1045-B5

Enhancing the role of planted forests and trees outside forests in low forest cover countries

Jim Carle, Syaka Sadio, Million Bekele and Salah Rouchiche ¹

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the issues of planted forests and trees outside forests, and what is necessary to enhance their contribution to sustainable forestry and agricultural land uses to support rural and urban livelihoods in low forest cover countries.

In the past the potential roles and values of planted forests, trees outside forests and agro-forestry systems have not been fully supported by Government decision-makers partly because of a lack of information and communication, but also because of conflicting policy priorities, particularly regarding food security and poverty alleviation. This has translated into insufficient political commitment and allocation of resources to put in place the facilitating factors that are needed to encourage investment in these activities.

Decentralized, participatory, intersectoral and multidisciplinary approaches to policy, planning, implementation and monitoring are new to many developing low forest cover countries. They require new institutional frameworks, as well as training and skills in forest planning and management. The voice of the forestry sector, which has generally been marginalized, needs to be mainstreamed in intersectoral planning committees and working groups to derive national development priorities and national forest development strategies. In so doing, it should examine the real value and potential roles of natural and planted forests and tree resources in supporting livelihoods in urban and rural landscapes.

It is important to integrate planted trees and forests in more holistic approaches to provide environmental services, biodiversity benefits and meet people's short- and long-term needs. It is also necessary to make modern technology and traditional knowledge available in more people-oriented approaches to be shared through national and international networks, and sound extension and technical support systems and demonstrations.

This paper details key strategic and priority actions to be considered by low forest cover countries to strengthen their policy, legal and regulatory procedures and the national and global institutional frameworks. It also considers technical changes required to meet the more diverse and flexible mixes of multiple species in mechanisms and multilevel land uses, more in tune with the needs of people, rather than with the engineering approaches of the past.

Introduction

According to FAO's Forest Resources Assessment 2000 (FRA 2000)² there are 56 low forest cover countries³ found primarily in arid and semi-arid zones of Africa and the Near East/Asia. They encompass 2.726 billion hectares of land and have 105 million hectares of global forest area (3.9 % of forest cover), 10 million hectares of planted forests (9.8 % of the forest area) and a population of 900 million, of which 64% live in Asia.

People of developing countries facing desertification and severe land degradation, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas, can experience extreme food insecurity and abject poverty. In most countries, their relationships with forests and trees are inseparably interlinked and inter-dependent. Poor people recognize that forests and trees protect soil, water and biological diversity, provide shelter and shade for their villages as well as havens for cultural customs and help to combat desertification. To meet their basic food, fuel-wood, fodder, medicine and construction materials from the meager resources available, they adopt survival attitudes, overexploit forests and rangelands, and provoke alarming rates of deforestation and forest degradation, which further erode their livelihoods.

It is difficult to apply traditional sustainable forest management principles and practices to enhance the quality of life and livelihoods of rural people in circumstances where they struggle to survive at very basic subsistence levels. It is nonetheless possible to enhance the role of planted forests and trees outside forests (including agro-forestry) to better meet the needs of poor people and relieve some of the pressures on natural forests and rangelands (FAO, 2003).

The Tehran process launched in the international expert meeting on ¨Special Needs and Requirements of Developing Countries with Low Forest Cover and Unique Types of Forest⁴, hosted by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, October, 1999, recognized the uniqueness of the issues and needs for sustainable forest management in low forest cover countries (FRO, 2000). A Secretariat was established in Tehran to support the process and to champion the cause of low forest cover country issues in international processes (UNCBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD, UNFF) and provide support services to member countries.

What are the status and trends of forest and tree resources

In support to the Tehran process, to address key issues identified in the Tehran expert meeting, FAO, co-sponsored by the Netherlands and collaborating Government partners, prepared case studies to assess forests and tree resources and evaluate the role of planted forests, trees outside forests (including urban and peri-urban forests) under a range of environmental, socio-political and economic conditions in low forest cover countries. Six countries were selected (Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mali, Namibia, Sultanate of Oman and Tunisia) to host the case studies and to provide inputs to two regional workshops in Tehran, October, 2002 for Near East countries; and Nairobi, December 2002 for African countries.

It is generally noted that in low forest cover countries, particularly in Africa, the Near East and Asia, planted forests account for only a small proportion of the forest cover (Table 1).

Table 1. Summary of estimated planted forest areas and annual planting rates in low forest cover countries by region

Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Bangladesh, Iran and Pakistan, Ireland and Uruguay are the only countries with more than half a million hectares of planted forests, whereas over a half of the countries have less than 10 000 hectares of planted forests and trees. Most tree planting programs were started between 1960 and 1980, although in South Africa, Ethiopia, Senegal and Denmark, large-scale efforts began earlier. The current annual new planting rates are substantially higher in Asia than in Africa but there is considerable variation among countries. Only 10 of the developing countries plant 10 000 ha or more per year (FAO, 2001).

It was recognized that planted forests, trees outside forests, urban and peri-urban forests and agro-forestry provided benefits and services, such as:

• Rehabilitation of degraded lands, enhancement of biodiversity conservation, protection of soil and water values, improvement of agricultural production through maintenance of soil fertility and diversification of the landscape;
• Improvement and diversification of revenues in the fight against poverty and food insecurity through the utilization of wood and non-wood forest products;
• Sustainable supply of wood and non-wood forest products for subsistence and industrial uses; and
• Improvement of quality of life through shade, beautification and absorbing pollutants and sequestering carbon.

The case studies highlighted that Iran had achieved 2.3 million hectares of planted forest development and Ethiopia and Tunisia about 0.2 million hectares each (Table 2). Only in Tunisia was there a net, positive annual forest cover change achieved.

Table 2. Key parameters of case studies

What are the main prevailing issues?

Despite the case studies and regional workshops reflecting a wide diversity of country circumstances, major issues were commonly stressed.

Low forest cover countries share extreme environmental and physical conditions as well as extreme social and economic pressures.

In an environment of severe poverty, food insecurity, high population pressure and intense demand for fuel-wood, wood and non-wood forest products uniquely different approaches were needed to address issues of sustainable forest management.

Forestry sectors in low forest cover countries have been generally marginalized at the national level. Also inputs to intersectoral planning committees and working groups to derive national development priorities and national forest development strategies did not take sufficient account of the current value and potential role of natural and planted forests and tree resources in supporting livelihoods in urban and rural landscapes.

Why aren't there more planted trees and forests?

Inconsistent Government policies, legal, planning, regulatory and institutional frameworks and priority for increased food production can result in competition and direct conflicts for land, particularly with the agriculture sector. Additionally decentralized approaches and participatory involvement of the stakeholders are quite new to most countries and require different institutional frameworks, training and skills for forest planners and management. There remains insufficient engagement of women and youths in these planning processes despite their substantial contribution to field operations.

Tree planting and management are faced with difficulties including the lack of secure land and tree tenure rights; inability to raise rural credits using tree crops as collateral; and limited policy and market incentives to stimulate tree planting and private sector (corporate or smallholder investors) involvement.

Too frequently in the past, centrally planned, engineering approaches adopted in Government planting programs have failed or been only partially successful because of unclear objectives at the outset, resulting in the wrong growing mechanisms being adopted, using the wrong species in the wrong sites, with wrong silviculture, for the wrong reasons. Too often these planting programs took insufficient account of the fragile environmental conditions and the critical social circumstances and the needs and aspirations of the people living and depending on these areas.

A serious technical constraint is the lack of forest and tree resources data and information which translates into a lack of information on performance of planted trees and forest mechanisms, site/species matching, which in turn translates into insufficient understanding of the contribution that these can make to smallholder and public and private sector corporate investors. There is a limited understanding of scientific and traditional knowledge and technology to increase productivity of planted trees and forests which is partly due to the lack of guidelines, codes of practice, extension materials, documentation of demonstrations, success stories, dissemination of information and networking. As a result, the potential roles and values of planted forests, trees outside forests and agro-forestry systems have not been fully understood and supported by Government decision makers. This has translated into insufficient political commitment and allocation of resources to put in place the facilitating factors that are needed to encourage non-Government investment in these activities.

What are recognized opportunities to enhance the role of planted trees and forests?

National and sub-national level principles, criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management provide the foundation on which to plan, manage and monitor natural and planted trees and forests. Most low forest cover countries in the Near East, Asia and Africa are engaged in international processes and have been defining and validating their national level criteria and indicators.

Many countries are engaged in necessary reforms to define the new roles of the State, the private sector (corporate and smallholder), communities and non-governmental organizations, and adopting policies towards free market economies which provide opportunities to diversify land-uses and farming systems in pursuit of maximizing financial benefits. The associated review of legal, policy and planning frameworks, decentralization, adoption of intersectoral, multi-disciplinary and participatory methods allows incorporation of innovative, new concepts and approaches, previously centrally controlled as segregated sectors.

There is increasing awareness of the need to integrate planted trees and forests in a holistic approach that focuses on environmental services, biodiversity benefits and meet peoples short and long term needs. This, combined with increased availability to new technology and knowledge available in-country and through international networks there are opportunities to establish sound extension and technical support systems and demonstrations.

What lessons have been learned?

Despite the diverse governance, social, environmental and economic conditions observed from the case studies and representation at the regional workshops, there was a surprising similarity in key lessons learned relating to planted forests and trees outside forests.

When forest and tree resource data (planting type, purpose, ownership, species, areas, growth rates, rotations, harvest yields etc), information on social (dependence levels, incomes, forest use etc), environmental (soil and water quality, contribution to biodiversity) are non-existent, incomplete, inconsistent or unreliable it is not possible to conduct sound planning, management and monitoring.

Decentralization and participatory approaches need to be supported by appropriate legal, policy, regulatory and planning frameworks which must be reflected in institutional reforms that clearly define the mandates of the main stakeholders. Marginal groups, women and youths have roles to play in formulation of local-level plans and implementation of natural resource management activities.

Secure tenure rights to land and trees are the foundation on which to build an investment program on tree planting to ensure the supply of wood and non-wood forest products and other environmental and social services. However, this alone is insufficient to attract private investment (corporate and smallholder) which also needs unimpeded access to technical support systems, rural credit and rights to manage, transport and market the crops. Equitable partnerships and benefit sharing between collaborative stakeholders are essential if planted trees and forests are to be managed on a sustainable basis.

It is difficult to change deep seated cultural practices and change current attitudes to land-use management, however, by introducing environmental programs into schools and awareness raising and capacity building of stakeholders and the public, it is possible to achieve successful planted forests and trees integrated in the landscape, with specific care to prevailing agro-ecological conditions.

In many countries, although trees outside forests (including urban and peri urban forests and trees) have a legally recognized status, their true value in terms of wood, non-wood products and other services have not been fully quantified so they often do not get the priority that they deserve in terms of policies providing the enabling environment for investment. However, it is increasingly recognized that they have a critical role to play in creating synergies for economic growth and conservation of forested areas in combating poverty.

Strategic and priority actions to move forward

Strengthening policy, legal and regulatory framework

Decentralized, participatory, intersectoral and multidisciplinary approaches to policy, planning, implementation and monitoring are new to many developing low forest cover countries and require different institutional frameworks, training and skills for forest planners and management. The voice of the forestry sector, which has generally been marginalized at the national level needs to be mainstreamed in intersectoral planning committees and working groups to derive national development priorities and national forest development strategies, taking sufficient account of the current value and potential role of natural and planted forests and tree resources in supporting livelihoods in urban and rural landscapes. The priority actions necessary include:

• Recognize that planted forests and trees outside forests have positive contributions to make to increase forest cover and sustainable forest resource management, and incorporate tree planting and management into national forestry, poverty reduction and food security strategies including adequate implementation mechanisms to ensure these are achieved in practice by being more pro-active in integrating forestry issues into the rural landscape;
• Articulate and integrate planted forests and trees outside forests issues and actions into national forest and agricultural national development plans, backed by the necessary resources, politicians and decision makers to demonstrate their full commitment to international processes and national priorities;
• Support decentralization, intersectoral, multi-disciplinary and participatory approaches to policy, planning, implementation and monitoring;
• Clarify the roles of the State, the private sector, communities, NGOs and other stakeholders in planted trees and forest development;
• Provide appropriate allocation of resources from national treasuries to support the costs incurred in the transition from centralized to decentralized and participatory approaches; and
• Prioritize preparedness to drought and other mitigating factors, particularly in combating desertification, famine and environmental calamities (wildland fires) in sustainable forest management, to assist in minimizing impacts and preparation towards securing national and international assistance.

Strengthening institutional frameworks

At the international level, the Secretariat to the Tehran Process is currently managed and funded by the Iranian government, with technical assistance from FAO. To enable the Secretariat and countries to better champion the cause of low forest cover countries at the international and national levels it is necessary to:

• Formally register country members and nominate national focal points to collaborate with the Secretariat of the Tehran Process and commit to the responsibilities of membership;
• FAO/UNEP provide technical support to the Secretariat as necessary and assign a senior officer with adequate resource allocation to provide technical support to the Secretariat in implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan;
• Promote benefits of membership, and share information on low forest cover country issues, data, lessons learned and collaborate in technical support of common interest;
• Recognize the full mandate of the Secretariat to represent low forest cover countries at international processes and meetings;
• Prepare better justifications and proposals to national Governments and international donors and funding agencies reflecting the full benefits (environmental, social, economic) of planted forests and trees resources;
• Mobilize human and financial resources and capacity building at the national the Secretariat of the Tehran Process to enhance the role of planted forests and tree resources; and
• Ensure that FAO and the Secretariat provide assistance in proposal preparation for projects and programs related to planted forest, trees outside forest and urban and peri-urban forests which address climate change, combating desertification, rehabilitating degraded lands and alleviating poverty support applications for international funding under the CDM, WEHAB, NEPAD, GEF and other funds.

Filling gaps in knowledge

Foresters do not always incorporate scientific research and traditional knowledge and technology on indigenous species, and more flexible people oriented approaches into planted forests and tree management practices in arid and semi-arid ecological zones. Of greater concern is the fact that even when foresters understand the principles, and to some degree, the practices of sustainable forest management, they are not well equipped technically to work with local communities and farmers at subsistence levels, thus inter-disciplinary collaboration is needed.

Too often forest research programs and education and training curricula lag behind the priorities reflected in the national forest programs, policies or laws. They often do not yet reflect the greater interest to invest in tree planting. Related to this is the lack of knowledge of more efficient uses of wood-fuel or alternative methods of providing financially competitive energy sources to reduce dependence on wood-fuel.

In regard to planted forests, there is a lack of benefit analysis techniques to evaluate comparative financial and economic performances with other land-uses. Additionally there is a lack of technical tools, indicators, guidelines for participatory planning, growth and yield models for increasing productivity and efficiency in management. Priority actions should include:

• Apply sound technical forestry knowledge and technology in unison with appropriate policy/legal/regulatory/institutional frameworks to deliver effective field performance by strengthening support systems in planted forests and tree resources targeted to the specific needs of people in particular ecological zones, socio-economic, environmental and governance conditions;
• Change the engineering approaches to planted trees and forest development (exotic species monocultures) to more diverse and flexible mixes of multiple species (indigenous and exotic) in mechanisms including agro-forestry and multi-tiered land-use;
• Provide technical management techniques on planted forests and trees to make available improved germplasm, silviculture and forest protection technology;
• Prepare justifications for national forest assessments and successive socio-economic and environmental surveys (baseline and follow up) on the true impacts and contribution of planted trees and forests to social, environmental and economic benefits to the national economy; and
• Network appropriate knowledge and technologies in low forest cover countries through electronic and other mass media distributions systems.

Bibliography

FAO, 2000. On definitions of forest and forest change, Forest Resources Assessment Programme Working Paper 33, November, 2000, FAO, Rome, Italy. 15 p.

FRO, 2000. Report of the open-ended international meeting of experts on special needs and requirements of developing countries with low forest cover and unique types of forest. Forest and Range Organization, Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran, 4-8 October 1999. 190 p.

FAO, 2001. Global forest resources assessment 2000. Main report. FAO Forestry Paper 140. FAO, Rome, Italy. 479 p. Web site: http://www.fao.org/forestry/fo/fra/index.jsp

FAO, 2002. Second expert meeting on harmonizing forest-related definitions for use of various stakeholders. FAO, Rome, Italy, September, 2002. 354 p.

FAO, 2003. State of the Worlds Forests 2003, Rome, Italy. 151 p. Web site: http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/webview/forestry2/index.jsp?geoId=0&langId=1&siteId=3321

UNEP/IUFRO, 1999. Definition of Low Forest Cover Countries, an analytical paper on alternative bases for defining low forest cover countries, UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya, 1999. 26 p.

¹ Forest Resources Division, Forestry Department, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. [email protected]

² Low forest cover countries according to FRA 2000 (FAO 2001) where forest is defined as having >10% crown cover and an area of >0.5 ha and excludes land predominantly used for agriculture.

³ "low forest cover country" has not yet been formally defined, but it commonly refers to countries in which forest cover is less than 10 percent of land area

⁴ A Government lead initiative, sponsored by Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway in collaboration with Egypt, Sudan and cooperation with FAO, UNEP, UNDP and IFAD, attended by 77 participants from 39 countries and 6 international agencies and NGOs.

⁵ In the Main Report of FRA 2000, Asia includes countries of the Near East. In Table 1 Asia includes Near East, Asia and Oceania combined.