Initial National Communication, under UNFCCC, September 2000

Convention on Climate Change 19
31
In July 1999, 14 forestry management units and three working
schemes, covering an area of 143,966 hectares, have approved
management plans. Inventory for another 11 forest management
units, covering an area of 141,642 hectares, has been completed and
management plans are being prepared.
Tseri (shifting cultivation) remains one of the prominent land use
systems in many parts of Bhutan, representing nearly 30% of the
total area of cultivation. It is, however, to be phased out on
agricultural and environmental grounds. Tseri remains a major
challenge to be addressed.
Afforestation/reforestation programs of degraded forestland and
clear-felled areas were initiated to improve the sustainable capacity
of the forestland. By the end of 1997, the DFS had achieved some
17,123.37 hectares of plantation.
There are four main goals set in the forest policy to ensure that forest resources
are used according to sustainable principles, contributing to social justice and
equity:
1. Protection of the land, its forest, soil, water resources and biodiversity
against degradation, such as loss of soil fertility, soil erosion,
landslides, floods and other ecological devastation, and the
improvement of all degraded forest land areas, through proper
management systems and practices;
2. Contribution to the production of food, water, energy and other
commodities by effectively coordinating the interaction between
forestry and farming systems;
3. Meeting of long-term needs of the Bhutanese for wood and other
forest products by placing all the country’s production of forest
resources under sustainable management;
4. Contribution to the growth of national and local economies, including
exploitation of export opportunities, through fully developed forestbased
industries, and contribution to balanced human resources
development through training and creation of employment
opportunities.