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MAIN RESULTS OF THE
WG 4 “Forest Genetic Resources in the
Mediterranean region”
FOR THE PERIOD 2008– 2012
21ST SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON MEDITERRANEAN FORESTRY
QUESTIONS – SILVA MEDITERRANEA
Ducci Fulvio – Antalya – 02/03 February 2012
•Preparation of the Work Plan of WG4 to be presented in Chania (GR).
•Organization of the workshop on ‘’Forest Genetic Resources in the Mediterranean
Region’’ in Chania – Greece - with the ‘’Centre International des Hautes Etudes
Agronimiques Méditerranéennes’’ (CIHEAM), EFIMED and FAO (24 - 26 November 2009).
•Organization of the workshop on ‘’Strengthening conservation and management of forest
genetic resources (FGR): a key issue for adaptation of Mediterranean forests to
environmental changes’’ in Tunis (Tunisia) with INRGREF, CIHEAM and the General
Directorate in charge of Forest Ecosystems in Tunisia (10 - 12 March 2010) – See the
Silva Mediterranea Newsletter 3. In preparation of the COST action Ned FGR….
•Publication of the book entitled ‘’Status of the Experimental Network of
Mediterranean Forest Genetic Resources’’ based on the articles presented by
Mediterranean FGR experts during the Conference held in Arezzo (21 – 23 June 2007).
•Launch of this book on FGR at the occasion of the ceremony organized for the
100th Anniversary of Silva Mediterranea during the II MFW in Avignon (5 -8 April
2011).
Preparation of several project proposals on FGR (FFEM and Cost Instrument 2011/2012):
•Preparation and submission of the project proposal EUR-MedFGR (Strengthening
conservation and management of forest genetic resources (FGR): a key issue for adaptation of
Mediterranean forests to environmental changes’’) to the Cost Action Instrument (July 2010 – Full
proposal rejected by EU in November 2010): justification was “too regionally addressed”
•Preparation and submission of the Component 1 of the project proposal ‘’optimization of the
goods and services provided by Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems in the context of Global
Changes’’ to the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM - 2.65 million Euros –November 2011).
This Component 1 is focused on ‘’Production of data and tools supporting decision making and
management relating to vulnerability of Mediterranean forest ecosystems to climate change impacts
and their adapting capacities’’ (FFEM – 500 000 Euros – Project approved in November 2011);
•Organisation of specific activities (training, workshops, short term experts....) to help South
Mediterranean countries to prepare by the end of 2012 their country reports for the first State Of the
World Forest Genetic Resources (SOW, Workshop organized in Hammamet in 2011);
•Preparation and submission of the project proposal MaP-FGR (Strengthening conservation: a
key issue for adaptation of marginal/peripheral populations of forest tree to climate change in
Europe) to the Cost Instrument (Full proposal submitted in January 2012); deadline 27.01.2012.
The project proposal MaP-FGR (Strengthening conservation: a key issue for
adaptation of marginal/peripheral populations of forest tree to climate change in
Europe) :
Strategically, we have reviewed the proposition concepts, we didn’t talk about
Mediterranean forest genetic resources, we talked about European Map-FGR...
Marginal Forest populations especially in the southern borders…) we propose as a
sounding exercise for everybody, especially the central-northern Europeans…
77 Research Officers from 19 Countries agreed to participate on the
proposal: geneticists, breeders, bio-climatologists, specialist of
sylviculture… in order to have a holystic approach.
Med Countries: Algeria, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Israel, Lebanon,
Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey.
Nordic Countries : Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Hungary,
Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom.
AGENDA OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE PERIOD 2012 – 2013
Component 1:
Improvement of National Forest Genetic Resources Strategies and
Forest Genetic Resources Country Report
Training: Regional workshop, regional training for researchers/forest managers and
exchange of experiences / study tours are organized for South Mediterranean countries
(Maghreb and Middle East) to help them to promote and develop National Forest Genetic
Resources Strategies in National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change;
•Preparation of guidelines for forest managers to integrate Forest Genetic Resources
strategies in silvicultural and forest management and restoration practices;
•Organisation of specific activities (training, workshops, short term experts....) to help South
Mediterranean countries to prepare by the end of 2012 their country reports for the first
State Of the World Forest Genetic Resources (SOW).
2.1. Mediterranean Forest Genetic Resources Databases
•Each government should supply lists of contacts/coordinators at national level and skills as well as available equipment
should be listed to provide a complete view of forces at the disposal of the Silva Mediterranea Working Group ;
•Creation of a list with short descriptions of different conservation actions with special reference to climate change ;
•All maps and data concerning vulnerability assessments, impacts assessment of climate change on Mediterranean forest
ecosystems, species and forest genetic resources should be collected, possibly geo-referenced in GIS and used to produce a
pan-Mediterranean map of possible scenarios of environmental changes.
2.2. Ex situ conservation networks in Mediterranean countries
Updating DB within the framework of the earlier Silva Mediterranea Working Group done for Conifers (INRA – Avignon);
Organization of seminars, workshops and parallel SM meetings of researchers in order to train research officers on the
topics of this WG and to agree on common approaches and methods of registration of indicator traits related to Adaptation and
to Phenotypic plasticity;
Choice of experimental sites which in the future will host common Forest Genetic Resources. Phenology (growth,
hardening, flowering etc.), drought tolerance, frost avoidance, cambial activity, survival etc... using FRM chosen a priori by
considering the priorities suggested.
2.3. New methodologies for conservation (including in situ conservation methods)
•Capacity building of breeders and specialists in the fields specified in this work plan 2012-2013;
•Organization of a "summer school" each year in Arezzo (ITALY) in collaboration with Trees4Future and Euforgen networks;
•Investigation and test of surveying methods concerning the effects of climate change on Forest Genetic Resources;
•Re-establishment of populations in environments where it will be possible to start dynamics.
2.4. Species targeted for conservation and genetic management in Mediterranean area
•Selection of species considered as priority model;
•Choice in this second list a third level of the highest priority;
•Distribution maps, possibly geo-referenced. To be overlaid on the pan-Mediterranean climatic map.
2.5. Regional agreements for ex situ conservation in Mediterranean area.
2.6. Sustainable financial resources to support regional strategy for conservation of
Mediterranean Forest Genetic Resources
• Development of small exploratory projects (these projects could be national or cooperative research programmes)?
• Development and implementation of projects aimed to develop specific aspects of research on specified model species?
Component 3: Test of new in situ conservation methodologies for the most critical
landscapes/species in the Mediterranean