31 January 2010: Silva Mediterranea, a statutory body of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that provides a forum for discussion on forestry issues in Mediterranean countries, has released its second newsletter. This issue focuses on forest genetic resources as a key issue for adaptation of Mediterranean forests to climate change.
Calling attention to the importance of conserving forest genetic resources (FGR) so that forests are able to adapt to changes, such as climate change, the Newsletter highlights recent workshops and initiatives on FGR management, including a report on the state of the World’s FGR, based on country reports, to be completed by 2013. It also reports on a workshop on Mediterranean FGR and climate change, which took place in November 2009, in Crete, Greece. The workshop produced a list of recommendations and key messages for forest managers and policy makers, including the need to move from a carbon-centered approach to a water-based forest management approach to ensure Mediterranean forests’ multifunctionality. Also in the Newsletter are reports from related events at the XIIIth World Forestry Congress, and a workshop on sustainable management of forests and related biodiversity in the context of climate change in Mediterranean North Africa and the Middle East. [The Newsletter]