OTHER MATTERS (Item 8)

- Future programme of work of the Committee

65. The Secretariat recalled that the Committee's two main areas of activity between sessions were the coordination of forestry research and technical studies and surveys. The programmes of the research networks up to the next session had been decided during the discussions under item 5 of the Agenda. The only important study carried out since the fourteenth session, apart from the formulation of the Mediterranean Forest Action Programme, had been a review of non-wood forest products in the region.

66. The Committee emphasized the interest of continuing to conduct studies on well-defined subjects and proposed in particular that it be made aware of the administrative structures in the field of forestry in each country.

67. The Committee hoped that contacts and exchanges of information between its members would be reinforced. in particular, it requested that at future sessions participants in the research networks be given more time in which to discuss their activities.

68. The Committee recommended that its Rules of Procedure be modified so that its Officers be elected at the beginning of each session and not at the end as had been the case so far.

DATE AND PLACE OF NEXT SESSION (Item 10)

69. In accordance with Article IV-1 of the its Rules of Procedure, the Committee normally meets every two years. The next session would therefore be held in 1994. It took note of the offers made by Cyprus, Egypt and Turkey to host the next session, and expressed its gratitude to these governments for their generous offers. In accordance with Article IV-2 of the Committee's Rules of Procedure, the date and place of the sixteenth session will be decided by the Director-General of FAO in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS (Item 11 )

70. In accordance with Article II-1 of its Rules of Procedure, the Committee elected its officers as follows:

Chairman: Mr. Fernando Mota (Portugal)

Vice-Chairmen: Mr. Valentin Metchev (Bulgaria)

Mr. Abdel Muti Abdallah Essa (Jordan)

Mr. Amor Ben Romdhane (Tunisia)

ADOPTION OF REPORT (item 11 )

71. The Committee adopted the draft report presented to it, with some amendments that have been incorporated in the current version.

1. Adoption of the Agenda

2. Election of Rapporteur

3. Follow-up to the recommendations of the fourteenth session of the Committee

4. National progress reports

5. Activities of the research networks:

(a) Forest fire management

(b) Selection of multipurpose species

(c) Silviculture of species: Cedrus sp.

(d) Silviculture of species: Pinuspinea

(e) Selection of stands of Mediterranean conifers for the production of seed to be used in reforestation programmes

6. Mediterranean Forest Action Programme

7. Forestry and environment protection in the Mediterranean countries

8. Other matters

- Future programme of work of the Committee

9. Date and place of next session

10. Election of officers

11. Adoption of the report

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

ALGERIA	CYPRUS
Fateh Mahieddine	Savvas Theophanous
Directeur,	Chief Conservator of Forests
Institut de Recherche	Forestry Department forestière
B.P. 37 Cheraga	Nicosia
42300 Alger	FAX: 45.14.19
FAX: 213 (02) 78.32.11
BULGARIA	EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY
Ognyan Grozev	(Mme) M. Lemasson
Forest Researcher - Dendrochronologist	Administrateur à la Direction Générale de I'Agriculture
Forest Research institute	Direction générale de l'agriculture (DG-VI)
bul, "Kl. Ochridsky" 132	Communauté économique européenne
1756 Sofia	Rue de la Loi, 84
FAX: 359.2.57.69.04	B-1048 Bruxelles, Belgique
Yordan Kurpanov	Aido Siracusa
26 rue Murphy	Administrateur principal
1505 Sofia	Conseil des Communautés européennes
FAX: 359.2.88.53.49	Secrétariat Général
	Rue de la Loi, 170
Valentin Metchev	1048 Bruxelles, Belgique
Sous-directeur à la Proprieté forestière	FAX: 234.66.85
"Jundola"
Velingrad	A. Chevassus
FAX: 359.3.59.43.45	Direction générale de l'agriculture (DG-VI)
	Communauté économique européenne
Spas Todorov	Rue de la Loi, 84
Projetant en chef	B-1048 Bruxelles, Belgique
Firme d'Etat "Agrolesproect"
Sofia, rue "Sofrony" 10
FAX: 359.2.87.32.35
EGYPT	IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
Mamdouh Riad	Mirmohammad Ali Haji Mirsadeghi
Under Secretary for Afforestation	Member of High Council for Forest, Range
Ministry of Agriculture & Land Reclamation	and Soil
Dokki, Cairo	Forest and Range Organization
FAX: 71.49.83	Ministry of Jihad-e-Sazandegi
	P.O. Box 19575/567 Shermiran
FRANCE	Teheran
Yves Cochelin
Adjoint au Directeur de l'Espace Rural et de	Jalil Narimani
la Forêt	Director of Forestry
Direction de l'Espace Rural et de	la Forêt Kordestan Province
Ministère de l'Agriculture et de la Forêt	Forest and Range Organization
78 rue de Varenne	Ministry of Jihad-e-Sazandegi
75349 Paris 07 SP	Teheran
FAX: 33.1.49.55.40.73
	Mahmoud Ghandkar Sarabi
Jean-Jacques Benezit	Afforestation Expert
Chef, Département Développement et	Forest and Range Organization
Actions Internationales	Ministry of Jihad-e-Sazandegi
Office National des forêts	Teheran
2, avenue de St Mandé
75012 Paris	Hamid Reza Leghaee
FAX: 33.1.43.46.19.22	Forestry Expert
	Forest and Range Organization
Pierre Delabraze	Ministry of Jihad-e-Sazandegi
Directeur de recherches, INRA	Teheran
Recherches Forestières Méditerranéennes
Avenue A. Vivaldi	Syroos Mirgalo
F-84000 Avignon	Expert, FAO Office
FAX: 33.90.89.98.73	Ministry of Agricuiture
	Teheran
Helfried Oswald
Directeur de recherches, INRA	ISRAEL
Recherches Forestières Méditerranéennes	Omri Bonneh
Avenue A. Vivaldi	Director, Research & Development
F-84000 Avignon	Forest Department - K.K.L.
FAX: 33.90.89.98.73	P.O. Box 45
	Kiryat-Haim 26103
GREECE
Vaassilios Frangos	ITALY
Acting Director	Riccardo Morandini
Directorate of Forest Resources Development	Director
3-5 Ippokratous Street	Istituto Sperimentale per la Selvicoltura
Athens 10164	Viale Santa Margherita, 80
FAX: 30.1.36.07.138	52100 Arezzo
	FAX: 39.575.35.34.90
Franco Favilli
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie	Abdeslam Omerani
Alimentari e Microbiologiche	Chef du Service des Reboisement et des
Università degli Studi di Firenze	Pepinières Forestières
P.le delle Cascine, 27	Direction des Eaux et Forêts et de la
50144 Firenze	Conservation des Sols
FAX: 39.055~33.04.31	Rabat - Chellah
	FAX: 212.7.76.44.46
Carlo Forteleoni
Directeur de l'Azienda Foreste Demaniali	Omar M'Hirit
Regione Sarda	Professeur de Sylviculture
44, via Trieste	Station de Recherches Forestiers
08100 Nuoro	B.P. 763
FAX: 39.784.23.04.44	Rabat Agdal
	FAX: 212.7.77.11.51
JORDAN
Abdel Muti Mohamad Abdallah Essa	Lahcen Amaoun
Head of Forest Planning and Studies Division	Bureau des Amodiations
Dept. of Forestry and Afforestation	Direction des Eaux et Forêts et de la
P. O. Box 2179	Conservation des Sols
Amman	Rabat - Chellah
FAX: 962.68.34.02
	PORTUGAL
LEBANON	Fernando Mota
Bechara Hoyek	Director-Geral das Florestas
Directeur des Forêts et Ressources Naturelles	Direcçao-Geral das Florestas
Département des Forêts et Ressources	Av. Joao Crisóstomo, 28
Naturelles	1000 Lisboa
Ministère de l'Agriculture	FAX: 351.1.54.14.62
c/o Représentant de la FAO
B. P. 40010	Jorge Casquilho
Baabda	Director do Gabinete de Estudos e
	Planeamento
MALTA	Direccao-Geral das Florestas
George Fenech	Av. Joao Cris6stomo, 28
Agriculture Officer lIA	1000 Lisboa
Department of Agriculture	FAX: 351.1.54.14.62
"Georin" St. Thomas Street
Rabat	José Antonio Neiva Vieira
Malta RBT06	Director do Fomento Florestal e
	Silvo-Pastorícia
MOROCCO	Direccao-Geral das Florestas
Abdelwahab Karmouni	Av. Joao Crisóstomo, 28
Directeur	1000 Lisboa
Direction des Eaux et Forêts et de la	FAX: 351.1.54.14.62
Conservation des Sols
Rabat - Chellah	Raul Manuel Albuquerque Sardinha
FAX: 212.7.76.44.46	Director da Estaçao Florestal Nacional
	Rua do Borja, 2
Elisa Frazão	1300 Lisboa
Assessora Técnica da CNFAO	FAX: 351.1.39.73.163
Comissão Nacional da FAO
Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros	Maria Teresa Cabral
Largo do Rilvas	(Selection of Multipurpose Species)
1354 Lisboa Codex	Investigador Principal
FAX: 351.1.39.65.161	Estaçao Florestal Nacional
	Rua do Borja, 2
Fernando Pessoa	1300 Lisboa
Serviço Nacional de Parques Rec.	FAX: 351.1.39.73.163
Conservação Natureza
Quinta de Marim	Margarida Alpuim
8700 Olhao	(Selection of stands of Mediterranean conifers)
FAX: 351.89.70.41.65	Investigador Auxiliar
	Estaçao Florestal Nacional
Magalhaes Coelho	Rua do Borja, 2
Comissão Nacional da FAO	1300 Lisboa
Ministério dos Negocios Estrangeiros	FAX: 351.1.39.73.163
Largo do Rilvas
1354 Lisboa Codex	Technical Advisers
FAX: 351.1.39.65.161
	António José Vilalobos Santos
Francisco Lopes	Chefe de Divisão da Promoçao Florestal
Chefe da Circumscrisão Florestal de Évora	Direcçao-General das Florestas
Largo Dr. Evaristo Cutileiro, 15	Rua do Telhal, 12
7000 Évora	1100 Lisboa
FAX: 351.66.21.277	FAX: 351.1.57.24.14
José Manuel Duarte Rosendo	Maria de Lurdes Pissarra
Chefe da Circunscrisão Florestal de Faro	Direcçao-Geral das Florestas
Apartado 299	Av. Joao Crisóstomo, 28
8000 Faro	1000 Lisboa
FAX: 351.89.82.40.48	FAX: 351.1.54.14.62
Maria Manuela Soares Baptista	José Manuel Peixoto da Eira
Chefe de Divisão da Defesa e Protesão	Engenheiro Silvicultor
dos Arvoredos	Circumscrisão Florestal do Porto
Av. Joao Crisóstomo, 28	Av. Franca, 291
1000 Lisboa	4000 Porto
FAX: 351.1.54.14.62	FAX: 351.2.82.28.21
Network focal Doints	Maria Adeiaide Germano Fernandes
	Engenheiro Silvicultor
José Moreira da Silva	Direcçao-Geral das Florestas
(Forest Fire Management)	Av. Joao Crisóstomo, 28
Chefe da Circumscrisão Florestal do Porto	1000 Lisboa
Av. Franga, 291	FAX: 351.1.54.14.62
4000 Porto
FAX: 351.2.82.28.21	Maria da Conceicao Paiva de Andrada
	Engenheiro Silvicuitor
Rui Manuel Natário	Direcçao-Geral das Florestas
Direcçao-Geral das Florestas	Av. Joao Crisóstomo, 28
Av. Joao Crisóstomo, 28	1000 Lisboa
1000 Lisboa	FAX: 351.1.54.14.62
FAX: 351.1.54.14.62
Observers	Noureddine Akrimi
	Directeur général
Joao Santos Pereira	Institut des Régions Arides
Professor	4119 Medenine
Instituto Superior de Agronomia	Tunisie
Depart. Engenharia Florestal	FAX: 05.40.435
1395 Lisboa
FAX: 351.1.36.45.000	Mongi Ben M'Hamed
	Sous-Directeur des Aménagements
Ana Ferreira de Almeida	Direction Générale des Forêts
Estaçao Florestal Nacional	Ministère de l'Agriculture
Tapada da Ajuda	30 rue Alain Savary
1300 Lisboa	Tunis- Belvédère 1002
FAX: 351.1.39.73.163
	TURKEY
SPAIN	(Miss) Aydan Alanay
	Specialist of the Foreign Relations and EEC
Gabriel Catalan Bachiller	Coordination Department
Jefe Servicio Material Genético, ICONA	Ministry of Forestry
Gran Via de San Francisco, N° 4	06560 Gazi-Ankara
28005 Madrid	FAX: 90.4.212.39.60
FAX: 91.347.63.03
	Muzaffer Topak
Ricardo Velez	Assistant Director
Jefe del Area de Defensa contra Incendios	Forest Tree Seeds and Improvement Institute
Forestales, ICONA	Post Box 11
Gran Via de San Francisco, N° 4	06560 Gazi-Ankara
28005 Madrid	FAX: 90.4.212.39.60
FAX: 34.1.26.58.379
	Onal Eler
D. Fernando Basurco Alcibar	Director
Consejero Técnico Forestal del INIA	Western Mediterranean Forest Research
Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación	Institute
José Abascal, 56	P.O. Box 264
28003 Madrid	Antalya
	FAX: 90.31.15.14.56
TUNISIA
Amor Ben Romdhane	YEMEN
Représentant permanent auprès de la FAO	Asaad Yousef Asaad
Ambassade de la Tunisie	General Director of Forestry
Via Asmara, 7	P.O. Box 2805
00199 Rome	Sana'a
Italie
	Ahmed Hayel Fras
	Co-Manager, GCP/YEM/015/SWI
	P.O. Box 1867
	Sana'a

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND SPECIALIZED AGENCIES
UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION

Mohamed Skouri
Spécialiste du Programme
Division des Sciences écologiques
Unesco
7, place de Fontenoy
75700 Paris, France
FAX: 33.1.40.65.98.97

WORLD BANK

Colin Holloway
Senior Forester Agriculture and Rural Development Division
Technical Department for the Europe and
Central Asia and the Middle East and North Africa Regions (EMT)
World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433, USA
FAX: 202.477.07.12

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

Manuel Jerónimo Zorro Goncalves
Chefe de Divisão de Observasão Meteorologica
INMG
Rua C - Aeroporto de Lisboa
1700 Lisboa, Portugai
FAX: 351.1.80.23.70

OBSERVERS FROM INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC STUDIES

Piacido Plaza	Alex Dimitrakopoulos	George Lyrintzis
Administrateur Principal	Expert associé	Administrateur Principal
CIHEAM	I.A.M. de Chania	(Enseignant-Coordinateur d'études)
11, rue Newton	B.P. 85	B.P. 852
75116 Paris	73100 Chania	73100 Chania
France	Greece	Greece
	FAX: 30821.81.154	FAX: 30821.81.154

OBSERVERS FROM INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

INTERNATIONAL UNION OF FORESTRY RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS	INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
R. Morandini	Ricardo Marques dos Santos
Directeur	Departamento Florestal do ISA
Istituto Sperimentale per la Selvicoltura	Tapada da Ajuda
Viale Santa Margherita, 80	1399 Lisboa Codex
1-52100 Arezzo	Portugal
Italie	FAX: 351.1.36.45.000
FAX: 39.575.35.34.90

HOST COUNTRY SECRETARIAT

Aurora Verde

Ana Martins Cavaca

Mª Dulce Horta Gomes

Mª Helena Dutra Pires

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

J. P. Lanly
Director, Forest Resources Division
Forestry Department
Rome

Eileen Nolan
Meetings Officer
Forestry Department
Rome

Michel L. Malagnoux
Secretary, Silva Mediterranea C.
Forest Resources Division
Forestry Department
Rome

H. El Lakany
Regional Forestry Officer
FAO Regional Office for the Near East
Cairo

Ahmed Chikhaoui
Officer-in-Charge
Near East and Europe Regions, Operations
Service
Forestry Department
Rome

Interpreters:	A. Ben Ameur
	C. Bekalti
	C. Rayess
	S. Cardno
	S. Ragals
	P. Fournier
	C. Lord
	D. Reyna
	C. Romero

ANNEX C LIST OF DOCUMENTS

Agenda item Code Title

1 FO:SCM/92/1 Provisional Agenda

3 FO:SCM/92/2 Follow-up to the recommendations of the fourteenth

session of the Committee

5 FO:SCM/92/3 Activities of the research networks

5(a) FO:SCM/92/4 - Forest fire management

5(b) FO:SCM/92/5 - Selection of multipurpose species

5(c) FO:SCM/92/6 - Silviculture of species: Cedrus sp.

5(d) FO:SCM/92/7 - Silviculture of species: Pinus pinea

6 FO:SCM/92/9 Mediterranean Forest Action Programme

7 FO:SCM/92/10 The role of the forest in the protection of the

Mediterranean environment

Information documents

FO:SCM/92/lnf. 1 Information Note

FO:SCM/92/lnf. 2 Provisional timetable

FO:SCM/92/lnf. 3 List of documents

Country reports received

Bulgaria	Malta
Cyprus	Morocco
Egypt	Portugal
France	Spain
Islamic Republic of Iran	Tunisia
Israel	Turkey
Italy	Yemen

Secretariat Note

INTRODUCTION

1. The Mediterranean region accounts for about 11 per cent of the world land area, but its forest areas represent less than 3 per cent of the total. The term "Mediterranean forests" in fact covers wooded areas varying in appearance and structure and with only partial plant cover; genuine closed stands, almost all of which are located in the region's northern countries, on the edge or even outside of the Mediterranean influences account for only a small part.

2. The forest managers in Mediterranean countries have always done their best to conserve their forests, making sure that they provided a maximum amount of marketable products, including timber if possible. At the same time, the user populations take the forest products they need for their subsistence and graze their animals in the forests. These different uses are widespread in most of the region, but vary in intensity from country to country.

3. In the last century forest managers took steps to slow down (or even stop) the degradation of mountain lands by erosion, using various mechanical means, especially well-designed reforestation programmes. Land rehabilitation techniques gradually spread throughout the region, and nowadays land rehabilitation also incorporates productivity restoration, desertification control and protection of the environment.

4. It was really early this century that the many roles of the Mediterranean forests and their vital importance for the region's inhabitants were acknowledged. This led to a number of important scientific undertakings which, although still far from completion, are sufficiently advanced to allow us to understand the close interaction between Mediterranean forest ecosystems and their biotopes.

5. The international community's concern for the environment (which emerged in the sixties) quickly focused on the Mediterranean region. FAO had turned its attention to the sustainable development of the Mediterranean region's rural and forestry sectors as early as 1959 when it formulated the Mediterranean Development Project.

6. The aim of the "Man and Biosphere Programme" (MAB), established by Unesco in 1971, is to obtain a better understanding of how ecosystems work and to ensure rational use of their resources, their conservation, and the ecological management of areas under human influence. Some of its activities are geared to the Mediterranean, especially its projects on arid areas, the role of irrigation and natural resource conservation.

7. Mediterranean coastal countries, concerned about the degradation of the Mediterranean and its coasts, decided in 1975 to launch a "plan of action" and sign a "Convention on the Protection of the Mediterranean against Pollution". Concern quickly spread from the sea to its shores and the hinterland, and from physical to socio-economic matters. The operational tools of the United Nations Environment Programme's Plan of Action for the Mediterranean are the "Priority Action Programme", focusing on a number of practical, environment-related activities, and the "BIue Plan for the Mediterranean", aimed at exploring the evolution of relationships among populations, and with natural resources, the environment and development.

8. The CORINE Programme, set up in 1985 to collect and coordinate data on the state of the environment and natural resources in the EEC countries, includes a component on environment protection in the Mediterranean region: land quality and use, soil erosion, water availability and quality, seismic risks, and the changes in coastal areas.

9. Several other programmes have been set up under national or international organizations. Whatever their initial aim, all of them have gradually introduced a component on the impact and role of woodlands in protecting the environment and improving the quality of life.

10. The aim of this note is to rapidly review the state and problems of the Mediterranean forest, analyse the impact of the forest on the environment, on economic activities (agricultural or forestry, industrial or urban) and on the forest, and put forward guidelines for the strengthening of regional cooperation concerning the interaction of the Mediterranean forest with the environment.

I. THE MEDITERRANEAN FOREST: SITUATION AND PROBLEMS

11. The Mediterranean basin has always been an area of intermingling cultures and mobile human communities. Such mobility quickly created needs and the region's trees and forests were soon a source of great envy. Under the joint influence of human intervention and climatic change, Mediterranean forests became smaller and smaller, losing biomass and floristic diversity.

12. The numerous human factors responsible for this degradation may appear contradictory: more land for crops in one place and abandoned farmland in another; growing pressure on forests and pastures from cattle (but mostly from sheep and goats in the southern and eastern Mediterranean), while in the north grazing under open forests being neglected; increasing tourism and urbanization of the Mediterranean forests. There is fierce competition for land (particularly as a result of land speculation by tourism and building promoters). In short, the responsibility for this degradation lies in a lack of forest management.

13. The current state of Mediterranean forests and wooded areas has been amply dealt with in the document presenting the Mediterranean Forest Action Programme. Actual forest areas are not well documented, firstly because inventories, especially in the southern and eastern parts of the basin, are not made often or regularly, and secondly, because the Mediterranean forest is extremely varied and can only be satisfactorily documented through a series of inventories specially geared to the different formations.

14. Thirty years ago the region's forest lands were estimated at 85 million hectares, and actual forest cover at 20 million hectares. FAO's assessment of world forestry resources in 1980 puts forest areas at 81 million ha. There is no doubt that there are fewer and fewer forests with a tree cover of over 10 per cent, because reforestation efforts, particularly in the northern part of the region, can hardly keep pace with the forest degradation and deforestation in the south and east.

15. The Mediterranean forest has also become poorer as regards diversity, and the loss of many ecosystems and species is now a major source of concern. Woodlands have been lost through different types of encroachment - the search by southern farmers for new arable land, desertification in the south and east, and the degradation of existing stands have all played their part in impoverishing the Mediterranean genetic heritage. Of course we do not know exactly how many indigenous plants have been lost. However, it is estimated that in Mediterranean coastal areas alone more than 3 000 of the 5 000 remaining species are rare, vulnerable or endangered. Furthermore, we do not exactly know all the varieties, but the loss and degradation of woodlands has certainly caused their number to fall.

Type of problems currently facing the Mediterranean forest

16. The situation described above is the result of the different uses of and pressures on the Mediterranean forest: still exerted today, these are factors which combine with the region's

characteristic climatic features (relatively sunny and arid, specific weather conditions) to further aggravate the situation.

17. Agriculture: Agriculture now exerts little pressure on forests in the northern part of the region. In fact it is declining, and close to 1 million hectares of marginal agricultural land are now lying fallow and gradually being taken over by scrub (this poses problems where development, management and conservation are concerned). In the south and east, on the other hand, large human populations still surround and continue to depend on the forests for their livelihood. In Tunisia they enjoy the advantages of special social policies, and in Turkey special measures grant them land ownership or use rights.

18. Grazing: All types of forest formation may come under strong pressure from domestic animals. These sizeable herds, in the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean basin, may either be part of the rural economy and perfectly integrated in tree and forest management, or elements of forest degradation.

19. In northern countries, especially Portugal and Spain, where simple grazed ecosystems, composed of grasslands under the cover of high, open woody vegetation have existed for some time, the impact of domestic animals is kept under control. The move away from grazing under forests, particularly in France, has led to uncontrolled growth of under storey vegetation which, in turn, has led to more frequent and fierce forest fires. In utilization programmes for the woody biomass of the Mediterranean undergrowth, the rational use of browsing can be a very effective tool against the build-up of combustible brush.

20. In southern and eastern Mediterranean countries, on the other hand, over-use made of this fodder in many cases leads to forest destruction, soil compaction or loosening and sterilization. At one time some countries took steps to reduce pressure by goat herds; attempts to eliminate goats in order to protect the natural environment in Yugoslavia failed elsewhere, due to the significant socio-economic role still played by this poor farmer's livestock.

21. Fires: Many factors contribute to the outbreak and spread of fires in Mediterranean forests. Every year forest fires affect more than 500 000 ha in the northern part of the basin, as well as large tracts in the Maghreb and the eastern Mediterranean. The main causes are:

- the Mediterranean region's specific climatic features (long, hot, dry summers and dessicating winds in each sub-region cause atmospheric humidity to fall quickly and drastically), conditions which have been particularly severe in the past two decades;

- the vegetation - rich in essential oils and a major fuel producer (in the maquis and thickets) contributes to the outbreak and rapid spread of fire in poorly-managed areas;

- the combination of land use systems (particularly pastoral systems and tourism, which are making inroads into the countryside) and weather conditions (when temperatures and drought are at their summer peaks).

22. Data for the period 1982 to 1986, set out in tables 1 and 2, show that fires are one of the main causes of forest degradation (the table stops in 1988 as the statistics for subsequent years are incomplete).

Table 1. Number of forest fires

Country	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988
Algeria*	638	990	562	747	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Cyprus	97	55	76	74	50	62	86
Spain	6 443	4 880	7 224	12 837	7 713	8 679	9 262
France	5 308	4 659	5 672	6 249	5 000	2 115 **	2 200**
Greece	1 045	968	1 284	1 442	1 210	1 266	1 650
Israel	1 117	1 233	908	834	600	1 035	1 334
Italy	9 557	7 956	8 482	18 664	9 387	11 972	13 542
Libya*	-	3	3	3	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Jordan	58	73	48	41	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Morocco	(185 fires/year average 1982- 1985)
Portugal	3 567	4 503	6 377	7 218	4 437	6 977	9 678
Tunisia	73	145	121	77	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.
Turkey	951	698	1 433	1 793	1 528	1 310	1 372
Yugoslavia	1 063	1 080	729	1 514	1 108	n.a.	n.a.

Table 2. Total area burnt

Country	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988
Algeria	9 381	221 367	4 731	4 668	n.a	n.a	n.a
Cyprus	7 512	3 718	3 771	4 965	1 650	1 550	4 083
Spain	51 644	117 599	164 546	486 328	284 450	145 793	126 968
France	55 145	53 729	27 202	57 368	50 000	10 393**	5 174**
Greece	27 372	19 613	33 655	105 450	23 286	46 315	100 000
Israel	130 239	233 728	78 326	189 896	86 407	120 697	186 405
Libya*	n.a.	1	3	43	n.a	n.a	n.a
Jordan*	215	319	139	38	n.a	n.a	n.a
Lebanon	(1 200 ha/year 1982-1985)
Morocco	1 818	17 730	1 423	1 888	n.a	n.a	n.a
Portugal	39 557	47 812	52 713	145 255	108 500	76 268	25 829
Syria	(1 500 ha/year average, 1982-1985)
Tunisia	1 613	4139	1 287	396	n.a	n.a	n.a
Turkey	4 018	3 556	7 358	26 007	11 296	10 746	18 210
Yugoslavia	19 358	20 585	10 314	42 791	24 563	n.a	n.a

23. The diversity of Mediterranean forest formations and the wealth of species they contain combine with other factors to make the Mediterranean environment attractive and encourage tourists to visit the forests. By bringing the maquis under control and developing adequate infrastructure, forest management makes the Mediterranean forest more easily penetrable; fire control measures, which break fuel concentration, also open up the forest. All this not only results in more accessible forests and a rise in tourism, a necessary adaptation of silviculture and forest management, and the installation of facilities in popular areas; it also sharply increases the risk of fire.

24. Land speculation in forests or woodlands is not specific to the Mediterranean region, but it has intensified following the rise in tourism pressure with its implicit need for housing. More and more second homes are also being built in the Mediterranean region in addition to the direct human presence.

25. The combination of all the above factors is responsible for the current state of Mediterranean forests, (which varies from north to south). In the south, the populations use the forests mainly for subsistence and rural development, while in the north, tourism, real estate investment and infrastructure predominate. In the section below we shall look at how the Mediterranean forest in its present state continues to act as stabilizer of the natural environment and how it is affected by the environmental aggressiveness of human activities and settlements.

Il. THE MEDITERRANEAN FOREST, ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION

2.1 Biodiversitv conservation

26. The Mediterranean forest's heterogeneous composition and structure and the wealth of its flora were acquired as it developed over the geological ages and under the effect of considerable climatic change. Other contributing factors were its geographical isolation, the variety of ecological conditions and the many different human interventions which occurred over time. lt possesses many more species and plant associations than do temperate forests; the number and variety of local site conditions and opportunities for cross-fertilization have led to inter- and intra-specific diversities and an extremely rich and complex, but sometimes fragile, genetic heritage.

27. Although large tracts of Mediterranean forest have now disappeared and many species have probably been lost forever, many relict stands, important for genetic and biodiversity preservation, have been saved throughout the region. Production-oriented management of several million hectares of Mediterranean forests in the north (Cyprus, Spain, France, Greece, Italy and Portugal) provides a firm guarantee that the most important economic species will be saved. The same may be said to some extent with respect to the Maghreb countries and Turkey, despite the pressure exerted on these countries' forests by very dense rural populations.

28. Protected areas such as national parks, sanctuaries and natural reserves existing under different legal provisions must be preserved at all costs. While this may not be the only way of safeguarding biodiversity, such areas do provide certain guarantees of permanence, even though they do not account for more than 1 per cent of forest lands. This protection must be agreed with the local populations, and they must either participate in these activities or else be compensated for non-use of the land.

29. Mediterranean forest management should help maintain biodiversity at different levels - (i) by making sure that stands are protected (by promoting forestry as a land use option); (ii) by promoting silvicultural methods which ensure specific stand diversity; (iii) by controlling the fire factor; and finally (iv) by perfecting techniques which ensure natural or artificial regeneration, despite unfavorable socio-economic and climatic conditions.

30. The numerous challenges of maintaining biodiversity concern all plant strata - the herb, shrub and tree. Some tree species (e.g. cedars, some junipers and pines) deserve particular attention and special programmes should be designed for them. Special attention should also be paid to multipurpose broadleaf species to maintain and enhance their presence in all types of land use, and to protect significantly large areas where stands of these species are found.

31. The latest IUCN surveys indicate that all types of protected area (national parks, nature reserves, natural monuments, sanctuaries, ...) in the Mediterranean would cover 27 737 000 ha, distributed as follows:

- south-western Europe: 9 948 000 ha

- south-eastern Europe: 2 134 200 ha

- eastern Mediterranean: 96 400 ha

- Middle East: 7 642 000 ha

- North Africa: 2 298 000 ha

- Arabian Peninsula: 5 619 000 ha

32. This total represents a mere 2 per cent of the area of the region and includes very different kinds of area. It should be noted that only parts of the protected areas of certain European Mediterranean countries are truly Mediterranean, some protected areas in the Middle East, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula being tracts of desert. The effectiveness of conservation measures also varies widely depending on the country and on the surveillance facilities available.

33. The Mediterranean forest also plays a major role in preserving animal biodiversity. Surviving forest stands or protected areas continue to offer protection to a rich, typically Mediterranean fauna. The moufflons and bears of the Pyrenees and Yugoslavia are well-known examples. However, there are many other species which only survive today because there are still forests in the areas where they live. The time has come to take stock of the situation and plan comprehensive action for the conservation of all the fauna of the Mediterranean forests and maquis.

2. 2 Impact on the climate

34. There are two ways in which forest and climate interact - the climate has a local and regional influence on the forest and the forest influences micro- and regional climates.

35. The climate and micro-climate act on the floristic composition of forest formations. The Mediterranean climate (characterized by high temperatures and long periods of sunlight) is ideal for evergreen broadleaved species which thrive in the region, and at the same time suits a large number of coniferous species. Relief and the direction of the main winds combine to create local ecological niches which favour the presence of one or another type of plant formation.

36. The forest, in turn, acts on the climate, creating micro-climates. The forest's impact on the climate in general has not yet been clearly specified. We may nevertheless easily accept the theory whereby factors such as density, size, rugosity, photosynthetic activity and evapotranspiration may have a real effect on climate. Mediterranean forests which have been broken up and lack continuity would seem to have little impact on the climate in general, which is mainly influenced by air circulation, the convergence of temperate and tropical air, the surrounding desert areas and the hot air winds to which they can give rise.

37. The action of Mediterranean forests on the micro-climate is easy to demonstrate through local geographical examples. Stand evolution, forest management and logging (particularly felling patterns) may have a significant impact on the local climate.

38. Evapotranspiration (i.e. forest loss of water vapour) and the position of the stands vis-à-vis wind-borne air masses (particularly when relief is irregular) are all very important factors, capable of bringing about significant changes in temperature and rainfall in the Mediterranean region. All these effects depend on site conditions and stand composition, structure and density, and forest management should take all this into account.

39. The Mediterranean forest is affected by sporadic climate changes. Given the specific conditions in the region, a reduction in rainfall and any sudden rise in temperature have rapidly perceptible effects and, in particular, increase the risk of fire. The trend over the past two decades has been rather negative in this respect.

40. Bearing in mind its relatively limited biomass, the Mediterranean forest's contribution to the greenhouse effect is probably small despite the many fires. Studies on the amount of carbon monoxide produced by forest fires in the Mediterranean basin are few and far between. A project in Portugal in cooperation with FAO³ estimated that Portuguese forest fires produced between 200,000 and 440,000 tonnes of CO²: (averaging 9 to 15 tonnes per ha burnt) and only 1 per cent of this amount in carbon monoxide. It is difficult to link these quantities to an effect on the climate (even locally), or to any impact on the populationt's health. In the overall context of an increasingly polluted atmosphere, forest authorities should nevertheless take this into account with a view to keeping greenhouse gas emissions by the forest biomass down to a minimum.

41. The Mediterranean region could contribute significantly to atmospheric carbon fixation if the Mediterranean lands no longer used for agriculture were recolonised by the forest and appropriate reforestation or plant cover reconstitution programmes conducted on fallows and degraded pasture land in the southern part of the basin.

2.3 The Mediterranean forest, water and soil conservation and desertification control

42. Vegetation in general, and the forest in particular, have several roles to play in the water cycle and water retention. First of all, vegetation helps to disperse incoming rainwater, thus reducing its kinetic energy and diminishing the rain's eroding force. This action is nevertheless incomplete, as the drops of unevaporated water which drip from the forest foliage are usually larger than raindrops, and so beat more heavily. The underbrush also intervenes (at another level) to disperse the initial rain, channelling thin trickles of water along the tree trunks (the denser the underbrush, the more efficient it is in this role). Finally, the forest litter and young humus absorb residual water and limit lateral run-off.

43. Mediterranean forests' floristic composition, structure and density have a natural soil-protecting, water-retention function. The undergrowth is often thick, in both broadleaved and coniferous forest. Conifers are perhaps not as effective as broadleaf species and often grow on less stable soils, but their deep litter can provide good soil protection. In addition to this protection, due to the intrinsic structure of the stands, it must be pointed out also that high-altitude forests in the upper watershed or along rivers indirectly provide soil protection as well.

44. Biological soil protection is less effective. Indeed, whilst the spontaneous formation of humus on bare, mineral soil in the Mediterranean environment is not impossible, it is at least an extremely slow process, necessitating particularly favourable topographical and micro-climatic conditions. When forest cover already exists, the roots of the trees sometimes descend deep down beyond the soil layer proper (causing the parent rock to break up) to get their mineral elements. As the litter decomposes, these elements are released at the surface. Mineral and plant organisms and micro-organisms draw their sustenance from this layer and thus the soil reconstitutes itself - slowly but surely. While trees near agricultural land do compete with crops for water, many return to the soil the nutrients and elements that the crops remove.

45. The fact that Mediterranean forests are prone to fire affects their soil conservation capacity. It is generally accepted that one wildfire does not cause serious soil damage. It may, on the contrary, improve humus mineralisation and reduce soil acidity. However, repeated, intense fires finally make the soil sterile.

2.4 The role of the Mediterranean forest in protecting the human environment

46. If only in size alone (they extend over millions of hectares), Mediterranean forests have always played a vital role in human welfare, and today they have an increasingly important role in land management, leisure and tourism.

47. Mediterranean culture is strongly influenced by trees and forests. Domestic trees such as olive, date or carob, multiple-purpose trees such as cork oak and chestnut or the many pines and other softwoods which provide timber, cork, resins, tannins and food products, have a marked socio-economic impact, impregnating the culture of the entire region. Research efforts to identify and describe the thousand and one food and medicinal products, of which the Mediterranean species are an inexhaustible source, have been launched.

48. Mediterranean forests not only support the major rural activities - agriculture and livestock production particularly sheep and goats - they also shape other sectors of human activity. The everyday articles and "objets d'art", which are a clear cultural expression of Mediterranean people, depend heavily on the properties of Mediterranean woods such as briar, oak and chestnut.

49. The different natural formations must be preserved through the use of management models (integrated conservation, nature reserves, biosphere reserves, protection and production forests), thus retaining the essential aspects of the relationship between Mediterranean man and his forest. Some of the nature parks and classified biosphere reserves in the region, including historical and natural treasures, also help to preserve Mediterranean values.

50. Of foremost importance is the scientific interest of Mediterranean woodlands. They offer biologists, ecologists, geographers, geologists, soil scientists, climatologists and even historians and archeologists the material for basic or applied research. By knowing more about ecosystems, the biosphere and the mechanisms of human life and societies, we will be in a position to better understand and control our environment.

51. The region, the western Mediterranean in particular, possesses wetlands of considerable biological importance and great strategic significance for migrating birds. The region must be prepared to make sacrifices to preserve these areas through long-term legal protection, and ensure that the water cycles on which they depend continue unhindered.

52. The Mediterranean forest harbours tree species which, in rows, or groves in city squares or along Roman or modern roadways, characteristically stamp the Mediterranean landscape. Throughout the region remnants of natural forest and man-made stands form an integral part of the landscape, especially in periurban areas. The high percentage of evergreen species in the Mediterranean flora is a useful asset given the role of trees and forests in enhancing the region's landscape. The characteristic rounded or parasol-shaped crowns of the pines and the tall, straight cypresses have considerable aesthetic impact under the pure blue skies, and make the region's landscapes unique in their appeal.

53. In addition to their aesthetic value, woodlands also have a role to play in tourism. Tourists from the world over have long been drawn to Mediterranean coasts. Indeed, the basin's northern shores are now being seriously degraded owing to overcrowding for several months of the year. Fires also frequently sweep through these areas, threatening their very existence. The same kind of harmful environmental pressure is also being exerted on the Mediterranean's southern shores and on several Near Eastern countries, albeit to a lesser degree. The Mediterranean sea is the major attraction, but the region's woodlands are also popular.

54. While tourism is a necessary source of income for the local communities and populations concerned, it also creates ticklish problems because sites frequented by tourists cannot easily be used for other purposes. If these sites are fragile they tend to degrade easily and sometimes irreversibly. It is impossible to get ever-growing and increasingly demanding crowds to obey restrictions and limitations unless there is some kind of incentive. If the aim is to protect much-frequented woodlands, tourists should be channelled to specially-adapted and equipped areas (even if these areas lose some of their natural charm as a result). But how would the problem of cost, i.e. financing, be dealt with in such a case? (Mass tourism does not easily accept to pay for air, space, sunshine and a stroll in the forest; and even if the financial problems were to be resolved, technical problems would still remain). For instance, how can the constraints brought about by tourist development be made compatible with the forest's other functions and with the needs of the people who live there permanently?

55. The forest's recreational function is expanding from year to year (this is particularly noticeable on the forest's edge and in the vicinity of urban concentrations). The presence of natural or man-made forests (if the former are unavailable) is becoming essential for the physical and emotional well-being of people whose everyday way of life and environment are sources of psychic pressures and constraints. The more our towns are filled with concrete and automobiles, the more polluted they become, the more difficult they are to move about in, and the greater the need for trees and green belts to offset such depressing living conditions. The more the outskirts of these towns are transformed into ecological deserts through human action, the more essential it becomes to protect and regenerate or replace remaining woodlands by attractive green belts. The authorities necessarily accord a certain priority to this type of silviculture (which they consider socially advantageous in the short term), but of course local visitors pose exactly the same problems as tourists.

56. While on the subject of the forest's recreational function, mention must be made of hunting in the forest. People have not had to hunt for food for survival for a long time in the industrialized countries. This is more recent in the developing Mediterranean countries, but hunting is criticized and strongly opposed by large numbers of the population. Undeniably, hunting does play a cathartic role in "letting off steam", as well as offering recreation.

57. Unless forest hunting is managed and controlled, it soon leads to the extinction of edible game animals and imbalances among the wildlife, as links in the food chain disappear. Where hunting is managed (and, inevitably, "de-natured"), it can help to preserve the biological balance and resource renewal of an ecosystem. The technical necessity to reserve parts of the forest for rebuilding the game population (in other words to set aside a large enough area where the animals may reproduce and find food) has enabled many species (even those of no interest to hunters) to survive. Such a system may contradict the forest's other functions, but it provides a reasonable source of income which may be used to pay for forest management.

Ill. THE MEDITERRANEAN FOREST AND THE ENVIRONMENT: BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR ACTION

58. The links between the forest and the environment have been amply dealt with on numerous occasions; this note has merely attempted to draw attention to particular aspects of the matter in the Mediterranean region. The emerging trends are:

(i) the fact that forest areas in the region's northern countries can be expanded. This should be controlled and plant biomasses obtained through reforestation of agricultural land more efficiently managed;

(ii) the fact that fire is likely to be a crucial element in the future of forest ecosystems throughout the region;

(iii) the Mediterranean forest will continue to play a major role in environmental protection and continued rural productivity;

(iv) finally, trees and forests will play an ever greater role in the preservation of a balanced landscape and in the expansion of tourism and leisure activities.

The region must of course be made aware of the value and importance of the forest, but it is even more vital to draw attention to the importance of the environment and to the need to safeguard the productivity of Mediterranean lands.

59. Countries must take coherent and sustainable action, strengthened by bilateral cooperation (between neighbours) and regional cooperation. The goal is environmentally sound forestry development. The lines along which such action should be based are set out in the paragraphs below.

60. Current resources should be developed in such a way that their sustainability and future productivity are not jeopardized and yet will benefit the current generation. The notion of sustainable development applied to Mediterranean forest management implies good knowledge and careful management of existing forest resources, as well as the reforestation of eroded forest land, wasteland and degraded areas unsuitable for crops. Sustainable development also implies action in forestry-related sectors to reduce the pressure on the forest, uncontrolled deforestation and pollution harmful to forest ecosystems.

61. One essential aspect of sustainable forest development is the need to ensure its inclusion in a clear and well-established land use system. In a context where land use is changing in many parts of the region, stabilization measures should take sufficient account of lands suitable for forestry and of the role of trees and forests in the enhancement of other land uses and in desertification control.

62. There are a number of ways in which trees and forests may be used. Forest management and development should bear these aspects in mind - multiplicity of species and storeys; different functions

and services; variety and compatibility of production. The Mediterranean forest tradition is well established in this respect, but it will be necessary to confirm the principle and extend it to the new functions that the forest will have to fulfil.

63. Greatly enhanced provincial responsibility in the northern countries, greater democratisation and the liberation of the energies and initiatives of the people are elements which favour community participation in forestry activities. International, regional and local programmes should strengthen the participatory approach in the Mediterranean region; for example, forest fire prevention and control are key areas for local participation in forest resource development and conservation.

64. It is inefficient to separate natural resource development and conservation from environmental protection activities. Development activities should not only be tested in terms of their economic and financial effectiveness, but also in terms of their impact on the environment and natural resources. Forest industries should be judged on the basis of their ability to absorb the unemployed (especially young people and women), as well as on the air and water pollution they may cause. Furthermore, conservation and environmental protection work should directly or indirectly benefit the local economy.

IV. CONCLUSIONS

65. Like the world's other forests, the Mediterranean forest is a valuable and original asset well worth developing and preserving. As this note has sought to show, its major role in environmental protection and sustainable development should be preserved and promoted, especially through the Mediterranean Forest Action Programme. The points below are put forward in an attempt to guide the Committee's discussions on the Mediterranean forest and environment.

1. How do the new socio-economic developments threaten or favour the Mediterranean forest?

2. What exactly are the effects of air and water pollution on Mediterranean forests and how can a stop be put to them?

3. What type and scope of programme should be run in order to learn more about the current state of and trends in forest ecosystems?

4. What additional programmes for the establishment of protected areas should be run to ensure better protection for the region's forest formations?

5. What role can FAO and Silva Mediterranea play in cooperation with the regional and international institutions concerned in support of national efforts in the face of changing land use and regional development systems and increasing pressure from urban growth and tourism on forest lands?

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Algeria	Malta
Bulgaria	Morocco
Cyprus	Portugal
Egypt	Romania
France	Saudi Arabia
Greece	Spain
Islamic Republic of Iran	the Sudan
Iraq	the Syrian Arab Republic
Israel	Tunisia
Italy	Turkey
Jordan	Yemen
Lebanon	Yugoslavia
the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

M/U6973E/6-92/260

² This version of the Secretariat Note has been changed in accordance with the observations and modifications proposed by the Committee.

³ Forest fires and the environment. Working paper No. 15, p. 4/2, FAO/UTF/POR-001/POR project.