SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN SPAIN Pablo Valls Donderis (Polytechnical University of Valencia - Spain) Lenka Jakesová (Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno – Check Republic)

Definitions Forest Management: it is the CURRENT situation. It includes both the regulations for the forest activity and the processes that happen in the forest areas. It occurs in different levels: central and regional governments, counties and forest management units Sustainable Forest Management (SFM): it is the DESIRABLE situation. SFM accounts for the social, economic and environmental aspects surrounding the forest activity. SCOPE of the research: forest management in Spain

Where we are The work displayed represents the starting point of a longer research Objectives of the research: To define sustainability criteria for the Mediterranean forests Carry on a trial forestry management plan applying the criteria defined

Objectives of this work To find out SFM requirements and their consideration in forest management To find out the difficulties of forest management in Spain to achieve SFM To find out the chances of forest management in Spain to achieve SFM To define proposals to make forest management more sustainable

Revision Standards of forest certification systems in Spain (PEFC; FSC) To find out SFM Requirements Spanish forest management rules and instruments To find out the difficulties and chances of current forest management to achieve SFM

SFM has to: Contribute to rural development and improve life quality of local population Preserve the natural resources: soil, water, biodiversity, habitats and landscape Regulate forest fires prevention and extinction Fight against forest pests and diseases Be planned

Difficulties for SFM: Due to Mediterranean ecosystem characteristics: Low productivity of forests Forest fires and heavy rains Due to regulations and bureaucracy: Small size in general of forest private property Lack of guidelines of SFM Lack of interaction between forest planning and land planning Higher management costs when applyig sustainability criteria Lack of economic incentives for the positive externalities

Chances for SFM: Prescriptions included in the Spanish Forest Management Plans Rules European Forest Strategy, Spanish Forest Strategy and Spanish Forest Plan Rules for the protection of natural resources and landscape: Habitats Directive (Europe), law 42/2003 on natural resources and biodiversity (Spain) European Directives to promote rural development Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process to approve public plans and programmes

Method Questionnaire to experts in forest management Questions to answer: 1. SFM requirements 2. forest management difficulties for SFM 3. forest management chances for SFM 4. consideration of the requirements in current forest management 5. proposals for improvement Respondents: group >60 experts selected from universities, governments, enterprises, research centres and certification systems

Results

Relevant SFM requirements: Management planning at different scales Natural resources protection: soil, water, biodiversity Rural development. SFM requirements taking place currently: Forest fires prevention and extinction regulations Natural resources protection SFM requirements less considered currently: Landscape management Rural development

Relevant difficulties for SFM: Lack of compensation for the positive externalities Small size of forest private property Comments: lack of SFM guidelines, the problem is not the existing information but the available resources Other difficulties considered: Lack of social awareness Economic context: low added value of products Amount of legislation which is not always well connected

Significant chances for SFM: Basic criteria of forest management that establish the Forest Management Plans Rules (maintenance of the forest cover, profitability and best use of different products and uses) Guidelines for the protection from forest fires and pests Guidelines for landscape and biodiversity conservation that establish the same rules

All the proposals are considered to be relevant except the application of EIA process Comments: government paper reinforcement, it is central to consider that much intervention could happen against willingness to manage Other proposals considered: Economic incentives Marketing strategies More research to renew the management Forest policies steady and flexible

Conclusions SFM adds new requirements to traditional management However the importance it is given to SFM, some of its important requirements are not widely considered in forest management The first step towards SFM is that management takes place. This does not happen mainly because: The low productivity and the small size of properties: LOW PROFITABILITY OF THE FOREST THE SHORTCOMINGS IN CURRENT LEGISLATION: the lack of interaction between land planning and forestry and the amount of incoherent laws affecting forest areas In order to overcome these difficulties: From governments: constant funding and proper legislation Marketing strategies focused in all forest products apart from wood so that forest activity becomes more independent from public sector

What to do next Second questionnaire to more accurately define the concepts To check where there is a gap in the management to work on it: results show that lack of guidelines is not the main problem for SFM To carry on with the research