The 17th session of the Committee on Forestry of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was held in Rome last week. This session was focused on the development opportunities of sustainable forestry. Right before this session, ministers responsible for forestry from all over the world met in Rome. Representatives of more than 100 countries were present. Subjects addressed at this meeting of ministers confirmed the ongoing need of countries to deal with the preservation of forests and values related to forests, and therefore also to strengthen international agreements on sustainable forestry. The contribution of forests to increasing the wellbeing of people was emphasized. With the declaration adopted at this meeting, the participants assumed an obligation to improve the coordination of forest policy and economy between the environmental and social policies with the aim of increasing the contribution of forest management to sustainable development. ”The fact that one hundred ministers responsible for forestry are concerned and striving to find solutions for sustainable exploitation and management of forests in their countries shows that Estonia is on the right track with its draft Forest Act,” said the Minister of the Environment Mr Villu Reiljan. “Our draft Forest Act is focused on promoting sustainable forestry. This objective is carried by various “levers” of sustainable forestry that have been written into the draft such as reforestation caution money, regulation of rotation age, requirement of the existence of forest management plans and the like,” explained the minister. In addition to the above, work done by international institutions dealing with the matters of forestry, matters related to forest fires, utilisation of timber in the energy sector, gathering information and other subjects were discussed at the sessions held last week. It was asserted that the general trends are towards the decreasing profitability of forest management and the increasing role of environmental protection in developed countries. The profitability is also reducing due to the increase in renewable exploitation of wood fibre under conditions where only approximately 60 % of the annual increment is utilised. In Asia, the demand for wood products is increasing hand in hand with the growing area of forests planted specially for timber production. In Africa, the area of forests is decreasing. Forestry is also developing rapidly in the countries of Latin America, where the wood industry is developing in line with the increase in the area of planted forests. The report of the Committee on Forestry was neutral with respect to the main subject of the fifth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests, i.e. adopting a legally binding instrument on forestry. The next session of the Committee on Forestry of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations will be held once again in the head office of the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome in two years. Further information: Indrek Laas Monika Kopti |
