Forêts méditerranéennes : un pas de plus vers une meilleure reconnaissance de leur valeur économique et sociale et vers une gouvernance participative et territoriale renforcée

REGIONAL CONTEXT AND ISSUE :

Mediterranean forest ecosystems are recognised as a significant source of goods (wood, cork, fodder, aromatic and medicinal plants, honey, fruit, etc.) and services (pastureland, water purification, protection against soil erosion, carbon absorption, recreation, landscapes, etc.). They also have an exceptional wealth of biodiversity and contain a unique store of forest genetic resources.

In addition, they contribute to the development of multiple activities and job creation in the rural environment thanks to their constant interaction with agriculture, livestock farming, industry, crafts, urbanism and leisure.

At the same time, these ecosystems are subject to very signiἀ cant anthropogenic pressures, particularly in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries (SEMC) whose populations are highly dependent on these goods and services for survival. This situation can sometimes lead to environmental degradation and worrying deforestation. These woodland areas are also facing the effects of climate change, which can already be seen through phenomena such as forest decline or parasite attacks, which further accelerate the desertiἀ cation process.