The Kyoto Protocol gives countries the option to define what constitutes a "forest", within certain parameters. The most important parameter affecting area designated as forest is the minimum crown cover threshold, which can be set between 10 and 30 percent.

The ENCOFOR Forest Definition On-Line Analysis Tool investigates the implications of the choice of crown cover threshold on total land area available for Afforestation / Reforestation activities within the CDM.

The Spatial Analysis of the choice of crown cover threshold on the total land area available for afforestation and reforestation activities is mapped and tabulated for all Non-Annex I Countries. This choice has a large impact on the amount of land available in a country for CDM afforestation and reforestation activities

The ENCOFOR interactive On-Line Analysis Tool is based on a global geospatial analysis which models the suitability of land for CDM Afforestation/Reforestation, based on bioclimatic, biophysical, and legal criteria.

GLOBAL ANALYSIS OF THE IMPLICATIONS
OF THE DEFINITION OF FORESTS
ON LAND AREA ELIGIBLE FOR AFFORESTATION AND
REFORESTATION ACTIVITIES IN THE CDM

Robert Zomer^1*, Antonio Trabucco¹, Oliver Van Straaten, Lou Verchot² and Bart Muys³

¹International Water Management Institute (IWMI), P.O. Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
²International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), P.O. Box 30677, Nairobi, Kenya.
³Laboratory for Forest, Nature and Landscape Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Vital Decosterstraat 102, 3000 Leuven.

^*Corresponding Author: Robert Zomer : r.zomer@cgiar.org

Website Technical Implementation : Sadir Mohideen, Aminul Islam.