Updating EU forest types Updating EU forest types processprocess

Marco Marchetti Marco Marchetti University of Molise-Italian Academy of Forest ScienceUniversity of Molise-Italian Academy of Forest Science

European Forest Types

= 14 classes of European forests growing under relatively homogeneous ecological conditions (climatic, edaphic) and levels

of anthropogenic modification

MAIN GOAL• To serve as a framework to improve assessment of forest

condition at pan-European level

http://reports.eea.europa.eu/technical_report_2006_9/en

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

14 Top level classes (CATEGORIES)14 Top level classes (CATEGORIES)

76 low level classes (TYPES) 76 low level classes (TYPES)

Types are intended to stratify national forest Types are intended to stratify national forest data, data,

the 14 categories for data evaluation and the 14 categories for data evaluation and international reportinginternational reporting

Classification schemeClassification scheme

Category and types: nomenclatureCategory and types: nomenclature

Implementation of the scheme

• MCPFE• the use of the14

classes is currently discussed as a potential basis for improved future reporting of state of the European forests

• TESTING the feasibility of the scheme has been RECCOMENDED

• Tests, 2006-2008• BioSoil project• COST Action E43• Study on impacts of

climate change on European forests and options for adaptation

• LUCAS• EEA Report European

forests, ecosystem conditions and sustainable use

BioSoil projecthttp://biosoil.jrc.it/

• Demonstration project under Forest Focus Regulation

• Intensive monitoring Level I plots assigned to categories and types

• Goal of forest types: provide a regional perspective for understanding, evaluating and reporting differences in forest condition concerning biodiversity and soil status

• Number of species

• Biogeographic region

• dominant species derived from plot tree speciesfrequency

•Climate•soil•elevation•river proximity, based on •European rivers map(buffer 1 km)

• Bohn potential forest type (Bohn et al., 2000)

Atlas Florae Europaeae:natural range of distributionof the tree species

Method: 1. Preliminary desk classification based on integration of several data sources

2. Field survey validation within BioSoil

Key message from BioSoil:significant differences in plant species composition, soil properties and critical load exceedances across European Forest types

Source: The condition of forest in Europe, 2007 ICP Report

Number of species on plots in different forest types (in brackets:

number of plots)

COST Action E43 Harmonisation of National Forest Inventories in Europe: tecniques for

common reportinghttp://www.metla.fi/eu/cost/e43/

• The scheme has been used to stratify 8434 NFIs plots across 12 European Countries at category and type level

•Test perfomed on a voluntary basis by NFIs national correspondents on a subset of plots of NFIs

• Main goal: to test the feasibility of the scheme, i.e. stratify national data according to harmonized Categories and Types

Results

COUNTRYCategor

yAT BE CH CZ DE DK ES FI IE IT NO PT SE

1 196 708 169

2 424 44 315 21 43  

3 408 201 110 5  

4 100 1 50  

5 47 100 8 98 343 58 2  

6 64 100 100 4 115 116 27  

7 114 100 1 30 123 33  

8 232 168 50  

9 124 55 50  

10 107 64 50  

11 1 38 107 67  

12 35 1 20 26 11  

13 1 41 32 223 8

14 12 100 242 42 979 189 1 846 12 100 11TOTAL PLOTS

1104 400 401 302 790 1458 775 336 1095 350 974 250 188

NUMBER OF CAT.

7 4 3 8 9 4 5 4 7 8 3 4 3

Key message from COSTE43 test:The scheme proves feasible to stratify NFIs plots from different regions of Europe; no gaps in classification coverage found

Study on impacts of climate change on European forests and options for adaptation (in progress)

Service Contract with DG Agriculture and Rural Development, Contractor EFI No 30-CE-0163547/00-01 (Tender No. AGRI-2007-G4-06)

An adapted version of the European forest type scheme is currently being used in this study to analyse climate change impacts and adaptation options for different bioclimatic regions/forest types of Europe

Study on impacts of climate change on European forests and options for adaptation (in progress)

Service Contract with DG Agriculture and Rural Development, Contractor EFI No 30-CE-0163547/00-01 (Tender No. AGRI-2007-G4-06)

Links with bioclimatic zones of Europe established

LUCAS (Land Use/Cover Area frame statistical Survey)

• used as basis to classify areas covered by forests

• Feedback: it works well in tested European countries (balkan region), need of further elaboration in Turkey

EEA Report European forests - ecosystem conditions and sustainable use(http://reports.eea.europa.eu/eea_report_2008_3/en)

• used as reference framework to report on European forest condition and threats to biodiversity

Future actions

• October 2008: EEA is planning to host a workshop inviting people that have tested European Forest Types, collect feedbacks and define need of further improvements: e.g. expanding the type level to include cover classification gaps, if any

• Contacts established with Turkey expert to improve classification for this region

• ??? third edition of the European Forest Type report

Thank you for your attention!

marchettimarco@unimol.it