Profitability of Mediterranean forests

Increasing profitability and implementing innovative economic instruments are key issues for sustainable forest management.

According to the recommendations of the Mediterranean Forest Research Agenda (2010-2020), adopted in 2009 in a context of strong partnership with EFIMED and other partners with recognised expertise in the field of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) and Market Based Instruments (MBI), the working group on Sustainable Financing Mechanisms is committed to dealing with the following issues:

1. Assessing the value of Mediterranean forest goods and services;
2. Fostering the provision of valuable non-market forest goods and services (including the financing of biodiversity conservation and protected areas) by introducing new policies and economic instruments (PES and MBI);
3. Analysing and improving the profitability of Mediterranean forestry, e.g. by new markets, products and uses (including biomass extraction in the context of carbon market: cogeneration);
4. Understanding the motivations and perceptions of forest owners and society at large regarding forests and forestry, with the identification of tools for knowledge sharing and participatory decision making;
5. New modes of governance, institutional reforms and integration of forest policies within wider rural development policies.

In particular Silva Mediterranea along with its partners is involved in:

1. Capitalising case studies concerning PES/MBI, identifying success stories in other regions and promoting of exchange of experiences (field trips) for stakeholders of the Mediterranean;
2. Supporting the preparation of a Concerted Action with the EFIMED network on PES/MBI in the Mediterranean in order to enhance research capacities and networking on innovative mechanisms for financing sustainable forest management;
3. Giving its contribution to the preparation of a project proposal during 2010 to develop applied pilot activities in the Mediterranean (GEF/FFEM).