Silva Mediterranea

Over 90 years of Mediterranean forest management

Working groups and ongoing activities

Silva Mediterranea works with the administrations and institutes of its member countries to examine trends in forest and land use in the region, identify priorities for research and implement studies and surveys. Member countries exchange information and technology and share resources and expertise as they work together on selected topics of mutual interest.

The identity and mandate of the working groups of Silva Mediterranea result from the history of the Committee. Some of the working groups were recently established while others are the continuation of thematic research networks that made the core of the activity of Silva Mediterranea before 2002, when Silva Mediterranea was coordinating six research networks. Based on the evaluation of Silva Mediterranea achieved in 1999, the Committee Silva Mediterranea took decision in 2002 at its 18th session in Rome to replace research networks by working groups. Silva Mediterranea currently comprises six working groups:

• Working group 1: forest fires, led by Spain. As endorsed by the Committee at its 18^th session in 2002 , WG1 is the continuation of the research network on forest fire management that was established in 1987 at the 13^th session of the Committee in Zaragoza.
• Working group 2: cork oak and non-timber forest products, led by Portugal. As endorsed by the Committee at its 18^th session in 2002, WG2 is the continuation of the research network on the silviculture of cork oak that was established in 1992 at the 15^th session of the Committee in Faro. WG2 was originally focused on cork oak and was extended to non-timber forest products in 2012 at the 21^st session of the Committee in Antalya.
• Working group 3: forest management and sustainable development, led by France. WG3 was established in 2002 at the 18^th session of the Committee in Rome.
• Working group 4: forest genetic resources, led by Italy.  WG4 was revived in 2008 at the 20^th session of the Committee in Sofia as the continuation of the research network on the selection of stands of Mediterranean conifers for the production of seed to be used in reforestation programmes that was established in 1987 at the 13^th session of the Committee in Zaragoza.
• Working group 5: urban and peri-urban forestry, led by Italy. WG5 was established in 2012 at the 21^st session of the Committee in Antalya.
• Working group 6: desertification and restoration in Mediterranean drylands, led by Turkey. WG6 was established in 2012 at the 21^st session of the Committee in Antalya.

At the 20^th session in 2008 in Sofia, members of the Silva Mediterranea Committee asked each working group to develop a programme of activities for the period 2009 to 2012. These work programmes (except Programme Activity on funding mechanisms) were presented and approved at a special session of Silva Mediterranea, held in Rome in 2009 during the COFO. These work programmes can be downloaded from the home pages of each Working Group in the Silva Mediterranea website.