A forest may consist either of closed forest formations where trees of various storeys and undergrowth cover a high proportion of the ground or open forest.

Maintaining forest cover to meet present and future needs

Map showing forest cover in the Republic of Guatemala

Rehabilitation and conservation strategies for countries with low forest cover

Reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide through sustainable forest management, including protection, restoration, afforestation and reforestation, and increase efforts to prevent forest degradation

Reaffirming the special needs and requirements of countries with fragile forest ecosystems, including those of low forest cover countries,

The baseline assessment of tropical forest cover using AVHRR had been completed.

So today we sit on a planet with only 50 of its forest cover remaining. And here s the part that should bring tears to your eyes we continue to lose more forest cover every year.

Furthermore, the recommendations on sustainable forest management support the preliminary work on the Joint Approach to Low Forest Cover Countries (LFCCs) that is linked to decision 12 COP.6.

There has been an increase in forest cover and in the size of areas dedicated to the protection of biodiversity.

As a result of our conservation efforts, Bhutan has successfully maintained 72.5 per cent of its land area under forest cover.

Fuelwood conservation and substitution is of high priority in the African forest sector.

Departments with the largest proportion of forest cover (70 per cent) are Petén (52 ), Alta Verapaz (10 ) and Izabal (7 ) (see map).

A number of participants noted that regional processes have a crucial role in establishing mechanisms for forest related issues, institutional frameworks and international arrangements on forests, such as the Tehran Process for Low Forest Cover Countries.

The production of high quality forest products for international markets can require significant investment in advanced technology.

A strategic plan of action for the Tehran Process is currently being developed by the Low Forest Cover Countries (LFCC) secretariat to strengthen capacity of these countries, and to promote the inclusion of forestry and forest related issues in national development agendas.

All four round table sessions will cover the entire agenda of the High level Plenary Meeting.

All four round table sessions will cover the entire agenda of the High level Plenary Meeting.

Forest applications include forest area estimation and mapping, forest monitoring, forest fire assessment and forest management.

There is considerable scope for further collaboration between the international arrangement on forests and the UNCCD in relation to the special needs of countries with low forest cover.

The Tehran process remains important the joint CPF report explains that it provides a framework for cooperation and collaboration among its members in regard to low forest cover countries.

In 2005 alone 9,500 hectares are undergoing reafforestation, and the aim is to achieve by 2007 the reafforestation of a total of 44,100 hectares in areas without forest cover.

Vegetal Fuel and charcoal production was of about 15,022 m³, which meant a very high consumption of forest resources.

The seventeenth session of the Committee on Forestry held in Rome in March 2005, was preceded by a high level ministerial meeting that addressed international cooperation on forest fire and commitment to sustainable forest management.

The forest ecosystem and forest resources

Action taken in regard to rehabilitation and conservation includes afforestation programmes and the implementation of detailed operational guidelines aimed at conserving the protective functions of forests in areas of low forest cover.

Ministers participating at the high level segment may also wish to send a message to the High level Plenary Meeting of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly about renewing the pledge to make progress towards sustainable forest management by reducing the rate of net deforestation, maintaining forest functions, restoring degraded and unmanaged forest landscapes, conserving natural forests and improving the livelihoods of poor people living in and around forests worldwide.

The Government had also established a programme of payment for environmental services such as water protection and greenhouse gas mitigation, funded by both public and private sources such as hydroelectric power producers and ecotourism agencies, to help forest owners in their efforts of reforestation, conservation and protection of the forest cover.

By 1920, more than three quarters of the US s original forests had been cut. Similar to the global figures, today the US has only half the forest cover that it had in 1600.

increasing decline of ODA and other sources of funding for sustainable forest management due to the lack of importance of forests in the political agenda access ODA, particularly for countries with low forest cover, where several hundred million people live in and around forests and depend on forests for their daily subsistence

And so those epiphytes are actually paying the landlord a bit of rent in exchange for being supported high above the forest floor.

Expressing their concern about continued deforestation and forest degradation, as well as the slow rate of afforestation and forest cover recovery and reforestation, and the resulting adverse impact on economies, the environment, including biological diversity, and the livelihoods of at least a billion people and their cultural heritage, and emphasizing the need for more effective implementation of sustainable forest management at all levels to address these critical challenges,

A joint approach on forests will be developed, in cooperation with the Tehran Process, among others, in order to strengthen the capacity of low forest cover countries to combat desertification, land degradation and deforestation.

During its high level segment, the Forum may wish to consider ways to secure increased finance for sustainable forest management through, inter alia, full acknowledgement of national forest programmes in key development planning processes, including poverty reduction strategies and equivalent mechanisms.

(y) Enhance access by households, small scale forest owners, forest dependent local and indigenous communities, living in and outside forest areas, to forest resources and relevant markets in order to support livelihoods and income diversification from forest management, consistent with sustainable forest management.

Forest operations and the forest industry provide employment and income to millions of workers and forest dwellers.

It further notes the high level of immunization coverage and that health services are free and cover all areas of the country.

Promote genuine community based forest management that empowers forest peoples.

While forest biodiversity continues to decline as a result of deforestation, forest degradation and associated fragmentation of forest habitats, strong efforts are now being made to reverse this trend by restoring the forest functions in degraded forest landscapes.

Until the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is considered a forest.

Until the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is considered a forest.

C. Greater recognition of sustainable forest management and forest products trade

It is possible, however, to track the evolution of the proportion of forest cover, assuming the same rate of loss of forested areas (about 52,000 hectares a year) and a recovery rate of 10,000 hectares a year.

Each round table will cover the entire agenda of the High level Plenary Meeting and will be held in parallel with a plenary meeting.

Media representatives in possession of a valid United Nations grounds pass will be allowed to cover the High level Plenary Meeting without additional accreditation.