UN FAO, 2010 - Two Sides

Extent of forest resources 35
grOwing sTOcK
introduction
Growing stock has formed part of the global forest resources assessments since the
first report. In addition to providing information on existing wood resources, growing
stock estimates form the basis for the estimation of biomass and carbon stocks for most
countries.
Country information on total growing stock and forest area was used to estimate
growing stock per hectare as an indicator of how well or poorly stocked the forests are.
For FRA 2010 information was also collected on the proportion of broadleaved and
coniferous tree species, and on the growing stock of commercial species.
status
In total, 180 countries and areas, representing 94 percent of the world’s forests,
reported the total growing stock in forests for 2010. For the remaining countries
and areas, FAO estimated total growing stock by taking subregional averages
of growing stock per hectare and multiplying these by the forest area for the
respective years.
In 2010, the estimated total growing stock in the world’s forest amounted to
527 billion m 3 . Table 2.11 and Figure 2.14 show that the growing stock per hectare is
highest in the tropical moist forests of South America and Western and Central Africa,
but is also high in temperate and boreal forests.
The composition of the growing stock, divided into broadleaved and coniferous
species, was reported by 117 countries, representing 71 percent of the total forest
area and 74 percent of the world’s total growing stock. In 2010, about 39 percent
of the total growing stock was coniferous and 61 percent broadleaved species.
However, it is likely that in reality the share of broadleaved species is higher, as most
of the countries that have not reported on growing stock distribution are developing
countries with weak information, and in most of these countries coniferous species
represent a very small part of the total growing stock. Coniferous species clearly
dominate the growing stock in Europe, and North and Central America, while
Table 2.11
growing stock by region and subregion, 2010
region/subregion Total growing stock (million m 3 ) growing stock (m 3 /ha)
eastern and Southern africa 13 697 51
Northern africa 1 346 17
Western and Central africa 61 908 189
Total Africa 76 951 114
east asia 21 337 84
South and Southeast asia 29 031 99
Western and Central asia 3 316 76
Total Asia 53 685 91
europe excl. russian Federation 30 529 156
Total Europe 112 052 111
Caribbean 584 84
Central america 2 891 148
North america 82 941 122
Total north and central America 86 416 123
Total Oceania 20 885 109
Total south America 177 215 205
world 527 203 131