forestry facing 21 st century challenges

1. forestry facing 21st century challenges 2008, or « back to the trees »? Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

2. From Roy Lewis to global changes « The Evolution man »1 • Edward : Technology (fire, arch) and earth-control • Vania: progress is dangerous, it killed dinosaurs, let’s go « back to the trees » 1Hutchinson, London, 1960 Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

3. Plan • What is forest management? • 18th to 20th century • Ecology • Economy • Philosophy • Industry, energy • 2008 • Forest images • Data • Challenges Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

4. What is forest management? • Some basic ideas • Forest management = Organizing, chronologically and geographically, forest harvesting in a sustainable way : periodical cuts in coppice stands or in high stands are organized in management plans, for each forest • Forest management may be • Very extensive, with few harvests in close to nature forests • Or fairly intensive, in poplar plantations or short rotation coppice • Management and forest techniques must deal with very different natural conditions (soil fertility, climate conditions) Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

5. historical landmarks about forestry • Where does forest management come from? • Picking (wood, fruits, mushrooms, game…) in natural forest • (0 => 1500) clearing for agriculture, and organizing harvests for fuel wood (coppice) • (# 1600 – 1700) a very critical period, : not enough wood for population • (# 1700 – 1850) forest conservation against harvesting more than natural growth • (# 1850 – 1980) decrease in fuel wood needs, management focused on timber production • (#1980 – 2008) acid rains, global changes, market and climate disturbances Up to the 20th century, “sustainable management” refers to economic growth and harvest, not really to ecological conditions Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

6. Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

7. 18th to 20th century: ecology • Karl von Linne and taxonomy • The birth of ecology, a new scientific approach • Haeckel : ecology = studying relationships between species and with their environment • 20th century ecology: from “climax”, an ideal balance, to ecosystem functioning • From 1970-80: from acid rains to “global changes”: new ecological challenges Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

8. 18th to 20th century: economy • 18th century • “physiocrats” : nature is the source of all wealth => the best forest technique is « to imitate nature, and to hasten its work » • Founding fathers of modern economics : Adam Smith, Ricardo: the “invisible hand” of free market, but market failures • Malthus: population grows quicker than natural resources • 19th century: economics cares for work and capital, not much for natural resources: no scarcity foreseen. • The fear of natural resources exhaustion • Galbraith, Hardin, • The Rome Club (Peccei, etc.) • The birth of “sustainable developpement”, Rio summit, etc. Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

9. 18th to 20th century: philosophical look on nature • 18th century: “age of enlightenment” (“aufklärung”, “lumières”): focus on rationality • 19th century and romanticism • Romantic writers and nature : Byron, Chateaubriand, Goethe, • An american philosophy of nature: Thoreau, Muir, Leopold • 20th century and the birth of precautionary principle : • The fear of uncontrolled technologies: nuclear power, GMO, etc. (duty of care, first do no harm, burden of proof on new techniques, etc.) • Hans Jonas and “the Imperative of responsibility” (Das Prinzip Verantwortung) Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

10. 18th to 20th century: industrial revolutions • Industry and energy • From wood to coal • From coal to electricity and petroleum • Nuclear energy • Renewable energies (wind, sun, etc.) toward the end of fossil fuel (except coal?) • A world of low-cost transportation • Wood-market is worldwide (cf. tropical wood, northern coniferous) • Strong worldwide impact of American building activity, or Chinese growth Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

11. Chronology Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

12. 2008: some contrasted forest images • Natural Forest: last “uncivilized” territory • Industrial Forest, renewable timber-factory or fuel-wood mine • Ecological forest, for ecosystem preservation (cf. Natura 2000 network) • Forest as a carbon well, to balance greenhous gas emissions • “Dunsinane forest”, in land management, replacing agriculture Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

13. 2008 • Ecological and social data • Global changes and global warming: measured, since 20 years • Storms, sanitary attacks • However, an increase in forest areas, in all developed countries • An increasing natural yield (due to climate and nitrogen oxide deposit) • Urban population knowing nothing about forest • Forest and carbon storage • Storage in trees, other vegetation, soils? • Forest storage, or in wood products? Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

14. Water, temperature, and ecological areas Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

15. Green oak area, 2005 - 2100 Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

16. Beech potential area, 2005-2100 Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

17. 2008 (2) : economical data • Worldwide economy: China, South East Asia • Energy: growing demand and prices for fuel wood • Greenhouse gas reduction plans and forest carbon well • Need of public policies for “common goods” (cf. market failures): air, water, biodiversity, landscape, … • Assessment of environmental impacts of projects (85/337), and strategic environmental assessment (2001/42) • Protection of wild fauna and flora and natural habitats (92/43): Natura 2000 network Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

18. Challenges for forest management • Wood market and common goods balance • Differences between public and private forests • Risk management • Accidental events (storms, …) and long term trends • To prevent, or to cure? • Management plans, are more and more indispensible, in uncertain future • Professional certification • A public debate mean (cf. FSC and PEFC) Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08

19. Collective challenges about forest • Research concerns • Global warming, water carbon and mineral elements cycle • Carbon well • Economical research (tools to prevent biodiversity erosion) • Political economy concerns • Common goods forest management (biodiversity, landscape, water and air quality): what kind of public policies to prevent a “tragedy of the commons” (cf. Hardin) • Public debate • … because there is no public policy without social support Vienne - M Badré - 21 11 08