1. MAES enlargement workshop
Ispra, January

2. ESMERALDA Israel DG Environment European Environment Agency
Iceland
ESMERALDA Israel
Serbia Joint Research Centre
QuickScan
Turkey Bosnia and Herzegovina
DG Environment
Montenegro

6. Lessons and relevance for MAES
Joined up approach: Towards a Balkan Ecosystem Assessment (ADRION call under Interreg)
Israel reported a national ecosystem assessment. They are very keen on any collaboration with MAES/ESMERALDA
Turkey offered to host special workshops on mapping and assessment following the MESEU and TRAIN experiences
Iceland challenges MAES and INCA on the links between condition and ecosystem services

7. 1. Country profile
Vegetation cover was approximately 50-60%, but has declined to less than 25%

8. 1. Country profile 95% of birchland has ben lost.
Forests now cover 119,600 ha of Iceland – corresponding to 1.16% of the total lands sufrace
Natural birch forests 85,000 ha
Cultivated forests ,600 ha
30-40% of the country is under severe threat of soil erosion.
The loss in vegetation was the combined result of man-made causes and volcanic events.