FO:NEFC/02/6

1. This note is to inform the Commission about FAO forestry activities of interest to the region, funded under the Regular Programme budget and FAO-executed projects funded through UNDP and donor trust funds in 2000-01. Annex A provides references to specific requests and recommendations of the fourteenth session of the Commission.

Sustainable Management of Natural Forests

2. A number of workshops have been held within the framework of the Near East Process of Criteria and Indicators (C&I) for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) in the Near East (Cairo, 1996 and 1997, and Damascus, 1998). These meetings discussed progress in adapting the originally proposed seven criteria and sixty-seven indicators to meet national needs and priorities, and reviewed country-level implementation carried out in line with prevailing environmental and institutional conditions. The outcome of the meetings was brought to the notice of the 14^th session of the Near East Forestry Commission held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, in July 2000. Reports of these meetings were published in English and Arabic. A Web page for the C&I Process in the Near East has been prepared and will soon be released.

3. Following recommendations from the 1998 Damascus workshop, FAO, in cooperation with UNEP, facilitated the preparation of draft practical guidelines on measurement and assessment of C&I. The guidelines were further reviewed by concerned countries in a meeting of national coordinators for C&I held in Tehran, 29-30 June 2000. On recommendation of the national coordinators meeting the Practical Guidelines were published in Arabic, English and French to facilitate field level implementation.

4. In line with the recommendations of the 13^th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), FAO supported a number of country-driven sub-regional and regional forest genetic resources workshops, with a view to the development of a coherent global framework for action. Following expression of interest from some Near East countries, preliminary plans were made to commission national institutes to prepare country reports on forest tree and shrub genetic resources, aimed at underpinning a forthcoming regional forest genetic resources workshop in this region in the coming biennium.

5. Development of the "Worldwide Information System on Forest Genetic Resources" (REFORGEN) was continued. Information lodged in REFORGEN was placed on the Internet. Information provided to FAO by Near East countries was consolidated and sent to Heads of Forest Services for verification and up-dating. General information on forest genetic resources continued to be disseminated through the annual newsletter, "Forest Genetic Resources". Support was continued to the Research Networks of Silva Mediterranea, including coordination of activities related to genetic resources of cork oak (Quercus suber) with the European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN).

6. The 11^th and 12^th sessions of the Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources (September 1999, November 2001) recommended action based on country-derived needs and priorities, and drew up lists of priority species by region and activity for attention by FAO, the international community and national governments, including also Near East countries.

Watershed Management and Sustainable Development

7. FAO continued to support the implementation of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21: Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development through operational and normative activities. An important development in this area has been the UN General Assembly resolution adopted in 1998 declaring 2002 the International Year of Mountains (IYM), for which FAO was designated lead agency. This will allow increased attention to be focused on conservation and sustainable development in mountain regions, including the Near East/North Africa region. It also places ongoing field activities in the region in a more visible over-arching framework that should enhance attention and support to these initiatives and potentially stimulate further action. A number of publications of interest to the region were produced on mountain issues, including papers on mountain tourism and mountains as "water towers". Work was initiated on a concept paper defining the main themes, types of activities and institutional situation related to the IYM. During the period FAO began producing a paper on issues related to highland/lowland linkages.

8. Field programme activities have continued in particular in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen which focus on developing and using participatory methodologies to implement integrated watershed management and upland conservation and development.

9. Activities during 2002-2003 will continue to support sustainable mountain development in the region. Support to countries will be aimed at facilitating preparation for the IYM, and assisting in initiating planning processes in the area of sustainable mountain development and conservation. The issue of freshwater supply is expected to be an area of increased attention in watershed management activities in the region. Special focus will be made on the problems of siltation and sanding in the Nile and salinity in the Euphrates. Support to field operations will continue, with a number of results and lessons learned from projects expected to be made available to all countries of the region, following the completion of important pilot experiences. A networking process will be encouraged and supported to increase regional awareness of the mountain ecosystem in the region and develop cooperation for the conservation, management and development of mountain resources.

10. Development of wildlife resources and management of protected areas are being supported by field projects in Algeria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

11. Project GCP/SYR/003/ITA, activated in February 1996, is still ongoing in a second phase under GCP/SYR/009/ITA. The project has a wildlife component and a range improvement component, both of which have made significant progress. The wildlife component has reintroduced gazelles and oryx into the Talila Reserve near Palmyra, in the Badia region of Syria. The management of the Talila reserve has been upgraded . National counterpart staff are receiving both on-the-job training and instruction at international conservation centres. Work has started on an environmental education centre in the reserve. The range improvement component has demonstrated the superior cost-effectiveness of re-seeding with native range shrubs. This component has trained two national counterparts and established a range monitoring system. Both components of the project adopt a participatory approach. Over and above, the second phase has a strong gender orientation. Two women extentionists are now employed and are active in income-generating activities for women in the project area.

12. Support to development of field projects, especially in the area of protected area management with special reference to the effective application of linkages between protected area management and sustainable rural development, will continue as follow-up to the 1998 Amman Consultation.

13. In response to an initiative of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC) and the Near East Forestry Commission in 1998, FAO undertook the role of coordination and carrying out with its member countries and other partners a Forestry Outlook Study for Africa (FOSA). The initiative was to make a long-term assessment of the forestry situation in Africa and to provide an indication of the emerging opportunities and constraints for enhancing the contribution of forestry and wildlife to sustainable development. The African Development Bank (AfDB) joined FAO as a major partner in the study.

14. FOSA assesses the status, trends and outlook for the forestry sector to the year 2020. It has a strong sub-regional orientation reflecting the diversity of forest resources and forestry policy and institutions within the region. Based on the work modalities of AfDB, Africa is organised into five sub-regions: North, West, Central, East and Southern Africa. The North Africa sub-region includes Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia. Djibouti and Somalia are part of East Africa sub-region. Each country nominated a focal point, who, with the help of a working group, produced a country FOSA report.

15. Sub-regional meetings were held at the beginning to plan the FOSA process and later to review the main findings of the country reports. The planning and review meetings for North Africa were held in Tunisia in November 1999 and in Morocco in July 2001 respectively. Those for East Africa were held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in April 2000 and in Nairobi, Kenya, in November, 2000. The coordination and preparation of the draft sub-regional reports, one from each sub-region, were undertaken by consultant experts. The AfDB, through the Swedish Trust Fund, contracted ORGUT AB to prepare two thematic reports: one on driving forces and the other on key issues on forestry.

16. An External Advisory Group (EAG) was established to independently follow and review the FOSA process. In this context, the EAG met twice to discuss versions of draft sub-regional and regional reports: in Accra, Ghana, in October 2000 and in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in November 2001. A regional meeting was held in Addis Ababa in September 2001 to discuss the draft reports.

17. FAO will finalize the reports taking into consideration the remarks, directives and recommendations of all these constituencies involved. The main outputs of FOSA: one Regional Overview document and five sub-regional outlook reports, will be presented to the 15^th session of the Near East Forestry Commission and to the 12^th session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission, respectively.

Forest Plantations

18. Activities concentrated on assistance to countries in the assembly of information on plantation areas and yields, and the aggregation of information at global level. This work particularly focused on the preparation and provision of inputs to the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000 . A document entitled Role of Planted Trees and Forest Plantations in Low Forest Cover Countries (LFCCs) was prepared for the Tehran meeting on Low Forest Cover Countries (October 1999).

19. The International Poplar Commission (IPC), of which several countries of the region are members and active participants, held its 21^st session in Portland, USA, in September 2000. The IPC has in recent years emphasised the importance of the conservation of poplar genetic resources, especially those adapted to semi-arid conditions or saline soils. Countries in the region have assisted FAO in documenting information, i.e. on Populus euphratica.

20. In response to growing global concerns, FAO in collaboration with ITTO organized an Expert Meeting on Forest Fire Management in Rome in March 2001. Support was provided to Lebanon in the field of forest pest management.

Arid Zone Forestry

21. FAO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) and the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid & Dry Lands (ACSAD) of the League of Arab States, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) organized a regional workshop on the "Use of Treated Sewage Water in Raising Forest Plantations and Desertification Control in Near East Countries". The Workshop, which was attended by representatives from Near East countries besides the organizing agencies, was held in Ismailia, Egypt, from 10 to 13 May 2001. The publication of the proceedings of the workshop in an FAO working paper is underway.

22. Support to the process of implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) has continued through assistance for the formulation of National Action Programmes, support to the establishment of a CCD Secretariat-sponsored regional network on agroforestry and land resources conservation. The promotion of dry-land forestry programmes, including dry-land forest plantation such as in Egypt and Yemen, established with the use of sewage water, the management of natural forests of dry zones in the region, and the documentation of multi-purpose trees or groups of trees in the region, have been effected.

23. Support to the countries in the setting and implementation of their National Action Programmes (NAPs) planned within the framework of the CCD was pursued. Through trust fund project UTFN/SAU/002, the FAO Regional Office for the Near East is supporting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in formulating and implementing a National Forestry Strategy and a National Forestry Policy. The processes are well under way. FAO will continue its support to the Secretariat of the CCD and will facilitate regional networking between the countries of the region in order to promote the RAPs planned in the Convention and particularly in its Annexes 2 and 4. Continuous support will be provided to several ongoing field projects dealing with desertification prevention and control, either as a main objective or as a side product of their activities, under implementation throughout the region.

24. FAO, in cooperation with the Governments of the Sudan and of Egypt, started the preparation of case studies on the degradation of land resources, in particular erosion and deforestation in major watersheds, and the subsequent siltation and sanding processes. The FAO Regional Office for the Near East financed a case study on Egypt, with special attention to sanding processes and their effects on natural and human resources. The respective countries and FAO are seeking donor funding for projects on remedial action.

Silva Mediterranea

25. Interesting activities have been developed on issues relating to forest fires through the implementation of an FAO/France trust fund regional project for information on prevention and control of forest fires in the Mediterranean Region, in the framework of the network on "Forest Fire Management". A workshop was held in Tétouan, Morocco, from 27 April to 1 May 1999) on the demonstration of the newly established computerized databases on forest fires in selected countries of the Region and on their effective use in forest fire management. It followed a first workshop on the design and implementation of these computerized databases which was held in Tunisia in 1998. An in-depth study on the socio-economic aspects of forest fire and the views and involvement of populations was made in the target countries. Training material (video-tapes) on forest fire prevention and control were produced and distributed to all the Silva Mediterranea member countries. Technical guidelines for field activities on Mediterranean forest fire management have been produced. The research network on "Silviculture of species: Quercus suber" has been very active concerning activities related to genetic resources of cork oak, in coordination with EUFORGEN.

26. An external review of Silva Mediterranea has been implemented, following the recommendation made by the Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions Silva Mediterranea at its 13^th session (Antalya, Turkey, October 1997). The recommendations of the external review of Silva Mediterranea and of its research networks will be implemented. Support to the research networks will be boosted and particularly to the "Selection of multi-purpose species for arid and semi-arid zones" research network, the outputs of which are awaited to assist in combating desertification in the region. The next meeting of Silva Mediterranea will be held in Rome, Italy, from 2 to 5 April 2002.

27. Regarding agroforestry and land use, the region will benefit from the new focus put on the study, assessment and management of trees outside forests. A number of projects being implemented promote the use of local species in production systems, and increase tree plantings in particular in Yemen and Egypt, through the development of promising methods for the use of sewage water resources for irrigation. The results already obtained are spectacular and future work will seek to secure sustainability of these exercises.

28. The English version of the publication on "Agroforestry Parklands in sub-Saharan Africa" is in press.

29. Great interest continued to be devoted to urban forests (assessment of the situation, such as planning activities and management), for example in Mauritania. It is expected that the continuation of work in coming years will contribute to good documentation of these interesting issues. Case studies on urban forestry issues have been prepared and the result is in press. This compendium includes cities of the Near East (Cairo and Tehran) and will be useful to those dealing with urban and peri-urban forestry and plantations in Near East.

Trees Outside Forests (TOF)

30. An international workshop for the development of practical methodologies for TOF assessment was held in Rome at the end of 2000. In follow-up to this workshop and according to the priority identified for the Near East, support will be given to the development and use of practical planning tools and methodologies.

31. Documentation of multipurpose tree species will continue, including i.e. acacia species, palm tree species (Borassus and Hyphaena) and Combretacae in particular, and agroforestry systems in food security programmes.

32. Case studies on urban forestry issues in coastal cities of the Near East will be documented. An annotated bibliography on the issues related to TOF resources assessment (including planning tools and methodologies) will be published.

33. Near East countries have actively collaborated in the Forest Resources Assessment Programme (FRA) and the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000 (FRA 2000), which has recently been finalized. The latter study provides comprehensive and up-to-date information on the world's forests, based largely on country-derived information, including forest inventory data and regional studies of land-cover change processes. Of special interest to countries in the Near East is the section describing the various forest and woody-vegetation formations in each country, substantiated by statistical data. In support to the important forest resources assessment undertaken in the region, FAO assigned a 6-month consultant in the Forestry Department who assisted in the preparation of FRA 2000 in the Near East and in collecting and analyzing data available on forest resources in the region. The results from FRA 2000 have been placed on the FAO Internet Website (www.fao.org/forestry/FO/FRA/main/index.jsp); the results are also available in written reports.

34. The Forest Harvesting and Engineering Programme has continued promoting environmentally sound, economically feasible and socially acceptable forest operations. Related activities involve the development, testing and promotion of the Model Code of Forest Harvesting Practice at global, regional and national levels, as well as the Guidelines on Forest Roads.

35. Although the scope of the programme is global, a number of issues are of relevance to the Near East region, in particular the preparation of a Manual for the Planning, Design and Construction of Forest Roads in Mountainous Terrain.

36. A Seminar on Harvesting of Non-Wood Forest Products was held at Menemen-Izmir, Turkey, in October 2000.

Forest Products Trade and Marketing

37. A number of issues dealing with forest products trade were addressed. Many were of global coverage although they addressed issues of relevance to the Near East. The forestry trade programme has continued to provide information and guidance on trade policy issues. In particular it has been closely involved with issues concerning the relationship between trade and sustainable forest development, including aspects of the environment and trade, and with trade restrictions and future trade negotiations. Two major publications have been prepared: "Trade Restrictions and Their Impact on International Trade in Forest Products", and "Trade Restrictions And Their Future".

38. The Forestry Department has been closely involved with an FAO series of training workshops for developing countries: "Training Course on The Uruguay Round and Future Multilateral Trade Negotiations in Agriculture". In the Near East region, one course was held in Cairo in 1999, and another was held in Muscat in June 2000.

39. The Forest Products Marketing Programme provided technical backstopping to a TCP project on the Development of gum arabic production and marketing in Sudan (TCP/SUD/7821) which studied in detail the current and potential international markets, competition, and marketing strategies in relation to a thorough survey of the supply potential in Sudan. Case studies describing current marketing practices, although carried out in other regions, like the case study on Marketing of indigenous medicinal plants in South Africa, provide basic approaches for similar studies in Near East region.

40. FAO has continued to assist governments of the region in their efforts to develop comprehensive and coherent forest strategies and policies in support to the sustainable utilization, conservation and development of their non-wood forest products (NWFP). The Organization calls for stronger collaboration and improved networking among regional and key national institutes in the Mediterranean region working on NWFP to ensure better technology transfer and capacity building of national institutions, and to strengthen information exchange, including the development of production and trade data on NWFP in the region.

41. In 1998, FAO recruited a consultant to carry out a desk review of available information on NWFP in the Near East countries. The result of the study was the compilation of individual draft briefs for the countries in the region, describing the major NWFP, their uses, their importance, and reporting statistical data available on consumption, trade and value. The English version of the report has been dispatched to member countries. The Arabic version is being translated.

42. In May 1999, FAO organized in Beirut, Lebanon, a Regional meeting on Non-Wood Forest Products as a follow up to the Cairo Meeting (held in 1997) on Medicinal, Culinary and Aromatic Plants. The participants discussed the need and the means to improve availability of data on NWFP (the draft country briefs prepared by the Forest Products Division were presented to the participants), the main issues related to ownership of natural resources for NWFP use, and the future trends in the significance of NWFP in the region. The meeting recommended action to be taken at the policy/institutional level, and the resource management and product utilization levels in order to increase the contribution of NWFP to income generation for rural communities, and the protection of the forest areas. The role of FAO and donors to support NWFP development was stressed, and in particular the promotion of regional cooperation among the Near East countries.

Forest Policy

43. The FAO Regional Office for the Near East organized a workshop on Forest Policy Formulation and Implementation in the Near East Countries, held in Cairo, Egypt, from 3 to 6 June 2000. It focused on country policy issues and review of their process of forest policy formulation with the objectives of : providing the participants with the necessary knowledge, initiating or improving national processes oriented to strengthening forest policy policy and implementation in their countries, and analysing future actions on national forest programmes in the region. The proceedings of the workshop were published in Arabic and English and despatched to member countries.

44. An Expert Consultation on Forestry Education was organised from 17 to 19 October 2001, in Rabat (Morocco), in collaboration with the Moroccan Ministry of Rural Development, and Waters and Forests. The consultation discussed global changes in the forestry sector, current status of forestry education and its implications for new occupational profiles of foresters; recommended strategies for strengthening forestry education programmes and on how to approach the implementation of these processes. It proposed mechanisms and tools, including networks, to encourage conceptual debates, experience and information exchange at national, regional and international level.

45. In support to participatory forestry development in the region, the Community Forestry Unit (CFU) collaborated closely with the Forestry Extension programme in the workshop on "Extension and Communication for Sustainable Forestry in North Africa and the Near East" held in Sana'a, Yemen, in 1997, and was also closely involved in preparing the follow-up workshop held in Turkey in 2000. Upon specific request from the government, documentary information was provided by the CFU to the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding community participation in forest management, and it is expected that technical support will be provided during the coming biennium.

46. As part of a global initiative on community-based prevention of forest fires (with technical support from the Forest Resources Division), a "Case Study on Management of Forest Fires through Involvement of Local Communities" is being prepared in Turkey for publication by the CFU. In collaboration with GCP/INT/539/ITA and FAO-Syria, the CFU publication entitled "Gender Analysis and Forestry Training Package" has been translated into Arabic. Partners are being identified for training and case study development for adaptation of the Gender Package materials. The SDWW Officer in the FAO Regional Office for the Near East is also collaborating in this effort.

47. The State of the World's Forests (SOFO) 2001 was released as an advance version during the Committee on Forestry meeting in March 2001. The final version was launched in October 2001. This was the fourth edition of the Forestry Department's flagship publication, which is published every two years. It presents the latest information on forests and the forestry sector world-wide in a way that is relevant and useful for policy makers and helps put national and regional developments into a global context. SOFO 2001 was then issued in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish later during the year, together with the FRA 2000 final report.

48. The next edition of the State of the World's Forests will be prepared for publication in 2003.

Forestry Information System

49. The FAO Forestry website has been substantially improved in layout, content and linkages. Forest Resources Assessment data were placed on the Internet, reflecting data on FRA 2000. Major efforts were made to improve dissemination of FAO Forestry Papers, Conservation Guides and Miscellaneous Documents to member countries in the Near East. New periodicals such as Non-wood News and Wood Energy Forum were launched.

50. FAO continues to strongly support the post-UNCED international dialogue on forests. Many countries in the Near East Region have actively participated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF), the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF), and currently the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). FAO is providing technical support to countries who request assistance in implementing the IPF/IFF proposals for action, primarily through support for national forest programmes. FAO chairs the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), a coalition of eleven international organizations and convention secretariats whose goal is to ensure the effective coordination of international action in support of forestry.

51. The open-ended international meeting of experts on Special Needs and Requirements of Developing Countries with Low Forest Cover and Unique Type of Forest, a government-led initiative in support of the programme of work of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF), which was held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, from 4 to 8 October 1999, remains the most significant forestry event in the Region during recent times. The meeting was sponsored by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the support of the governments of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway, and in cooperation with the governments of Egypt and Sudan and international organizations, including FAO, UNEP, UNDP and IFAD. Seventy-seven participants from 39 countries and six international and bilateral organizations and NGOs attended the meeting.

52. This meeting was the first of its kind to address issues specifically concerning developing countries with low forest cover and unique types of forest, including the special needs and requirements of millions of people that live in and around them. An important outcome was the "Tehran Declaration" which was issued at the end of the meeting, and the decision to establish the "Tehran Process".

53. Following the establishment by the Islamic Republic of Iran of a Secretariat for the Tehran Process to lead and coordinate regional and international efforts, and in response to a request by the Government, FAO fielded a mission to Tehran in November 2000 to assist in the formulation of terms of reference and action plan for the LFCC Secretariat for the next five years.

54. FAO's Committee on Forestry (COFO) at its 15^th session in March 2001 welcomed the establishment of the Tehran Process and requested FAO's continued support for it. FAO support for the Tehran Process is one of FAO's highest priorities for 2002-03.

55. FAO is supporting Near East LFCC through the FAO/Netherlands Partnership Programme (FNPP) - Project FNPP/GLO/003/NET, to validate their country level Criteria & Indicators. Letters of agreement have so far been raised with Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria to organize national workshops for the purpose.

56. The activities of FAO programmes in the Near East focused on the promotion of Forest Resources Assessment, management of natural forests, Environment conservation and protection, desertification control, and promotion of non-wood forest products on marginal lands and fragile ecosystems. This was achieved through the exchange of experiences during meetings and implementation of field projects in the countries of the region.

57. Most countries of the region continue to be interested in the implementation of national forest programmes (nfps) as a step towards sustainable development. Countries, in particular those in Central Asia, called on FAO and other organizations to continue providing the necessary assistance.

58. The Near East region continues to face the chronic threat of desertification and rapid degradation of their natural resources, compounded by increasing pressure on already fragile ecosystems. While it is the responsibility of the countries of the region to meet these growing challenges, FAO will continue to provide support to member countries to the extent possible to meet their needs through its interlinked Regular and Field programmes.

59. There is increasing awareness among member countries of the role of forestry in natural resource development and understanding of the benefits of integrating forestry with other resource development programmes. This has been clearly reflected in countries' national development plans and strategies.

60. Community involvement in forest resources management continues to be a major focus of the field programme. Most of the field projects being implemented in the region are community-participation oriented or have this issue as a major component (i.e. Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen).

61. FAO structural changes and the policy of decentralization is strengthening the Organization's assistance to its member countries, which is expected to have a favourable effect on the forestry field programme. The new evolution of FAO's strategy towards a multi-disciplinary type of approach for integrated resource management will also promote the forestry sector in national development and management of natural resources planning.

62. FAO will continue to provide its full support to member countries by placing its comprehensive technical knowledge at their service. FAO will also continue to assist in identifying new external resources. However, as stated earlier, considerable resources (including financial) exist in the region, and FAO, if requested, will assist countries to mobilize these resources for the benefit of their development.

63. The Commission may wish to discuss the role of the forestry sector in poverty alleviation, food security and environmental stability, as well as ways and means of strengthening the Organization's efforts to enhance implementation of the Forestry Regular and Field Programmes in the region. The Commission may also wish to explore possibilities of mobilizing the important financial and human resources that exist in the region for promoting the contribution of the forestry sector to the region's sustainable development.

ANNEX A

The following table summarises the recommendations of the Fourteenth Session of the Commission and the action taken or proposed.