Forest monitoring now and future challenges 26th meeting of Working Group “Forestry Statistics” 13-14 February 2006 Pasi Rautio European Commission DG Environment Unit B.3 Forests

Present monitoring Forest Focus Level I Co-operation with UNECE ICP Forests 6000 plots on a 16x16km grid throughout Europe annual crown condition assessment 2006 BioSoil demonstration project (soil condition and biodiversity)

Present monitoring Forest Focus Level II ~ 860 permanent intensive plots multiple parameters measured: Survey Frequency of assessments Crown condition Annual Soil condition Every 10 years Needle chemistry Every 2 years Deposition Continuous Soil solution Continuous Meteorology Continuous - relative humidity - soil temperature - precipitation Ground vegetation Every 5 years…

Future? Forest Focus programmes 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 FF regulation expires in the end of 2006 what comes after Forest Focus?

Future information needs at EU level Climate change impact, adaptation, mitigation & substitution Biodiversity protected forests, Natura 2000 etc. Protective forest functions soil, water and infrastructure Forest fires EFFIS

Potential data and information sources Status, trends Remote sensing Forest inventories EFFIS Forest condition Level I Understanding and cause-effect relationship Intensive monitoring on specific issues related to forest ecosystems (Forest condition Level II, R&D projects, EFFIS ) (eventually policy measures) (Rural development)

Examples of the MCPFE indicators that need to be monitored in future Forest area Growing stock Age structure , diameter distribution Increment/fellings Deadwood Protected forest area Naturalness Threatened forest species Protective forest functions Tree species composition (incl. introduced species) Regeneration (genetic diversity) Carbon stock Forest damage (including defoliation, forest fires) Forest landscape patterns Deposition of air pollutants Soil/water quality …. (35 quantitative indicators in total)

Official Journal of the European Union C 28/57 (3. 2 Official Journal of the European Union C 28/57 (3.2.2006): Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament — Reporting on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy’ 2.5.6 Data are already being collected in the framework of international agreements, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the Timber Committee of the Economic Commission for Europe, EUROSTAT and the MCPFE on forest biodiversity, forest resources, carbon sequestration, the carbon cycle and forest products and protective effects. When developing Community monitoring schemes it is important to draw on national, pan-European and global monitoring schemes that already exist or are in preparation, and to ensure protection of landowners' privacy with respect to data handling and publishing.

Targets for 2010 Forest Data Centre (JRC) Policy and technical reports on: Climate change and forests Biological Diversity in forests The role of forests in the protection of soil, water and infrastructure Contribution to the Global Forest Resource Assessment 2010