Introduction

Low forest cover accounts for the largest proportion of the Earth's land area which is the habitat and source of livelihood for a large proportion of its population. Low forest cover is due to natural ecological conditions as well as to human activities. Low forest cover is a problem of global dimension and joint action of the intentional community is needed to respond to the needs and undertaken by low and middle income developing LFCCs for the sustainable forest management, afforestation and reforestation should be supported by the international community through, inter alia, the provision of financial, technological resources.

Sustained economic growth, social development and poverty eradication are priorities of LFC developing countries to expand and rehabilitate their forest cover.

Low forest cover affects sustainable development through its interrelationships with important economic and social problems such as poverty, poor health and nutrition, lack of food security, shelter, water resources, fuel, fodder, grazing provision for livestock, and those arising from refugees, migration, displacement of persons and demographic dynamics.

The developing countries with low forest cover are themselves actively engaged in the arid land and forest rehabilitation and have already invested significant amount of resources in these activities, which yielded successful results. Recent success stories in several developing countries are prominent examples of contributions that such projects can make to rural development and preserving the natural environment. Despite the adoption by the international community of some decisions and agreements on the subject at hand, the international support provided has so far been far from being adequate. Urgent action must be taken in order to conserve and expand the existing forest cover in LFC developing countries in order to meet their economic, social and environmental needs and objectives. In this context, the recommendations made by the intergovernmental panel on forests (IPF) must be implemented in and urgent manner. Furthermore, intergovernmental forum on forests (IFF) should make practical and action - oriented recommendations in order to assist the developing countries to mitigate the effects of LFC and also for the rehabilitation of their forests.

This paper focusing on the needs and requirements of low - forested countries, in addition, a summary of the outcome of the work of IPF and a number of proposals for action on this subject matter.

[Contents] [Introduction] [Low Forest Cover] [Current Trends]
[Information Requirements] [Approaches and policy Options]
[Summery Of IPE Report On Low Forest Cover] [Proposals For Action]