Improvement of the conservation status of forest habitats in the Mediterranean Biogeographical Region applying restoration and conservation techniques and close to nature management: LIFE21-NAT-IT-LIFE GOPROFOR MED

Programme(s): Programme for Environment and Climate Action (LIFE)-undefined

Topic: LIFE-2021-SAP-NAT-NATURE

Type of action: LIFE Project Grants

Project ID: 101074738

Objective:

The Mediterranean Biogeographical Area includes numerous forest habitats that can be classified on their different conservation and management regimes, but the conservation status of these forest habitats is threatened by the lack of a common system of recognition and classification of the forest habitats, and no clear evaluation of the forest habitats conservation status, and therefore the determination of clear, shared strategies for the conservation of forest habitats. The project aims to provide flexible models of close to nature forest management and will aspire to the application of the model in demonstrative forest areas placed in four Mediterranean countries (Spain, France, Italy, Greece), in which the target habitats are widespread and representative. The habitats target of the project are indicated in the Habitat Directive as “habitat 9340 - Quercus ilex and Quercus rotundifolia forests”, “habitat 9330 - Quercus suber forests”, “habitat 9260 - Castanea sativa woods” and with a particular focus on the priority habitat 9530* “ - (Sub-) Mediterranean pine forests with endemic black pines”. The overall covering of the project habitats in the 4 target countries include 26.100 km2 of Quercus ilex and Quercus rotundifolia forests (habitat 9340), 4.173 km2 of Quercus suber forests (habitat 9330), 254.514 km2 of Castanea sativa woods (habitat 9260) and 7.046 km2 of (Sub-) Mediterranean pine forests with endemic black pines (habitat 9530). In this way, throughout the project, the habitats chosen will be represented in 99% of their overall European distribution. The four forest habitats on which GoProForMED focuses are not only representative of the Mediterranean biogeographical area in terms of surface, but also sensitive in their managing: in fact, the known criticalities for all habitats are linked to careless management of silvicultural activities, which often accentuate regressive effects, threatening the conservation status of the habitats themselves.