Eurasian Perspective of Fire: Dimension, Management, Policies, and Scientific Requirements

The world’s boreal forests and other wooded land within the boreal zone cover 1,200 million ha, of which 920 million ha is closed forest. The latter number corresponds to 29% of the world’s total forest area and to 73% of its coniferous forest area (ECE/FAO 1998). About 800 million ha of boreal forests with a total growing stock of about 95 billion m3 is exploitable (41% and 45%, respectively, of the world total). The export value of forest products from boreal forests is about 47% of the world total (Kuusela 1990, 1992).