Sustainable Forest Management in Galicia (Spain): Lessons Learned

Abstract

Galicia is an autonomous region of Spain that produces more than 8 million cubic metres (m3) of timber, with the Galician forestry sector currently providing 12% of industrial employment in the region (Monte Industria, 2010a). However, Galicia’s potential as a forest product producer can be considered to be under-developed since both the amount and unit value of forest production could be greatly increased (Xunta de Galicia, 2001). Given that the Galician agriculture and fishery sectors (traditional bases for economic activity, especially in rural communities) are declining, a healthy forestry sector can be seen as an engine for regional and rural economic development. One of the primary causes for forest sector under-development is the high degree of private forest ownership in small, scattered holdings. According to Ambrosio et al. (2003), private forests comprise approximately 97% of Galician forestlands, with about two thirds of those in holdings of less than 2 hectares (often in several non-contiguous parcels). Approximately 30% of private forests are owned by communities, but even these average only several hundred hectares in size. About half of the community forest area is managed by an agency of the regional government as a result of agreements signed in the second half of the twentieth century. This fragmented ownership pattern has made it difficult to promote sustainable forest management (SFM) and the development of the sector. Only a small portion of the forested land is managed in a patently sustainable manner, which does not bode well for the future of industrial forestry given the pressure for certified SFM from governments, the general public and the forest product marketplace. This makes it difficult to justify public and private investment in forestry, which in turn impedes investment in forest industry modernization. If the industry is not modernized, the degree of “value-added” processing will remain low, with most raw production sent to other regions for processing. Given the situation, the government department primarily responsible for forest management (Direccion Xeral de Montes, or DXM, of the Galician Rural Development Ministry) recognized that it was necessary to formulate new strategies, policies and processes aimed at the development of the forestry sector based upon the principles of SFM.