Save secondary forests too

Save secondary forests too

Cesar Sabogal, CIFOR scientist, Bogor, West Java

"Save our forests" has been a familiar catchphrase in the
media for the past 20 years. And the message has been pretty much
the same during that time: More effort is needed to save the
pristine rainforests in South America, Indonesia and around the
world.

Such demands deserve the attention of each and every one of
us. However, in focusing only on saving unspoiled forests, we
overlook the millions of hectares of damaged primary forests and
secondary forests.

This in no way suggests we should write off primary forests in
favor of secondary forests. Primary forests must remain at the
forefront of our thinking. But at the same time, it is
appropriate we now acknowledge that if they are managed properly,
damaged primary forests and secondary forests can contribute
significantly to the world's environmental and economic well-
being. In doing so, these damaged and secondary forests can
provide an alternative resource to primary forests and lend
resonance to the "save our forests" cry.

Secondary forests are of major interest to the International
Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) Council, meeting this week in
Bali. The ITTO is one of the world's largest forums for countries
that produce and consume tropical timber. Items for discussion at
the ITTO session in Bali include guidelines for the management of
secondary forests, the restoration of degraded primary forests
and the rehabilitation of degraded tropical lands.

The management of secondary forests is particularly relevant
to Indonesia, where 21 percent of forestland is degraded.
Certainly it is an issue the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry is
addressing by developing production forest management units for
managing forest concession areas, including post-extraction
secondary forests, based on conservation, sustainability and
sound business principles.

Degradation of forests is primarily the result of human
activities and is exacerbated by poverty and population pressure
on the one hand, and human greed on the other. In addition to
excessive logging, human activities that profoundly impact on
forests include over-harvesting, over-grazing and repeated fires.

Degraded primary forests and secondary forests include all
forests and forestlands that have been altered beyond the normal
effects of natural processes through unsustainable use. Degraded
primary forests refers to forests whose old-growth cover has been
so affected by unsustainable use they no longer have the capacity
to fully recover in the near to medium term without management
intervention. Secondary forests occur where land has been cleared
of its original forest vegetation and woody vegetation has taken
over.

If properly managed, both types of forests have the potential
to generate significant environmental and economic benefits.
Under certain conditions they can reduce pressure on primary
forests through their potential to produce both wood and non-wood
forest products. Furthermore, they fulfill environmental
functions and can play a useful role in biodiversity
conservation.

Of major interest to the ITTO is the implementation of its
guidelines for improving the world's estimated 500 million
hectares of degraded tropical forests. Prepared by several
environmental agencies, including the Indonesian-based Center for
International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the guidelines advocate
a collaborative approach that recognizes the priorities and
objectives of concerned stakeholders in rehabilitating degraded
forest areas and secondary forests.

Degraded and secondary forests are often used by the poorer
segments of rural populations to supplement their livelihoods.
They are accessible to local people and can provide a range of
goods that meet immediate livelihood concerns, such as timber for
village dwellings, fencing and posts, spices, herbal medicines
and culturally important artifacts.

A large portion of these lands can also support food
production with improved land use practices such as agroforestry
techniques. In addition, degraded primary forests and secondary
forests are today the largest land reserve for agriculture and
livestock production. If conversion into these land-uses is
adequately planned and the converted areas properly managed,
they can minimize local pressure on the remaining primary
forests.

There remain, however, large tracts of degraded and secondary
forests that cannot be economically converted specifically for
agriculture or intensive tree crop development. They are also
financially less attractive for commercial timber exploitation.

In many instances, however, they have considerable potential
to be rehabilitated and managed productively and sustainably
under collaborative arrangements as multiple-use forests.

Properly restored, managed and valued, secondary forests can
occupy an important role for the less intensive production of
timber, wood and non-wood forest products for local and national
use, and even international trade. Ultimately, this will help
reduce poverty.

CIFOR is playing a significant role in helping achieve this in
Indonesia. Working closely with Indonesia's private and public
sector, CIFOR is researching the sustainability and productivity
of small plantations on degraded and low potential land in the
tropics. But the challenge for the government, as it is for CIFOR
in its research, is to ensure the redevelopment process of
secondary forests has the full participation of all stakeholders,
especially those at the grassroots level who depend on forests
for their day-to-day survival.

For too long the emphasis on the "save our rainforests"
message has meant we have almost completely ignored the
importance of secondary and damaged primary forest. While few
would dispute the need to save the remaining pristine jungles
around the world, it is time we accepted that damaged primary
forests and secondary forests are more the rule than the
exception. As important environmental assets and a vital source
of local livelihoods, they deserve proper management.

It is time the environmental and socio-cultural benefits of
the restoration and management of degraded and secondary forests
were fully recognized and endorsed at the national and
international levels. If sustainably developed, damaged and
secondary forests can provide an economic alternative to
exploiting primary forests.

Save our secondary forests too, and help save our primary
forests as well.