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Facts
- 2011, the International Year of Forests, seeks to raise awareness about sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests across the world
- Forests cover one third of the world’s land area
- Forests are home to 300 million people and 1.6 billion people are dependent on them for their livelihood
- About 60 million indigenous people are almost wholly dependent on forests
- Forests are 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity
- Mangrove forests, which cover about 15 million hectares worldwide, are essential to the life cycles of the majority of the world's commercial fish species
- Between 2000-2010, about 130,000 square kilometres (13 million hectares) of forest worldwide were converted to other uses compared to 16,000 square kilometres per year in the 1990s.
Sources: http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/index.shtml and http://www.fao.org/forestry/28679/en/
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Background
What is a forest?
Forests are large areas densely covered with trees and other plants. They are home to a diverse range of animals and micro-organism. Forests and their ecosystems vary according to the soil and climate they experience from lush tropical rainforests to dry scrub forests. They also include mangroves which thrive in waterlogged coastal soils.
Why are forests so important?
Forests oxygenate the air, clean water, protect catchments and modify climate. As home to a range of species they provide biodiversity protection. They provide wood, for building and cooking, and many non-timber products for daily human use. They play a part in religious, cultural and spiritual activities, provide income and are places of recreation.
- Environment
The trees of forests contribute to a healthy environment. They convert carbon dioxide to oxygen through photosynthesis. Tree canopies keep forests cool during the day and warmer at night. Forests contribute to the water and soil quality by slowing the flow of rainfall and increasing absorption. They are also home to around two thirds of the animals on earth. However current rates of deforestation, overuse and mismanagement of forests are contributing to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and increasing carbon emissions.
- Social and cultural
The lives and livelihoods of more than 1.6 billion people, many living in developing countries, are reliant on forests. For those living in or near them, forests provide the materials to build homes and shelters, fuel for heating and cooking, food and medicine. Forests also contribute to their religious, cultural and spiritual life. Loss of forests threatens cultural diversity.
- Economy
Forests also contribute to local and national economies. Worldwide 14 million people are employed in the forestry sector. As well as wood and food products forests also produce commodities such as fibres for clothing, canes for furniture production, oils for soap, resins and gums for ink, paint and glue production, latex for rubber, spices and herbal medicines. Women in developing countries rely on these non-wood forest products for significant household use and income.
Causes of forest loss
There are a number of factors which contribute to deforestation, the clearing of forests faster than their regrowth.
- Agriculture- land clearance for farming for food production and cash crops such as coffee, tea, soy, palm oil and rubber
- Urbanisation- land clearance for housing as population in cities expands
- Road building- to access forests for logging or recreation
- Logging- for timber products
- Illegal logging- harvesting and sale of wood from protected areas or areas outside of national laws
- Forest fires- caused by natural events or human activity
- Climate change- rising temperatures lead to decreased water and humidity levels which can lead to changes in forest make-up and more frequent and fierce forest fires. Conversely deforestation also contributes to climate change as greater amounts of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere.
Globally, around 13 million hectares of forests were converted to other uses or were lost each year between 2000 and 2010 which is a decrease from 16 million hectares per year during the 1990s.
Managing forests sustainably
Sustainable forest management is the use of forests in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity and their potential to fulfil, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions (adapted from Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO).
Managing forests sustainably means balancing the harvesting of trees for human needs and wants with the requirements of forests to grow and remain healthy. Sustainable forest management always involves trade-offs. Timber from forests can provide renewable energy which is better than non-renewable fossil fuels but trees take years to grow and so there is a limit to how fast forests can be logged.
Research into managing forests, development of environmental regulations, government protection, support for forest dwellers, tree planting, reduction of use of forest products and certification of sustainable forest products all contribute to sustainable forest management.
Australia's
response
The Australian government, through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) is committed to preserving forests and addressing their contribution to climate change, known internationally as REDD (Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation). Australia is working with other countries such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to strengthen systems for forest management and conservation and to monitor their national carbon emissions.
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/keyaid/envt.cfm
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/international/redd.aspx
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