The Asia Pacific region encompasses vast diversity--in forest type, culture and level of economic development--in addition to critically high population densities. The region hosts some of the most important biodiversity as well as some of the most threatened natural resources in the world. For the United States, our Pacific neighbors are crucial partners--for trade, environment and regional stability.

While there is no one strategy to US Forest Service works in Asia Pacific, there are program areas which are emphasized throughout the region. In general, our approach is to work with partners on the ground to achieve sustainable forest management. As with our other collaborative work, we provide technical assistance to projects contributing to the wise management of the region's important forest resources.

The US Forest Service is involved in the Asia-Pacific region via a wide variety of projects from technical assistance to policy development and disaster preparedness. Some of work is region wide while other projects are country specific. Following is the description of our regional work. For information on our country specific projects, i.e Fire Management in Indonesia, please take a look at the menu of program topics or use the map above to navigate to the specific country page.

Sustainable Forestry Practices

Table of Contents:

• Reduced Impact Logging in Asia-Pacific
  A) Code of Practice for Forest Harvesting in Asia-Pacific
  B) Reduced-Impact Logging Simulator (RILSIM)
  C) RILNET
  D) Reduced Impact Logging: A Bibliography
  E) International Conference on the Application of Reduced Impact Logging to Advance Sustainable Forest Management
  F) Fire Management Program (MS WORD)
  G) Monitoring the World's Forest Resources CD
  H) Invasive Species Network
  

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Reduced Impact Logging in Asia-Pacific
Sustainable forest management is a goal that many in the forest community are striving to achieve. One of the critical aspects of sustainability is how forests are managed to produce the goods and services demanded by society yet minimize the impact to the forest environment. The harvesting of timber usually has the most significant impact both in terms of environment and economics. Reduced impact logging is one tool that can be used to lessen detrimental impacts due to timber harvesting. Reduced impact logging is a set of techniques, which strives to implement "best practices" that mitigate damage to the forest environment. There are a number of specific definitions of reduced impact harvesting, but according to the Summary Report and Recommendations of a Study Tour on Reduced Impact Logging Practices and Potentials, March 16-19, 1999, reduced impact harvesting is defined as "the implementation of a collection of harvesting techniques that result in lower levels of incidental damage to the residual forest, reduced soil disturbance and erosion, and improved water quality." It also states that reduced impact logging techniques are not new.

The US Forest Service International Programs in collaboration with the US Agency for International Development, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and others are facilitating the adoption of reduced impact harvesting techniques and practices through the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission. Following is a description of the major activities designed to further the adoption of reduced impact harvesting and ultimately sustainable forest management.

A. Code of Practice for Forest Harvesting in Asia-Pacific
The Code of Practice for Forest Harvesting in Asia-Pacific is a regionally based document, which provides forest harvesting guidelines that encourage environmentally sound practices. The Code is intended to serve as a model for development of more detailed and site-specific guidelines at national and local levels. This regional Code contains many diagrams and sample documents in addition to providing practical guidance on important aspects of forest harvesting such as:

B. Reduced-Impact Logging Simulator (RILSIM): Software for evaluating RIL costs under local conditions
Advocates of sustainable forest management often claim that if timber operators in developing countries were to adopt reduced-impact logging (RIL), a set of harvesting technologies that have been proven to reduce impacts to the environment and to residual trees and other vegetation, they would potentially also see an improvement in their profits. RIL technologies, the reasoning goes, not only reduce impacts but are also more efficient and thus more cost-effective.

A number of research studies have demonstrated that, properly implemented, reduced-impact logging can indeed increase profits. Other studies, however, have found just the opposite-and because of this mixed message, loggers are often reluctant to adopt methodologies that they think might reduce their profits.

How, then, can loggers be encouraged to adopt reduced-impact logging technologies, which are undeniably preferable from society's perspective?

One-way might be to enable them to easily calculate their current logging costs and at the same time, to compare these costs with the estimated costs of using reduced-impact technologies under the same local conditions. This would help them understand how RIL might be able to lower costs as well as reducing environmental impacts.

A team of international cooperators has been developing software to do just that. The software, named RILSIM is based on a series of "data forms" that users fill out to describe local operating conditions, wages, equipment costs, production rates, and other factors relevant to the analysis. It is thoroughly documented, with a comprehensive "context sensitive" help system designed to guide users through the analysis. The User's Guide covers the principles of RIL and provides detailed examples that users can work through to become acquainted with the software. The name RILSIM means "RIL SIMulator." The software and Users Guide is available by requesting a copy from the US Forest Service, International Programs, Gary Man (gman@fs.fed.us) or through a download (http://www.blueoxforestry.com/RILSIM/index.htm). The software and users manual are substantial in size so it will take some time to download.

To ensure that the software will be accessible to the widest possible audience, its design parameters include the following:

RILSIM's development has been sponsored primarily by the US Forest Service's International Programs Office, the University of Florida, and Blue Ox Forestry, an international forestry consulting practice based in Portland, Oregon. The project's steering committee includes Gary Man and Alex Moad (US Forest Service), Grahame Applegate (CIFOR), Jack Putz (University of Florida), and Dennis Dykstra (Blue Ox Forestry). Dennis Dykstra is the primary software developer for the project. RILSIM is written in the programming language C++, and the fully commented source code is available.

C. RILNET
One of the major recommendations of a study tour to Sabah, East Malaysia from March 16-19, 1999 was a request by participants to the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission for an information sharing mechanism. Such a mechanism would also allow an easy exchange of experiences on the subject of reduced impact harvesting. To respond to the request, the Commission through the support of the US Forest Service and the Food and Agriculture Organization developed an electronic list server called RILNET. The list server has been active for over four years and has over 400 subscribers. To subscribe to this service, send an e-mail to tlc@loxinfo.co.th.

D. Reduced Impact Logging: A Bibliography
Information on what research has been completed and operational methods tried can be quite useful in helping managers and researchers learn from others' experiences and avoid duplication of efforts. The need for more useful information on reduced impact harvesting has clearly been a recommendation by Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission members.

The Commission has responded to its members by developing RILNET (described above) and a bibliography of reduced impact harvesting literature. The bibliography is intended to be a working document that will be periodically updated so the most recent information is available. Currently there are over 400 entries. Some specific articles and reports may be downloaded from the website if allowed by the publisher and author.

E. International Conference on the Application of Reduced-Impact Logging to Advance Sustainable Forest Management
There has been a lot experience with reduced impact logging practices but there has not been a synthesis of much of the recent work in a forum that would allow for discussion and exchange of ideas. That is why the US Forest Service, the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission and its partners organized an International Conference on the Application of Reduced Impact Logging to Advance Sustainable Forest Management: Constraints, Challenges and Opportunities. The Conference was held in Kuching, Malaysia from February 26 to March 1, 2001 with over 260 participants from 36 countries. The Sarawak Timber Association and the Sarawak Forestry Department provided local organization. The Conference included participants from government agencies, private companies and industry associations, non-governmental organizations, universities, and international forestry organizations.

The Conference provided an opportunity to openly discuss reduced impact logging issues concerning the technologies being used, training needs and experiences, economic aspects, safety and health, policy instruments, and research. Even with a significant body of experience and tools available, reduced impact harvesting is not widely practiced. The challenge is to make reduced impact harvesting a common practice, which will then lead to sustainable forest management.

F. Fire Management Program (MS Word)

Click here for the Fire Management Program.

G. Monitoring the World's Forest Resources CD
This CD was a joint effort between the US Forest Service International Programs and the Remote Sensing Applications Center. The purpose of this CD is to provide a very basic overview of remote sensing and technologies as they relate to fire management and illegal logging. The intent is that this CD will serve as a resource for professionals interested in learning about these technologies and the ways in which they are presently being applied. The content of this CD is divided into five main parts: Overview; Image Gallery; Remote Sensing Applications; Geospatial Mapping Tools; and Cost and Resource Requirements.

The Image Gallery section describes satellite imagery, which has been produced using different types of technologies. It then discusses the characteristics and trade-offs between these different technologies. The Remote Sensing Applications section gives examples of three areas in which remote sensing technologies have been applied, namely, illegal logging, fire detection, and post-fire assessment. Other applications may be added as interest and resources become available. The Geospatial Mapping Tools section concentrates on the concepts of remote sensing, as well as the integration of technologies. Finally, different scenarios in the Cost and Resources Requirements section illustrate the variance in the quantity of resources needed when applying these technologies.

If you would like a copy of this CD, please request a copy by contacting Gary Man at gman@fs.fed.us.

H. Invasive Species Network
Invasive species are becoming an increasing global concern, especially as trade and travel increase. The impact of these invasions is not fully known but limited studies have shown that in can be significant, both ecologically and economically. Most studies that have been conducted focus on only one or two species at a time and mostly in developed countries. One study estimated the cumulative economic loss caused by selected non-indigenous species (plant and animal) in the United States to be nearly $96 trillion USD from 1906 to 1991 (OTA, 1993). A recent study estimated the annual loss from selected introduced invasive species is placed at $137 billion per year in the United States (Pimentel et. al., 2000). In Australia, six weed species are estimated to have a $105 million AUD direct economic impact per year. From an ecological perspective, alien species invasions are the second leading cause of species endangerment and extinction only to habitat loss (Invasive Species Specialist Group).

To help fill the knowledge gap and facilitate information sharing on invasive species, the US Forest Service under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission is supporting the formation an invasive species network for the Asia-Pacific Region. The Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species Network (APFISN) will focus on technical and organizational issues, which address the prevention, detection, eradication, and control of forest invasive species in the Asia and the Pacific Region. The network will accomplish this through sharing appropriate information; helping to bring awareness of the economic, social, and ecological impacts of invasive species; assisting member countries in the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission to build capacity to respond to invasive species on a regional scale; and engage in other related activities as deemed appropriate by the Network and the Commission. Country nominated focal points will be the primary link with the Network. Focal points will also be responsible for implementing Network activities.

Related Publications

Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species Network newsletter: April/May 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006