Forest Policy (Andalucía)

Editor's note 20Mar14: Sources D142-6. and D342-4.

Plans and Strategies that form forest policy

Forest planning at the national level began with the Forest Law in 1957, providing the framework for the use and conservation of Spanish forests. Forest management competence was transferred to the Autonomous Communities under the 1978 Spanish Constitution. Law 43/2003 on Forestry (amended in 2006) is an adaptation to international trends regarding sustainable forest management. It appoints regional governments as the competent authority responsible for forests, according to the Constitution and statutes of autonomy. This law establishes the need for a comprehensive, scaled forest plan, consolidating the Spanish Forest Strategy and the Spanish Forestry Plan as instruments of planning relating also to the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification and the National Priorities for Hydrological-forestry.

The European Forestry Strategy (1998) was incorporated into the Spanish legal framework through the Spanish Forest Strategy (adopted in 1999). It provides guidance for planning in the country, and enjoys broad social and institutional support by all involved sectors. Most Autonomous Communities already have additional regional strategies. The Forestry Plan of Andalucía was the first initiative within the country and was approved in 1989.

In addition to the Spanish Forest Strategy and the Forestry Plan of Andalucía, other policies also contribute to the protection and management of forest, including the Master Plan for the National Park Network (management of natural areas), the Spanish Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity (1998), the Spanish Strategic Plan for Wetlands (1999) and the Spanish Strategy for Climate Change and Clean Energy (2007) coordinating climate action among autonomous communities and municipalities in the context of the Kyoto Protocol (indicators, information, preventive actions, measures for carbon absorption etc).

Law 2/1992 on Forestry of Andalucía establishes mountainous and forested lands as an integral part of regional planning, including areas covered by trees, shrub, scrub, or grass, which perform ecological protection, production, landscape, or recreational functions. Under this law, the Autonomous Community of Andalucía is responsible for land classification, forest management, licensing and sanctions, setting measures for the protection, restoration, conservation and protection of mountain areas, and others. Law 2/1992 also introduces the concept of local management plans. The law's objectives are:

1. protection and conservation of vegetation, soil and wildlife;
2. restoration of degraded forest ecosystems, especially those subject to erosion and desertification;
3. proper land use allocation and rational utilization of renewable natural resources;
4. integration of social, productive, and recreational use of forestland, contributing to improved quality of life, health, social, and economic conditions;
5. effective social participation in decisions on all matters contained in the Law, with special attention to the interests of municipalities and other local bodies.

The Government of Andalucía has in place and regularly updates the Andalucían Forest Plan, first insituted in 1989. The plan established the basic principles of sustainable forest management. It also adopted a 60-year planning horizon, establishing decadal phases with updates every five years and annual implementation reports. It is fair to say that the first plan represents a substantial shift in forest policy within the Autonomous Community of Andalucía and an overall achievement for Mediterranean forest management.

Currently (2010-2015) the plan includes public investments of € 2.5 billion euros. Its seven programmes cover erosion control, the fight against desertification, restoration of degraded ecosystems, the control of forest fires, promotion of the sustainable forest management and the transformation and marketing of forest resources. Noteworthy actions of the program include the restoration of forest paths, conservation action for the Iberian lynx and the imperial eagle, firebreak maintenance and restoration of burnt areas. The Regional Ministry of Environment also prepares Integrated Plans for forest health (monitoring and combating pathogens including Plan for pine shoot beetle, pine processionary, gypsy moth etc).

The plan also acts as an umbrella for several initiatives and planning instruments including the Andalucían Plan for Control of Invasive Species, the Plan for Recovery and Management of Cattle Tracks Network, the Plan to Combat Forest Fires of the Autonomous Community of Andalucía (Plan INFOCA), the Plan (Quercus) Suber (cork production) and the Plan of Conservation and Sustainable Use of Mushrooms and Truffles in Andalucía (Plan CUSSTA).

Forest fire prevention and control is regulated by Law 5/1999, of 29 June, on Prevention and Control of Forest Fires in Andalucía, and implemented through Fire Prevention Plans (local level).

The region's Environmental Plan (PMA), the Andalucían Strategy for Sustainable Development, the Andalucían Climate Change Strategy, the Andalucían Environmental Education Strategy (AEES), the Andalucían Plan for Biodiversity Conservation, The Andalucían Sustainable Energy Plan 2007-2013 and The Andalucían Plan for Research, Development and Innovation (PAIDI) also contain several forestry provisions.

Policy actors

The main policy actors at the national level are the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, also competent to perform actions in Andalucían territory (e.g. forest hydrological correction in the Guadalquivir River Basin) and the Ministry of Public Works is responsible for the maintenance of the State Road Network, reforestation, prevention of landslides etc. Policy implementation falls is almost exclusively the responsibility of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment of the Government of Andalucía, collaborating with Provincial councils, municipalities, and public participation.

Other actors include forest owners (74% of forest territory), private forest nurseries, forest companies, professionals and skilled labour, farmers, cattle breeders, universities and research groups and volunteers. On the part of the Regional Government those responsible are the Regional Ministry of Interior and Justice, the Regional Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment and the Environment and Water Agency of Andalucía (autonomous body of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment). In the context of this case study, the Provincial Council of Huelva has the competence of coordinating, counselling, assisting, and cooperating with municipalities, especially the smaller municipalities requiring these services. City Councils are responsible for urban planning within the municipalities, playing a key role in forestland management (especially for those municipalities owning the public forests). Environment and Water Agency of Andalucía is responsible for the promotion of hydrological restoration works in forests. Furthermore, with the process of water transfers from the National Government to Andalucía in recent years, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic River Basin Districts were created. In the case of the Guadalquivir river, the Spanish Ministry of Environment, with respect to hydraulic works, is the responsible authority for scheduling, financing, and promoting the work that is considered as being of national interest within its territory.

Impacts of forest policy

The impacts of specific plans may be summarized as follows.

• Integrated plans to combat the pine processionary, pine shoot beetles, pine nematode and the gypsy moth covering more than 1,000,000 has.
• Reduction in incidents of forest fires and total burnt area.

Forest policy instruments and EU financing have had a big impact on the dehesa. Between 1990 and 2006, nearly 30,000 ha of farmland were afforested in the county of the Andévalo mainly with autochthonous trees (Quercus ilex), under regulation 2080/92.
However, the practical application of forestation measures is not without problems. In order to cover pre-conditions (set by regulation 2080/92), many land owners cleared all existing vegetation cover resulting in vegetation loss, land levelling, and compaction. Fragmentation also increased, although total the forest area (ha) increased, in practice there are a lot of small islands of trees.

Dehesa farmers continue to produce their famous hams (jamon, pata negra) but in 2012 the price for this meat sunk to the level it was 28 years ago. Profitability of the Dehesa is currently negative.

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