Strategic Research Agenda Forestry Value Chain Commentary address by Jean-Luc PEYRON 1

2 Changes are stressed in many themes –Environmental changes Climate change Productivity change due to –Temperature –Carbon –Nitrogen Risks Biodiversity (loss) –Socio-economic changes New perceptions –Nature –Leisure place New needs New paradigm? –Sustainability and Multifunctionality First commentary on CHANGE

3 However, many uncertainties are at stake: –In environmental changes Effectiveness of measures Magnitude of the increase of average temperature Regional differences Increase of productivity until a certain point (saturation?) Higher storm threats? Difficulty to easily reduce these uncertainties –In future social needs There has been a change Is it for a final stage? –In the economic sector as well Energy and carbon markets Land use and agriculture Labour costs and labour productivity

4 Are forest management and policy adapted to perpetual change and uncertainty, whatever the domain (environmental, social or economic)? There are many rigidities: –Forest strategy Climax even if it is now considered in a more flexible way Growth models assuming invariable conditions Long term steady state even if it is tempered –Cut volumes planned in the short run –Cut areas planned in the long run –Forest codes and top-down decisions –High weight of initial training / professional training –High weight of traditions in general

5 Which solutions? –Adaptive management Quality Diversity Reversibility Risk prevention Transition is a key issue –Governance Bottom-up procedures Share of responsibilities Reconciliation between social and private objectives –Monitoring Long term experiments and measurements In link with research

6 Which solutions? –Research Innovation needs in an evolving background Adaptation of research methods to this evolving background –Rapid answers without heavy experimental protocols –Suitable for forest managers and decision makers (expertise) –Integration between social and natural sciences –Education More importance to professional training –Communication Society analyses Information of society In conclusion, these solutions are not totally new but more emphasis has to be put on them in consideration of change in general.

7 More and more global issues –Internationalisation and globalisation in general –Trade of forest products –Climate change (UNFCCC) –Biodiversity (CBD) –Forestry (even though no forest convention) –Illegal logging –Forest certification Second commentary on Europe and world forestry

8 Tropical forests: a major concern for Europe –Not only because of historical political links –But also regarding wood supply Needs of forest products Ecolabels Illegal logging –Regarding supply of chemicals –And regarding European society Green belt Loss of biodiversity tourism

9 Tropical issues are useful for Europe –NB: in the past European practices have been exported to the tropics –Multifunctionality –Biodiversity –Growth studies in uneven-aged stands –Forest certification has been imagined for the tropics –Increase of temperature in Europe In conclusion, this topic (on world forestry and Europe) could be explicitly in the scope.

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