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Forest Fires : Adapting to Climate
Change in the Mediterranean
Nora Berrahmouni
WWF Mediterranean Programme
&
Pedro Regato
IUCN Mediterranean Cooperation Office
Special Event : Fire and Climate Change
19th Commission of Forestry (COFO) - Rome, 16-18 March 09
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Forest Fires in the Mediterranean
3. The Burning Combination
• Climate Change impacts
• Socio-economic factors
4. Adaptation Options
Introduction
Results from the
Conference in Athens
“Adaptation to Climate Change in
Mediterranean Forests
conservation & Management”
Organized by
IUCN Mediterranean cooperation,
WWF Mediterranean Programme
WWF Greece
14-16 April 08
Forest Fires in The Mediterranean
FAO (2007) – fire management global assessment 2006:
“ Fire is the main cause of forest destruction in the countries of the
450000Mediterranean basin. About 50.000 fires sweep through 700.000
400000to 1 million hectares each year”
350000
Last 10 years average: 162.500 ha
300000 Portugal, 3 August 2003
250000
matos
Shrubs
Forest stand
povoamentos
450000
200000
400000
150000
350000
100000
300000
50000
250000
matos
povoamen
20
08
20
06
20
04
200000
20
02
20
00
19
98
19
96
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94
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92
19
90
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88
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86
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84
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80
0
150000
100000
50000
20
08
20
06
20
04
20
02
20
00
19
98
19
96
19
94
19
92
19
90
19
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19
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19
84
19
82
NASA - MODIS Rapid response system
19
80
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A Burning Combination : Climate Change
Generally, 2 to 6 additional weeks of fire risk
Giannakopoulos et al, 2005
A Burning Combination : Climate Change
Extreme weather events
 Less Water availability
 Frequency, magnitude and severity of
extreme weather events and impacts (i.e.
large-scale, uncontrolled fires)
Heat waves + strong winds = Ignition risk
and rapid spreading of fire
Drought periods = die-back processes +
dry biomass /fuel accumulation
Less humidity in forest biomass
Heat & Drought
Temperature
Water Balance
Wetter et al, 2007
A Burning Combination
Socio-economic factors
Land use change & poor management
North : Rural abandonment (dry & dense
biomass) & land use changes
South : over-exploitation of forest land
(overgrazing, breaking branches destroying
structure of forests, provoking pests, sudden
death of many trees)
Adaptation Options – Fire Risk Reduction
Building Fire-smart landscapes
Fire management
strategies & policies
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Research on forest fire
(dynamics; root causes;
monitoring)
Risk reduction & prevention
Readiness
Response
Recovery
Collaboration
between all sectors &
actors (i.e. Lebanon)
FAO Fire Management
Voluntary Guidelines
Adaptation Options – Fire Risk Reduction
Building Fire-smart landscapes
Participatory planning process:
The most resilient landscape
pattern –distribution of land uses –
against major disturbances
Addressing impacts of the wider environment
Adaptation Options – Fire Risk Reduction
Building Fire-smart landscapes
Incentives for benefits sharing
Awareness raising – living with fire
Initiatives on the ground coupled with
provision of a wide range of benefits for rural
societies
Adaptation Options – Restoration
Forest Landscape Restoration
“A planned process that aims to regain ecological
integrity and enhance human well-being in deforested
or degraded landscapes”
• Ecological integrity is “maintaining the diversity and quality of
ecosystems, and enhancing their capacity to adapt to change
and provide for the needs of future generations
• Human well-being is “ensuring that all people have a role in
shaping decisions that affect their ability to meet their needs,
safeguard their livelihoods, and realize their full potential”.
Adaptation Options – Restoration
Forest Landscapes Restoration
Beyond trees /forest stands/ property boundaries
Active engagement & negotiation
The maintenance of basic ecological processes
Resilient habitats/species to large scale disturbances
(i.e. fire)
–
–
Diversity of life strategies (re-sprouting; dispersal biotic vectors
(fruit species); etc)
Diversity of habitats (mosaic-like; riparian systems)
Diversity of interventions & benefits
Adaptation Options – Human Capital
Building Mediterranean Cooperation
Learning Med network balancing North & South
Culture of continuous training, experiences exchange
Mediterranean experts body
 Assessments & monitoring of changes
 Measures & policies
Facilitate access to knowledge for decision makers,
managers, users
Adaptation Options – Profile Med Forests
Increase the perception of the values of
Mediterranean Forests
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Demonstrate & market the wide range of good &
services : social, economic & environmental
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Engage private sector, rural development sectors
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Countries to position Forests responsible management
(in and outside protected areas) as a priority at national,
regional, EU.
Contacts
Thank You
for Your attention
Contact us at
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Publication can be downloaded on
www.iucn.org