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Desertification Indicator System for Mediterranean Europe


1. Definition

Name

FOREST MANAGEMENT QUALITY

Brief definition

Percent of forests under Forest Management Plans.

Unit of measure

The percentage of total surface of forest and other wooded land under a management plan or equivalent; in general the amount of natural resources managed in the total forest surface.

Spatial scale

 

Temporal scale

 

2. Position within the logical framework DPSIR

Type of Indicator

Driving Force/State

3. Target and political pertinence

Objective

The indicator contributes to the definition of the level of control and protective management against degradation forest in an area during long periods, namely maintenance and appropriate enhancement of forest resources.

Importance with respect to desertification

The role of forest management is to maintain on appropriate enhancement of forest resources and encouragement of productive functions of forests (wood and non-wood).

Forest Management Plans should aim to maintain or increase forest and other wooded areas, and enhance the quality of the economic, ecological, cultural and social values of forest resources, including soil and water protection. This should be done by making full use of related services such as land-use planning and nature conservation.

Forest Management Plans safeguard the quantity and quality of the forest resources in the medium and long term by balancing harvesting and growth rates and by promoting techniques that minimise direct or indirect damage to forest, soil or water resources.

Appropriate silvicultural measures should be taken to maintain the growing stock of resources at, or towards, a level that is economically, ecologically and socially desirable.

Forest Management Plans make the best use of natural structures and processes and use preventive biological measures wherever and as far as economically feasible to maintain and enhance the health and vitality of forests. Genetic, species and structural diversity should be encouraged and/or maintained to enhance stability, vitality and resistance capacity of the forests, to counteract environmental factors and strengthen natural regulation mechanisms.

Forest Management Plans must promote a diversity of both horizontal and vertical structures, such as uneven-aged stands and the diversity of species in mixed stands. Where appropriate the practices should also aim to maintain and restore landscape diversity.

Tending and harvesting operations should be conducted in a way that does not cause lasting damage to ecosystems, and, in general, to the environment. Wherever possible practical measures should be taken to improve or maintain biological diversity.

International Conventions and agreements

The UNCCD recognised the particular conditions of the Mediterranean affecting desertification processes, including extensive forest coverage losses due to different causes (deforestation, frequent wildfires, intensive grazing etc) (Convention text as of September 1994 and as of September 2001).

Secondary objectives of the indicator

This indicator represents the level of risk of abandonment and degradation of land and the potential loss of biodiversity of forest and rural ecosystems. Information about Forest Management Plans can help in addressing political measures to recognise the highest degradation hazard areas and to organise an efficient forest management system to indirectly reduce desertification.

4. Methodological description and basic definitions

Definitions and basic concepts

Area of forest and other wooded land under a management plan or equivalent; in general the amount in hectares of natural resources managed in the total forested surface at municipality (or district) level.

Benchmarks Indication of the values/ranges of value

< =25 % of total surface managed /total forested surface at municipality (or district) level = low quality
>25% < =75 % of total surface managed/total forested surface at municipality (or district) level = moderate quality
>75% total surface protected/total forested surface at municipality (or district) level = high quality

Methods of measurement

Ratio between surface of forest and other wooded land designated or planned vs. the total forested surface at municipality (or district) level.

Limits of the indicator

This indicator requires information on Forest Management Plans. One limit of the indicator is the difficulty in finding updated Forest Management Plans for different European countries, with information at a municipality level.

Linkages with other indicators

Forest fragmentation, Deforested area, Area of matorral, Biodiversity conservation, Forest productivity

5. Evaluation of data needs and availability

Data required to calculate the indicator

Forest Management Plans in the territory with data about surface of forest and other wooded land designated to be protected and utilized with respect to Forest Management Plans. Total forested territorial surface area.

Data sources

Forest Management Plans

Availability of data from national and international sources

Forest Management Plans at different territorial levels (national, regional, etc.)

6. Institutions that have participated in developing the indicator

Main institutions responsible

University of Basilicata, Italy

Other contributing organizations

 

7. Additional information

Bibliography

Third Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe 2-4 June 1998, Lisbon/Portugal ANNEX 2 OF THE RESOLUTION L2Pan-European Operational Level Guidelines for Sustainable Forest Managemen

Other references

 

Contacts Name and address

Prof. Agostino Ferrara
University of Basilicata
Via dell'Ateneo Lucano
85100 Potenza, Italy
e-mail: ferrara@unibas.it