Vol 3 Land Resource Inventory Report - Department of Environment ...

Table 3.4: Forest Area Derived From Calibrated Forest Area Statics of FRA 2010 Categories
FRA 2010 Categories Area (1000 hectares)
1990 2000 2005 2010
Forest 952.9 980.44 997.26 1014.08
Other wooded land 45.1 60.3 68.97 77.64
Other land 829.0 786.26 760.77 735.28
…of which with tree cover 56.9 61.4 63.893 66.39
TOTAL 1882.9 1888.4 1890.9 1893.4
(Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2010)
Table 3.4 shows forest areas derived from calibrated forest area statics of FRA 2010
categories. The calibrated forest area statics encompasses areas of Closed Forest, Plantations
(Pine and Hardwood) and 70% of Open Forest. The other wooded land (OWL) is majority
20% of open forest. The other land with tree cover (OLWTC) is 10% of Open Forest and
Coconut plantations.
Table 3.5: Forecasted National Class Forest Classification in Fiji
National Class (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010
Closed Forest 702.747 639.0066 602.4236 565.8406
Open Forest 225.639 301.524 344.854 388.184
Pine plantations 52.363 77.286 92.656 108.026
Hardwood plantations 39.797 53.08 60.78 68.48
Coconut plantations 34.297 31.248 29.408 27.568
Non-forests 685.679 685.679 685.679
Inland water 21.484 ** 2 ** **
Total land area 1,827 1,827 1,827 1,827
(Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2010)
Table 3.5 shows national class forest classification in Fiji. Table 3.5 shows that in 2010 the
forecasted ‗Closed Forest‘ are 565.8406 hectares, ‗Open Forest‘ are 388.184 hectares, ‗Pine
Plantations‘ are 108.026 hectares, ‗Hardwood Plantations‘ are 68.48 hectares, ‗Coconut
Plantations‘ are 27.568 hectares, ‗Non-Forests‘ are 685.679 hectares and finally the data for
‗Inland Water‘ is not available for 2000, 2005 and 2010.
3.4.2 NATURAL FORESTS
Forests are defined as land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters
and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ
(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2010). It does not include land
that is mainly under agricultural or urban land use. There are two categories of forests under
the national class of forest classification and definitions. ‗Closed Forest‘ encompasses of
natural forest with crown cover of trees and/or ferns 40-100% and ground coverage by, palm
and/or bamboo over 20% (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2010).
Further, ‗Open Forest‘ encompasses of natural forest with crown cover by trees and/or ferns
10-40% and ground coverage by palm and/or bamboo 50-80% (Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, 2010). According to table 3.5, the Forecasted National
2 Data is not available for these years
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