Innovative Forest Management Strategies to Enhance Biodiversity in Mediterranean Forests. Incentives & Management Tools.

The main objective of the BIORGEST project is to improve the biodiversity of Mediterranean forests. This will be achieved by integrating specific measures and innovative practices into forest planning and management instruments, and through new financing and compensation mechanisms. It is therefore intended to reconcile the improvement of biodiversity with the economic sustainability of forest management, also ensuring forest resilience and therefore the ability of habitats to adapt to climate change. The project's objectives are in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020, objective 3 ("Increase the contribution of agriculture and forestry to maintaining and enhancing biodiversity"), the EU Strategy of Adaptation to Climate Change 2013-2020; the EU Communication on Green Infrastructure, and the EU Forest Strategy.
Expected results:
* Direct improvement of 208 ha of representative Mediterranean pine and oak forests, including the habitat types of Community interest ‘Quercus ilex and Quercus rotundifolia forests’, ‘Mediterranean pine forests with endemic Mesogean pines’, ‘Quercus faginea and Quercus canariensis Iberian woods’ and ‘Quercus suber forests’, in Catalonia (Spain) and Occitanie (France), demonstrated through improvements in biodiversity indicators, reductions in water stress, and increases in tree growth rates, vitality, resilience and adaptation to climate change;
* Development of innovative compensation mechanisms (including quantification methods and suitable custody options) that compensate forest owners for loss of income caused by the integration of practices that promote biodiversity;
* Development of tools and indicators to integrate biodiversity promotion into forest management, including a Potential Biodiversity Index for Mediterranean forests, and technical guides to promote the adoption of these practices;
* Integration of the measures developed into regional policies and regulations governing Mediterranean forest management in Catalonia, through territorial and sectoral planning, forest management instruments, and sustainable forest management guidelines; and
* Increased awareness of forest owners, managers and the general public about the issues addressed and the solutions provided by the project.