Environmental impact assessment: an environmental tool to achieve sustainable development

Abstract

This report presents the results of field studies of the National Forest Inventory. Details of the survey methodology and coverage are provided and summaries of results are presented. Forests are estimated to cover some 35% of Vanuatu as derived from analysis of aerial photography undertaken in the mid 1980s. This is significantly less than previous estimates which were up to double this amount (Bule, 1992, Barrance, 1988). The reason for this difference is believed to be interpretation of what is forest with previous estimates including substantial areas of thicket and secondary forest in their estimates. In terms of areas of forest which should be considered for utilisation and conservation planning purposes the criteria applied in this survey are considered more appropriate.