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Analysis of the protection status of the world's forests |
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UNEP-WCMC and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
finished a major analysis of the protection status of the world's forests
in 1997. This produced an unprecedented amount of data on forest location,
by type, and the amount of each forest type protected in each region of
the world.
This information was produced as the CD-ROM, A Global Overview of
Forest Conservation, containing all GIS spatial data files on forests,
protected areas and ecological zones that went into the analysis. It also
contained a copy of the statistical analysis with tables, figures, maps
and discussions.
Unfortunately, the CD-ROM is out of stock and no longer available
to purchase. However, the statistical analysis, Analysis
of the protection status of the world's forests, is available
on the UNEP-WCMC web site.
The philosophy behind the creation of the CD series was to make widely
available the data that UNEP-WCMC compiles and analyses. Access to information
of this kind is vital for the scientists and decision-makers of the world,
in this age of forest conversion and biodiversity decline. The CD-ROM was made possible through financial support from the United
Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) and CIFOR. The forest maps used in the regional forest coverages on the CD-ROM came
from many different sources, all of which are gratefully acknowledged
in the text. The many varying resolutions and different forest classification
systems used were harmonised by UNEP-WCMC for this study, into 25 distinct
types, including tropical and non-tropical systems. Forest types such
as "thorn forest" were included, and categories for exotic or native species
plantations, as well as areas with sparse tree cover. Specific data on
forest type, particularly plantations, was difficult to obtain and UNEP-WCMC
and CIFOR would be very happy to receive new, better datasets for inclusion
in subsequent analyses. The protected areas datasets have been drawn from the
UNEP-WCMC databank compiled over many years and continually updated for
the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and United Nations List of
Protected Areas. The spatial protected areas data used in this analysis
were extracted towards the end of 1996. All records for areas designated
within the IUCN categories I-VI were used in the study and are presented
in GIS form on the CD. Extensive documentation is also provided. In addition to the forest and protected areas GIS files,
ecological zones files were included on the CD-ROM. These spatial data
cover all the regions of the globe, the FAO ecofloristic zones for tropical
regions and the Holdridge zones for elsewhere. |
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