Restoration key to healthy Mediterranean forests

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has published a special issue of its Unasylva journal on the restoration of Mediterranean forests, which are increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change and human activity. 

Unasylva 255 - Restoring the Mediterranean region: status and challenges, explores, through 13 expert articles, the extent of ecosystem restoration in the region over recent years, the advances and the challenges, as well as the tools and approaches that can help increase the quality and quantity of restoration work. 

“This edition of Unasylva is a unique opportunity for the Mediterranean community to present their collaborative work on ecosystem restoration and highlight the dynamism of a region whose activities are based on strong cooperation among countries and partners,” said Zhimin Wu, Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.

The importance of Mediterranean forest ecosystems

Mediterranean forests cover about 10 percent of the total area of Mediterranean countries, or 88 million hectares. Although this represents only 2 percent of the world’s forest area, Mediterranean forests are home to almost 25 000 native plant species, more than half of which are endemic to the region, making the Mediterranean basin a biodiversity hotspot. 

The region’s forests are also a vital source of forest foods, renewable biomaterials and energy, contribute to the carbon and water cycles, boost soil fertility, and provide opportunities for livelihoods and ecotourism, while reducing the risks and impacts of drought, desertification, soil erosion, landslides, wildfires and floods.

But the Mediterranean is also home to 7 percent of the world’s population, and pressure on natural resources together with the growing impact of climate change has led to degraded land that is slow to recover.

Supporting and scaling up efforts to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of the Mediterranean forest ecosystems contributes to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the Bonn Challenge, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 15 (Life on land), and the target to increase forest area globally by 3 percent by 2030 set by Global Forest Goal 1 of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030. 

The importance of partnerships and collaboration

The 13 articles include case studies from across the region and are organized into three sections focusing on the past and current regional dynamics, the key topics related to Mediterranean restoration, and the future of restoration efforts in the region. 

The articles present some countries’ perspectives on the role of restoration in the region and highlight key issues such as fire management and post-fire restoration. They also explore topics that require regional attention such as the role of youth and women in the region’s forestry sector, and the need to better monitor and communicate about restoration activities. 

The special issue outlines how partnerships and unique platforms have evolved in recent years, culminating in the Mediterranean region being recognized this year by the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration as a World Restoration Flagship, providing inspiration to other countries and regions for scaling up successful restoration efforts.

Mediterranean Forest Week

The new Unasylva issue provides key information ahead of the 8th Mediterranean Forest Week taking place 4-8 November 2024 in Barcelona, Spain, where Mediterranean countries, experts, and stakeholders will discuss the integrated management of Mediterranean forest ecosystems. 

Past Mediterranean Forest Weeks have seen Mediterranean countries reinforce their commitment to restoration in the region, including the endorsement of the 2017 Agadir Commitment to restore 8 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, and the 2022 Antalya Declaration, which called for increased restoration efforts and collaboration to address shared environmental and climate challenges.

First published in 1947, Unasylva is FAO’s international journal on forestry and forest industries and is the Organization’s longest running periodical. 

Special issues on Mediterranean forests have previously been published in 1999, celebrating 50 years of cooperation in Mediterranean forestry, and in 2014, analysing efforts and initiatives to preserve and valorise the numerous services of the Mediterranean forest ecosystems under threat.