest tree species are regularly marketed.

Virtually all forested land is owned by clan groups under customary law. To issue logging permits, the State has to negotiate the timber rights with local authorities. So far, harvesting is repeatedly done as a "mining" operation. A high level of controversy and conflict between conservationists, government and industry has potential to paralyse sector development. Shifting cultivation and forest conversion for agriculture development around populated areas are common. In these conditions, sustainable forest management is obviously difficult. The forestry sector plays an important role in the subsistence economy of the rural/forest population. It is a major source of food and fuelwood. Coconut is important as tree crop.

Relatively small but significant areas of forest tree plantations owned by the State or private companies are found in several localities and supply plywood or chipwood mills. In terms of forest conservation, only few areas are officially declared as protected.

Forestry Sector Development

Since 1990, many changes have been introduced in the forest sector. This has led to the enactment of a new Forestry Act, 1991. This Act has been amended twice (1993 and 1996), the main amendment has been on the composition of the National Forest Board. As a requirement of the Forestry Act, 1991 (as amended), a National Forest Plan was approved in 1996. A Papua New Guinea Logging Code of Practice was also approved in 1996. The Plan and the Code are both now under implementation. The new National Forest Service under the Papua New Guinea Authority has been in operation since 1993. Forest management of the natural forest is under the Forest Management Agreement concept where customary resource owners transfer their timber rights to the Forest Authority which manages the timber resources on their behalf.

Projected development

Although major improvements were introduced recently in forestry sector management, new regulations and policies will take some time to be implemented. Lack of knowledge of the forest resources, insufficient manpower, shortage of funds and political unrest can slow down the momentum for development of this controversial sector. Agriculture and population development will exert considerable pressure on the large forest resource. Deforestation and forest depletion could be high locally but is likely to be modest at national level. Stock increment/felling ratio is in deficit.

References

Department of forests - annual report - 1993

FAO - Forest Resources Assessment - 1990 - Global Synthesis - 1995

FAO - NFAP update no 32.

FAO - PNG/84/003 - Forest Management Research and Development - Final report, 1991.

FAO Yearbooks: Production 1994, Forestry Products 1993.

Forest Authority - Draft National Forest Plan for PNG - 1996

Forest Authority - The PNG Forestry Sector Country Report - Heads of Forestry meeting Port Vila, Vanuatu - 1996

World Bank - The forestry sector: a tropical forestry action plan review - 1989 and 1990.

Table II.17 - Papua New Guinea: Status and projection

		Unit (1000)	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010
Production forests
Production forests area - total		ha	8,842	8,698	8,557	8,418	8,282
	- Natural exploitable forests	ha	8,800	8,646	8,495	8,346	8,200
	- Plantation forests	ha	42	52	62	72	82
Commercial growing stock - total		m3	267,360	269,361	264,631	260,693	256,922
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3	264,000	259,380	254,841	250,381	245,999
	- Plantations forests	m3	3,360	3,776	4,272	4,848	5,504
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	5,616	5,604	5,593	5,584	5,576
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3/year	5,280	5,188	5,097	5,008	4,920
	- Plantation forests	m3/year	336	416	496	576	656
Fellings ind. round. - total		m3/year	4,375	4,500	4,500	4,500	4,500
	- Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	3,500	3,600	3,600	3,600	3,600
	- Waste and residues	m3/year	875	900	900	900	900
Other forests and wooded lands
Conservation areas		ha	100	100	100	100	100
Low productive/open forests		ha	27,188	26,712	26,245	25,785	25,334
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	2,719	2,671	2,624	2,579	2,533
Non forest lands
Commercial tree crops		ha	200	210	220	230	240
Arable lands*		ha	215	515	809	1,098	l,382
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	286	416	544	669	793
Fellings fuel/other wood - total		m3/year	5,298	5,870	6,504	7,206	7,985
Wood stock incr., all sources		m3/year	8,621	8,691	8,761	8,831	8,902
Fellings, all sources		m3/year	9,673	10,370	11,004	11,706	12,485
Forests and wooded lands		ha	36,030	35,410	34,801	34,204	33,616
Percentage forested lands		%	80	78	77	76	74
Parameters for projection to 2010
Deforestation factor		%	0.35	FRA 95
Forest plantation progr.		ha	2	000 ha per year
Removals - ind. roundwood		m3	3,500	3,600	3,600	3,600	3,600
Conservation areas		ha	100	100	100	100	1600
Commercial tree crops		ha	200	210	220	230	240
Range lands conversion factor		%	50	estimated
Other/range/barren lands		ha	8,841	9,151	9,455	9,754	10,048

* includes degraded areas due to slash and burn.

Table II.18 - Papua New Guinea: Known/estimated parameters

	Unit (1000)	1990	Sources
Areas
Total country land (without water)	ha	45,286	FRA - 90
Forests and wooded lands	ha	36,030	FRA - 90
Natural exploitable forests	ha	8,800	Country Statement
Plantations forests	ha	42	Mop
Conservation areas	ha	100	MoF
Low productive/open forests	ha	27,188	estimated
Arable lands	ha	215	FAO
Commercial tree crops	ha	200	FAO
Other/range/barren lands	ha	8,841	estimated
Commercial Growing Stock (CGS)
CGS natural exploitable forests	m3/ha	30	FAO report
CGS plantation forests	m3/ha	80	estimated
Mean Annual Increment (MAI)
MAI natural exploitable forests	m3/ha/year	0.6	WB
MAI plantation forests	m3/ha/year	8	MoF-estimated
MAI low prod./open forests	m3/ha/year	0.1	estimated
MAI commercial tree crops	m3/ha/year	1	estimated
MAI arable land	m3/ha/year	0.4	estimated
Fellings and Removals
Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	3,500	TFAP
Waste and residues	% of ind.rem.	25	estimated
Fuel/other wood consumption	m3/inh/year	1.38	FAO
Population	inh	3,839	UN 1994
Increase per year	%	2.16	UN 1994

NEW ZEALAND

The forest resources

The total land area of New Zealand is about 27 million hectares. The country is formed around several central high mountain chains from which alluvial flood plains have formed. The climate is generally maritime but subject to extremes in weather conditions.

The closed natural forests, a significant proportion of which are virgin forests, cover 24% of the land with plantation forests covering a further 5% of land. The natural forests can be broadly divided into two main types; the beech forests, dominated the four indigenous species of Nothofagus; or the conifer-hardwood forests dominated mainly by Podocarpus species. Around 95% of the natural forests are protected in National parks, scenic reserves, forest parks and other protected areas. These forests are a focus for tourism and recreation.

The plantation forest resource is overwhelmingly dominated by radiata pine. Of the 1.5 million hectares of planted forests, 90% is radiata pine. Total roundwood removals from New Zealand forests in 1996 were 17 million cubic metres with 99% being sourced from the planted forests. Intensive tending regimes are the norm in the planted forests. More than 60% of the resource planted since 1970 has been pruned and this proportion will increase as recent plantings reach a pruneable age. An important wood resource, additional to the planted forests, are wind shelterbelts. In New Zealand these probably total several hundred thousand kilometres in length.

Non-wood forest products tend to be collected mainly on a commercial basis because the majority of natural forests are protected from all forms of unlicensed exploitation while the planted forests are often not open to the public. Wood is also used extensively for fuel both for domestic and industrial purposes.

Forestry Sector Development

The most far-reaching forestry policy of the past decade in New Zealand has been the privatisation policy which has affected forestry, just like other sectors. Since 1987 Government has shed ownership of more than 40% of New Zealand's planted forest resource, selling much of the estate into the hands of overseas interests. The planted forests are almost entirely privatised and the industry operates under essentially free-market policies. The major part of the planted resource is owned by seven major corporates while the remaining (about 30%) is owned by small scale companies, local government bodies and thousands of farmers. An increasing amount of new planting is being undertaken by small scale forest owners and new investors. Privatisation has also reinforced a general acceptance that commercial utilisation of planted forests, by substituting for natural forest exploitation, is a method of conservation.

In New Zealand, two pieces of legislation, the Resource Management Act (RMA) 1991 and the 1993 Amendments to the 1949 Forests Act contain the central legal thrust toward sustainable forest management. The RMA establishes a national framework for the management of natural resources in a way which provides for social, economic, and cultural well being while sustaining the potential to meet reasonable foreseeable needs of future generations and avoiding or mitigating any adverse effects on the environment. The Forests Act defines and implements additional sustainable management criteria for New Zealand's indigenous forest land.

The major difficulties for the sector are in developing processing industries which are internationally competitive and thereby enable domestic maximisation of the economic benefits of the planted forests. The major difficulty in terms of the natural forests is ensuring sufficient funds are available to ensure their effective management in the absence of revenue from commercial harvesting.

Projected development

It is unlikely that there will be enormous changes in landuse proportions over the next 15 years. Planted forests are likely to continue to expand with planted forests probably covering around 7% of New Zealand's land area by 2010. Roundwood removals will accelerate significantly in line with a maturing planted forest resource. Natural forest areas will generally remain static with harvesting remaining at negligible levels.

References

Brown, Chris - Asia Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study - The South Pacific - Working paper APFSOS/WP/01

FAO - Forest Products Yearbook - 1983-1994 - 1996

FAO - Forest Resources Assessment - 1990 Global Synthesis - FAO Forestry Paper 1995

National Exotic Forest Description - 1992 - National and regional wood supply forecasts by J. Tinland, S. Wakelin, P. Lane. Ministry of Forestry, New Zealand 1993

National Report on Forestry - 16th Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission - Yangon, Myanmar - January 1996

New Zealand Forestry Statistics - 1995

Table II.19 - New Zealand: Status and projection

		Unit (1000)	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010
Production forests
Production forests area - total		ha	1,527	1,744	1,994	2,244	2,494
	- Natural forests	ha	266	266	266	266	266
	- Plantation forests	ha	1,261	1,478	1,728	1,978	2,228
Commercial growing stock - total		m3	236,221	325,720	355,960	390,721	424,114
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3	7,980	7,980	7,980	7,980	7,980
	- Plantations forests	m3	228,241	256,323	289,155	326,737	369,069
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	24,012	28,135	32,885	37,635	42,385
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3/year	53	53	53	53	53
	- Plantation forests	m3/year	23,959	28,082	32,832	37,582	42,332
Fellings ind. round. - total		m3/year	11,729	16,370	21,684	28,222	29,318
	- Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	10,199	14,235	18,856	24,541	25,494
	- Waste and residues	m3/year	1,530	2,135	2,828	3,681	3,824
Other forests and wooded lands
Conservation areas		ha	7,965	7,965	7,965	7,965	7,965
Low productive/open forests		ha	6,267	6,267	6,267	6,267	6,267
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	313	313	313	313	313
Non forest lands
Commercial tree crops		ha	0	0	0	0	0
Arable lands		ha	2,500	2,500	2,500	2,500	2,500
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	125	125	125	125	125
Fellings fuel/other wood - total		m3/year	67	70	73	77	80
Wood stock incr., all sources		m3/year	24,451	28,574	33,324	38,074	42,824
Fellings, all sources		m3/year	11,796	16,441	21,758	28,299	29,398
Forests and wooded lands		ha	7,794	8,011	8,261	8,511	8,761
Percentage forested lands		%	29	30	31	31	32
Parameters for projection to 2010
Deforestation factor		%	0
Forest plantation progr.		ha	50	000 ha per year
Removals - ind. roundwood		m3	10,199	14,235	18,856	24,541	25,494
Conservation areas		ha	7,965	7,965	7,965	7,965	7,965
Commercial crop		ha	0	0	0	0	0
Range lands conversion factor		%	100
Other/range/barren lands		ha	16,759	16,542	16,292	16,042	15,792

Table II.20 - New Zealand: Known/estimated parameters

	Unit (1000)	1990	Sources
Areas
Total country land (without water)	ha	27,053	NZ - Stat 95
Forests and wooded lands	ha	7,794	NZ - Stat 95
Natural exploitable forests	ha	266	NZ - Stat 95
Plantations forests	ha	1,261	NEFD - 1992
Conservation areas	ha	7,965	NZ - Stat 95
Low productive/open forests	ha	6,267	deducted
Arable lands	ha	2,500	FAO - 1994
Commercial crops	ha	0
Other/range/barren lands	ha	16,759	deducted
Commercial Growing Stock (CGS)
CGS natural exploitable forests	m3/ha	30	estimated
CGS plantation forests	m3/ha	181	NZ - Stat 95
Mean Annual Increment (MAI)
MAI natural exploitable forests	m3/ha/year	0.2	estimated
MAI plantation forests	m3/ha/year	19	MoF
MAI low prod./open forests	m3/ha/year	0.05	estimated
MAI commercial crop (wood)	m3/ha/year	0	estimated
MAI arable land	m3/ha/year	0.05	estimated
Fellings and Removals
Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	10,199	NZ - Stat 95
Waste and residues	% of ind.rem.	15	estimated
Fuel/other wood consumption	m3/inh/year	0.02	FAO - 94
Population	inh	3,360	UN
Increase per year	%	0.91	UN

MELANESIA ISLANDS

The forest resources

The Melanesia islands referred to here are Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and the French territory of New Caledonia. Natural conditions are very similar for all islands. The climate is maritime tropical. Cyclones severely and regularly damage crops and plantations. The islands generally comprise a narrow coastal strip rising to steep mountainous country. Highlands are heavily forested and indigenous forest is largely tropical moist forest. However, the leeward side of islands is often covered by grass and savannah (Melaleuca sp.) in accordance with the rainfall level. Natural forest generally belongs to communities (customary ownership) and the rights for timber harvesting must be negotiated with the traditional local authorities. Despite the extensive forest cover, a very large proportion of the forests are presently non-commercial given the steepness and inaccessibility of location. Although population numbers are not very high, pressure on forest is significant and results in conversion of natural forest to agriculture and range land. Coconut plantations are significant but getting old (and coconut wood is little used).

Plantation programmes are presently mainly export oriented (chipwood from pine and timber from Swietenia macrophylla). Particularly, Fiji has established significant plantation resources.

On these islands there is a high degree of endemic plants and animals and loss of habitat is likely to lead to extinction. The formal concept of conservation and protection is new and has to be agreed by the local communities' custodian of the land. However, remarkable sites and erosion-prone zones have a protected status.

Forestry Sector Development

Since around 1990, all islands have been involved in a sector planning process. Consequently, related forests laws and policies have been considerably improved and sustainability for forest operations has become a major concern. Forest administration and practices have been reviewed. Extension services are being supported. Efforts are being made to increase environmental awareness. The development of a forest based industry is a policy objective identified in all countries.

Projected development

Due to population pressure and limited land availability, natural forest will continue to be converted into agriculture land. Local customs could affect forestry sector development decisions. Poor education standard and shortage of well trained technicians could limit efforts for better forest management. Plantation programmes are unlikely to be accelerated due to political tension (Fiji), lack of funds and difficulties in obtaining land for planting.

References

Chris Brown - FAO Asia Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook study - The South Pacific - Working paper APFSOS/WP/01

FAO - NFAP update no 32.

FAO Yearbooks: Production 1994, Forestry Products 1993.

MoF - Vanuatu - Fiji - Solomon Islands: country reports - Heads of Forestry meeting - Port Vila, Vanuatu - 1996

Oliver W. - FAO/RAS/86/036 - Plantation forestry in the South Pacific: a compilation and assessment of practices - W. Oliver - 1992.

Table II.21 - Melanesia Islands: Status and projection

		Unit (1000)	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010
Production forests
Production forests area - total		ha	1,182	1,181	1,180	1,180	1,181
	- Natural exploitable forests	ha	1,050	1,024	998	973	949
	- Plantation forests	ha	132	157	182	207	232
Commercial growing stock - total		m3	42,060	46,093	47,141	49,404	51,857
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3	31,500	30,713	29,945	29,196	28,466
	- Plantations forests	m3	10,560	12,130	13,950	16,020	18,340
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	1,950	2,184	2,419	2,654	2,889
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3/year	630	614	599	584	569
	- Plantation forests	m3/year	1,320	1,570	1,820	2,070	2,320
Fellings ind. round. - total		m3/year	1,300	1,535	1,581	1,644	1,769
	- Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	1,040	1,228	1,265	1,315	1,415
	- Waste and residues	m3/year	260	307	316	329	354
Other forests and wooded lands
Conservation areas		ha	0	0	0	0	0
Low productive/open forests		ha	3,490	3,403	3,318	3,235	3,154
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	698	681	664	647	631
Non forest lands
Commercial tree crops		ha	227	227	250	250	275
Arable lands		ha	227	298	343	410	449
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	454	525	593	660	724
Fellings fuel/other wood - total		m3/year	668	745	831	926	1,033
Wood stock incr., all sources		m3/year	3,102	3,390	3,676	3,961	4,244
Fellings, all sources		m3/year	1,968	2,280	2,412	2,570	2,802
Forests and wooded lands		ha	4,672	4,584	4,498	4,415	4,335
Percentage forested lands		%	61	60	59	58	56
Parameters for projection to 2010
Deforestation factor		%	0.5	FRA 90
Forest plantation progr.		ha	5	000 ha per year
Removals - ind. roundwood		m3	1,040	1,228	1,265	1,315	1,415
Conservation areas		ha	0	0	0	0	0
Commercial tree crop		ha	227	227	250	250	275
Range lands conversion factor		%	20	estimated
Other/range/barren lands		ha	2,547	2,565	2,582	2,598	2,614

Table II. 22 - Melanesia Islands: Known/estimated parameters

	Unit (1000)	1990	Sources
Areas
Total country land (without water)	ha	7,673	FRA - 90
Forests and wooded lands	ha	4,672	FRA - 90
Natural exploitable forests	ha	1,050	Country Statement
Plantations forests	ha	132	C. Brown
Conservation areas	ha	0
Low productive/open forests	ha	3,490	C. Brown
Arable lands	ha	227	FAO - 94
Commercial tree crops	ha	227	FAO - 94
Other/barren lands	ha	2,547	deducted
Commercial Growing Stock (CGS)	0
CGS natural exploitable forests	m3/ha	30	estimated
CGS plantation forests	m3/ha	80	estimated
Mean Annual Increment (MAI)
MAI natural exploitable forests	m3/ha/year	0.6	estimated
MAI plantation forests	m3/ha/year	10	estimated
MAI low prod./open forests	m3/ha/year	0.2	estimated
MAI commercial tree crops	m3/ha/year	1	estimated
MAI arable land	m3/ha/year	1	estimated
Fellings and Removals
Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	1,040	C. Brown
Waste and residues	% of ind.rem.	25	estimated
Fuel/other wood consumption	m3/inh/year	0.49	FAO - 94
Population	inh	1,364	UN
Increase per year	%	2.3	UN

POLYNESIA ISLANDS

The forest resources

Polynesia islands include Western Samoa, French Polynesia and a series of small islands ranging between 30 to 70,000 ha (Tonga, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Cook Islands, Norfolk Island, Pitcairh Island, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Wallis and Futura Islands). The climate is tropical but rainfall can be erratic. Some islands can suffer from droughts. Major storms and cyclones often occur. Soils are fertile when of volcanic origin or very poor when derived from coral limestones. Limited indigenous forest remains on the islands as commercial logging exhausted nearly all accessible and available forests. The major part of all land is under customary rights. High rate of forest clearance is done for agriculture and gardening. Coconut is the main crop and provides a major potential source for timber. Tree planting (Swietenia, Pinus Caribbea, Teak and Eucalyptus) is done to meet future local fuelwood/timber needs and for soil and watershed protection. Only few conservation measures are taken so far to protect indigenous and endemic endangered species.

Forestry Sector Development

Development planning process exercises are generally at the early stage. However, Forest Acts are reviewed and recently adapted for sustainable management. Forestry is not seen as a Governmental priority but strategies for environmental management are emphasised. Agroforestry is seen as a major contributor for wood supply as further land would not be made easily available for forestry development.

Projected development

For the period till 2010, natural exploitable forests should continue to decrease slowly. However, farm forestry techniques will be promoted actively. Although areas under coconut should decrease and cyclones are likely to cause damages in tree plantations, the contribution of forest plantations and agroforestry should be significant and almost meet population needs. Due to environmental awareness increase, more forested areas may be put under conservation status.

References

Chris Brown - FAO Asia Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook study - The South Pacific Working paper APFSOS/WP/01

FAO - NFAP update no 32.

FAO Yearbooks: Production 1994, Forestry Products 1993.

MoF - Kiribati, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands, Nauru,: country reports - Heads of Forestry meeting - Port Vila, Vanuatu - 1996

Oliver W. - FAO/RAS/86/036 - Plantation forestry in the South Pacific: a compilation and assessment of practices - W. Oliver - 1992.

Table II.23 - Polynesia Islands: Status and projection

		Unit (1000)	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010
Production forests
Production forests area - total		ha	26	27	29	31	33
	- Natural exploitable forests	ha	21	20	20	19	18
	- Plantation forests	ha	4.5	7	9.5	12	14.5
Commercial growing stock - total		m3	1,230	1,261	1,412	1,603	1,804
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3	1,050	1,013	978	944	911
	- Plantations forests	m3	180	236	312	408	524
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	44	64	84	104	123
	- Natural exploitable forests	m3/year	8	8	8	8	7
	- Plantation forests	m3/year	36	56	76	96	116
Fellings ind. round. - total		m3/year	42	40	34	30	30
	- Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	33.6	31.8	26.8	23.8	23.8
	- Waste and residues	m3/year	8	8	7	6	6
Other forests and wooded lands
Conservation areas		ha	0	0	20	50	100
Low productive/open forests		ha	278.5	269	259	250	242
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	84	81	78	75	72
Non forest lands
Commercial tree crops		ha	.28	28	30	30	35
Arable lands		ha	100	108	112	121	118
Wood stock increment - total		m3/year	84	90	93	100	100
Fellings fuel/other wood - total		m3/year	276	297	319	343	368
Wood stock incr., all sources		m3/year	212	234	255	278	296
Fellings, all sources		m3/year	318	336	352	372	398
Forests and wooded lands		ha	304	296	288	281	274
Percentage forested lands		%	31	30	29	28	28
Parameters for projection to 2010
Deforestation factor		%	0.7	C. Brown
Forest plantation progr.		ha	0.5	000 ha per year
Removals - ind. roundwood		m3	33.6	31.8	26.8	23.8	23.8
Conservation areas		ha	0	0	20	50	100
Commercial tree crop		ha	28	28	30	30	35
Range lands conversion factor		%	0
Other/range/barren lands		ha	561	561	561	561	561

Table II.24 - Polynesia Islands: Known/estimated parameters

	Unit (1000)	1990	Sources
Areas
Total country land (without water)	ha	993	FRA - 90
Forests and wooded lands	ha	304	FRA - 90 + estimation
Natural exploitable forests	ha	21	C. Brown
Plantations forests	ha	4.5	C. Brown
Conservation areas	ha	0
Low productive/open forests	ha	278.5	deducted
Arable lands	ha	100	estimated
Commercial tree crops	ha	28	C. Brown
Other/range/barren lands	ha	561	deducted
Commercial Growing Stock (CGS)
CGS natural exploitable forests	m3/ha	50	estimated
CGS plantation forests	m3/ha	40	estimated
Mean Annual Increment (MAI)
MAI natural exploitable forests	m3/ha/year	0.4	estimated
MAI plantation forests	m3/ha/year	8	MoF
MAI low prod./open forests	m3/ha/year	0.3	estimated
MAI commercial tree crops	m3/ha/year	0.5	estimated
MAI arable land	m3/ha/year	0.7	estimated
Fellings and Removals
Industrial roundwood removals	m3/year	33.6	C. Brown
Waste and residues	% of ind.rem.	25	estimated
Fuel/other wood consumption	m3/inh/year	0.49	estimated
Population	inh	563	C. Brown/FAO - 90
Increase per year	%	1.5	estimated