Forests and biodiversity: treasures to be promoted

"Forests and biodiversity: too precious to lose" is the theme of this year's United Nations International Forest Day on 21 March. The issues surrounding the development of biodiversity are closely linked to sustainable forest management. Working for forests also means working for diversity.

The forest: a multifunctional space, welcoming to biodiversity

On a global scale, forests are home to around 80% of the earth's biodiversity. Foresters have a key role to play in the development of biodiversity. According to Philippe de Wouters, Director of the RFSB, "by managing forests sustainably and promoting biodiversity, foresters ensure the good health of forest ecosystems and support all the fundamental functions of the forest: wood production, recreation, water filtration and carbon storage".

What can foresters do to promote biodiversity in forests?

• by promoting habitat diversity (ecosystem diversity): combining irregular silvicultures favourable to typical forest species (wood anemone, black woodpecker, etc.) and regular silvicultures, with small clear-cuts favourable to the development of species of open environments (checkerspot, quaternary heather, etc.). It can also create tiered edges or dig ponds.
• by encouraging species diversity: diversifying tree species is essential for the resilience of forests in the face of health and climatic stresses. It is also a way of increasing the carrying capacity of flora and fauna.
• by encouraging genetic diversity: by using several provenances within the same tree species, we increase genetic diversity and, by the same token, the ability to adapt to changes in the environment.

Bringing tomorrow's most promising species to the forest

It is with this vision that the " Trees for Future "This project, supported by the SRFB, is testing several new species and provenances on a national scale, in the context of adapting forests to climate change. These species and provenances come from regions where the current climate is similar to the one we are likely to experience in the coming decades. The aim is to broaden the range of genetic material available to foresters for future reforestation, thereby ensuring the long-term survival of forests and their many functions.