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POLITICAL INERTIA THREATENS EUROPE'S FORESTS
WWF Ranks 15 European Countries According To Forest Quality,
Management And Policy
26 May, 1998
Brussels, Belgium - Political inertia and pressure from commercial
interests are threatening the wealth of nature in Europe's forests
according to a new WWF analysis, the Forest Scorecards 1998,
presented today.
The Scorecards analyse 15 European countries from the point of view of
their forest status, management and policies. WWF's report ranks the
countries according to the way they look after their forests. Switzerland,
Finland and Austria are the winners of this year's scoring. Following, in
descending order, are Greece, Sweden, Turkey, France, Norway,
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, UK, Spain and Belgium. Denmark is
bottom-of-the-list.
WWF has deliberately published the Scorecards a week before 41
European forest ministers meet in Lisbon at the 'Third Ministerial
Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe' (2-4 June 1998).
Unfortunately, governments have refused to put forward a resolution on
biodiversity at the Lisbon Conference, implying that biodiversity problems
are solved in Europe's forests.
"The indifference of most European forest ministries towards nature is
staggering," says Dr Claude Martin, Director-General of WWF
International. "It is clear that forests are still mainly seen as *factories' for
wood. WWF's Scorecard analysis shows that ministries must begin to
pay more attention to other values of forests besides the production of
timber."
The main problems facing forests in Europe are inappropriate
management, air pollution, fires, erosion and the destruction of forest
habitats. Only 2% of Europe's forests are left in a natural state. Nearly all
the original riverine forests have been destroyed; along the Rhine river,
for instance, only 150 km} out of original 2000 km} riverine forests remain
today, and of which only 1.5 km} are natural. Species like owls, bats and
woodpeckers are in particular need of old and dead trees which
intensive forestry frequently removes.
The Scorecards give a detailed insight into each country's forest quality,
management and policy. Using 91 indicators, they provide - for the first
time - a clear and comparative picture of the status of European forests
and forest policies in fifteen countries. The results of a SWOT analysis
(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) are also presented
for each country.
Download the report from WWF's website:
http://www.panda.org/europe/forests/scorecards or send a fax to Flo Danthine, WWF European Policy Office, fax +32 2 743 8819.
Contact: Martin Hiller, WWF European Policy Office, tel +32 2 743
8806
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