Experts remain divided on definition of ‘forest’

[rooster59]

Experts remain divided on definition of ‘forest’

By Piyaporn Wongruang 
The Sunday Nation 

 

Courtesy of DNP

 

Forest experts and officials are trying to redefine “forest”, in an attempt to improve forest management in the country amid a variety of definitions applied for different government plans and policies, leading to frustration and lack of unity among concerned authorities.

 

At a recent meeting on the definition of forest in government policies and plans held at the Forestry Faculty of Kasetsart University, experts and officials from concerned departments of National Parks and Royal Forestry exchanged heated views over the new definition, which was roughly drafted the last time they had met early last month.

 

According to faculty Asst Professor Khwanchai Duangsathaporn, also a member of the natural resources and environment reform committee, forest is distinctly defined and applied by various concerned agencies, prompting different work results that are not consistent.

 

For instance, the calculation of the country’s total forested area based on different definitions at different periods in time have shown varying rates of deforestation.

From 1973 to 1998, the forest area was meant to include all types of forests, with canopies not less than five metres and covering no less than 10 per cent of the growing area of five hectares. As interpreted on the map scale of 1:250,000, the country’s forested area shrank to around 17.93 per cent of the country’s total area, or about 57.49 million rai in those 26 years. 

 

However, when the new scale of 1:50,000 was applied from 2000 to 2016, with the definition slightly adjusted to be in line with the international definition, the rate of forest loss declined sharply to 1.57 per cent, or 4.14 million rai, during those 17 years.

 

The figures prompted contradictory views on the exact forest area to be addressed in national policies and plans.

 

This is particularly of concern as critical policies and plans concerning the country’s forests have addressed “forest” differently, leading to different targets and goals, and how concerned authorities should work in the future.

 

For instance, the 1985 national forest policy addressed “forest for conservation” and economic forestry, which altogether should be maintained at no less than 40 per cent of the country’s total area.

 

The new 20-year national strategy, however, has defined “forest” as part of the umbrella concept of “green area”, with “natural forest” being maintained to reach the target of 35 per cent in the next 20 years.

 

“Varied” and “hard to understand” was how Asst Prof Khwanchai’s responded to the situation.

 

“We have various words to call our forests and they are varied and they are hard to understand. This is without mentioning [the impact] when they are applied in our forest laws and enforced against citizens.

 

“We are trying to find a new definition that people can understand and agree with. This must also be based on academic merit before being applied and implemented in law,” Khwanchai said during the meeting.

 

So far, the meeting has agreed to base the definition on what was agreed the last time, which was influenced by the international definition of the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2020.

 

However, the definition was slightly tweaked as some participants raised concerns over agro-forestry and rubber plantations, arguing that they should not be considered as “forest”.

 

Under the FRA definition, forest means land spanning more than 0.5 hectare, with trees higher than 5 metres, and a canopy cover of more than 10 per cent, or trees able to reach these thresholds. It, critically, does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use.

 

However, there are some exceptions for certain types of agro-forestry that it allows to be considered as “forest”. These include Taungya, where crops are grown only during the first years of the forest rotation, and rubber-wood plantations, which became controversial in the Thai context.

 

The meeting saw a heated debate on the inclusion of agro-forestry, as it was hard to differentiate them from satellite photographs when grown close to the forest. More critically, rubber plantations here should not be counted as forest at all, as they are aimed at sourcing rubber, not wood as defined by FRA, the meeting heard.

 

So far, it is estimated that rubber plantations cover around 32 million rai, with nearly half of them allegedly encroaching upon forest areas.

The meeting failed to settle the issue, but they were encouraged that they could reach mutually agreeable solutions.

 

Natural Resources and Environment Minister General Surasak Karnjanarat, who chaired the meeting, said the goal for forest reform needed to be set with a clear target, hence the need for a clear definition on forest.

 

"Enforcement at present was frustrating, and that’s the reason why academic knowledge was needed to help clear the path," said Gen Surasak.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30342696

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-08

[PatOngo]

3 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Experts remain divided on definition of ‘forest’

.....they can't see it for the trees!

[Thechook]

Have they tried Google? 

[YetAnother]

18 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

with the definition slightly adjusted to be in line with the international definition,

done then; far smarter people and countries than thailand have already figured this out

[300sd]

Attention Thai experts: A forest is a large area where trees grow close together. I googled it!

 

[Lungstib]

Seeing how this country has managed to eliminate 'unemployment ' by definition I now envisage finding myself in a country with 80% forest cover by virtue of some wishful thinking. 

[mok199]

in my humble opinon( having studied for over 12 years),the thai language creates these ''grey areas'',and, the grey areas, create situations like this..thai language cannot keep up with the ever changing planet...time to re''THAI''er (retire),this primitive limited language to the museum...

[Cadbury]

Just now, mok199 said:

in my humble opinon( having studied for over 12 years),the thai language creates these ''grey areas'',and, the grey areas, create situations like this..thai language cannot keep up with the ever changing planet...time to re''THAI''er (retire),this primitive limited language to the museum...

Good suggestion but not possible. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has declared to all and sundry, including impressionable schoolchildren, that the Thai language will become the new international language.

In any case "grey" areas can be awfully convenient when when trying to avoid difficult decisions which might adversely affect influential people such as those in the judiciary who are building new houses at Doi Suthep.

[Darcula]

1.  

for·est (thai)

ˈfôrəst/

noun

 

1. 1.

   a large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth - a hunting ground for the rich and famous - a place to build houses for judges and generals.

   "I killed a panther in a pine forest", "I built my house on the edge of teak forest"

   •  

      
   •  

      

 

1. 2.

   a  large area with trees that you need to cross on your way to Cambodia.

   "I escaped through a forest with my stash of brown envelopes on my way to the casino"

 

1.  

    

    

   •  

      
   •  

      

 

1.  

[sammieuk1]

Leaf it out.

[Crossy]

Our garden fits the latest definiton of "forest", or should that be "jungle".

[kannot]

4 hours ago, 300sd said:

Attention Thai experts: A forest is a large area where trees grow close together. I googled it!

 

no, you didnt say " Thai forest" thats a very different   thing altogether its  full of elite hunters that resemble fat pigs

[klauskunkel]

A Thai Niyom forest is uniquely Thai in the fact that it has grown in Thailand which makes it different from other forests on the planet. Moreover, any one Thai forest is in itself different from other Thai forests, which is the unique result of Thai Niyom, making each forest a welcome target for any branch of Thai bureaucracy for any and all justifications or none at all. Confusing? Designed to be...

[coulson]

I expect the revised Thai definition of forest will not include hillside plots with beautiful views over Chiang Mai.

 

 

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Experts remain divided on definition of ‘forest’

If the expert on forests doesn’t know what a forest is, then they aren’t an expert on forests. 

Edited April 8, 2018 by Bluespunk
Missing is

[Lupatria]

Whenever I read news starting with: Thai experts have..., local experts say... or expert officials predict, I have to find a safe spot on my desk for my coffee mug.

[yellowboat]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

agro-forestry and rubber plantations, arguing that they should not be considered as “forest”.

Plantation is not a forest but a plantation.  Forests are an ecosystem that has animals, like big black cats and elephants.  The experts may want to hit the books one more time. 

[janclaes47]

Just now, yellowboat said:

Plantation is not a forest but a plantation.  Forests are an ecosystem that has animals, like big black cats

 

So if I understand this correctly, the Ital Thai CEO was turning a forest into a plantation.

[phantomfiddler]

My grandfather, a logger by trade, used to work in the Sahara Forest !

[Dap]

8 hours ago, 300sd said:

Attention Thai experts: A forest is a large area where trees grow close together. I googled it!

 

Far too confusing and needs to be simplified 

[Tilacme]

7 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Good suggestion but not possible. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has declared to all and sundry, including impressionable schoolchildren, that the Thai language will become the new international language.

In any case "grey" areas can be awfully convenient when when trying to avoid difficult decisions which might adversely affect influential people such as those in the judiciary who are building new houses at Doi Suthep.

A topical forest !