In his address to the 9th UN Forum on Forests in New York, Deputy Minister for Nature, Environment and Tourism  Ch.Jargalsaikhan said that Mongolia has 7 hectares of forest per citizen while the world average is 0.6 hectares. The main reason for this abundance is that very little of the forest is used commercially, he said. Some 92% of the forest area is protected and only the rest is allowed to be used for various purposes.
This year is being observed as the International Year of Forests. Jargalsaikhan , who led the Mongolian delegation to the UN Forum, explained the country’s policy on forests. The harsh climate, wild fire, and insects cause regular damage and affect natural regeneration. Mongolia took various measures last year to improve forest management. The incidence of disease was brought down to a quarter of the 2009 figures, there were 13.3% fewer cases of wild fire, and illegal felling was reduced by 62.3% .
He said Mongolia plans to implement further measures in cooperation  with UN and other international organizations. It is already participating in the Green Wall and Green Belt programs run by South Korea to protect forests and arrest desertification. His Ministry was committed to framing its policy and strategy in accordance with decisions at the Rio summit.