Forest Ecosystems

Indonesia

Tropical forests of Indonesia are second to those in Brazil. They are characterised for their great diversity which, based on their ecological characteristics, are classified into 10 groups: coastal tidal forest, heath (associated with sandy infertile soils), peat, swamp, evergreen, mountain, bamboo and savannah.

The government classifies Indonesian forests, according to its land planning policies (Tata Guna Hutan Kesepakatan), into four types:

1. Protection forests,
   these are forests with slopes of more than 45% intended to maintain watersheds;
2. Nature reserve and conservation areas,
   in which all of the contents of the forests are protected;
3. Conversion forests,
   these are forest lands that can be cleared for agriculture;
4. Production forests,
   which can be exploited. These production forests are grouped further into limited production and full production. The limited production type of forest has a restriction on the logging, while the full production forest can be fully exploited and cleared for tree plantation.

Current statistics (2003/2004 assessments) show that forest land is about 45.8 percent of the total land area. The protection areas cover about 25.7 percent of the total forest area, sanctuary and conservation areas about 16.7 percent, convertible production forests about 12.4 percent, and production forests about 45.14 percent.

In many areas of Indonesia, deforestation is mainly due to increasing demand for cultivation and increased population pressure. However, transmigration programs and the development of agro-industries are the main causes of the rapid forest conversion.

Forest fires are still a big threat to Indonesian forest, despite a tendency to decrease in the last three years (2003 – 2005) after big forest fire events in 2001 and 2002. In 2001, fires caused damage to more than 14000 ha of forest area, and 35000 ha in 2002.

Biodiversity

Indonesian forests are one of the most important hotspots for the world’s biodiversity.  Although that this country covers only 1.3 percent of the earth’s surface, it holds about 10 percent of the world’s plants, 12 percent of mammal, 16 percent of reptiles and amphibians and 17 percent of birds.

 

Philippines

Through satellite mapping technology, the forest area was determined and estimated to be 7.168 million hectares (roughly 23.9% of the total land area). The said figures were gathered during the satellite mapping in year 2002. Forty five percent of the total land area of the Philippine’s comprised the forest ecosystem to at least 18 percent slope. This upland ecosystem is supporting large percentage of the country’s population approximately 30 % of the total population including the indigenous communities.

Ecologically, the forest ecosystem is very significant by supporting various agricultural and several commercial industries including water and power needs. In order for a watershed to be a sufficient source of infinite ecological and economic benefits, there should be diversity in natural resources composition. Watershed is protected, and further enriched or diversified, to continuously support the lowland agriculture by providing sufficient water supply for irrigation.

However, due to continuous and unwise use of natural resources, the capacity of watershed to provide the ecological services and economic benefits is reducing to a large extent. Watersheds became critical in terms of supporting the needs and accordingly, there are 140 priority watersheds with a total area of 4.5 million hectares nationwide need to be rehabilitated and to have effective and efficient environmental management systems.

Biodiversity

The Philippines is one of the 17-megadiverse countries in the world. About 70 percent of the world’s total diversity in flora and fauna are in these countries.  There are over 52,000 species in the Philippines alone with 13,500 species of plants comprising 5 percent of the world’s total flora and about 68 percent of the country’s species ranking in the top ten in the world. The Philippines may even be considered as the most megadiverse country in terms of land density and density in flora and fauna. Unfortunately, the species in the Philippines are considered among the most threatened in the world. Together with Madagascar, the Philippines is considered as the hottest of hotspots or the most severely threatened of the megadiverse countries. The destruction of the freshwater and marine ecosystems and the original forests, resulted to an unparalleled biodiversity crisis.

Biodiversity has nourished our forests and is largely responsible for forest regeneration, but continued degradation of forests, wetlands and marine areas have caused substantial biodiversity loss in the country.

Forest Cover Map of Insular Southeast Asia
(Extent:  94ºE - 155ºE, 20Nº - 12ºS, Geographic Projection, WGS84)

Other Indonesian thematic forestry maps can be found on this link.
(The information is in Indonesian language.)

Philippine forest cover maps for 1987, 1993, and 1999 can be found in the documentation section.