“Forests and biodiversity: too precious to lose” was the theme presented this year by the United Nations to mark International Day of Forests, held on 21st March. The issues associated with the development of biodiversity are closely linked to the sustainable management of forests. Working on behalf of forests is also working on behalf of diversity.
The forest: a multifunctional space that is biodiversity-friendly.
On a global scale, forests host approximately 80% of land-based biodiversity. The managers of these forests have a key role to play in the development of biodiversity. According to Philippe de Wouters, director of the SRFB, “By managing forests sustainably and encouraging biodiversity, foresters guarantee the good health of forest ecosystems, while supporting all of the forest’s fundamental functions: the production of wood, a space for leisure, water filtration and a means of storing carbon”.
How can forest managers act to promote biodiversity in the forest?
- By encouraging the diversity of habitats (ecosystem diversity): combining irregular silviculture that favours typically forest species (anemone sylvie, black woodpecker, etc.) and regular silviculture with small clear cuts that encourage the development of species from open environments (checkerspot butterflies, quaternary heather, etc.). They can also build stepped edges or dig ponds.
- By encouraging the diversity of species: diversifying tree species is essential for forests to be able to withstand stress related to their health and the climate. It is also a way of increasing capacity to host flora and fauna.
- By favouring genetic diversity: using various provenances within the same species of tree increases genetic diversity, while at the same time helping to enable their ability to adapt to changes in the environment.
Bringing species to the forest that hold greater promise for tomorrow
It is with this in mind that the “Arboretums” project led by the SRFB is testing several new species and provenances on a national scale as part of the programme to help forests adjust to climate change. These species and provenances originate in regions where the current climate is similar to the one expected to prevail in Belgium over the coming decades. The aim is to expand the forester’s palette in terms of genetic material for future reforestation, thereby ensuring the long-term future of our forests and their many functions.