important plant areas in central and eastern europe - Plantlife
important plant areas in central and eastern europe - Plantlife
important plant areas in central and eastern europe - Plantlife
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Exist<strong>in</strong>g legislation & programmes<br />
IPAs <strong>and</strong> Forest Policy<br />
Context<br />
Specific forest protection <strong>and</strong> management legislation is only present at the national<br />
level <strong>in</strong> Europe. There is no common forestry policy <strong>in</strong> the EU with b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g legal<br />
commitments, although forest conservation measures are <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the EU Biodiversity<br />
Strategy <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the Natura 2000 network of sites. The M<strong>in</strong>isterial Conference for the<br />
Protection of Forests <strong>in</strong> Europe (MCPFE) was established <strong>in</strong> 1990. It provides a policy<br />
framework for the susta<strong>in</strong>able management of forests <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>corporates the aims of the<br />
major forest conservation <strong>in</strong>itiatives such as the CBD. However, the recommendations<br />
are voluntary.<br />
The protection of Europe’s old growth forests <strong>and</strong> rare forest habitats is possible<br />
through national legislation, protected area networks <strong>and</strong> forest certification schemes.<br />
However many valuable forest <strong>areas</strong> are under threat from damag<strong>in</strong>g management <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>tensive logg<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
References<br />
European Commission, 2004, Natura 2000<br />
<strong>and</strong> forests – “Challenges <strong>and</strong><br />
opportunities”– <strong>in</strong>terpretation guide.<br />
Forest Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org)<br />
M<strong>in</strong>isterial Conference on the Protection<br />
of Forests <strong>in</strong> Europe<br />
1st, 1990, Strasbourg Conference<br />
2nd, 1993 Hels<strong>in</strong>ki Conference<br />
3rd, 1997 Lisbon Conference<br />
4th, 2003 Vienna Conference<br />
The area of forest <strong>in</strong> Europe is <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g although there are many conservation<br />
concerns about some afforestation practices.<br />
• The replacement of species rich, old growth forest with new <strong>plant</strong>ations<br />
• The preference for exotic <strong>and</strong> coniferous species over <strong>in</strong>digenous <strong>and</strong> deciduous<br />
species<br />
• The afforestation of former grassl<strong>and</strong> <strong>areas</strong><br />
IPAs <strong>and</strong> forests<br />
455 IPAs (57%) conta<strong>in</strong> threatened forest habitats, 353 (44%) conta<strong>in</strong> priority<br />
threatened forest habitats.<br />
In total, 349 IPAs (44%) are threatened by poor forestry practices.<br />
212 IPAs (27%) threatened by <strong>in</strong>tensified forest management.<br />
159 IPAs (20%) threatened by afforestation.<br />
130 IPAs (16%) threatened by deforestation.<br />
Almost half of IPAs are threatened by<br />
poor forestry practices.<br />
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