17 forestry policy framework

Forestry and Forest Policy Framework for Europe

Peri Kourakli

Forests in EU Forest and other wooded land:

178 million ha (42%) Growing stock:

- 24 million m3

- data for 2005: 23 million m3

Felling:- 60 % of the net annual

increment in forest available for wood supply

4% undisturbed my man

FOREST EUROPE & EEA Report s

European Policies which impact on forests

2020 Biodiversity Strategy (DG ENV) Birds and Habitats Directives (DG ENV) Effort Sharing Decision and ETS Directive (DG KLIMA) RES Direcitve (DG TREN) Water Framework Directive (DG ENV) European Forest Fires Information System (EFFIS) (JRC) Rural Development Policy of the CAP (DG AGRI) Sustainable Consumption and Production action plan (DG ENV) Plant health regime (DG SANCO) 7th Research Framework Programme (DG RESEARCH) EU Solidarity Fund (DG REGIO) Regional Policy (DG REGIO) FLEGT (DG ENV) ...

Forest Strategy (DG AGRI) Forest Action Plan (DG AGRI) FBI-Communication (DG ENTR)D

IREC

TIN

DIR

ECT

SOFT

HA

RD

NFILe

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I&II

Stat.

Inst.Agri

c.Auth.

FAOFRA

GHG Auth

ICPForests

MCPFE

FOREST EUROPE

UNFCCC

Eurostat EFDAC

EFFIS FFocusFutMonIACS

Fores

t Fir

es

EEA

ETC/ACC ETC/LUSIEFICP

MEM

BER STATES

INTERNATIONAL PROCESSES

EUROPEAN UNION

X 27

Same origin, but different paths and resultsPotential inconsistencies Multiplication in efforts (Shared Environmental

Information System/ SEIS: data collected once!)

Difficulties in cross-check (monitoring –evaluation?)

RedundanciesAggregation of data obtained:◦ In a different way (methodology)◦ In a different time◦ from “different defined” pools

Some of the problems and consequences

Different in thresholds in National Forest Inventories

Parameter Maximum MinimumMinimum Crown Cover for considering forest Germany 50% France 10%

Mininum Area required for considering forest Italy 0,5 ha Austria 0,05 ha

Minimum DBH in inventory Switzerland 12 cm Finland 0 cm

Forest area represented by field plot Estonia 1040 ha Walloon Reg. 50 ha

Source COST E43

Pan-European Initiatives: FOREST EUROPE

Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe

46 countries (from EU to Russia)Define “Sustainable Forest Management/ SFM” (Helsinki 1993)

“General guidelines for SFM” and “General guidelines for conservation of biological diversity of forests in Europe” (Helsinki 1993)

“Pan-European Operational Guidelines for SFM” (Lisbon 1998)

“Improved Pan-European Indicators for SFM” (Vienna 2002)

Negotiations for a Legally Binding Agreement/LBA on Forests in Europe (Oslo 2011)

LBA on Forests in Europe Based on SFM, FOREST EUROPE’s decision Birdlife Europe and Central Asia developed a position

paper www.birdlife.org/eu/pdfs/LBAposition_final.pdf

Birdlife supports a LBA on forests, but this support is accompanied with a big “BUT”“LBA-F should clearly support multifuctionality and long-term sustainability”

Birdlife follows the processes of the negotiators with the support of BirdLife partners and other envi-NGOs

The negotiations so far are driven by forest industry and forest owners

There is a clear “fight” between Russia and EU

Maintenance and appropriate enhancement of forest resources and their contribution to global carbon cycles

Maintenance of forest ecosystems’ health and vitality

Maintenance and encouragement of productive functions of forests (wood and non-wood)

Maintenance, conservation and appropriate enhancement of biological diversity in forest ecosystems

Maintenance, conservation and appropriate enhancement of protective functions in forest manage ment (notably soil and water)

Maintenance of other socio-economic functions and conditions

The six Pan-European criteria for SFM

FOREST EUROPE’s achievements according to FOREST EUROPE

Solid platform for pan-European cooperation

Framework for global-regional interface

Developed SFM in Europe: Agreed definition Guidelines Tools, including Criteria and Indicators

Framework for monitoring, assessment and reporting but decreasing political awareness and weight!

If SFM is implemented in Europe, why only in EU the 52% of species of Community interest Directive are in Unfavourable Conservation Status and

only 21% of forest habitat types of Habitats Directive are Favourable?EEA 2010, “Assessing biodiversity in Europe”

EU initiatives for SFM EU Forest Strategy 1998- 2007 EU Forest Action Plan 2007-2011 EU Forest Communication Strategy (2011) EP Report on GREEN PAPER On Forest Protection and

Information in the EU: Preparing forests for climate change(2011) Development of the EU 2020 Forest Strategy Discussions on developing of a EU Forest Information scheme

Forest Management Plans/FMP are only following SFM in theory- wood production oriented

Forests under new EU CAP/ RDR, a FMP or its equivalent is a prerequisite (several measures-not all, not enough)

Certification volunteer schemes (FSC mainly) have helped in certain countries the SFM implementation