New focus on Europe’s forests, July 2002

Forest Focus is a new programme proposed by the European Commission and the European Parliament to monitor and safeguard Europe's forests. Building on existing initiatives concerning the impact of air pollution and forest fires, it aims to ensure that Europe's forests are better protected and that people's awareness of the environmental significance of forests is increased.

Background

The LUCAS survey carried out during May and June 2001 in 13 of the 15 EU Member States showed that woodland is the predominant type of land cover in the EU and agriculture is the main type of land use. According to the summary (Statistics in Focus: Land Use-Land Cover: LUCAS 2001 Primary Results), woodland covers some 37% of the 13 Member States surveyed (c 1.1 million km2). The amount of cover varies between countries: more than 60% of both Finland and Sweden are forested, and between them they account for 44% of all forest cover in the 13 Member States concerned. It is estimated that the Union's forthcoming enlargement will increase the amount of forested land.

Definitions of 'forest' vary. The proposal for Forest Focus says that it:

'may consist either of closed forest formations where trees of various storeys and undergrowth cover a high proportion of the ground; or of open forest formations with a continuous vegetation cover in which tree crown cover exceeds 10 percent. Young natural stands and all plantations established for forestry purposes which have yet to reach a crown density of 10 percent or tree height of 5m are included under forest, as are areas normally forming part of the forest area which are temporarily unstocked as a result of human intervention or natural causes, but which are expected to revert to forest.'

Although little now remains of Europe's original forests, forested areas still fulfil important economic, social and ecological roles. They provide a source of timber, areas for leisure activity, and host considerable biodiversity. They also have a role to play as indicators of environmental quality, in preventing soil erosion and desertification, and acting as carbon sinks (i.e. removing greenhouse gases; it is calculated that between 1990 and 1999 forest growth was able to bind an annual average of 14% of the Union's CO2 emissions). Given current concerns about global warming, and the EU's commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, forested areas are becoming increasingly important for tackling CO2 emissions.

Woodland as a % of land cover (source: Statistics in Focus: Land Use-Land Cover: LUCAS 2001 Primary Results)

Forest and other wooded land (1000 ha; source: Statistics in Focus: Forest and environment)

Share of wooded land in the EU 1990-1999 (%; source: Press release: Sustainable management of EU forests)

Forests and their ecosystems are under threat from numerous sources, including air pollution, climatic change, attacks from parasites and diseases, and fires (91% of all forest fires in the EU occur in the Mediterranean area). Losses of woodland from such causes can seriously reduce the volume and quality of timber available and limits forests' ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

Protecting forests and ensuring their sustainable management is therefore seen as an increasingly important issue for the European Union.

The first initiative aimed at forests was launched in 1986 by the Commission's Agriculture DG, when a system for monitoring the impact of atmospheric pollution was established - prompted by the damage caused to pine forests in northern Europe. That was followed in 1992 by a system for monitoring forest fires - which had caused significant problems for woodland in southern Europe. Both Regulation 3528/86 on the protection of the Community's forests against atmospheric pollution and Regulation 2158/92 on the protection of the Community's forests against fire will expire at the end of 2002.

Forests are highlighted in the Nature and Biodiversity Chapter of the EU's Sixth Environment Action Programme (6EAP). The 6EAP notes the need to monitor biodiversity, fully develop the potential of forests as carbon sinks, and to develop an EU soil strategy. It acknowledges the need for forests to be monitored in line with recommendations adopted by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe and the United Nations Forum on Forests, Convention on Biodiversity, and other international fora.

The proposed Forest Focus Regulation

Forest Focus is intended to protect the Union's forests by monitoring the impact of environmental factors, through the collection of harmonised data. The draft text - Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation concerning monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the Community (Forest Focus) - states that the initiative will be based on four pillars:

• monitoring the effects of air pollution on forests
• monitoring forest fires
• evaluating and developing forest ecosystems monitoring activities
• developing appropriate monitoring methods and establishing new monitoring activities covering forest biodiversity, soils, climate change and carbon sequestration

Although based in part on the two existing Regulations concerned with air pollution and forest fires, Forest Focus extends the range of monitoring activities to include the collection of data required to monitor other key environmental issues. Overall, Forest Focus will:

• monitor the effects of natural and human induced stresses on the forest ecosystems
• raise awareness of the condition of Europe's forests
• monitor forest resources in the context of sustainable development

As part of the programme, a new Scientific Co-ordination Body will be established by the Commission within the Joint Research Centre. The Body will be responsible for organising data collection and assessment, and for setting up and running a 'Community data platform'.

The Commission will be assisted by the European Environment Agency and is expected to co-operate with pan-European and international organisations, such as ICP Forests, in order to ensure a coherent approach to monitoring and to avoid overlaps.

It is envisaged that the proposed programme will initially run for six years: from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2008. The Commission will submit a progress report to the European Parliament and Council every three years, starting in June 2006 (covering 2003-2005). It is envisaged that a proposal for extending the programme will be submitted in 2009. National programmes must initially be submitted to the Commission within 30 days of the Regulation entering into force, and subsequently 'before 1 November in the year preceding the commencement date of each 3 year period.'

In addition to the 15 EU Member States, Forest Focus will be open to the 13 Candidate Countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey.

Forest Focus will have a budget of €13 million per year for 2003-2006 (a total of €52m); for the period 2007-2008 the annual amount might be increased. Participating countries would be expected to contribute 50% towards activities undertaken as part of national programmes.

Announcing the initiative, Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström said:

'Forests cover more than a third of the EU's surface. They are vital for our livelihood. They are not only a source of raw material for the timber industry, but they also serve important functions as reservoirs of bio-diversity and as carbon sinks that lessen the effects of climate change. By protecting our forests we safeguard economic opportunities as well as our natural heritage.'

Further information within European Sources Online:

Further and subsequent information on the subject of this In Focus can be found by an 'Advanced Search' in European Sources Online by inserting 'forests' or another appropriate term in the keyword field.

European Sources Online: Topic Guides
	The Environmental Policy of the European Union
	European Commission adopts Sixth Environmental Action Programme, 24 January 2001
European Sources Online: European Voice
	01.05.97:	Power struggle hinders efforts to create coherent forestry strategy
	04.06.98:	Management of EU forests under attack
	19.11.98:	Plea over forests pollution threat
	22.04.99:	Growing support for good forest care
	16.07.01:	Profit and preservation: Swedes lead by example

Further information can be seen in these external links:
(long-term access cannot be guaranteed)

European Commission, DG Press and Communication
	Press releases
	19.07.02:	Environment: Commission proposes new scheme to protect Europe's forests
European Commission, DG Environment
	Homepage
	COM (2002) 404: Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation concerning monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the Community (Forest Focus)
European Commission, Eurostat
	Homepage
	Statistics in Focus: Forest and environment
	Statistics in Focus: Forestry: Wood and wood-based products
	Statistics in Focus: Land Use-Land Cover: LUCAS 2001 Primary Results
	Press release: Sustainable management of EU forests
Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe
	Homepage
United Nations
	Homepage
	Convention on Biodiversity
	Forum on Forests

Eric Davies
KnowEurope Researcher
Compiled: 20-21 July 2002

Forest Focus is a new programme proposed by the European Commission and the European Parliament to monitor and safeguard Europe's forests.