Forests and Rural Development Policy

Beyond Wood Conference – 23 May 2016

María Gafo Gómez-ZamalloaDG Agriculture and Rural Development

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Welcome to the forest!

- Place for recreation?- Biodiversity?- Carbon sequestration?- Carbon storage?- Protection of soil and water?- Wildlife?- Wood for buildings, furniture

or energy?- Air quality?- Quality of life?- Mushrooms? - Bear´s garlic?

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What do you see in the picture?

All of the above?

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We have demands, they have solutions…

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We have demands, they have solutions…

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Economic viability is of crucialimportance for maintaining themultiple benefits that forestsprovide to society, andespecially for providing a livingfor rural populations

EU Forests

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EU Forests

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Forest and other wooded land:180 million ha (42% of total EU land)

Ownership: 40% public and 60% private(municipal and local around 20 million ha)

Forest-based industries provide 3.5million jobs

Natura 2000: 50% of total Natura 2000network in forests

Felling: 60 % of the net annual increment(annual growth)

Certification: around 50% certified

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Non-wood products: Cork, resins, medicinal plants, mushrooms, truffles, game, nuts, berries…

Services: protection of soil, air purification, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, water quality, recreation…

In many cases, important to diversity income andas a source of employment in less favored ruralareas

Importance of non-wood forest products and services

EU rural development policy supports SFM and multifunctionality, contributing to further developing these products and services

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Forests and forestry in Rural Development Policy

Contributing to the sustainable management of forests

Simplified support: One measure (article 21) covering :

- Afforestation and creation of woodland- Establishment of agroforestry systems- Prevention and restoration of damage to forests - Investments improving the resilience and environmental value of forest ecosystems- Investments in forestry technologies and in forest products processing, mobilising and marketing

Forest-environment payments -beyond mandatory requirements (article 34)

- Forest-environmental and climate services and forest conservation

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Other relevant horizontal measures:

-Natura 2000 and water framework directive

-European Innovation Partnership

-Cooperation

-Training, farm exchanges, demonstration

-Investments in physical assets

- …..

Forests and forestry in Rural Development Policy

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Restoration of damage from fires

and natural disasters

780 million €

Investments in forestrytechnology and to processing and

marketing offorest products

830 million €

Investments improvingthe resilience and

environmental value of ecosystems

1,5 billion €

Prevention of damageto forests

1,5 billion €

Some numbers

Afforestation

2,2 billion €564 thousand hectares

About 8.2 billion EURof public expenditure isprogrammed for theperiod 2014-2020 formeasures relevant toforests and forestry inRural DevelopmentProgrammes

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Natura 2000 and Water Framework for forests in RD

Public expenditure: € 220 million

Around 410,000 ha

Some numbers

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Drawing up and updating of N2000/HNV area management plans

Public expenditure: Around € 95 million

Some numbers

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Cooperation for forestry in RD

Public expenditure: Around € 44 million

Some numbers

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Knowledge transfer and information

Public expenditure: Around € 67 million

Close to 200,000 beneficiaries

Some numbers

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A number of initiatives for forestry in 2016

• - Focus Group on Sustainable Mobilisation of forest biomass

• - Workshop on new value chains from multifunctional forests (focus on non-wood forest products)

• - Focus Group on agro-ecological production systems

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• EIP measures under RDP (i.e. operational groups)

AGRI EIP

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Objective: to foster competitive and sustainable farming and forestry that 'achieves more and better from less'

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The multifunctional role of our forests and sustainable forestmanagement are increasingly influenced by broader cross-sectoral policies and global commitments.

Furthermore, the general public often associates forests withmajor climate, environmental and social benefits.

However, we should always remember that the economicviability of the European forest sector remains a key pillar ofsustainable forest management.

Economic viability is of crucial importance for maintaining themultiple benefits that forests provide to society, and especiallyfor providing a living for rural populations

Some last reflexions…

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Thank you for your attention

http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/forest

..and may the forest be with you

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