Published:
22 May 2008 - Forests are home to a large
number of the plant and animal species and
therefore closely linked to the overall
state of biodiversity in Europe. On the
World Biodiversity Day, 22 May, the European
Environment Agency draws attention to the
growing demand for forest resources, including
for bioenergy, which will exert greater
pressures on forest biodiversity.
Despite recent improvements,
including increasing the amount of protected
forest areas, several forest species remain
threatened. A new EEA report points out
the growing demand for forest resources,
identifies major threats to the forest ecosystems
across Europe and provides suggestions on
how forest management could be improved
to help halt loss of forest biological diversity.
Although the European
forest area is on the rise, in contrast
to many other parts of the world, as much
as 87 % of the total area covered by forests
is subject to some degree of human intervention.
Consequently, the way that forests are managed
has a direct impact on biodiversity.
Most European countries have appropriate
legislative and administrative frameworks
to ensure sustainable use of forests. However,
Europe will need to continuously adapt its
forest management to future climate change
and other challenges.
Arising challenges and
the EEA's suggestions
• Production of wood and other traditional
forest resources will have to be balanced
against other kinds of goods and services
from the forest ecosystems. This will require
increased information on forest ecosystems
and forest biodiversity.
• Demands on forests as a resource for bioenergy
will grow. Any use of forests for bioenergy
should not damage biological diversity and
ecosystem conditions.
• Scattered or fragmented forest areas must
be linked into habitat networks to protect
biodiversity in forests. The Natura 2000
network is an essential component of the
European Union's efforts in this field.
• Genetically modified trees may offer benefits
as well as risks to biological diversity
and humans. Europe must follow a precautionary
approach towards genetically modified trees.
• Climate change will affect forest ecosystems
and increase current threats to forests.
Adaptation should ensure the connectivity
of the forest landscape and protected forest
areas to allow migration of species.
• Forests are significant carbon sinks,
but measures developed to increase the carbon
sequestration should not negatively impact
forest biological diversity.
• Forest fires in the Mediterranean and
other types of damage to forests need to
be brought down.
• Long-range air pollution and nitrogen
deposition are still significant problems.
The EEA report is based on the data reported
by countries to the Ministerial Conference
on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE)
as well as a number of other sources of
information. The report will be presented
at a side event during COP 9 (the ninth
meeting of the Conference of the Parties
to the Convention on Biological Diversity)
in Bonn, Germany.
