Title: CITIZEN’S PERCEPTIONS ON FORESTRY IN SPAIN (EUROPE)

Authors: Fabra-Crespo, Miguel; Rojas-Briales, Eduardo

Thema: 7. People and forests in harmony
Subtheme: 7.3 Participatory management and processes

Abstract of the paper: En España existe una tradición de inventarios y estadística física en el ámbito forestal (recursos naturales, incendios), pero ausencia de estadísticas fiables de la realidad socio-económica que los engloba y que es un factor determinante para el éxito o fracaso de políticas públicas y actuaciones de los agentes sociales y económicos (propiedad forestal, resultados económicos, externalidades, percepción social). Por otra parte, la European Forest Technology Platform identificó este déficit y fijó como una de sus prioridades (Eje 5.3) la investigación de las percepciones sociales hacia el sector forestal, con el objetivo de abordarlo de forma científica. La investigación en política forestal debe contribuir a dar respuesta a dos preguntas que resultan clave para decisores políticos, planificadores y gestores como son: 1.- ¿En qué temas y de qué manera existe un distanciamiento entre la realidad física y la realidad social, cuáles son las causas, y de qué manera puede resultar viable establecer programas de comunicación con la sociedad para aproximarla a la realidad física? 2.- ¿Que valores forestales serán los más prominentes en las próximas décadas, que tendencias se darán en las preferencias de los ciudadanos en su faceta de “consumidores”? En una primera fase del trabajo se ha analizado los estudios sociológicos existentes relacionados con esta temática, tanto en España como en el resto de Europa. En una segunda fase se ha realizado una encuesta con 34 preguntas temáticas más 17 preguntas de control del perfil, estratificado por Comunidades Autónomas (regiones). Cuestiones tales como: ¿quién cree que es el principal propietario de los montes? o por ejemplo ¿Cuántas veces visita el monte al año? En una segunda fase se ha realizado una estratificación de las encuestas según una matriz que distingue siete categorías según la combinación de doble entrada de superficie forestal por habitante y de número de habitantes. Y con ello quedan clasificados los municipios para la estratificación de la encuesta. Uno de los puntos destacables ha sido la conceptualización de la emergente categoría “rururbano”. En una tercera fase se ha hecho un análisis e interpretación de dichos resultados, a partir de la cuantiosa información que ha sido obtenida, clasificada y codificada.

Email: mifabcre@prv.upv.es, edrobr@prv.upv.es

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Title: Clases de palatabilidad aparente de la vegetación leñosa mediterránea aplicadas a la estimación de la abundancia de ungulados en la Reserva de Caza de la Muela de Cortes (Valencia, España).

Authors: Martínez-García, Francisco J.; Guara, Miguel

Thema: 1. Forests and biodiversity
Subtheme: 1.6 Wildlife associated with forests

Abstract of the paper: La Reserva Valenciana de Caza de la Muela de Cortes, como se denomina desde la entrada en vigor la Ley 13/2004 de 27 de diciembre, la Reserva Nacional de Caza de la Muela de Cortes, creada por la Ley 2/1973 de 17 de marzo, representa la mayor superficie destinada al uso cinegético de la Comunidad Valenciana con 36009 ha, siendo parte del Lugar de Interés Comunitario Muela de Cortes y Caroche (61519 ha) y de la Zona de Especial Protección para Aves Muela de Cortes y Sierra Martés (71163 ha). Se establecieron 26 parcelas en forma de transecto en las que se anotaron los efectos del ramoneo, índices de palatabilidad aparente, sobre de 32 especies leñosas propias de los matorrales seriales y climácicos donde la cabra montés (Capra pyrenaica hispanica) ha sido observada sin solapamiento con otras especies cinegéticas existentes (Ovis ammon musimon) con el fin de establecer sus grados de palatabilidad. A partir de la tabla inicial de datos obtenidos mediante observación donde se recogían los índices de palatabilidad aparente (datos de tipo rango que se expresan por números enteros entre 0 –no comida– y 5 –sin verde accesible–) de cada especie presente en la parcela, se han confeccionado diferentes matrices para un análisis de asociación entre las especies, análisis factorial de correspondencias y análisis de agrupación de especies, estos últimos basados en las frecuencias de índice de palatabilidad aparente. En el análisis de asociación entre especies que se basa en su presencia en las parcelas, se ha preparado una matriz lógica de 32 filas (leñosas presentes) x 26 columnas (parcelas), mientras que el análisis factorial y de agrupamiento de especies la matriz consta de 31 filas (especies) x 5 columnas (frecuencias de los índices de palatabilidad). La riqueza de especies leñosas por parcela ha oscilado entre un número mínimo de 7 especies, y un máximo de 17 especies. Los valores de presencia más bajos (15% de las parcelas) corresponden con las especies Arbutus unedo (madroño), Asparagus acutifolius (esparraguera), Ceratonia siliqua (algarrobo), Chamaerops humilis (palmito), Erinacea anthyllis (cojín de monja), Fraxinus ornus (fresno de flor), Lonicera implexa (madreselva), Nerium oleander (adelfa), Prunus dulcis (almendro), Viburnum tinus (durillo) y Rhamnus alaternus (espino). Las especies leñosas quedan clasificadas en clases de “palatabilidad aparente” que se utilizará para evaluar el grado de pastoreo en cada parcela, e inferir posteriormente densidades de ejemplares de cabra montés y además permite planificar futuros censos.

Email: framarg5@dca.upv.es, Miguel.Guara@uv.es

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Title: Class Struggle theory in developing a generic model for deforestation: efforts to investigate the causes and consequences of global forest deforestation

Authors: Gautam, Krishna H

Thema: 1. Forests and biodiversity
Subtheme: 1.2 Deforestation and forest fragmentation

Abstract of the paper: Classes or groups, based on social, economic and special interests, exist in all communities or societies. The importance of forest product varies with social class, and the values and priorities evolved with changes in socio-economic and environmental conditions. With increasing economic development, wealthier people became interested in capitalizing forest for their restrictive use, and the poor people’s values on these forests were ignored. Socio-economic stratification led to classes with conflicting demands for forest products. Forest management decisions (policy, program, and legislation) were influenced by powerful classes, as they solely captured the decision making process irrespective of their number. No consideration of the management of forest products for the weaker sections of the community existed. Thus, management decisions conflicted with the needs of the majority of the community, and they were deprived from all social, economical and environmental benefits. As a result, Forest management practice eventually gave the message to the local people that slowly all the forest’s benefits were being transferred to the elite group, which then motivated the weaker section of the community to exploit forests before access was lost. The weaker sections of the community were thus forced towards adopting extralegal exploitation. This led to the creation of a forest-enemy group, representing the majority of the community, and as a result forests were rapidly degraded. The government’s attempts to check the degradation exacerbated rather than reversed the forests-in-crisis situation. As the government intensified forest protection activities, the results became more disastrous. It became clear that mere government policy and programs could not check the degradation. Present paper is an attempt to develop a generic model for explaining forest deforestation and degradation based on the information from tropical region.

Email: khgautam@yahoo.com

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Title: Classification of different stages of regeneration in the Brazilian savanna in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Authors: Ferraz Filho, Antonio Carlos; Riberio, Andressa; Higashikawa, Emilio Manabu; Martins, Giordane Augusto; Costa Melo, Sidnei Soares; De Mello, Jóse Márcio; Scolforo, José Roberto Soares

Thema: 1. Forests and biodiversity
Subtheme: 1.1 State of the forests and assessment techniques

Abstract of the paper: The Brazilian savanna biome, known as “Cerrado” in Brazil, occupies an area of 2 million km2, corresponding to 25% of the national territory (IBGE, 2007). In the recent project Mapping and Inventory of Native Flora and Reforestation of Minas Gerais the Cerrado was found to occupy 10,590,317ha or 18% of the state’s territory (Scolforo & Carvalho, 2008). The identification of the different stages of natural regeneration is important for professionals who work with the analysis of the multiple uses of native forests. When the stage of regeneration of a forest is correctly determined, greater confidence is achieved when determining which areas should be preserved, which areas are in need of recuperation or the areas that have lost the its natural characteristics do to anthropic actions. In Brazil, for some forest types such as deciduous, semideciduous and rain forests there exists specific legislation (CONANA 392) on how to classify the different stages of regeneration. This legislation is based on the several points, such as the different ecophysiological groups present, presence of indicator species, distribution and abundance of litter fall, distribution of the trees in different height classes, among others. Criterions based on quantitative data for the distinction of the different stages of regeneration were proposed in the project Inventory of Native Flora and Reforestation of Minas Gerais, using data like number of trees, basal area, mean quadratic diameter, mean height and the percentage of trees in the first diameter class (5 to 10cm) in relation to the total. When classifying the different forest fragments in the project, the last criterion presented very good results, according to Scolforo et al. 2008. For a typical Cerrado, the values of the percentage of the first diameter class (PF) that distinguishes the different states of regeneration were: i. PF=80% - Cerrado in medium regeneration; ii. 80%PF=70% - Cerrado in advanced regeneration; iii. PF70% - Established Cerrado. Thus, the objective of the present study is to apply the methodology proposed by Scolforo et al. 2008 to classify the stage of regeneration of different Cerrado fragments in Minas Gerias, since this type of vegetation does not have a specific legislation to determine these stages. Data from seven different quali-quantitative forest inventories realized from 2007 to 2008 were utilized. The results obtained when applying the method were consistent when compared with a visual classification and data from previous uses of the land.

Email: acferrazfilho@gmail.com, andressa_ufla@yahoo.com.br, emilio.higashikawa@gmail.com, giordanemartins@yahoo.com.br, sidneisoarescm@yahoo.com.br, josemarcio@ufla.br, scolforo@ufla.br

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Title: CLASSIFICATION OF FOREST SPECIES IN GROUPS OF ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION

Authors: Pereira, Israel Marinho; Botelho, Soraya Alvarenga; Alvarenga, Auwdreia Pereira

Thema: 1. Forests and biodiversity
Subtheme: 1.3 Restoration and rehabilitation of forest ecosystems

Abstract of the paper: The recovery of altered ecosystems has became necessary for reducing the degradation of Brazilian forests. Due to the high diversity, the selection of species appropriated for the revegetação of these areas is not an easy task. The objectives of this study were: 1) to know the arbustive-arboreal flora occurring in different sites of ciliary forest; 2) to propose a classification model for registering species in groups of ecological function; 3) to generate a list of species to be used in recovering programs of ciliary altered areas in the study area; 4) to indicate the species, by groups of ecological function, for being used in different site conditions in APPs of ciliary forest. The work was accomplished in of Bocaina de Minas county (22°00e 22°30 S and 44° 45e 44° 15 W), in the area of Itatiaia Mountain Range, in the south part of the State of Minas Gerais. The survey of the species was accomplished in 46 parcels of 400m2 each. It was adopted as inclusion criterion of the diameter at the breath height (DBH) 5cm. The sites were determined based on the analyses of rectified correspondence (DCA) and on cluster grouping based in the group average (UPGMA). The analyses evidenced the formation of three sites in function of soil gradients of humidity. In the three sites, in the floristic and Phytossociological surveys, 286 species were registered. Six species were classified as attractive pioneers to the disperser fauna, two pioneers activators of the natural succession, 26 pioneers activator of the natural succession and attractive the disperser fauna, 86 demanding climax of attractive light to the disperser fauna, 11 climax light demanding activator of the natural succession, 46 climax light demanding activator of the natural succession and attractive to the disperser fauna and the remaining 109 were classified as climax shadow tolerant. It was also verified that some species presented wide distribution, occurring from humid sites, subjects to flooding, to dry sites. The detailed Phytossociological survey in the remaining sites and the characterization of the species registered in groups of ecological function must be considered as the base for the selection of species that will compose the plantings for recovering the ciliary forests of micro watersheds.

Email: imarinhopereira@gmail.com, sbotelho@ufla.br, Auwdreia@gmail.com

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Title: Clavel del Aire, planta decorativa o invasora

Authors: Wolf, Philip

Thema: 4. Caring for our forests
Subtheme: 4.2 Invasive species, pests and diseases

Abstract of the paper: Clavel del Aire ¿Una planta decorativa o invasora? 1. Introducción Esta planta denominada Clavel del Aire o Tillandsia es una planta original mente tropical, pero que se ha extendido a zonas templadas e incluso frías. Se reproducido en forma geométrica en varios de sus tipos. Muchas personas no les dan importancia, las ignoran o en su variedad Tillandsia Aeranthos las cuidan y utilizan como decoración en forma similar al de las orquídeas. 2. Descripción Esta planta es una planta aérea, no se reproduce en tierra, epífita, dado que no se alimenta de la planta o elemento hospedero. Se puede observar esta planta en cables de electricidad, en techos y aleros. 3. Especies detectadas Si bien existen mas de 200 especies, los tres tipos que mas se han desarrollado y detectado en la Argentina son: Tillandsia Recurvata , Tillandsia Aeranthos y Tillandsia Usneoides, comúnmente llamadas “barbas”, o barba de viejo. Esta última se ha desarrollado incluso en zonas frías como la Patagonia. 4. Efecto sobre la planta hospedera Los efectos comprobados sobre las plantas hospederas, especialmente en los árboles son: - reducción de exposición solar - ahogo - retraso o impedimento de desarrollo - desarrollo de un microclima favorable al desarrollo de hongos - secado de la rama - secado del árbol 5. Boceto de diagnóstico Nuestra experiencia nos indica que el Clavel del Aire no es una causa directa del secado de ramas y árboles, sino que genera un microclima negativo y propenso al desarrollo de parásitos y hongos. 6. Eliminación La forma natural y más complicada a sido siempre el retiro manual de las plantas. El resultado es satisfactorio si la cantidad existente en la planta es mínima. Otra forma es el rocío de la planta con herbicidas, que generalmente son tóxicos y que pueden afectar a la planta 7. Definición y mapa de infestación El objetivo de esta presentación es: - lograr una conclusión: determinar si el Clavel del Aire debe ser definido como planta invasora. - desarrollar un mapa de grados de infestación a nivel regional y continental.

Email: philip_wolf@ciudad.com.ar

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Title: CLIMATE CHANGE AND CHOICE OF VARIETIES OF TREES

Authors: Hakansson, Sune

Thema: 4. Caring for our forests
Subtheme: 4.3 Other disturbances

Abstract of the paper: Twice, so far, during the 2000s, southern Sweden has been hit by unusually heavy storms, which led to large amounts of windfalls. Perhaps the storms are a result of what many see as an ongoing climate change. The large quantities of storm-felled timber contributed to unusually large attacks by the bark breeding beetle. The attacks forced further logging and under time pressure. Forest owners had to do the logging within a few weeks period. Otherwise, the timber would be destroyed. Nevertheless, there was a danger of new attacks on neighbouring stocks. The storms as well as the insect attacks hit hardest on the most valuable stocks, i.e. stocks close to final felling age. The reason is that large trees are more sensitive to the wind, compared to small trees. Further, older trees are less resistant to insect attacks, compared to younger trees. In southern Sweden, forests are mostly privately owned, and the properties are small. In the end, the forest owners were lucky. Most important was that the storms occurred in a time of prosperity, which increased the demand for timber. Second, in the area where the stormed occurred we can find Swedens strongest forest owners association. Third, the insect attacks decreased significantly in 2008, probably because of an unusually rainy summer. As a consequence, the number of wintering bark beetles in 2008 will be at a significantly lower level than in recent years. The storms and the insects did not take everything, but the remaining stands are rather small. It is important to learn for the future. It is necessary to avoid the clear cuttings, which increase the risk of windfalls. The small estates are a problem. That is, forest owner A does not take into account the increased risk for forest owner B, and so on. A legislative change may be needed. The bark breeding beetle can be controlled by felling of affected trees. There are also traps, to which the insects are attracted, for example by scents. Further, a greater element of deciduous trees can probably reduce the risk of attacks by insects. Nevertheless, due to the ongoing climate change, more deciduous stands can be of interest regardless of the bark breeding beetle.

Email: cessicia@yahoo.se

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Title: Climate Change and Forests: Are Commons Concerned?

Authors: Chandran, Ajith; Singh, Monika

Thema: 3. Forests in the service of people
Subtheme: 3.2 Forests and climate change

Abstract of the paper: While the international community debates and ponders over the anticipated fallout of greenhouse gases and its contribution to climate change, the community that may be the most vulnerable if the fallout happens seem to be rather unaware of the whole discussion! While a strong case for increased forest and tree cover is being advocated for reducing the impending change, communities most dependent on forest seems to be least concerned. Despite increasing use of alternate fuels like kerosene and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), much of the rural population especially those living near forest continue to have a heavy dependence on it for their fuel-wood source. An ongoing research on community perception in tribal villages in Western India indicates a lacking concern for climate change issues. Exploring this lack of concern, importance of communication and alternate coping mechanisms for forest dependent community is explored. An initiative by a non-government organization is showcased on how community can also contribute to green house gas reduction. BIOTECH launched an innovative biogas programme that uses unwanted food waste and organic waste to produce gas for cooking and, in some cases, to produce electricity. In February 2007, the entrepreneur was awarded the ASHDEN award for Sustainable Energy. The expert team from UK that evaluated this project recorded that the plants replaced the equivalent of about 1,400 tonnes per year of LPG and diesel which in turn results in the saving of about 3,700 tonnes per year of CO2, apart from other green house gases. The example showcases how when local initiatives are implemented that addresses local problems of the community as part of the design, community not only gets involved for their own benefit but also for the larger good. It explores the constraints and opportunities that exist by looking at the efforts local institutions require putting for increasing awareness of such global issues at the family level and developing strategies that are beneficial at the local level.

Email: ajithchandran@yahoo.com, monikaxing@gmail.com

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Title: CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLITICS OF FORESTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CHILEAN AND SWEDISH FOREST SECTORS

Authors: Alarcón, Cristián

Thema: 3. Forests in the service of people
Subtheme: 3.2 Forests and climate change

Abstract of the paper: Climate Change implies several issues concerning forest management. Forests and trees can be both sources and sinks of green house gasses (Dixon et al, 1994; Ogden and Innes, 2007) and “the forest carbon (C) cycle is characterized by a biological (forest ecosystem) and industrial (forest products) cycle”(Gower, 2003). Although tree biomass constitutes a renewable natural resource, greater demands on use of such biomass may bring the limits of forests ecosystems into serious considerations. Within the context of climate change mitigation, the IPCC (2007) concludes as follows: “In the long term, sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual yield of timber, fibre, or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefit” (Nabuurs et al 2007: 549). Thus, responses to climate change rest considerably on crucial decisions about forest production. Furthermore, there are other social needs that could be satisfied with forest products. Taking into account such issues, and based on empirical material, this paper aims at understanding emerging connections among climate change, forest sectors and politics of forests in Chile and Sweden, two countries with large and important forest resources. The relevance of making such connections emerges, among other things, from an increasing body of research pointing out the conflicting objectives and goals concerning production originating in, and based on, the use and management of forests resources. Under this circumstance, there are several emerging political issues implicated in decision-making processes linked to forest sectors. Therefore, this paper aims at explaining those issues, and at understanding how climate change issues and forest sectors are related to, and developed within, specific politics of forests. Particularly, the work focuses on the relations among law, markets, environmental communication and forest governance. The work is divided into four sections. The first section reviews research findings about diverse goals for forestry production and different objectives of forest use and management within a context of climate change. The second section explains the ways through which law, markets, environmental communication and forest governance could be placed within an analytical framework focused on forest sectors. The third section describes current dynamics, projections, discussions and decisions related to climate change and associated with the forest sectors in Chile and Sweden. The fourth section, uses the analytical framework developed in section II to detail, compare and interpret how climate change is incorporated into the forest policies within Chile and Sweden.

Email: Cristian-Alarcon.Ferrari@sol.slu.se

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Title: Climate Change induced Massive Mortality in Forest Ecosystems: Case Study of Dieback in Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica M.) in Algeria

Authors: Chenchouni, Haroun

Thema: 4. Caring for our forests
Subtheme: 4.3 Other disturbances

Abstract of the paper: Algeria is affected by deterioration of many forest ecosystems (pine, cedar and oak plantations), in particular those situated in the semi-arid bioclimatic areas, which are influenced by the climate of the Algerian desert. The Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) is an endemic species of the North Africa Mountains (Algeria and Morocco). It is a rare ecotype of Algeria, where it occupies a total area of 17,000 hectares. Currently, this species crosses a long period of dryness due to climatic variations, at the origin of its deterioration and degradation of its floristic succession. This process may also be the cause of the disappearance of many animal species and the appearance cause of several new species. Several studies were undertaken in order to know the origin of this decline and propose solutions to recover degraded forests. However, these studies remain fragmentary. Moreover, the dieback start is explained by the conjunction of hard stresses linked to worm climatic episodes (period of snow precipitation increasing, intense drought phenomena) and the terrible forestry condition of forest landscapes. This communication is a synthesis on this regressive natural phenomenon, which is affecting from 40 to 60% of the Algerian natural cedar plantations in the Aurès region. It highlights the advanced hypothesis that it could be in fact the result of the interaction of several factors governed by biotic and physic natural stress, that behave in a consecutive or concomitant way namely: (i) Factors of predisposition, which weaken the ecosystems (Climate warming, reduction in precipitations …); (ii) The Factors of incentive, which support the appearance of the imbalance symptoms. They act in an intense way over a short period, can be of physic origin (extreme climatic events) or of biotic origin (defoliator insects Coleoptera: Acleris undulana, Epinotia algeriensis ; Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoea bonjeani, Thaumetopoea pityocampa or cryptogrammic agents Hypodermella sp., Lophodermium sp., Verticillium sp., Armillaria sp.). (iii) Factors of contribution that accentuate the disturbance: Abiotic stresses, xylophagous coleopters (Buprestidae, Scolytidae, Cerambycidae, Curculionidae, Bostrychidae), fungus causing rot, ...

Email: chenchouni@yahoo.fr

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