UN FAO, 2010 - Two Sides

Extent of forest resources 37
About 61 percent of the world’s total growing stock is made up of commercial
species. This includes all trees of commercial species, not only those that have reached
commercial size or those growing on land available for wood supply. While countries
in North America and Europe consider most of the growing stock to be commercial,
less than half of the growing stock is considered to comprise commercial species in
Africa, Asia and South America.
In absolute terms – and bearing in mind that the figures are based on countries
representing only 67 percent of the world’s total growing stock – the largest stocks
of commercial species are found in Europe, South America, and North and Central
America (see Figure 2.16). However, some large forest countries in Africa, Asia and
Oceania did not provide data on growing stock of commercial species, so the totals
shown are likely to be underestimates.
The global total growing stock on other wooded land in 2010 is estimated at about
15 billion m 3 or an average of about 13.1 m 3 per hectare. It should be noted however
Table 2.12:
growing stock of commercial species by region and subregion, 2010
region/subregion
growing stock of commercial species (% of total)
eastern and Southern africa 16.5
Northern africa 71.8
Western and Central africa 21.6
Total Africa 20.5
east asia 32.4
South and Southeast asia 28.8
Western and Central asia 53.9
Total Asia 32.9
europe excl. russian Federation 99.3
Total Europe 99.8
Caribbean 75.0
Central america 17.1
North america 91.5
Total north and central America 89.8
Total Oceania 16.5
Total south America 36.0
world 61.2
Figure 2.16
growing stock of commercial species by region, 2010
africa
asia
europe
North and Central america
Oceania
South america
0
20
40
60
80
100
120 140
(billion m 3 )
Commercial species
Non-commercial species