|
|
|
|
In absolute terms, China is a large country with vast forest resources (forest area
covering 175 million hectares). But when closely studied, China's forest resources
are not sufficient given China's needs. As a result, China continues to import wood.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Comparison
of China Forestry Resources
|
|
|
|
|
|
Country
|
Forest area
(billion ha)
|
Forest volume
(billion m3)
|
Portion of total land
with forest cover (%)
|
Per-capita
forest area (ha)
|
|
Russia
|
0.85
|
89
|
50
|
5.8
|
|
U S
|
0.23
|
31
|
25
|
0.5
|
|
Canada
|
0.24
|
29
|
27
|
7.9
|
|
China
|
0.17
|
8
|
18
|
0.1
|
|
World
|
23.9
|
386
|
30
|
0.6
|
|
|
|
Source: FAO
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
China
% of Imports out of Total Wood Fiber Consumption: 1989-2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Cao - China's Wood Industry: Trends and Perspectives
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
China has relied on imported wood to satisfy its domestic demand because of the
following:
|
|
|
|
Natural forests in China have restricted harvests
|
|
|
China has low percentages of plantation forests with fast-growing
species
|
|
|
Large increases in wood consumption
|
|
|
Driven by enormous forest products exports
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
China's
Wood and Paper Products Exports, 1997-2007
(sawn wood, panels, paper, but not furniture)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
China's
Wood and Non-Wood Furniture Exports, 1997-2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
China's
Land Use for Plantation Forests
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Poyry Forestry Industry
|
|
|
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|
