SBR- Content.pmd - INBO

9 - ForestryThe most densely-forested country in 1997 wasCambodia, with almost two thirds of its area covered byforest, while the most sparsely-forested country wasThailand, with less than one sixth forested. Almost all ofthe forested land in the LMB area of Viet Nam is in theCentral Highlands region, and forest cover was moreextensive in southern and central Lao PDR than in thenorthern part of the country. In assessing forest coverfigures across the four countries, one can see that thereis a strong negative correlation between populationdensity and forest cover. Lao PDR and Cambodia havepopulation densities of 21 and 49 persons per km 2 andhave 41 percent and 58 percent forest cover respectively,while the basin portions of Thailand and Viet Nam with128 and 224 persons per km 2 have 16 percent and 24percent, respectively. 25Table 7, below, details changes in forest cover in thebasin areas of the four countries between 1993 and 1997.The forest cover in all four countries, and hence in theLMB as a whole, has decreased during the periodobserved from an overall 36.7 percent in 1993 to 35.9percent in 1997.Non-timber forest products include wildlife,wild fruits and vegetables, medicinal plants,resins, gums, precious woods,rattan and bambooTable 7. Forest cover in the LMB in 1993 and 1997Area Forest cover 1993 Forest cover 1997 Total sizeha % ha % ha %Cambodia 9,274,703 59.4 9,092,093 58.2 15,618,908 100Lao PDR 8,746,487 42.2 8,544,584 41.3 20,712,008 100Thailand 3,038,772 16.1 2,990,087 15.9 18,827,978 100Viet Nam 1,664,005 24.7 1,615,670 24.0 6,745,651 100LMB 22,723,966 36.7 22,242,433 35.9 61,904,545 100Table 8, below, presents a breakdown by classes of forest cover, and shows that the largest losseshave occurred in areas classified as “open/distributed forest”, followed by “regrowth forest” and“closed forest”.Table 8. Distribution of forest cover types in the LMB in 1993 and 1997Type Forest cover 1993 Forest cover 1997ha % of 1993 ha % of 1993total totalForest, closed 2,945,301 13.0 2,897,159 12.7Forest, open/disturbed 15,010,897 66.1 14,662,059 64.5Forest, mosaic with non-forest types 3,527,399 15.5 3,521,009 15.5Forest regrowth 762,940 3.3 685,276 3.0Other forest types 477,429 2.1 476,930 2.1Total 22,723,966 100.0 22,242,433 97.9Note: % values refer to Total in 1993. For detailed definitions of Forest Classes see FCMP 1997191