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5/24/1981 - Rediscovering firewood by Deanna G. Donovan

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS DGD P O Box Kathmandu Nepal Rediscovering firewood May Mr Peter B Martin Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs West Wheelock Street Hanover NewHamps_hire 03755 U S A Dear Peter Although energy source hardly novel regenerative erties woody plants brought popul comon fuels Thus charcoal seven energy supply options selected scrutiny upcoming United Nations Conference New Renewable Sources Energy Nairobi August In preparation Nairobi gathering assistance sister organizations FAO UNEP convened Expert Group Meeting Fuelwood Charcoal Bangkok earlier month I The conference organized facilit discussion exchange ideas among individuals experienced various aspects production umption Asia Pacific region Delegates countries including Bangladesh China Fiji India Malaysia Pakistan Philippines Papua New Guinea Sri Lanka Thailnd Viet Nam participated meeting Also attendance representatives World Bank assorted Uited Nations agencies United States several observers including myself Noticeably absent conference however official representation Nepal Asian country widely alleged fcing serious problems regarding forest destruction fuelwood scarcity As keynote explained objectives Expert Group Meeting Fuelwood Cha rcoal review resent research development production transportation storage fuelwood charcol ESCAP region determine potential further development suggest suitable action promote chieve better I ESCAP being acronym United Nations Economic Social Commission Asia Pacific FA0 Food Agriculture Organization U NEP United Nations Environment Programme Ms Donovan Institute Forest Man Fellow based Kath mandu Nepal Studying reltionship between economic development forest exploitation focused recently Nepal management identify needs countries region technical assistance information change financial assistance production fuelwood charcoal Clearly would beyond capacity conference delegates considerable amount homework Having recently completed investigation fuelwood supplies requirements throughout world FAO prepared comprehensive report topic entitled A Global Reconnaissance Survey Supply Re quirement Situation Excerpts paper distributed conferees subsequently provided focal points discussion According FAO survey seven geographical areas encom passing countries category acute scarcity situations regard fuelwood supplies More specifically described zones countries negative energy balance where existing resources depleted point where populations longer obtain sufficient fuelwood through overcutting Consumption below minimum levels As section Asia continues Such situations prevail mountainous areas thern India northern Afghanistan hills Nepal million rural people affected The estimated level needs between inhabitant while estimted availibility varies inhabitant Over cutting existing fuelwood resources generalized forest vegetation destroyed severe effects environment If current trends continue estimated fuelwood availi bility reduced inhabitant average fuelwood completely disappeared areas Together several states Northern India Punjab West Bengal Rajasthan Gujarat Nepalese Terai extension Opening address Deputy Executive Secretary ESCAP Princy H Siriwardene FAO A Global Reconnaissance Survey Fuelwood Survey Fuelwood Supply Requirement Situation Paper presented Second Meetin Technical Panel Fuelwood Charcoal United Nations Conference New Renewable Sources Energy Rome De Montalembert M R Fuelwood Asia An Identification Critical Situations Paper presented ESCAP FAO UNEP Expert Group Meeting Fuelwood Charcoal NR EGMFC I Bangkok May II DGD I6 Gangetic plain falls penultimate worst category deficit situation where according FAO populations still their minimum fuelwood needs cutting excess tainable supply The fuelwood resource already required current needs estimated inhabitant frequently higher average availibility estimated inhabitant In places consumption restricted supply shortages levels lower minimum needs which people complement intensified agricultural residues Under current trends destruction woody tation availibility fuelwood reduced inhabitant These dismal pronouncements forecast bleak future Nepal indeed The seriousness situation compounded understands destruction forests important source livestock fodder fruits tubers medicinal herbs various grasses useful thatching weaving As sitting midst disaster speak I somewhat difficult comment broad generalizations presented FAO analysts Certainly figures presented within range possibility Nepal DGD While areas situation quite depicted others scenario sketched approaching The future implications terms human suffering possible migration political instability already volatile populous region Asia frightening Efforts alleviate rapidly worsening situation cannot quickly It laudable authors FAO worldwide survey recognized importance accessibility assessing avail bility fuelwood supplies Too often researcher disregard remoteness remaining forests calculating their availi bility energy resources Even systems stretched these distant forests costs involved transporting timber charcoal consumers would render expensive Moreover heartening authors defined areas differential scarcity along political boundaries appropriately broader logical zones Accordingly Nepal falls categories recognizing significant differences between problems potential hills plains I question however decision artificially contrived level needs Ibid rather traditional consuption figure proxy measure demand Admittedly fuelwood consumption figures developing countries fraught inconsitency The authors FAO survey developed various measures doubt partly attempt circumvent problems widely divergent consumption estimates If theoretical needs figures plaything however seems assume consumer parity msrketplace falling short plying sufficient fuelwood demands poorest elements population With focus needs transforms question fuelwood supply inadequacies largely problem distri0ution perhaps valid point political issue develoiing countries In larger context issue distribution energy resources between developed developing countries spark emotionally chsrged debate forthcoming Nairobi conference Having worked several years statistics production consumption I appreciate Herculean effort FAO Global Reconnaissance It quite dissect sweeping analyses however assumptions continuation current trends consumption patterns forest management order disparate fragments coherent argument generally vulnerable criticism Nevertheless policy makers planners grasp gravity certain problems often necessary illustrste message strokes Certainly delegates conference aware discrepancies production consuption statistics It recognized better statistics desperately needed responsible policy decisions regard development various energy resources Emphasizing necessity uniform information group recommended gathering mandate incorporated projects means collecting information prospective projects method monitoring effectiveness going programs Although participants discussed variety means enhance suplies temper demand correctly nowledged technology could expected solve complex problems fuelwood scarcity energy deficits loping countries A multi pronged attack addressed improving fuelwood productivity distribution efficiency increasing production would necessary cases Furthermore stressed attention assessment social environmental impacts proposed programs insure truly beneficial sustain basis Most notably pointed major obstacles tackling problem fuelwood shortages technical silvicultural rather social economic administrative nature Indeed problem alleviating energy crisis areas Nepal magnitude urgency perhaps should government alone With assistance forestry community private voluntary organizations could significant promoting localized planting species production fodder other products Less tangible benefits reforestation stabilization improved water supplies moderate climate would contribute reversing spiraling trend environmental economic impoverishment rural areas Historically relationships local community forest department officials forest resource largely predator preservationist respectively In constant struggle between these groups working cross purposes forest degraded destroyed Only recent years foresters recognized local community parti cipation forestry lorograms could provide resolving conflicts forest management Despite profuse verbal support given local villager involvement planning implementa forestry projects traditional approach scientist dictating people readily apparent recent meeting Bangkok Noticeably criteria mentioned selection species fuelwood plantations contained reference consumer preference suitability various species domestic instance sparking smoking characteristics different Foresters messages community should actively advice their market public It stressed conti nually foresters exist serve trees rather serve people through forest management One shocking conclusions FAO paper areas acute fuelwood scarcity forestry solutions limited Strongly contesting assertion gates pointed precisely districts cially remote mountain areas where forestry provide solution Wood traditional suitable alter natives available extent which exists It irresponsible foresters especially FAO imply otherwise Foresters should hindered archaic definitions forestry shake stereotypic forestry management large blocks planted identical trees endless Forestry solutions limited imagination In China instance foresters promoted affor estation through termed planting roadsides railroad right canal banks terrace brands planted various species provide fuelwood rural population Similarly Philippines forestry appears emerged strictly rural context The Filipino delegate reported vacant downtown Manila being planted growing species provide pleasant cityscape Proper pruning growing poplars silky Greville planted along major streets roads Kathmandu could yield valuable firewood attractive thoroughfares At recent meeting Bangkok dicussion regard increased production seemed focus large scale plantations In contex interesting disturbing anecdote related representative Philippines He Of forest growing _Leucaen planted provide fuelwood local villagers which bidding industri alist seeking material rayon factory Taiwan Addition I recall similar story which forest department officials reneged their promise distribute proceeds timber community forest local villagers arguing needed profits harvest finance establishment plantations Unfortunately I doubt these isolated incidents I expect tales become comon years As social economic development proceeds demand paper products grows exponentially With petroleum resources becoming scarce expensive demand chemical feedstock increase tically I question wisdom relying heavily large scale plantations production rural communities Large blocks forest economical harvest scattered trees along roadways canal banks Without strong political commitment supported legal guarantees plantations fuelwood likely gobbled affluent group local peasants Specialized seminars workshops oriented toward single forest product necessary bring emphasis important problems fuelwood scarcity Parti cipants atherings however narrow their focus sight context their subject Despite fuelwood great proportion energy needs billion 9eople roughly percent population Asia Pacific region accounts percent total roundwood removals region several benefits mankind receives forest Non forest products commercial commercial difficult value services watershed conser vation climate amelioration equally important instances It crucial demand fuelwood considered isolation other forest products alternative energy sources With fuelwood charcoal seven discussion items forthcoming United Nations Conference New Renewable Sources Energy Nairobi consideration latter Unless participants account former however recommendations improving fuelwood supplies matter intentioned intezable light multiplicity demands forest resources cerely Deanna G Donovan Forest Man Fellow Received Hanover