11 November 2013: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has reported on the outcomes of a two-year forest inventory project in Tanzania to record forest resources and carbon stocks.

The National Forest Resources Monitoring and Assessment project (NAFORMA) combined ground measurement methods such as recording tree diameter and soil sampling with remote sensing based on satellite imagery. In addition, the inventory gathered social, economic and cultural information on issues such as gender views on forests and forest-based livelihoods.

A significant effort focused on carbon assessment and monitoring carried out in collaboration with the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation (UN-REDD). The resulting information provides a baseline carbon stock, while a computer model developed through the project will allow for ongoing monitoring of carbon stock change.

The information gathered through the project is intended to support policy-makers and land-use planners addressing ongoing deforestation in Tanzania. It will also facilitate participation in REDD+ initiatives.

The NAFORMA project is a pilot initiative, which will be replicated in Ecuador, Peru, Viet Nam and Zambia. The investment in Tanzania totaled US$5.6 million. [FAO Press Release on baseline data] [FAO Press Release on carbon stocks]