A New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 must be developed with forests owners

• Support of the forests’ multi-functional role
• Sustainable and dynamic bottom-up forests management
• Help for forests small-holders

European Parliament calls for sustainable management of EU forests which takes into account local conditions and forests owners’ voices.

In the resolution on “A New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 – Sustainable Forest Management in Europe”, adopted by the European Parliament Plenary on Tuesday by 417 votes to 144 and 67 abstentions, MEPs stress that forests are essential for providing both ecosystem services and jobs in the EU. Only dynamic sustainable active management of forests will allow for their resilience and successful adaptation the changing climate, stresses the adopted text. At the same time, diversity of forests, climate conditions, ownership patterns and forms of governance around the EU require this management be developed nationally, regionally and locally, hand in hand with forest owners, add MEPs. In this regard, support programmes, voluntary payment for ecosystem services schemes and research funding should be made available especially for small-holders of forests, requests the Parliament.

Quote

Parliament’s rapporteur for the Strategy, Ulrike Müller (Renew, DE), said: “Our forests are facing more challenges and expectations than ever – not only due to climate change. We need the new EU forest strategy to achieve policy coherence on all levels to enable forests and foresters to meet these challenges and expectations. To deliver, the strategy must build on the principles of multi-functionality, sustainable forest management, owners and foresters as key pillars of implementation, and on a bottom-up approach to reflect the local uniqueness of all forests.”

Background

The own initiative report reacts to the Commission New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 from 16 July 2021 that sets actions for increasing the quantity and quality of forests in the EU and strengthening their protection, restoration and resilience.

Artigo publicado em Parlamento Europeu.