Commonwealth Forests

GLOSSARY

Forest

The definition is that used in FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005.  

Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use.

The definition adds the following explanatory notes:

1. Forest is determined both by the presence of trees and the absence of other predominant land uses. The trees should be able to reach a minimum height of 5 meters in situ. Areas under reforestation that have not yet reached but are expected to reach a canopy cover of 10 percent and a tree height of 5 m are included, as are temporarily unstocked areas, resulting from human intervention or natural causes, which are expected to regenerate.

2. Includes areas with bamboo and palms provided that height and canopy cover criteria are met.

3. Includes forest roads, firebreaks and other small open areas; forest in national parks, nature reserves and other protected areas such as those of specific scientific, historical, cultural or spiritual interest.

4. Includes windbreaks, shelterbelts and corridors of trees with an area of more than 0.5 ha and width of more than 20 m.

5. Includes plantations primarily used for forestry or protection purposes, such as rubber-wood plantations and cork oak stands.

6. Excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems, for example in fruit plantations and agroforestry systems. The term also excludes trees in urban parks and gardens.

Other wooded land

Land not classified as forest, spanning more than 0.5 ha; with trees higher than 5 m and a canopy cover of 5-10 per cent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ; or with a combined cover of shrubs, bushes and trees above ten per cent.  It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use.  (FAO, FRA 2005)

Plantations

Forest or other wooded land of introduced species and in some cases native species, established through planting or seeding..  May included areas of native species characterized by few species, straight tree lines and/or even-aged stands.  (FAO, FRA 2005)

Semi-natural forest

Forest or other wooded land of native species, established through planting, seeding or assisted natural regeneration (FAO, FRA 2005).  Areas established by planting are described as Planted Semi-natural Forest.

Planted forests

The concept of planted forests combines the areas of Plantations and of Planted Semi-natural Forest, the justification being that planted semi-natural forest has more in common with plantations than with semi-natural forest regenerated by seeding or natural regeneration, in terms not only of regeneration method but also planting stock, tending and management techniques.