Deforestation Global deforestation has dropped by a massive 20 per

							Global deforestation has dropped by a massive 20 per cent in the last decade,
according to a new UN report.
  Around 900 experts from 178 countries contributed to the Forestry Resources
Assessment report, which took four years to complete. The research was revealed this
week at a meeting of the UN’s Committee on Forestry in Rome.
  Around 13 million hectares of forests have been lost through deforestation or natural
causes each year in the last decade. The figure is down from an estimated 16 million
hectares per year in the previous decade, 1990-2000.
  But despite the dramatic fall in deforestation globally, the study revealed it is still
happening at disturbing levels in some countries.
  Mette Wilkie, who coordinated the study, said: “There are indications for the first
time that the rate of deforestation is going down, but it does continue at alarming rate
in many countries still."
  Both Brazil and Indonesia have managed to significantly reduce their deforestation
rates in the past 10 years. The Brazilian Government has put in place an excellent
monitoring system to detect logging very early on. And in Indonesia there has been
more emphasis on sustainable forest management.
  Ms Wilkie said the aim of this week's meeting is to create awareness of deforestation
and find out where it is happening and also what the underlying causes are.
  She said: "The main cause by far is the conversion of forested area to agriculture,
crops and livestock production in developing countries. Of course we need additional
production of food where we're having an increase in population.
  “The issue is how to increase the effective use of land for agriculture and also to find
better ways of using the forests so they can generate livelihoods and income rather
than be converted into agricultural crops." The annual net loss of trees caused by
deforestation between 2000 and 2005 was 7.3 million hectares (equivalent to the net
loss of almost 2% of the world's forests).