THE MOSAIC FOREST
With the evolution of how the forest is perceived, both by the public and by foresters themselves, its production function is no longer necessarily dominant in everyone's minds. Its social and environmental functions have also acquired a essential status. We could also discuss here ecosystem services (carbon storage, water filtration, timber production...).
The troubles experienced by our forest massifs have, for their part, brought to the forefront the need to’increase their resilience.
These concepts are interdependent and form part of an overall perception of forest management that integrates and goes beyond the species-station relationship.
The mosaic forest is a diversified forest in all its components, in terms of species, silvicultural practices, genetics and micro-habitats. This model of forest development was popularised by the’National Forestry Office (ONF, France) in the context of’adaptation of forests to climate change. Royal Forestry Society of Belgium fully endorses this vision of the forest and intends to promote it amongst its members.
The mosaic forest model excludes no type of forestry and praises none to the skies. Its virtue lies precisely in the coexistence of multiple silvicultures and habitat types. Besides the undeniable landscape appeal of this forest model, the coexistence of different species, silvicultural systems and micro-habitats helps to maximise biodiversity and its benefits (such as the presence of natural predators of pests) while limiting the risks of a widespread crisis (if one type of stand encounters problems, the other types of stand present are spared). Following the old adage «don't put all your eggs in one basket», the mosaic forest extends the current diversification policy to a higher level.
We'll be coming back to the mosaic forest concept and its various aspects in more detail in 2021-2022, in particular in our magazine Silva Belgica.
During International Forest Day on 21 March 2022, we had the pleasure of presenting the concept of mosaic forest. (Read the article event summary
