FAO has launched the main report of the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA 2005) at the sixth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF6) in New York this week. FAO had earlier released the key findings of FRA 2005 on November 2005.

According to the final report, there are more positive than negative trends at the global level, including a move in forest management towards multiple-use, including social and environmental benefits. Forests dedicated for conservation of biological diversity have increased by 6.4 million hectares per year to include 11 percent of all forests. Significant progress has been made in terms of political commitment, policies and legislation, with a majority of countries in the world taking steps to strengthen the policy and legal framework to improve the management and conservation of forests.

However, negative trends are still alarming in some regions. Forests are rapidly being lost to agriculture. Primary forests, crucial for maintaining biological diversity, are converted to agriculture or degraded through logging.

Nepal lost 24.52% of the total forest area during the period of 1990-2005. The rate of decrease of primary forests is even higher. During 1990-2000 Nepal lost 700 ha of primary forest per year, but this figure rose by 10 times to 7000 ha/year in the period of 2000-2005. During 1990-2000 period, area of plantation increased from 49,000 ha to 53,000 ha. 

Full Report

Statistics for Nepal