CREAF visits the European Parliament to advocate the urgent need to manage Mediterranean forests

On 7 November, the European Parliament was the venue for an unprecedented seminar entitled "The need for forest management. The case of Mediterranean forests", organised by Catalan MEP Jordi Solé, vice-president of the Greens/EFA parliamentary group. The seminar opened with a welcome address by Jordi Solé, who presented the critical context of forests in Catalonia. The event was attended by leading figures in the field from various research centres and institutions, including CREAF.

The event was attended by leading figures in the field from various research centres and institutions, including CREAF.

In the first round table of the seminar, entitled "Threats and Opportunities in Forest Management", the speakers dealt comprehensively with the critical situation of forests in Catalonia. Marco Onida, from the European Commission, offered a global vision, highlighting the imperative need to manage forests in the face of threats such as persistent droughts and fires. Xavier Castro, from the Fire Prevention Service, discussed the specific challenges of fire prevention and its effective management. Joan Pino, director of CREAF, presented science-based proposals to improve the management of Catalan forests, stressing the importance of an adapted and consensual management that addresses biodiversity, resilience to climate change and the provision of services to society. Mario Beltran, an expert in multifunctional management from the CTFC, offered a practical perspective on how to address threats and turn them into opportunities for the sustainability of Mediterranean forests. This roundtable laid the groundwork for deepening the debate and exploring innovative solutions to address the critical challenges that Catalonia's forests are currently facing.

Forest management and bioeconomy

In the second panel of the seminar, entitled "Forest Management and Forest Bioeconomy", participants explored forest management practices and the opportunities they offer for the future of Mediterranean forests. Anna Sanitjas, Director General of Forest Ecosystems and Environmental Management, highlighted the importance of forest management as an essential tool to ensure the sustainability of forests. Experts, such as Víctor Resco UdL, Daniel Ibáñez from IAAC, and Neus Puy from CTFC, addressed issues such as the alignment of management and harvesting with current and future environmental conditions, the promotion of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and the use of wood in construction, with special emphasis on cork as a prominent example. This panel provided a detailed overview of emerging practices and technologies that could contribute significantly to sustainable forest management, emphasising the importance of adapting to environmental changes to ensure the long-term vitality of Mediterranean forests.

This panel provided a detailed overview of emerging practices and technologies that could contribute significantly to sustainable forest management.

The event was hosted by Jordi Solé, who has been a leading advocate of sustainable management of Mediterranean forests. Through this seminar, Solé brought the debate on forest management to the centre of European policy, intending to foster collaboration between experts, administrations and stakeholders to ensure a more sustainable future for Mediterranean forests.