Managed forest area ratio. Proportion of the total forest area covered by officially approved and actually implemented forest management plans. The phenomenon is meant to represent the percentage proportion of forests which are managed according to a forest management plan approved by the forestry agency of the country at a given reference year.
Forests serve multiple ecological, socioeconomic, and cultural roles in many countries.
They are among the most diverse and widespread ecosystems of the world. They support employment and traditional uses, and biodiversity. There is general concern over human impact on forest health, and the natural processes of forest growth and regeneration. Combating deforestation to preserve soils, water, air and biological diversity is explicitly considered in Agenda 21. This indicator is highly relevant for assessing sustainable forestry development.