The Danish national forest programme in an international perspective

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT . . . . . . . . . The Danish national forest programme in an international perspective Danish Forest and Nature Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 The Danish national forest programme in an international perspective MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT Danish Forest and Nature Agency 2 Title: The Danish national forest programme in an international perspective Edited by: Division of Forest Policy of the Danish Forest and Nature Agency Translation: Hanne Stadsgaard Jensen & Frans Richard Bach Photographs: Bert Wiklund: all, except Jens Nytoft Rasmussen: pages 32, 33 and 36 Erling Buhl: page 11 Torben Hoch: page 10 Lars-Kristian Crone: page 3 Illustrations edited by: Jens Nytoft Rasmussen & Anna Thormann Graphic design: Page Leroy-Cruce Print: Frederiksberg Bogtrykkeri A/S ISBN: 87-7279-456-9 Amount printed: 2500 Printed in Denmark © Ministry of Environment, Danish Forest and Nature Agency Haraldsgade 53 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø www.skovognatur.dk sns@sns.dk 3 Preface Hans Chr. Schmidt Minister of the Environment This year, the World Summit on Sustainable De velopment will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is a good opportunity to assess pro gress since the Rio Conference on Environment and Development ten years ago and to set up new objectives for the future. Forest issues were high on the agenda in Rio, and an international dialogue on forests took place in several fora following the conference. Denmark has actively participated in this proc ess, and we are attaching great importance to na tional implementation of the recommendations, which have been the result of the process. One such recommendation is to develop national for est programmes. At the same time, we have felt the need, nationally to analyse the situation and to adjust our targets, policies and legislation to the present situation and the future ahead of us. On this background a Danish National Forest Programme has been developed. The programme takes stock of the present situation of the forest sector in Denmark, it presents policy objectives for the future, and it identifies measures to im plement the policy. The Danish National Forest Programme is aim ing at sustainable forest management equally based on economic, ecological, environmental and social concern. The programme aims at a long-term conver sion towards a forest management regime, which increasingly supports and utilises the natural processes of the forest. Forest management should not only strike a balance between econo my, environment and ecology, but also build upon their mutual supportiveness. In Denmark the forests play a central role in terms of providing opportunities for outdoor rec reation. This is a significant social function of great importance for the life quality and well be ing of most Danes. Consequently, also this as pect of forest management is appropriately ad dressed in the forest programme. The programme will now be implemented, which will entail legislation, economic incentives, dialogue, training, information and awareness raising. It is my hope, that the Danish National Forest Programme will be of interest to others as an ex ample of national forest programming in a devel oped low forest cover country. La rs K ri st ia n C ro n e 4 List of acronyms CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research EU The European Union FAO United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation GEF Global Environment Facility IFF Intergovernmental Forum on Forests IPF Intergovernmental Panel on Forests ITTA International Tropical Timber Agreement ITTO International Tropical Timber Organisation DFNA Danish Forest and Nature Agency UNCCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFF United Nations Forum on Forests Background documentation in English A shared future – balanced development – Denmark’s national strategy for sustainable development, The Danish Government, 2002 (available at www.mst.dk) Biological Diversity in Denmark, Status and Strategy, Ministry of Environment and Energy, 1996 Strategy for Natural Forests and other Forest Types of High Conservation Value in Denmark, The Danish Forest and Nature Agency, 1994 Strategy for Sustainable Forest Management, Ministry of the Environment, 1994 The Danish Forest Act of 1. January 1997 (available at www.sns.dk/skov/Forestact.htm) 5 Table of contents Introduction 07 1. Background 08 1.1 Historical background 08 1.2 International forest policy processes 11 1.3 National implementation 11 2. Visions for the national forest programme 12 2.1 Main objectives and specific objectives 14 2.2 Guidelines for sustainable forest management 16 3. Legal and institutional framework 17 4. Nature values, physical environment and basis for forest management 18 4.1 Status and existing policies 18 4.2 Future efforts 22 5. Forest resources and economy 25 5.1 Status and existing policies 25 5.2 Future efforts 25 6. Outdoor recreation 28 6.1 Status and existing policies 28 6.2 Future efforts 28 7. Afforestation 30 7.1 Status and existing policies 30 7.2 Future efforts 30 8. Capacity building and awareness raising 32 8.1 Statistics 32 8.2 Research and development 33 8.3 Education 33 8.4 Information sharing and dissemination in the forest sector 34 9. International activities 35 9.1 Existing objectives and means 35 9.2 Future efforts 36 10. How the Danish national forest programme was developed 38 Annex I: Danish guidelines for sustainable forest management 39 at management unit level 6 7 Introduction Denmark is a developed country with a low for est cover. The economic importance of the Dan ish forests is presently declining, while other as pects and benefits of the forests are of increas ing importance to the Danish society. In 2000, it was decided to develop a National Forest Programme based on the changing condi tions for the Danish forest sector and the obliga tions outlined in the various international agree ments and conventions to which Denmark is a party. This is a condensed and adapted version of the Programme, with a specific focus on the ways and means through which Denmark is respond ing to the internationally agreed obligations and priorities for forest management. The main objective of the National Forest Pro gramme is full implementation of sustainable forest management, which incorporates eco nomic, ecological as well as social considerations. The specific key objectives include: Nature and environment Long-term conversion to near-to-nature for est management principles and 10% of the na tional forest area having biodiversity as the most important management objective by 2040. Economy Development of sustainable economic frame work conditions for the forest sector. Near-to-nature forest management has a clear finan cial aim and builds on the gentle moderation of the natural processes of the forest ecosystems Social concern Maintain and develop the forests as a benefit for public welfare through opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature experience in the forests. Afforestation Forest landscapes should cover 20-25% of Denmark after one tree generation (80 – 100 years) – and the scope and potential for natu ral habitats and processes should be strengthened in this effort. Knowledge Effective information sharing – access to up dated and relevant knowledge as a basis for forest policy development and implementa tion through research, education, awareness raising and dissemination of information. International objective Promotion of sustainable forest management at global and regional levels. Main instruments to achieve these objectives will be: • Adaptation of legislation • Dialogue • Research and development • Awareness raising, dissemination of informa tion and training • Economic incentives • International co-operation 8 1. Background In Denmark, forests cover approximately 486,000 ha, corresponding to around 11% of the total area. The forests are fragmented and often very small. Out of a total annual wood consumption of 8 million m³, around 25% are produced nationally. 72% of the forest area is privately owned, while the remaining 28% are publicly owned, mainly as state forests. Around 2000 people are em ployed in the primary forest sector, while the sec ondary wood product industry employs around 14,000 people and is a major export business. It is estimated that on average each of the 5,3 mil lion Danes goes for a walk in the forest 11 times per year. 1.1 Historical background If left entirely to itself with no human disturbance, Denmark’s surface area would eventually be cov ered almost completely by forest, as it was when the first hunters arrived after the last Ice Age. When they settled down and became farmers, they started clearing the forests, and as the centuries passed, the forest cover was gradually reduced to 2-3 % some 200 years ago. Since around 1800, large-scale plantings have taken place, and the forest cover has gradually increased to around 11% of the total area mainly located in areas with low population density and with soils vulnerable to erosion. These planted forests were dominated by imported tree species, and their main purpose was wood production. During the last 200 years, forest management in Denmark has thus been intensified and rationalised through for instance draining and use of highly productive but also less adapted and thus unstable non-indigenous tree species in large, even-aged monocultures. 9 Facts on Danish forests Danish forest area 486.000 hectares, 11 % of the total area Forest area pr. capita 0,1 hectare/cap. Volume 45 million m3 conifer, 28 million m3 deciduous Average annual increment (forecast 2000- 2009) 3,8 million m3 conifer, 1,3 million m3 deciduous Annual felling (1999) 1,1 million m3 conifer, 0,6 million m3 deciduous Annual wood consumption Approximately 8 million m3 Tree species 63,2 % conifer, 36,8 % deciduous Ownership 72 % non-public and, 28 % public Recreation More than 50 million annual visits in the forest Historically, segregation of forest and agricultural land has served as a successful tool in the reestablishment of the Danish forest cover There is now only little natural forest left in Den mark, and large parts of the forests are quite uni form and often with limited value for biological diversity protection and recreational purposes. 36,8 % of the forests are deciduous, while the remaining are planted with non-native coni ferous tree species. A recent development during the last 10 years is that the fraction of deciduous forest is now increasing, while it previously used 10 to be decreasing. This development is triggered through state afforestation, financial incentives and a negative development in soft-wood prices. The Danish forest cover is still increasing through public afforestation and private affor estation promoted through incentives. But still, Denmark is a relatively forest-poor country, with only around 0,1 ha forest per capita, compared to Sweden, where the number is 2,8 ha. The fact that Denmark is intensively cultivated for agriculture means that the forests act as a refuge for the natural plant and animal life. Many of the endangered plants and animals in Den mark live only inside or in connection with the forests. The relatively extensive management re gimes in the forests as compared to agriculture, with limited use of fertilisers and pesticides, also means that they protect vital groundwater re serves. And the forests can also act as climate stabilisers by CO2-sequestration and by provid ing CO2-neutral fuel. 1992: The United Nations Conference on Environ ment and Development (UNCED), which adopted a Forest Declaration, outlining principles for a global consensus on the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. For est issues were also addressed in the Rio Declaration and in Agenda 21 Chapter 11. 1992: Adoption of the Convention on Biological Di versity, which includes directions for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, including in forest ecosystems. 1992: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and its Kyoto Protocol from 1997, including forests as a sink for greenhouse gasses, notably CO2. 1993: The Helsinki Pan-European Ministerial Confer ence on the Protection of Forests. Resolution acknowl edging the need to carry out sustainable forest man agement and developing pan-european criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management. The conference was followed-up by the Lisbon Confer ence in 1998. Next conference will be in Vienna 2003. 1994: The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, including forest measures in combat ing deforestation. 1994: The International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) following-up on the previous agreement from 1983 and focusing on linkages between tropical tim ber trade and sustainable forest management. 1995-1997: Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF). Recommendations and proposals for action. 1997–2000: Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF). Expanded recommendations and proposals for ac tion, including on national forest programmes. 2000-2005: United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), focus on implementation of IPF/IFF recommendations. 2002: Adoption of an Expanded Work Programme on Forest Biological Diversity under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The national forest programme was developed in dialogue with the forest users 11 1.2 International forest policy processes During the last decade, forests have been high on the agenda in various international fora, and sustainable forest management is now widely rec ognised as an objective, which should be inte grated into national forest policies, including na tional forest programmes. The main international processes providing guidance to national forest management plan ning and operations are highlighted at page 10. Not all recommendations emanating from the many processes are equally relevant to the par ticular national situation in all countries, which is also recognised in the text of the agreements and recommendations. The specific Danish set ting has made the Danish National Forest Pro gramme focus on recommendations relating mainly to: • sustainable forest management in general; • protection of forest nature and biological diversity; • public participation and use of the forests through outdoor recreation; • improved economic framework conditions for the forest sector; • international forest issues. The Programme also constitutes part of the Dan ish response to the recommendations of devel oping a national forest programme before the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg August-September 2002. 1.3 National implementation In 1994, Denmark developed a National Strategy for Sustainable Forest Management, based on the principles and guidelines laid out in the Rio For est Declaration and the resolution from the Hel sinki Conference. This Strategy also constituted the basis for a paper put forward to the Danish Parliament outlining the Danish forest policy in light of the Rio and Helsinki Conferences. The Strategy underlined that the Danish model for sustainable forest management is not directed towards individual forests or forest properties, but towards the country as a whole. But society as well as forestry is constantly changing. More and new international agree ments and recommendations are developed, the UNFF-process clearly recommends development of national forest programmes, and an increased participation of the general public in the devel opment of national programmes and strategies is a national priority. Therefore, it was decided to up-date and expand the National Strategy and develop a national forest programme. The present document is a condensed and adapted version of the Danish National Forest Program me, which has been developed over a period of 2 years (2000-2002). It has been developed with the recommenda tions from The Intergovernmental Panel on For est (IPF) from 1997 in mind, in particular the ones directly relevant for Denmark. These are: 1) de velopment of a national forest programme in volving all stakeholders; and 2) development of a national forest programme including criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management. The increased knowledge and the experiences at na tional and international level gained since 1994 in the field of sustainable forest management have also been important to the process. Myth, history, experiences, science: The cultural values will be conserved in the forest 12 2. Visions for the national forest programme Even though the Danish forest cover is relatively small, the forests are of great national impor tance. The forests are islands of nature in a sea of agricultural fields and urban areas. They pro duce high quality raw materials for industry, and harbour cultural heritage, landscape amenities and biological diversity, which is a part of the national identity. The ambitious overall goal of the Danish for est policy is a combination of nature, produc tion and recreational opportunities, which at the same time increases biodiversity protection, con solidates the possibilities for outdoor recreation, and ensures the future production potential of the forests. The National Forest Programme is developed with due regard to the Ecosystem Approach, as recommended in the CBD Work Programme on Forest Biodiversity (Element 1, Goal 1), including considerations for agriculture and provision of “environmental goods”. It is also a direct follow up to the IPF/IFF recommendations on develop ment and implementation of holistic national for est programmes, where an appropriate combina tion of legislation, economic instruments and tax policies are utilised to promote sustainable for est management, and which is consistent with national, sub-national and local policies and strategies. (IPF 17a, 58b(i); IFF 115a,b and c). The programme is also responding to the call for codes of conduct to the private forest sector con sistent with the principles for sustainable forest management (IFF 69a and 128c), and has both through the process leading to the programme and in the programme itself responded to the call for improved co-operation, co-ordination and partnerships in support of sustainable forest management by involving relevant stakeholders in forest decision making (IPF 17b,f,h,i, 40e; IFF 19b, 64b, 66, 140a). Forests will be developed as a national welfare benefit through their role for popular health Before 2040, a minimum of 10% of forest cover will have biodiversity as the most important management objective 13 Based on the specific setting in Denmark and in the light of the above international recommen dations, the Danish National Forest Programme has the following visions for the Danish forests: • Forests which can deliver high quality wood products to society; • Forests which offer good opportunities for outdoor recreation, particularly near urban aeas; • Forests which harbour and conserve biologi cal diversity; • Forests which, by creating economic possibili ties and rendering the rural areas attractive with regard to nature and recreation, contri bute to maintaining residence in the rural areas; • Forests which strengthen landscape functions with regard to biological diversity and land scape amenities; and • Forests which have environmental protection functions, for instance protection of ground water, production of renewable raw materials, and acting as CO2-sinks. The vision for the forests emanating from the public debate and the policy is developed into six main objectives of the programme as listed in table A on the following pages. Innovative use of wood will be promoted 14 Specific Objectives • Develop and promote a conversion to near-to nature forest management • Conserve natural forest and nature in the forest, including wetlands and key biotopes • Before 2040, 10% of the total forest area has bio diversity conservation as the primary management objective • Develop the potential of the forest sector to contri bute to a number of environmental objectives, including policy objectives in climate and energy, e.g. limitation of the greenhouse effect (as per the Kyoto Protocol), provision of renewable energy, ensuring clean groundwater, etc. • Develop forest and wood products, markets and the industrial and trade sectors • Increase the use of forest and wood products and improve the pricing and secondary values of these, among others through niche-productions and increased visibility of the environmental qualities of the forest production • Increase the awareness and knowledge about the economic possibilities in near-to-nature forest management – including clarification on issues relating to the conversion phase • Strengthen the opportunities for experiencing nature in the forests • Conserve the cultural values in the forests • Develop dialogue, knowledge and awareness about the functions and importance of the forests • Promotion of physical and mental wellbeing through the interaction between forests and citi zens, including the opportunities for outdoor recrea tion and the use of forest products Main Objectives Environmental objectives Promote efforts for the protection of biological diversity and secure the physical environment and the basis for forest management Economic objectives Development towards increasingly economically sustainable framework conditions for the forest sector Social objectives Development of the role of the forests as a national welfare benefit through the opportunities for the population for using the forests to develop health and awareness Table A Main Objectives and Specific Objectives 14 15 Afforestation The objectives for afforestation are maintained and developed with a view towards strengthening of the potential for natural habitats and processes in affores tation • Increase the forest area so forest landscapes cover 20-25 % of Denmark after one tree-generation (80 100 years) • The concept of multiple use forest management will be further integrated into the afforestation with due consideration to production, biodiversity, out door recreation, cultural heritage, landscape and environmental protection • Increased co-operation with local actors, including citizens, organisations and authorities in the affores tation efforts • Strengthen and apply knowledge-building and knowledge dissemination on biological diversity, economy and social aspects of the forest, here under needs and priorities of users and consumers • Use the state forests to test and further develop management methods and operational principles, which can perform multiple tasks within a number of areas, with a concerted and coherent strategy for operations, cultivation, biological diversity, outdoor recreation, cultural heritage etc. • In a longer perspective, the objectives will be strengthened by developing the forestry education curricula and adapting to the needs of the sector as well as new trends in society • Strengthening of a coherent monitoring of the forests • Coherent efforts of a still more binding character in international negotiation fora supported by bilateral, regional and multilateral co-operation, trade, research, information and public information nationally as well as internationally • Coherence between national and international efforts, thus underlining positions on international forest relations with national actions Knowledge Efficient capacity building and information sharing in the forest sector. Access to updated and relevant knowledge and experience as a basis for the forest policy through research, education, dissemination and information Internationally At global as well as regional scale to promote the development towards sustainable forest management, where protection of forest biological diversity and environment is integrated into the contribution of the forests to social and economic development Main Objectives Specific Objectives 15 16 2.2 Guidelines for sustainable forest 2.2 management In accordance with national forest policy objec tives, all Danish forests are now encouraged to aim towards sustainable management and de velopment. This process was initiated in the beginning of the 1990’s as a follow-up to the Forest Princi ples adopted in the UNCED Forest Declaration. During the following almost 10 years, the fol low-up process has developed a set of guidelines and indicators for different levels. In Denmark, broad consensus was reached in 2001 on a set of operational guidelines for sustainable forest management at management unit level, based on the Pan-European guidelines developed in min isterial forest conferences. The guidelines are attached in Annex I. The guidelines are based on the principles for near-to-nature forest management, which has an overarching economic goal in concert with a na ture-friendly management approach. One of the central elements of the near-to-nature forest man agement practices is to utilise the natural proc esses, such as natural regeneration, to the maxi mum extent. This can be done through: • Selection of species well adapted to the local conditions, especially native species; • Single tree management among the larger trees; • Maintenance of the productivity, stability and regeneration potential of the forest by avoid ing interventions which damage the climate, soil conditions and biodiversity of the forest – for instance clear-cutting and the use of pes ticides; • Utilisation of natural regeneration and natu ral differentiation in the forest management; • Development towards forests with a mixture of different tree species in different age groups. Danish forest management has thus obtained a common frame of reference for the management of the Danish forests, which in this way have taken a major step towards sustainable manage ment. The guidelines are a practical tool for the indi vidual forest owners who wish to use sustain able forest management practices in his/her for est. Conversion to near-to-nature forest manage ment is seen as a long-term exercise, where con version of specific areas only takes place for in stance at optimal rotation age or when stands are to be logged anyway, i.a. due to instability, health etc. Consequently, it will take one or more tree generations before a full conversion to near to-nature management practices has been achieved and even longer before the expected ecological effects have occurred. The policy is to introduce and promote a conversion of Danish uniform forest systems into near-to-nature forest management 17 3. Legal and institutional framework In general, in Denmark there are rather detailed rules for what any given forest owner is allowed to do in his/her forest. For instance, 85% of the forest area is registered as forest reserve and must not be converted to any other land use. The first Danish forestry regulation was is sued in 1805. The present Forest Act from 1997 has four primary objectives: • Conserve and protect the Danish forests. • Improve the stability of the forest sector, the ownership structure and the productivity. • Contribute to increasing the forest cover. • Strengthen the advisory service and informa tion on good and multiple use forest manage ment. It is thus to a large extent still based on the over all objective to preserve the forest resource and its production potential, and reflects the histori cal background, which was a major forest re source breakdown in 1805. But from 1989, the purpose of the Act is also aiming at multiple use of the forest, i.e. inclusion of nature, cultural heritage and recreational considerations. Multi ple use forest management was introduced in the Forest Act in 1997 as a mandatory provision. The Act also established specific protection of oak thickets and particular nature types (bogs, lakes etc.). All subsidy schemes for forest activi ties were at the same time gathered under the main objective of attending to multiple use con siderations in forest management. In Denmark, the forest sector is under the ju risdiction of the Ministry of Environment. The responsibility has been delegated to the Danish Forest and Nature Agency, which also includes 25 forest districts, which manage the 24% of the forest area owned by the state. The Ministry of Environment also includes three public sector research institutions with relevance to forestry. These institutions contribute significantly to knowledge building in the forest sector. Among other ministries of relevance to the forest sector is the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, particularly due to the co-ordi nating role of the ministry in the fields of land use and plant genetic resources. The internatio nal co-operation is mainly the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the work of the economic ministries is of importance to the economic framework conditions of the forest sec tor. The 14 Danish counties have a role in terms of forest management due to their responsibili ties and authority in accordance with the Nature Protection Act and the National Planning Act. They are for instance responsible for designa tion of potential areas for afforestation. The pri vate forest owners are well organised in various local and national associations. These associa tions provide consultancy services to the forest owners (partly supported by the state) as well as practical assistance and forest policy activities. A wide range of NGOs are active in the national forest debate, for instance WWF Denmark, the Danish Society for the Conservation of Nature, the environmental organisation Nepenthes, the Danish Outdoor Council, the Danish Hunters So ciety, and the Danish Ornithological Society. 18 4. Nature values, physical environment and basis for forest management The forests have an important function as pro tectors of biological diversity and the ecological cycles, in particular those of nutrients, water and carbon. The main objective of the National Forest Pro gramme is to promote efforts for the protection of biological diversity and secure the physical environment and the basis for forest manage ment. A particular effort will be made to develop and disseminate information on the conversion to near-to-nature forest management, and to con serve and improve the nature of the forests, in cluding wetlands, key biotopes, natural forests and nature in the forests in general. 4.1 Status and existing policies The Danish forests are generally small and frag mented and with a mixed ownership structure. The forests predominantly consist of planted for ests dominated by conifers (mainly pine and spruce) which are intensively grown and leave little room for biological diversity. These forests have furthermore turned out to be unstable, and the management regimes have effected a signifi cant deterioration of specific nature types and decline in species, particularly for those attached to old growth deciduous forests and wet forest types. On some poorer soils loss of nutrients has eroded the basis for forest management activi ties. However, compared to agriculture, forestry activities are still quite environmentally friendly due to the low intensity of tillage and use of pes ticides and fertilisers. By the ratification in 1993 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Denmark has obliged it self to conserve and sustainably use the biologi cal diversity of the country. The implementation The forest fringe is an important habitat to be man aged gently The remaining natural forest will be conserved, includ ing wetlands and key habitats 19 20 21 is primarily through national legislation and strategies and international (mainly EU) acts and directives. The Strategy for Sustainable Forest Management from 1994 outlined a policy framework for achievement of sustainable forest management at national level. The general principle behind the strategy was that economic, ecological and social objectives could be accommodated at the same site at the same time without major con flicts, leading to the concept of multiple-use for est management. This is important in a low for est cover country, where only small forest areas will be available for each function, if the forest area is divided into fractions each serving a spe cific function. However, also some exceptions to this general principle were introduced. One im portant exception occurs in the Strategy for Natural Forest from 1992, which provides guid ance on how to conserve the biological diversity of the forests, including the genetic resources. The primary means of implementation were des ignation of untouched forests and old forest man agement systems, for instance grazing forests, coppice forests and selection method cutting. The Forest Act from 1997 contains general objec tives for the functions of both private and pub licly owned forests in protection of nature and the environment, including conservation of bio logical diversity. More specifically, the Forest Act regulate land-use and contains provisions re garding good and multiple use forest practices and, in concert with the Nature Protection Act, the Forest Act ensures a general protection of spe cific nature types, such as lakes and bogs. The special provisions in the Forest Act for nature and environment protection in state owned forests have resulted in a range of par ticular guidelines for management of these for ests, including conservation of natural forest, old trees and dead wood in the forests, guidelines for the use of pesticides and fertilisers, for mixed forests, etc. Economic incentives aiming at management re gime changes have played a major role in Dan ish nature protection policies. The Forest Act from 1997 holds provisions for all the subsidy schemes for promotion of multiple use forest management. These include: afforestation; rege neration and management planning; outdoor re creation; mapping of local soil conditions; key biotopes and cultural heritage; and special man agement regimes (untouched forest and tradi tional forest management systems such as cop pice), with the primary goal of biodiversity con servation. At present, more than 6,500 ha are designated as untouched forest, and more than 10,000 ha are designated for traditional manage ment regimes, such as grazing forests, coppice forests and selective cutting. Through the implementation of the EU Direc tives on protection of birds and habitats (Coun cil Directive 79/409 on the Conservation of Wild Natural forest is often restricted to marginal lands, slopes etc. Coppice is a traditional forest management system which should be maintained – in particular on locations where it contributes to a rich biodiversity 22 Birds, and Council directive 92/43 on the Con servation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Flora and Fauna), Denmark has designated nature pro tection areas, which include forest areas. 4.2 Future efforts The main task ahead for the Danish forest sec tor is to maintain and support the development of the natural ecological structures and functions of the forests, including species adapted to the local conditions, and in particular native species. Habitats for flora and fauna and the ecological and genetic processes taking place in the forest should equally be protected and supported. A rich biological diversity will contribute to a strength ening of the ability of the forests to resist natu ral or man-made disturbances, for instance cli mate change. It is thus important to reduce the stressing impacts on forest ecosystems. The efforts will mainly be concentrated on de velopment and dissemination of a conversion to near-to-nature forest management and conser vation and improvement of the nature values of the forests, including wetlands, key biotopes, natural forest and nature in the forest in gen eral. 4.2.1 Near-to-nature forest management The concept of near-to-nature forest manage ment is central to the forest programme. It is not synonymous with the concept of sustainable forest management, but the two concepts are closely related. Near-to-nature forest manage ment is a narrower concept, which only relates to the actual forest operations. If this forestry concept is supplemented with a number of spe cial considerations to ecological, economic and social factors, what is more broadly defined as sustainable forest management is obtained. The primary goal of near-to-nature forest man agement is to ensure an economically sustain able wood production through selection of spe cies adapted to/adaptable to the local conditions. Maximum utilisation of the natural processes in the forest ecosystem, such as natural regenera tion and continuity in the forest cover, are other principles to be applied. In this way, maintenance and improvement of the forest climate and soil conditions, genetic resources and consequently natural regeneration potentials and productiv ity will be supported. A forest managed under these principles will typically consist of a mix ture of different tree species in different age groups, with a limited use of pesticides and other ancillary materials. It will be more robust and resistant to climate change, more biologi cally diverse and have more functions in envi ronmental protection. Near-to-nature forest management is about establish ing a structure of various species and ages Hunting – recrea tional activity and human predation to maintain the ecologi cal balance in the forests 23 Furthermore, the near-to-nature forest manage ment concept has a pronounced economic ob jective. However, the Danish experience with the concept is at present limited, and the possible economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages are intensively debated and in need of additional research and development efforts. In the state forests, an action plan for near to-nature forest management will be ready by 2004. It is estimated that full conversion to near to-nature forest management can take place over a period of one tree-generation (80-100 years), and that the near-to-nature management princi ples can be implemented in 24% of the total state forest area within the first 10 years. This will be an important contribution to the total national development efforts. For the private forests, the conversion period is recommended to be longer. The means to achieve the conversion will be based on volun tary action, dialogue, dissemination of informa tion and knowledge, timber certification and in some cases voluntary agreements. A revision of the Forest Act will aim at providing a more flex ible legal framework, and at the same time se cure forest resources and a continued land use for forestry. This is expected to promote both economic and ecological objectives in forest man agement by giving forest owners the possibility to fully utilise and develop the potentials in near to-nature forest management. The voluntary certification schemes, which at present are under development in Denmark, prescribe near-to-nature forest management. These market-based schemes are expected to gain more widespread use in Denmark in the coming years, which will at the same time pro mote near-to-nature forest management. 4.2.2 Conservation of biodiversity in the forests Beyond the nature values of the forest areas per se, the Danish forests harbour smaller or larger patches or elements, where the biological diver sity is particularly valuable or have particularly good opportunities for developing. Natural for est, valuable genetic resources, untouched for ests and old forest management systems with particular nature qualities (grazing forest, selec tive cutting and coppice forests), key biotopes and wetlands etc. constitute an important part of the particularly valuable nature elements in the forests. Several of these nature types, for in stance in forest fringes, are also of great value to wildlife. The Danish Strategy for Natural Forests from 1992 set up a long-term objective for designa tion of 40,000 ha of natural forest, untouched forest and old forest management systems by 2040. This objective will now be further devel oped by working towards before 2040 designat ing 10% of the total forest area to be managed for nature and biological diversity purposes as the primary management objective. This “biodiver sity-forest” will harbour particularly valuable for ests, which will be protected, as well as areas, which are sought developed with nature, biodi Traditional silvo pastoral systems provide biodiversity and amenity values in the forests 24 versity or cultural heritage conservation objec tives in mind. Also EU Habitat-areas will be con sidered within this context. Designation of un touched forest and areas subject to old forest management systems will be applied in these ef forts. The main steps towards designating biodiversity forest will be: • by the end of 2003, an account of the specific nature values to be protected by designation of biodiversity-forest will be drafted, includ ing an assessment of the present Danish nature forest concept aiming at a more focused implementation with clear priorities and broad support among forest owners and man agers; • by 2004, a report which identifies and evalu ates a gross list of potential areas for designa tion as biodiversity-forest, including consid erations on implementation of international conventions and EU directives; • by 2010, 10% of the state forests will be desig nated as biodiversity-forests, and the progress towards 10% biodiversity-forest at a national level in 2040 will be evaluated. 25 5. Forest resources and economy A major element of the forest policy is to secure a sustainable economic framework for the forest sector. The results of forest management acti vities must at least pay-off the resources in terms of capital and manpower, which have been in vested into these efforts. This will enable the forest sector to implement sustainable forest ma nagement, including objectives for outdoor re creation and biological diversity. 5.1 Status and existing policies At an international scale, the Danish forest sec tor is small in scale and non-homogenous with regard to tree species composition and quality. The resource is not subject to any significant strategic interest from international forest indus tries. During the last years timber prices have been declining in the region eroding the eco nomic conditions for the sector. Small units and a low degree of refinement dominate the primary Danish wood processing industry, and generally it has a low competitive power. The secondary wood processing indus try (furniture, building materials, energy etc.) is economically more important, but also less de pendent on domestic wood production. If pri mary wood processing industries are closing due to increasing economic constraints, timber from Danish forests need longer transports from for est to industry, which will increase costs and thus further erode the economic basis for forest management activities in Denmark. In this situation, many private forest owners are opting for production of Christmas trees and decorative greenery as a major alternative source of income. However, even this market seems to approach a state of saturation, and the produc tion is less environmentally benign than tradi tional forest management and can only take place on a limited fraction of the forest area. Central to the development of the economy of the forest sector is the question whether it is possible to introduce new lifestyle and niche pro ductions in the Danish forest and wood indus try which can ensure a sound economic basis for the trade. The “Product Development Scheme”, which was initiated in 1994 and is di rected towards the primary forestry and wood industry, has so far yielded good results. Fur thermore, subsidies have been provided for af forestation activities and promotion of multiple use forest management, including conversion from conifers to deciduous tree species and pro tection of natural forest. The Danish state forests are an important ac tor in the national timber market, and the eco nomy of the National Forest and Nature Agency is closely linked to timber prices. Therefore, the state forest operations also have an interest in the development of the market situation, and the state forest districts often act as a buffer in times of turbulent market conditions, for instance af ter extensive windfalls as it occurred in Decem ber 1999. 5.2 Future efforts The Forest Act will be revised 2002- 2004 aiming at more flexibility and degrees of freedom in for est management activities. This is expected to have a positive effect on the economy of the for est sector through enabling forest owners and managers to develop and take advantage of the full economic potential of near-to-nature forest management. For instance, the revised forest leg islation will promote natural regeneration. 26 27 Grazing as weeding. Sheep can reduce the dependence on pesticides in the greenery production 5.2.1 Practical implementation of near-to-nature 5.2.1 forest management While the state forests will be obliged to imple ment the principles for near-to-nature forest man agement, the conversion will be voluntary in the private forests, though the Forest Act will encour age the concept aiming at a long-term conver sion phase. In this context some considerations need to be addressed in the follow-up: • the limited experience in Denmark with mixed species stands, particularly in areas in Jutland dominated by recently planted forests; • the long-term changes in the availability of timber; • the possible changes in quality of timber from the forests; • the increased diversity of timber products; • the changes in production- and transport con ditions; • the need for development of new planning systems; • the fact that natural regeneration in some areas can be hampered by high numbers of game; • production of Christmas trees and decorative greenery will be maintained, but should be de veloped towards being environmentally friendly. 5.2.2 Economic incentives Economic incentives available for the forest sec tor will be targeted at promoting the objectives of the forest programme. Timber certification is gaining ground as an instrument for promotion of sustainable forest management. Certification is an instrument based on private initiative. How ever, the government may promote transparency and participation in the processes through dia logue with the certification organisations. It is important that the certification schemes are cost effective and appeal to the consumers to an ex tent where compensation for the extra costs in connection with certification can be achieved through better pricing. Several of the environmental advantages as sociated with forest cover, for instance ground water protection, carbon sequestration and ac cess to outdoor recreation close to urban areas, need to be promoted, and the economic poten tial of these benefits should be explored, nota bly: • as the negotiations on implementation of the Kyoto Protocol are progressing, all modalities on how CO2-sequestration in the forests is to be included in CO2-accounting will be clari fied, and subsequently national measures will be set up in order to take advantage of this instrument; • the possibilities for co-operation between water plants and the forest sector in terms of afforestation and reduced application of pes ticides and fertilisers in particularly sensitive areas will be further explored; • efforts to re-establish forest which fell in the hurricane in December 1999 will continue in the coming years, including the subsidy schemes. Mainstream Danish forestry year 2000 – a patchwork of uniform stands 28 6. Outdoor recreation One of the objectives of the National Forest Pro gramme is to develop the forests as a national welfare benefit through their role for popular health and awareness by providing opportuni ties for nature experience and outdoor recrea tion. This is particularly important since most Danes live in densely populated areas – 85% live in urban areas. In this context, the state owned forest and nature areas – covering 4% of Den mark – play a key role. 6.1 Status and existing policies In publicly owned forests public access is per mitted by foot all over the forest 24 hours a day. Since 1969 private forests have been open for public access on roads and pathways from 7am to sunset. Today even access by horse and bicy cle is permitted. In the 25 state forest districts, outdoor rec reation is a highly important management ob jective. The state forest districts, and many pri vate forest districts, have established various fa cilities for public use such as playgrounds, sim ple camp sites, information boards, visitor cen tres, barbecue sites, bird watching towers etc. In general, dissemination of information and guid ance are important elements of the daily work of forest staff. Each year, more than 500,000 peo ple participate in ranger activities focused on for ests. Around 40 nature schools have been estab lished in the state forest districts, forest kinder gartens are increasingly popular, and a concept of “school forests”, where forest owners – pri vate as well as public - on a voluntary basis make their forest available for local schools for educa tion purposes, has been developed. 6.2 Future efforts The objective is that forest landscapes shall cover 20-25% of Denmark after one tree generation (80 – 100 years). In this process, considerations for outdoor recreation should be taken as early as possible. Establishment of forests near to urban areas will be promoted, and particular attention will be given to establishment of forests with a greater nature content and more species varia tion than in traditional planted forests. Outdoor recreation opportunities should be integrated into the overall spatial and urban plan ning exercises through dialogue and public par ticipation, also in order to prevent negative in fluence on nature and the environment. In 2001 a commission under the Danish For est and Nature Agency analysed existing rules and procedures for public access to nature, and came up with a set of recommendations, includ ing increased access to private forests. These rec ommendations are currently subject to further dialogue and voluntary implementation. The increased focus on nature and forest as a welfare benefit is an additional challenge for the state forests districts. Most guidance, edu cation and dissemination of information on na ture are presently based in the state forests. How ever, also private forests are participating. Par ticular focus will be put on children and youth, and the Internet will be used increasingly for information and dissemination purposes. Local authorities, institutions, schools and associa tions will be involved including involvement in specific on-the-ground projects linked to forest management tasks. Special attention will also be paid to the particular requirements of disabled people. 29 Easy access to the forest is a prerequisite for nature experience and outdoor recreation 30 7. Afforestation It is an objective of the forest programme to in crease the forest area so that forest landscapes cover 20-25 % of Denmark after one tree-genera tion (80-100 years). Since 1989 it has been a for est policy objective to double the forest area – corresponding approximately to obtaining a 20 25% forest cover. While this objective was origi nally triggered by agricultural over production, the focus is now on nature values and opportu nities for outdoor recreation. Action proposal 129a from IFF deals with encouragement of co operation and co-ordination of activities with regard to forests and trees in environmentally critical areas. This is well integrated into the Dan ish afforestation efforts. 7.1 Status and existing policies In 2000 the past 10 years of the Danish affores tation efforts were evaluated. It was concluded that while the overall quality was rather good, more emphasis should be put on nature consid erations. Furthermore, the afforestation efforts are running behind schedule. If the forest area is to be doubled within a tree generation, 40,000 – 50,000 ha should be afforested over a period of 10 years, but afforestation has only reached 30-35% of this target. This is mainly due to the high cost level associated with afforestation ac tivities in publicly owned as well as private for ests, and competition with other land-uses, mostly agriculture, which eventually constrain afforestation efforts. 7.2 Future efforts The efforts to achieve 20-25% forest landscapes will continue. But biodiversity and recreational objectives will to a larger degree be taken into consideration, and the principles of near-to-na ture forest management will be used as the ba sis for afforestation operations. It is thus recom mended that a larger proportion of the areas des ignated for afforestation should be left to natu ral succession and regeneration processes. When planting new forests, seeds and plant material of preferably indigenous species, and species which are well adapted to the local conditions, should be selected. The location of the new for ests should also be decided with due considera tion to the need for landscape corridors and amenity. These principles are well in accordance with the proposals for action from IPF and IFF, in particular IPF 58b (i,iii and v) and 58c, and IFF 30b and 129c dealing with requirements of coun tries with low forest cover. Previous experience has shown that economic incentives are a prerequisite for afforestation on privately owned land. The challenge now is to reduce the costs and mobilise alternative finan cial sources. Natural succession and regenera tion may reduce costs. Alternative financing may include CO2- sequestration, groundwater protec tion measures and co-financing in order to achieve recreational values, air quality improve ment and protection of the aquatic environment. Future subsidised afforestation efforts will continue to prioritise size, continuity with exist ing forests, localisation, landscape considera tions and proximity to urban areas. In the state forests afforestation areas will, in addition to the previously mentioned priorities and considera tions for cultural heritage and nature content, also take into consideration areas where the for est cover is relatively low. A larger proportion of the afforestation will take place via natural re generation and succession processes and using minimum tillage. 31 The national policy of increasing the country’s forest landscape to 20-25 % of the surface will be main tained and the multipurpose approach will be emphasised The availability of land for afforestation is highly influenced by market prices and European Union agricultural policy 32 8. Capacity building and awareness raising Forest research and development are important issues within the context of international forest policy. Considering the limited size and eco nomic importance of the Danish forest sector considerable efforts have been put into research and extension services. The Forest Programme aims at a well functioning capacity building sys tem and information sharing in the forest sec tor. Access to updated and relevant knowledge is seen as the basis for the forest policy, and will be achieved through research, education, dis semination and information efforts. The linkage between forest research and for est policy processes is seen as particularly im portant for a sound development of the forest sector. This is well in accordance with proposals for action from IPF (58b(vii)) and IFF (96c). Fur thermore, the resolutions from the Ministerial Conferences in Helsinki (1993) and Lisbon (1998) also establish that the European countries are obliged to improve and adapt the national forest monitoring programmes to the need for docu mentation of sustainable forest management op erations. This will be put into practice through for instance: • following and documenting the conditions and development trends in the forests; • documenting the multiple functions of the forests (wood production, forest health, bio logical diversity, outdoor recreation); • substantiate that the established goals have been fulfilled. 8.1 Statistics Currently, statistics of import and export, log ging, prices, employment etc. in the forest sec tor are made available annually. Forest health is also monitored. A national forest inventory com piled every 10 years is the most important sta tistical tool in the Danish forest sector. The sta tus of the latest inventory is from 2000. A new National Forest Inventory will now be implemented. This inventory will be based on a grid of permanent plots, where not only data re lated to production is recorded. Also data related to nature content and species and habitat con servation of various forest management practices etc. will be included. The resulting system will comply with the action proposals from IPF (89b) and IFF (17a, 121a and b) regarding preparation of national information on sustainable forest ma nagement. Man and nature in the past, at present and in the future. The dynamics of land use and landscape is an important issue for nature interpretation 33 8.2 Research and development During the past 10 years a number of Danish forest research institutions have been merged into one, the Danish Forest and Landscape Re search Institute, under the Ministry of Environ ment. In parallel to this, most of the forest-re lated research at the Royal Veterinary and Agri cultural University are merged into one institute in close collaboration with the Forest and Land scape Research Institute. Additionally, the two institutions have entered into a partnership with the Forestry College, which trains i.a. forest and landscape engineers, in order to create a coher ent capacity building and research effort in the Danish forest sector. This partnership has re cently been appointed European knowledge cen tre for urban forestry under the European For est Institute. In the coming years, forest-related research will in particular be concentrated on: • Environmental economics and environmen tal sociology; • Environment and health, including outdoor recreation; • Sustainable use of natural resources, includ ing development of near-to-nature forest man agement practices; • Environment and energy technology; • Consequences of climate change. 8.3 Education A wide range of training and education institu tions services the Danish forest sector. In gen eral, the research and training institutions are well adapted to the general trends in the sector and have gradually been moving away from only focusing on production towards a wider range of topics with a broader relevance to society. The spectre from basic vocational training to Ph.D. is covered by one continuous system. The con tinuation of the adaptation to present and fu ture challenges in Danish forest management are the main task ahead for the educational sector related to forest management. The international outlook should also be maintained and further In a country with 85 % of the population living in cities, urban forestry becomes an important feature – in policy, local administration and research The holistic approach to forest management should be further researched, developed, disseminated and taught to students 34 developed, including carrying out high level courses in English, thereby facilitating the par ticipation of foreign students. These efforts are also well in accordance with the recommenda tions from IFF and IPF with regard to capacity building in national forest programmes as well as technology transfer recommendations. 8.4 Information sharing and dissemination 8.4 in the forest sector In spite of the modest size of the Danish forest sector, many dissemination and information sharing activities are taking place. Owners, ad ministrators and managers of forests are the primary target groups, and as most of the pri vate forest owners have no forestry related edu cational background, a particular challenge is to cater for professionals and non-professionals alike. A wide range of publications (printed as well as Internet-based) from various sources are targeted at different interest groups. One of the major means to achieve the changes in the forest sector outlined in the For est Programme will be information and dissemi nation. Mutual trust and dialogue are essential to the success of the implementation of the ob jectives of conversion to near-to-nature forest management practices, protection of forest na ture and biodiversity, and strengthened oppor tunities for outdoor recreation in the forests. This is particularly important in the ¾ of the Danish forest area, which is privately owned. It will thus be a major challenge for the Danish forest con sultant organisations to integrate into their ac tivities information and dissemination about near-to-nature forest management and the eco nomic potentials the concept offers. Low soil pressure and excellent manoeuvre perform ance of the felling equipment is an important element of sustainable forest management when it comes to operational terms Small dimension timber originating from coppice management can be utilised as firewood or other products for local consumption 35 9. International activities The overall international objective for the Dan ish National Forest Programme is to promote the development towards sustainable forest manage ment at global as well as regional level. Protec tion of forest biological diversity and environ mental considerations should be integrated into the contribution of forests to social and economic development. Forests cannot be seen solely as a national con cern. Their importance to biodiversity, climate and development are of global interest. The pre sent rate of deforestation in developing coun tries is of serious concern, but even though the awareness of the importance of conserving the forests is gradually increasing, the capacity to cope with the problems is often very limited. At present, important fora for global dialogue are the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Cli mate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol. Denmark is also actively participating in discus sions in the UN Food and Agricultural Organisa tion (FAO), the International Tropical Timber Or ganization (ITTO) and in various programmes within the context of for instance the Consulta tive Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) which among other things includes re search institutions dealing with forestry, agro forestry and plant genetic resources, and the Glo bal Environment Facility (GEF) which finances projects related to conservation of forest biologi cal diversity. As a member state of the European Union Denmark is co-ordinating with the other EU member states in international negotiations on forest, and Denmark is actively participating in forest policy activities within the context of the EU. 9.1 Existing objectives and means The Danish National Strategy for Sustainable De velopment from 2002 states that “Denmark will continue the efforts towards a still more bind ing international co-operation within the forest sector through international agreements and con ventions. Denmark will follow up on interna tional agreements, promote sustainable forest management and make Danish experience avail able to others. The Danish development- and en vironmental assistance shall contribute to the implementation of international conventions, agreements and recommendations with regard to forests and nature in the recipient countries. Furthermore it is to be ensured, that the con sumption and import of wood products will propriately consider products, which have been sustainably and legally produced. One measure in this context would be strengthening the ef forts towards timber certification” In the international negotiations, Danish key issues have been promotion of national forest programmes, criteria and indicators for sustain able forest management, and evaluation of the possibilities for financing sustainable forest man agement. Certification of wood and other forest products is recognised by IFF, IPF, UNFF and CBD as a useful means to promote sustainable forest management, and Denmark has worked for a greater co-ordination of the international certifi cation schemes. The Danish development and environmental assistance is closely co-ordinated with the recipi ent countries. Environment is a crosscutting is sue in the ordinary development assistance and the primary objective of the environmental as sistance. The forest sector in developing coun tries has been supported through capacity build ing and institutional strengthening, awareness 36 raising, training and education, demonstration and pilot projects, and support to legislative processes and protection of particularly valuable and vulnerable forest areas. In Eastern and Cen tral Europe, the Danish support has focused on biodiversity protection, sustainable forest man agement, outdoor recreation, public participa tion, consultative services, urban forests, etc. The wide range of Danish forest educational institu tions and extensive research capacity has also been employed in twinning arrangements with institutions in developing countries. 9.2 Future efforts The objectives of the new Danish National For est Programme with regard to the international aspects (outlined in Table A) do not differ much from previously agreed objectives. They are also well in accordance with various recommenda tions from IPF and IFF, in particular IPF recom mendations 71a and b. Denmark will thus also in the future be working internationally based on the following principles: • Concrete implementation of international recommendations and resolutions, in an increasingly binding co-operation; • Strengthening of the co-operation between conventions and organisations etc. in order to ensure more efficient efforts and exploit the possibilities for synergy; 37 Denmark will take an active role in the dialogue on the promotion of sustainable forest management – nation ally, regionally and globally • Promotion of the connection between trade and sustainable forest management; • Continue the use of sector-integrated devel opment and environmental assistance; • Continue to ensure that sustainable forest management benefits poor local communities, including indigenous people; • Realising that Denmark is a small country with limited resources, relevant fora will be scruti nised in order to select those in which Den mark can pursue its goals most efficiently. It is furthermore of high priority to contribute to the establishment of clear criteria of success for the work of UNFF, further promote the devel opment of national forest programmes focusing on sustainable forest management, ensure that the work in UNFF for sustainable forest manage ment is integrated into the framework of the Kyoto Protocol, the CBD and the Convention to Combat Desertification, and to work towards strengthening the co-operation in the Collabo rative Partnership on Forests. With regard to the Kyoto Protocol, Denmark attaches great importance to developing imple mentation modalities which ensure that future CO2 sequestration in the forests does not under mine the overall objectives of emission reduc tion. Denmark supports the interaction between climate policy and forest policy and sustainable development goals. In the framework of the Con vention on Biological Diversity, a forest work pro gramme has recently been adopted (April 2002). The programme is well in accordance with the Danish priorities for action and implementation. It is also of high priority for Denmark to inte grate the forest sector in other relevant policy areas in the European Union. 38 10. How the Danish national forest programme was developed In accordance with the principles in the Aarhus Convention for openness and dialogue in envi ronmental decision making and the recommen dations from IPF and IFF, the Danish National Forest Programme has been developed through extensive consultations involving all relevant stakeholders, including a public hearing proc ess. The process was initiated by a broad public debate (including Internet debate) on how we want our forests to look, and how we want to use them. Thematic meetings, a conference, ex cursions and discussions have been undertaken with participation of a wide range of stakeholders, and the Programme has been widely circulated for comments in a public hearing process. Re sults from recent research projects were also included in the programme development. The debate revealed that the general Danish public is more interested in the recreational as pects than the production related aspects of for est management. Forests with a varied structure, a rich fauna and calmness seem to be the pre ferred type. The more professional part of the debate revolved around protection of natural for ests, designation of untouched forest areas and forest grazing. The experiences from this exercise show that efficient methods for public participation in the forest sector have to be developed, and this should be taken into consideration in the imple mentation of the programme. The National Forest Programme was devel oped 8 years after the Strategy for Sustainable Forest Management. Probably modern forest po licy making requires updating at intervals of less than 10 years. Thus the National Forest Program me is expected to be replaced or revised before 2012. 39 The guidelines for sustainable forest manage ment are based on the principles for near-to-na ture forest management. Near-to-nature forest management has a clear financial aim and also entails that forest man agement can be planned in support of continu ity of the forest through facilitating natural re generation in the future. This means that the choice of species will be based on ecological adaptability to the site, a fact which will promote use of site-adaptable trees and shrubs, particu larly indigenous ones. A forest where near-to nature forest management is applied will typi cally consist of a mixture of many different tree species, comprising many different age groups. Near-to-nature forest management also means that use of ancillary substances and materials is minimised or avoided altogether. Near-to-nature forest management supports and strengthens general forest health and durability, resistance against climate change, biodiversity, and envi ronmental protection. Finally, near-to-nature forest management will create attractive forests with a high degree of continuity, thereby strengthening the social functions of the forest, e.g. their use for outdoor recreation and general awareness raising on na ture. It is, however, clear that even “nature-friendly”, near-to-nature forest management cannot stand alone in its classic form. It must be supplemented by a range of special measures aimed specifically Annex I: Danish guidelines for sustainable forest management at management unit level For historical reasons, the Danish forest forms mosaic patterns in the agricultural landscape. The forest cover is 11% of total area at promoting the economic, ecological, and so cial aspects of sustainability. In general, it is recommended that conver sion should only commence when a stand reaches its optimum rotation age, or in connec tion with necessary felling of existing stands, when conversion is technically feasible and fi nancially beneficial. As a result, it will take one or more generations of trees before a full con version of all forests into near-to-nature struc tures has taken place. Correspondingly, it will also take a long time before the expected eco logical effects fully materialise. The ecological aspect is to be strengthened by designating stands or forests as “untouched” areas, by taking steps to secure key biotopes, by rehabilitating “natural” wetlands, and by letting dying and decaying dead trees remain in the for est (guideline 11). Among other things, the social element entails steps to preserve cultural heritage (ancient monu ments, old management regimes, etc.), good work ing conditions for employees and excellent scope for outdoor recreation. It is a well-documented fact that forests are an important setting for peo ple’s outdoor recreation, which means that they constitute a significant aspect of Danish welfare. This function should be strengthened by means of good access conditions in forests, e.g. by es tablishing and maintaining roads and pathways, by establishing open-air facilities and areas for more intensive outdoor pursuits (guideline 12). Finally, the economic aspect is addressed through the opportunity to use parts of the areas for in tensive management systems, which are not in accordance with near-to-nature principles (guide line 13). The guidelines are voluntary. They can be ap plied at stand, forest, or management unit level; i.e. to forest reserves as well as to areas where 40 no forest reserve restrictions apply. The guide lines can also be applied to forests established on farmland (afforestation). The forest management should be based on the concern for the multiple uses of the forest, i.e. the forests should be managed with a view to maintaining or improving production of wood and other products, as well as maintaining or improving the nature, the historical and cultural values, and environmental and recreational func tions of the forests. Guidelines 1-10 describe a range of principles and considerations which will ensure that day to-day forest management activities develop in a near-to-nature direction. These guidelines are then supplemented by a number of specific so cial, ecological and economic elements in guide lines 11–13. These are special considerations, which do not necessarily form part of the day to-day routines of standard working. Guideline no. 13 also addresses special, intensive manage ment systems. Through near-to-nature forest management and by observing a number of so cial, ecological, and economic considerations, these guidelines will pave the way for sustain able forest management. 41 Guidelines: 1) Ensuring production and the basis for forest management a) The permanent forest cover and forest climate can be maintained and improved by reduced use of clear-cutting and by retaining sufficient biomass on the site. b) The tree species selected should ensure a high and stable production of wood and other forest products while maintaining the fertility of the soil. c) The potential of the soil to yield nutrients through decomposition of minerals must be taken into consideration when nutrients are extracted as a consequence of logging. However, such extraction of nutrients may be compensated, including loss of nutri ents caused by leaching. Nutrients received from the surrounding environment must be included as a part of this compensation. d) During the conversion phase the fertility of the soil may be re-established if it has previously been degraded as a result of overexploitation, and where no particular interest is depending on the poor nutrient status of the site. 2) Establishment of a broad and stable supply of various products a) Forest management should encourage the production of high-quality timber and other products. However, exceptions may occur on low-productive sites and on locations where particular concern to nature or cultural interests makes pro duction less feasible. b) The forest should be structured to com prise various tree species of varying ages on each site. 3) Use of locally-adapted species and provenances a) The use of indigenous species and locally adapted provenances should be encour aged as much as possible. b) Non-indigenous species may be used where they are adapted to the site and do not pose a threat to the biological values of the forest. c) Advantage should be taken of the natural variation of the site in obtaining a varied selection of tree species. 4) Promotion of species mixtures a) Natural succession processes and a mix ture of tree species, including species asso ciated to the main species, should be pro moted. b) Rare indigenous species should be pro tected or supported. 5) Promotion of natural regeneration a) Where species and provenances are adap ted to the site, natural regeneration should be applied. b) Where local experience and site conditions are in favor of a change of species and/or provenance or enrichment with additional species, planting or sowing should take place. c) Forest stands with a potential for natural regeneration should, in principle, be regenerated without clear-cutting. How ever, open spaces in the forest may be established, where particular conditions make it desirable to initiate regeneration, or where this is beneficial for recreative or aesthetic reasons. d) Where clear-cutting still takes place, nega tive effects should be reduced through, for example, maintaining natural regeneration in the area. e) Logging aiming at regeneration should not take place until the stand has reached nor mal rotation age, unless the area is subject to special management regimes as for example coppicing. Where the stands con sist of trees of various ages and heights logging should be carried out on a tree by tree basis. f) The aim is that natural regeneration with a potential to develop into new forest will permanently be present in each area form ing a basis for the forest generation to come. 42 6) Improvement of forest structure, including forest fringes a) Forest management should, in general, promote types of forest regeneration, which will ensure permanent canopy cover. b) Forest management should support de velopment of a natural variation in species and structure. c) Where local conditions make it feasible, near-to-nature and stable forest fringes or similar structures with a high fraction of indigenous species neighboring open fields, along roads, firebreaks, streams and lakes, etc., should be established and main tained as a natural and integrated part of forest management. d) Characteristic old trees from original forest fringes should be maintained when the forest is delineated by afforestation. 7) Organic and biological plant protection a) With the aim of gradually eliminating appli cation of pesticides1, management systems relying on pesticides should be subject to development in this direction during the conversion phase. b) The use of silvicultural and biotechnical methods for the control of pests should be promoted. c) Recreational activities causing stress to the forest may be regulated in order to protect particularly vulnerable areas. 8) Ecosystem-adapted wildlife management a) Wildlife management should comply with multiple use management. This also ap plies to selection of locally adapted tree species and natural regeneration. b) Fences may be raised when required for a stable and varied high-quality regene ration. c) Possible measures to benefit wildlife, such as feeding crops and pastures can be ap plied as part of normal forest management practices, possibly associated with cutting vegetation in open areas, along tracks, and through using coppice forest and un touched forest as wildlife refuges. d) Feeding crops should be grown on arable land. Where exceptional needs are present, feeding crops could be grown at storage sites for timber, in firebreaks and other small open areas. e) Fencing for grazing livestock in the forest should not block or hinder the passage of wildlife. 9) Ecosystem-adapted forest management techniques a) Logging, transport and regeneration tech niques which spare/protect the site and the stand should be applied. b) Soil preparation should be limited to the extent possible. c) Litter and humus layers in forest floors should be preserved to the extent possible during regeneration and other forest ma nagement activities d) Due regard in management should be paid to historic sites and cultural heritage. e) Attention should be paid to nature values, environment, historic sites/cultural heri tage and outdoor recreation activities when establishing and maintaining forest infrastructure. f) Good working and transport lines in the forest and in individual stands should be ensured. g) Fire protection schemes are recommended and firebreaks should be established at vulnerable sites. 10) Registration, planning, information and training a) The owner of the forest and his employees should hold the best possible knowledge for supporting sustainable forest manage ment. One measure in this context would be to register 1) the utilisation of the forest (production as well as recreation), 2) public 1 “Pesticides” in these guidelines are primarily industrially manufactured substances which have a documented, toxic effect on certain living organisms, plants, animals or fungi. Not included are such substances approved for use in organic farming, spread-on repellants which involve only a limited exposure to the surrounding nature, and pheromones, which are only used as a source of smell. 43 regulations (conservation areas, etc.) 3) key biotopes 4) historical sites etc. b) The forest owner and his employees should be ready to enter into a dialogue on forest management with the local community aiming at the optimal use of knowledge available on the ecology and history of the forest and dissemination of information on the objectives of the forest management. c) The owner of the forest supervises and monitors forest management and must ensure that employees as well as con tractors carry out their tasks in a safe and qualified manner in compliance with current guidelines for forest management, including the relevant legislation. 11) Special measures to promote and ensure biological diversity a) Areas should be designated as untouched forest where 1) the conservation of unique biological values requires that the forest is left unmanaged, 2) where untouched forest supports networks (e.g. corridors) in the landscape and 3) where it is to be con sidered feasible based on an ecological and economic assessment. b) A number of trees should be left naturally dying and decaying in managed forest (nesting trees and deadwood). c) Key biotopes should be considered when planning and carrying out forest operations. d) Lakes, ponds, streams, bogs, heathlands, coastal meadows or marshes, water meadows and commons associated with the forests, which have been altered through draining or other interventions, should be re-established to their original state, taking into consideration the economic possi bilities. However, if the established drainage system is of importance for the stability of the existing forest system, it may be main tained. 12) Securing and improving particular forest features a) Particular features and functions of the forest should be secured and improved. For example, scenic views may be kept free of growth, and the landscape features must be considered when planning for affores tation. b) Forest management must ensure protec tion of important historical relics. c) Coppice forest and other old forest manage ment regimes of particular cultural, his torical, biological value, or value for the landscape, should be continued according to the original principles. d) Opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature experience in the forest should be secured and improved by i.a. easy access, including the establishment of roads and pathways, clearing of scenic views and designation of particular sites for more intensive recreational activities. 13) Particularly intensive types of operation a) At smaller areas intensive management regimes could be applied, e.g. production of Christmas trees and decorative greenery. Location and management of such activities should be developed towards more nature and environmentally friendly principles. Use of pesticides and compensation fertilization should be minimized. This type of production cannot be considered as being in accordance with near-to-nature principles. 44