Climate change has already increased fire risk in Mediterranean forests. Adaptation options related to forest fires and climate change include measures related to fuel management, fire fighting and infrastructure, as well as public awareness. The importance of each of these measures was evaluated in six Mediterranean countries in a study initiated within the COST Action FP0703 “Expected Climate Change and Options for European Silviculture”. A questionnaire survey was used to document the views of foresters and forest scientists. Country differences were observed and adaptation measures related to fire fighting efficiency and public awareness were valued as more important than fuel management. Results were discussed in the light of a critical review of adaptive fire management measures with special reference to European Mediterranean countries

Non-wood forest products (NWFP) like cork, edible mushrooms, pine nuts, acorns, resins, medicinal plants, and floral greens, among others, provide important recreational and commercial activities in the rural forested areas of the world, being in certain regions more profitable than traditional timber harvesting. Despite the importance of non-wood forest products and services, forest management and planning methods and models in Europe have been traditionally wood oriented, leading to a lack for tools helping forest management based on optimizing these products. In the present work we’ll show and discuss the main factors and challenges limiting the development of classical empirical models for NWFP, and we will review the existing models for the main NWFP in Europe: cork, pine nuts, berries, mushrooms and resins.

Los bosques-en especial los localizados en zonas de transición como la cuenca mediterránea-constituyen uno de los sistemas naturales de mayor vulnerabilidad frente a los potenciales efectos del cambio climático. Dentro de este contexto, la adaptación planificada se define como el conjunto de iniciativas y medidas encaminadas a reducir la vulnerabilidad de los sistemas forestales, garantizar su conservación, aumentar su capacidad de resistencia y resiliencia, y asegurar la provisión de los servicios ecosistémicos ante escenarios de cambio. La gestión racional de los sistemas y terrenos forestales se presenta como una herramienta útil para la adaptación de los bosques y de otros sectores y sistemas relacionados, como el de los recursos hídricos. En la ponencia se expondrán de forma crítica los principios que fundamentan las bases de una gestión forestal para la adaptación al cambio climático. Asimismo, se presentarán los condicionantes que limitan la aplicación práctica de estos principios, y se plantearán diferentes propuestas para su implementación y aplicación a la gestión práctica de los sistemas forestales.