Rome, 22 January.- The global rate of net forest loss has slowed to 9 million
hectares per year, according to the latest global forest assessment by the
UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The assessment shows a rate 20 percent lower than the global figure previously
reported in 1995. Forests are disappearing most rapidly in Africa and Latin
America, whereas in Asia, the reduction of natural forests is largely compensated
by new plantation forests. In Europe and North America the forest area is
increasing, according to the FAO survey. Overall, the world contains around
6000 square meters of forest for each person, which is reducing by 12 square
meters every year.
These figures have been published on the FAO Forestry Web site
(www.fao.org/forestry) and will be officially presented in FAO's State of
the World's Forests 2001 due to be released on the occasion of the forthcoming
session of FAO Committee on Forestry, in Rome on 12 March . The Committee
on Forestry (COFO) is FAO's leading forum for international discussions on
forest policy and technical issues, and it will be attended by more than
100 FAO member countries .
The current survey is the latest in global forest assessments by FAO spanning
a 50-year period and the first of its kind to be implemented using a uniform
global definition of forest. The findings reveal a diverse picture, where
some countries still have very high levels of deforestation (mainly conversion
of forests to other land uses) while others show significant increases in
forest cover through plantations or natural re-growth .
"These differences", according to FAO Director General Dr. Jacques Diouf,
"cannot be explained by population pressure on forests alone. Rather they
are apparently the results of economic developments at large, and national
forest or land use policies. Therefore, forestry surveys should address,
on a sustainable basis, further development of the forestry sector which
constitutes a backbone of world food security."
Commenting on the new global assessment on forests, Dr. Hosny El-Lakany,
Assistant Director General (Forestry Department), said: "Although remote
sensing has increased the information about forests in general, field surveys
remain the main source of knowledge about forest dynamics and forest change.
FAO is now addressing the need for improved quality and relevance in forestry
information in new proposals for future forest assessments to be discussed
at COFO in March".
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For further details please contact, Mr. Steve Dembner , Publications and
Information Coordinator (FAO - Forestry Department) Tel. 00390657054778 -
Fax 00390657053024 - Email:
Forestry -information@fao.org;
Or, Mr. Salah Albazzaz, Media Relations Officer ( FAO - Information Division),
Tel. 00390657056328; Fax 00390657054974 ; Email:
salah.albazzaz@fao.org
