Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

V. Núñez et al. 2010. Landscape integration of Mediterranean reforestations: identification of best practices in Madrid region
279
Landscape integration of Mediterranean reforestations: identification
of best practices in Madrid region
Victoria Núñez 1* , María Dolores Velarde 2 & Antonio García-Abril 1
1
Technical University of Madrid, Research Group for Sustainable Management, E.T.S.I.
Montes, Spain
2
School of Experimental and Technical Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University of
Madrid, Spain
Abstract
The European Landscape Convention was approved in 2000 by The European Council with the
aim of protecting, managing and planning landscapes in Europe. In 2008, this Convention
entered into force in Spain, so nowadays it is mandatory to develop specific or sectorial
strategies.
We propose a methodology to define criteria and identify best practices for landscape
integration of reforestations in the Mediterranean region, based on landscape ecology and visual
properties. The methodology encompasses the following phases: i) Identification of the main
relationships of landscape with biodiversity, connectivity and public preferences; ii) synthesis of
principles and criteria for landscape integration of Mediterranean reforestations; iii) Definition
of detailed landscape criteria, both qualitative and quantitative, for reforestation design, species
selection, soil preparation and protection of the reforestation area.
We applied this methodology to reforestations in Madrid Region. As a result we typified 30 best
practices that may be of use for reforestation in the Mediterranean region.
Keywords: Landscape, reforestation, integration, Mediterranean region, best practices
1. Introduction
The importance of landscape in all aspects of forest planning and management has recently
become significant due to a number of factors, such as the Rio-Helsinki process, the
requirements of certification and an international movement favouring more natural forest
management.
Moreover, the European Landscape Convention approved in 2000 by The European Council
with the aim of protecting, managing and planning landscapes is mandatory nowadays in Spain.
So, specific or sectorial strategies must be developed.
All these factors began to change thinking about appropriate silvicultural systems for forests. So
comprehensive landscape plans are necessary when new planting is undertaken on a substantial
scale.
2. Methodology
We developed a methodology to define criteria and identify best practices for landscape
integration of reforestations in the Mediterranean region, based on landscape ecology (Farina
2006) and visual properties. The methodology (Figure 1) encompasses the following phases: i)
Identification of the main relationships of landscape with biodiversity, connectivity and public
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +34913366401 - Fax: +34915439557
Email address: mvn@iies.es
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.