The forest-based sector in a new EU forest strategy 2015-2020

The socio-economic importance of forests is high, but often underestimated. Forests contribute to rural development and provide around three million jobs. Wood is still the main source of financial revenue from forests. So the strategy also looks at the EU forest-based industries, subject to EU industrial policy. Wood is also considered an important source of raw material for emerging bio-based industries. Forest biomass is currently the most important source of renewable energy and now accounts for around half of the EU’s total renewable energy consumption. The strategy 2015-2020 and the implementation should build on existing legislation and international initiatives and consider the special situation of small forest owners, and address market-based private-sector tools such as certification. To deliver on common objectives and improve coherence and synergies, coordination with and between Member States is important. Member States are asked to consider the principles and goals of this strategy when setting up and implementing their action plans and national forest programmes

Research regarding the European Union forests from a global perspective

At pan-European level, the focus is on the ongoing negotiations on establishing a legally binding agreement on forests, with the EU as a key actor. Through this agreement, the EU aims to improve sustainable forest management across the region. The new strategy forms a suitable vehicle for the implementation of the agreement. At global level, the EU is at the frontline of work on combating deforestation and forest degradation. It promotes sustainable forest management as a way of protecting biodiversity, fighting desertification and responding to climate change, whilst ensuring that forest ecosystems deliver goods and services. In this way it contributes to sustainable development and to eradicating poverty. REDD+, FLEGT and the EU Timber Regulation aim towards these goals. Mapping and assessing the state of forest ecosystems and their services requires better EU forest information. Relevant variables and parameters will be harmonised at EU level, based on cooperation between international, pan-European and national data acquisition systems, and on a detailed analysis of EU challenges

Research regarding the European Union forests from a global perspective

At pan-European level, the focus is on the ongoing negotiations on establishing a legally binding agreement on forests, with the EU as a key actor. Through this agreement, the EU aims to improve sustainable forest management across the region. The new strategy forms a suitable vehicle for the implementation of the agreement. At global level, the EU is at the frontline of work on combating deforestation and forest degradation. It promotes sustainable forest management as a way of protecting biodiversity, fighting desertification and responding to climate change, whilst ensuring that forest ecosystems deliver goods and services. In this way it contributes to sustainable development and to eradicating poverty. REDD+, FLEGT and the EU Timber Regulation aim towards these goals. Mapping and assessing the state of forest ecosystems and their services requires better EU forest information. Relevant variables and parameters will be harmonised at EU level, based on cooperation between international, pan-European and national data acquisition systems, and on a detailed analysis of EU challenges

The forest-based sector in a new EU forest strategy 2015-2020

The socio-economic importance of forests is high, but often underestimated. Forests contribute to rural development and provide around three million jobs. Wood is still the main source of financial revenue from forests. So the strategy also looks at the EU forest-based industries, subject to EU industrial policy. Wood is also considered an important source of raw material for emerging bio-based industries. Forest biomass is currently the most important source of renewable energy and now accounts for around half of the EU’s total renewable energy consumption. The strategy 2015-2020 and the implementation should build on existing legislation and international initiatives and consider the special situation of small forest owners, and address market-based private-sector tools such as certification. To deliver on common objectives and improve coherence and synergies, coordination with and between Member States is important. Member States are asked to consider the principles and goals of this strategy when setting up and implementing their action plans and national forest programmes

Parasitoids and Predators of Ips typographus (L.) in Unmanaged and Managed Spruce Forests in Natural Park Apuseni, Romania

Abstract The last time span, of protected areas of forest ecosystems established raise of a variety of problems regarding frequency and intensity of the attack carried out by the rich pest complex affecting the trees' state of health. The current legislation forbids the application of pests control measures which can affect the biodiversity of these ecosystems. Species belonging to the useful entomofauna may interfere in the decrease of pest populations in these areas. The study of the parasitoid and predator complex has thus become a very topical research field, and these type of studies were carried out in Natural Park Apuseni, Romania. With the aim to identify present parasitoids and predators, 24 spruce logs provided from physiological weakened trees of 20-25 cm diameter and 1 m length were placed in 6 locations, in order to be populated by the spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (Linnaeus) as a trophic base of useful insect species. After its infestation the wood material was put in eclectors and analyzed weekly for the spruce bark beetle Ips typographus, its parasitoids and predators. After examining collected biological material, 6 parasitoid species were identified which determined a 4.8% parasitization in unmanaged and 2.3% parasitization in managed forests. The best represented Hymenopteran parasitoids were Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg) and Rhopalicus tutela (Walker). The found Coleopteran predators were from 12 species, which belong to 4 families. The most captures were of the species Nemosoma elongatum (Linnaeus), representing 50.3% of the total captured predators and Rhizophagus cribratus (Gyllenhaal), representing 9.5% of the captures