| |  | |
Commonwealth
Forests | | |
 NATURAL, MODIFIED AND SEMI-NATURAL FOREST
Most forests in Commonwealth countries have been more or less modified by human activities.
Thus Annex 2.2, summarised in Table
1.2, shows that Modified Natural Forest constitutes
approximately two thirds of the total.
At first glance it might seem encouraging that 28 per cent of the total forest area is primary
forest, but most of that lies in Canada (165,400 ha). In Africa most of the primary forest was
reported from Malawi and Kenya, while in SE Asia and the Pacific significant areas were
reported by Papua New Guinea (25,200 ha), Australia (5,200 ha), Malaysia (3,800 ha), and
New Zealand (3,500 ha).
Commonwealth forests cover a wide range of natural forest types, from montane to mangrove
and from boreal to tropical moist forest. Table 1.3 illustrates the importance of the forest
ecological zones recognised by FRA 2000 to the countries of the Commonwealth by ranking
the three most represented in each country. This has led to some omissions - the small
proportions of tropical rain forest (2%), temperate oceanic and montane forest (both 4%) in
Australia, do not feature, nor the 7% of tropical montane forest in India, or the temperate
montane forest of Canada (12%) or the UK (2%), and boreal montane forest (9%) of Canada.
Nevertheless, as discussed below, it shows the forest types most important to Commonwealth
countries It is no surprise that the forest types of importance to most Commonwealth countries
are tropical, and it accords with popular perception that the tropical rain forest and tropical
moist deciduous forests are well represented. The box describes mangrove formations, one of
the most widespread and important in the rain forest zone. But the importance of dry tropical
forest types is less well appreciated. They represent the highest proportion of the forest of
thirteen Commonwealth countries, including some where moist forest types might be expected
to dominate - Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, India and Sri Lanka, for example. Savanna
woodland, and other dry formations, are of crucial importance for the livelihoods of many
people, yet conservation, research and the development of management practices lag behind.
Despite the 2002 International Year of Mountains, the importance of montane forests is poorly
appreciated. In common with other fragile ecosystems, montane forests are vulnerable to the
very natural disasters against which they provide protection.
Temperate forests are less well represented in the Commonwealth, but Canada’s boreal
forests are of global importance (see Box 1.2).
|
