2017
10 • 07 • 2017
Active forest management is needed to prevent devastating forest fires
The recent catastrophic forest fires in Portugal and Spain show the importance of forest fire management in Europe. Forest owners and managers across the continent need to be supported in their efforts to ensure the effective implementation of preventative actions against forest fires.
“The value of forest management in the prevention of forest fires must be better recognized. Having no management is not a solution if we want to effectively combat forest fires,” says Piotr Borkowski, Executive Director of the European State Forest Association (EUSTAFOR), whose members are often involved not only in forest fire prevention but also in firefighting on the ground.
Forest fires are a major problem, especially in southern European countries. Climate conditions and changes in land use have made southern Europe’s forests increasingly more vulnerable to fire. As climate change is expected to increase the likelihood of fires, the risk of forest fires is predicted to increase if no major actions are undertaken.
“Forest fires are one of the biggest challenges faced by forest owners and managers today. If we look at Portugal, for example, most forests belong to many very small-scale family owners who do not have the necessary resources to take preventive actions,” says Emma Berglund, Secretary General of the Confederation of European Forest Owners (CEPF).
“In addition to causing human and economic losses, forest fires result in the release of huge stores of carbon into the atmosphere. Through its policies, the EU should support establishing efficient forest fire monitoring systems and incentivize forest owners and managers to implement preventive measures which will decrease the risk of forest fires,” states Pekka Pesonen, Secretary General of Copa and Cogeca.
Based on the European Forest Fire Information System, the annual burned area in southern European countries has reached almost 3000 km² during the last decade. This is bigger than the size of Luxembourg.
The rural exodus observed in some parts of Europe correlates with an increased risk of forest fires. The abandonment of forestry activities and changes in land use has resulted in the increased accumulation of small-sized dry wood in forests, making them more vulnerable to fire.
Today, it is evident that the role of sustainable forest management is of increasing importance for preventing forest fires. Establishing inventories of high-risk areas, developing forest infrastructure and timely performed forest tending practices are only a few, among many examples, of the ways in which forest managers and owners can provide much needed and precious know-how.
Timely thinning operations strengthen the resistance of forest stands against fires and other damage while providing wood for energy or industrial processing. However, in many parts of Europe, insufficient market demand for small-sized assortments is an obstacle to performing these tending operations. Forest owners and managers therefore encourage European policy makers, who are currently debating on the EU climate and bio-energy policies after 2020, to promote additional market demand for low quality wood for bioenergy in order to support forest tending and thereby decrease the vulnerability of forests to forest fires.
As key stakeholders in the European forestry and forest-based sector, EUSTAFOR, CEPF and Copa and Cogeca strongly support further actions by the EU and Member States to further develop forest fire monitoring and prevention measures. Ways to strengthen collaboration and experience sharing in the pan-European region – not only in the field of fire prevention but also for other natural hazards – should be further explored through FOREST EUROPE, UNECE/FAO and with other international partners.
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