Navigation Menu

Forestry and Wood

Breadcrumb

Asset Publisher

FAO Silva Mediterranea (Secretariat Giovanbattista de Dato)

Find out more

Description

What is this

In 1911, the idea of Mediterranean forestry cooperation was launched and in 1922, a Mediterranean Forestry League was established under the name of Silva Mediterranea. In 1948, Silva Mediterranea evolved into a FAO statutory body as a Committee of Mediterranean Forestry Questions where the Mediterranean member countries of the European Forestry Commission, the Near East Forestry Commission and the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission could meet, share experiences and establish cooperative programs. Silva Mediterranea adopted a conceptual strategic framework, the Mediterranean Forest Action Programme in order to support Mediterranean countries in setting up their own forest policies and implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio, 1992), which urged all countries to draw up national forest programmes. Where research was needed, the Committee established cooperative research networks on subjects identified during sessions. Six research networks were established on: 

  • Forest fire management; 
  • Selection of multi-purpose species for arid and semi-arid zones; 
  • Silviculture of species: Cedrus spp.; 
  • Silviculture of species: Pinus pinea; 
  • Silviculture of species: Quercus suber; 
  • Forest genetic resouces; 
  • Selection of stands of Mediterranean conifers for the production of seed to be used in reforestation programmes; 
  • Urban forestry. 

At the Committee's 18th session held at FAO headquarters in Rome in April 2002, the future of Silva Mediterranea was the main topic on the agenda. Based on an external review of Silva Mediterranea and its networks carried out as recommended by the committee's previous session in Antalya, Turkey in October 1997, a number of changes were recommended to reinvigorate Silva Mediterranea. The committee proposed that the research networks be phased out and replaced by working groups with a specific mandate and clear objectives, outputs and time frames. It urged Silva Mediterranea to establish more effective alliances with other institutions working in the Mediterranean region. 

The meeting suggested that Silva Mediterranea should address in future: the finalization of past work that holds potential for delivering important and useful output; activities leading to the sustainable management of Mediterranean forests and woodlands; and the contribution of Silva Mediterranea to sustainable development in general. Silva Mediterranea was asked to approach forest issues in the region in ways consistent with new paradigms and developments emerging both in the Mediterranean region and in the international policy dialogue on forests. The participants noted that Silva Mediterranea should be more responsive to the needs of countries, in particular in the following areas: 

  • Improving the responses and contribution of the forest sector to the well-being and socio-economic advancement of the population, including poverty alleviation and food security; 
  • The contribution of the forest sector to the implementation of the international conventions on biological diversity, climate change and desertification control; 
  • Forest sector planning through national forest programmes; and 
  • Achieving sustainable forest management. 

Contact

Fulvio Ducci

phone
mail