Adaptive forest management approaches: A landscape ecology holistic view
Symposium organised by:
Sandra S. Luque IRSTEA - National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture, France.
Sandra.luque@irstea.fr
João Azevedo Departamento de Ambiente e Recursos Naturais & Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO) Instituto Politécnico de Bragança.
jazevedo@ipb.pt
Summary
Adapting landscape systems to climate change is an emerging topic in science. Focusing on biodiversity conservation as a proxy for the ecological dimensions of a sustainable forest management; the symposium will explore integrative approaches from the plot level to the landscape level, considering adaptive management and ecological thresholds.
Description
The Symposium proposes a series of requirements for the conservation of habitat networks and ecological processes to be met by forest landscape managers. This is particular challenging nowadays because in Europe there are strong pressures to intensify wood production and timber exploitation, agriculture intensification is gaining over forests areas. Nevertheless, there are also demands for improving actions to safeguard biodiversity, and in a more general way improve forest ecosystems functioning. This twofold requirement of increased resource production and enhanced environmental quality represents a true challenge for the years to come. A fast reorganization of the system is needed in order to find the right balance between management within an ecosystem approach at different scales. In particular, we need to consider valorisation of wood resources and production, thorough knowledge of their vulnerability within an intensification management scenario..
The symposium will consider concepts, methodologies and tools that can be validated on strong scientific grounds that can be proposed to the actors charged to implement policies and actions on the ground? Which are the advantages of a landscape ecological approach to forest management? The symposium opens questions regarding the needs for a comprehensive adaptive forest management. Adaptive management seems to be the only option that will contribute to balancing multiple objectives under changing environmental conditions to improve natural resources management in a wide range of territories.
Impact
The symposium at the IALE 2013 European Congress will provide an arena for discussion and exchange for the IALE and IUFRO communities working on forest landscape research.