Comparison of tropical forest surveys
This report examines the two most recent studies of tropical forest areas and rates of forest loss: Norman Myers' conversion of Tropical Moist Forests (1980), and the FAO/UNEP Tropical Forest Resources Assessment Project in order to identify and clarify discrepancies between them. The apparent discrepancy between their respective estimates of deforestation rates has been the basis of a continuing controversy. Myers' report was concerned principally with the conversion of virgin forests to other land use and the resulting extinction of tropical species. The FAO/UNEP report emphasized the availability of forest resources to meet the future fuelwood, housing, and economic needs of UN member states. The present paper attempts to identify more precisely the differences between the two studies in order to integrate the large tropical forest data base from these two sources into a cohesive whole. Specifically, we identify those countries covered in both surveys where the largest differences occur. Our study was not designed to assess all discrepancies between Myers and FAO but only the discrepancies for those countries where both investigators have given specific numbers.
- Research Organization:
- Butler Univ., Indianapolis, IN (USA). Holcomb Research Inst.; Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA); Myers (Norman), Oxford (UK)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5622010
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NBB-0078; ON: DE86011699
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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