Wednesday, 6 August, 2014
A new dynamic for Mediterranean forests
Mediterranean forests are interwoven with the lives of the people of the region. They provide wood, cork and other products, as well as being a source of income for many. They contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, capture and store carbon, protect soil and water, and offer areas for recreation.
Yet they are under increasing pressure. This includes pressures from humans, whose needs are growing and shifting, and stresses due to climatic changes including temperature increases, reduced rainfall and prolonged periods of drought. This makes it all the more important to look holistically at the goods and services that Mediterranean forests provide and define sustained and integrated solutions.
The positive message that emerges from this issue of Unasylva is that there is a strong technical basis and political will across the countries of the Mediterranean to find such solutions, and to tackle these issues collaboratively. A number of initiatives, born at different times and in different contexts, are coming together, in particular through the work of the Collaborative Partnership on Mediterranean Forests, to ensure that both research and policy are tying in with a regional approach and translating political will into action.
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