Silva Mediterranea Working Groups (WG)

Silva Mediterranea works with the administrations and institutions of its Member States to examine trends in forest and land use in the region for the identification of research priorities and to implement studies and surveys. Member Countries exchange information and technology, as well as 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 are products of the history of the Committee. The working groups are subsidiary bodies of Silva Mediterranea and represent the instrument of the Committee to accomplish its tasks. Though some of the working groups were recently established, others are the continuation of thematic research networks that formed the core of Silva Mediterranea activities before 2002, when Silva Mediterranea was coordinating six research networks.

In 2002, during the Eighteenth Session of the Committee, the decision to replace research networks with working groups was taken following the results of an evaluation conducted in 1999. At the 2008 Twentieth session in Sofia, Members of the Silva Mediterranea Committee asked each working group to develop a programme of activities for the period of 2009 to 2012.

On a biannual basis, at occasion of the sessions of Silva Mediterranea, the workplans were revised by the Committee and updated by each working group.

Five working groups are currently active:

Working group on forest fires, led by Spain. As endorsed by the Committee at its Eighteenth Session in 2002, it is the continuation of the research network on forest fire management that was established in 1987 at the Thirteenth Session of the Committee in Zaragoza.

Working group on cork oak and non-timber forest products, led by Portugal. As endorsed by the Committee at its Eighteenth Session in 2002, it is the continuation of the research network on the silviculture of cork oak that was established in 1992 at the Fifteenth Session of the Committee in Faro. This working group was originally focused on cork oak, but was then extended to non-timber forest products in 2012 at the Twenty-First Session of the Committee in Antalya.

Working group on forest genetic resources, led by Italy.  It was revived in 2008 at the Twentieth Session of the Committee in Sofia as the continuation of the research network established in 1987 at the Thirteenth Session of the Committee in Zaragoza on the selection of stands of Mediterranean conifers to produce seeds to be used in reforestation programmes.

Working group on urban and peri-urban forestry, led by Spain It was established in 2012 at the Twenty-First Session of the Committee in Antalya.

Working group on desertification and restoration in Mediterranean drylands, led by Türkiye. It was established in 2012 at the Twenty-First Session of the Committee in Antalya.