Maurizio Merlo

Silvicultural management in maintaining biodiversity and resistance of forests in Europe-the Mediterranean region.

Outstanding features of Mediterranean forest area are highlighted with a special reference to biodiversity and connections with forest management. The naturally originated and anthropogenic progress of the mosaic-like evolution, as well as the man-induced factors and natural constraints are described. The past and present close linkages between management and biodiversity are then analysed by means of a few, outstanding cases typical of the geographical region. The management shift on increasing economically marginal forest area (abandonment) appears to be the major force currently driving connections with inherent and associated biodiversity. The goals following the new-established environmental roles of forests have shifted towards adaptive management, namely the implementation of locally tailored rules in accordance with prominent forest functions. Key priorities to face up to the new scenarios are then discussed. Economic and policy implications are addressed with reference to multipurpose forestry and the related annual flow of outputs. It is shown the role of water-related services, as well the provision of various non-wood forest products and public goods in addition to wood and other traditional forest outputs. Reference is also made to the dualism between the Northern and the South-Eastern Mediterranean countries due to different level of economic development (and pressure of forest resources) together with very different institutional structures, i.e. public ownership in Southern and South-Eastern Mediterranean countries. Nevertheless, the situation is going to become more harmonious in the medium run by growing economic development, the affirmation of local rights on forest resources, globalisation and, above all, rural out migration and exchanges of peoples confirming the traditional role of the Mediterranean Region at cross road of South-North and Eastern-Western cultures.

Public goods and externalities linked to Mediterranean forests: economic nature and policy

Abstract This paper considers public goods and/or economic externalities (off-site and off-market effects) of Mediterranean forests, referred as MEDFOREXs. It also reports possible market failures and/or distortions. MEDFOREX can be valued in monetary terms as already undertaken in several Mediterranean forest sites. Multifunctional indicators are also being developed. Policy tools aimed at promotion of positive MEDFOREX, and prevention of negative ones, can be classified as mandatory or voluntary. Mandatory tools have been much used in the Mediterranean context, and now represent the core of forest policies. More recently financial or economic tools, mainly based on payments, and internalisation of externalities, have emerged. Also market options are now envisaged and applied as shown by recent surveys. Policy effectiveness is improved by the use of a combined set of tools. The most appropriate mix has not yet been formalised and this represents a policy challenge.

Transformation of environmental recreational goods and services provided by forestry into recreational environmental products

Abstract This paper analyses the transformation of public goods and positive externalities provided by forestry, which are defined as Environmental Recreational Goods and Services (ERGS), into marketable private goods and services, which are defined as Recreational Environmental (RE) Products. A questionnaire with the same format was used in the four EU countries participating in the research — Austria, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands — to gather information from 98 actual case studies. The main goal of the paper is the identification of the general paths of transformation. The first part is devoted to the characterisation of the economic nature of public and private goods employing excludability and rivalry criteria. Mixed goods cases are particularly considered as being very relevant for understanding ‘club’ and ‘local’ public goods amongst which many RE-Products must be included. The situation before and after transformation is described and examined, principally in terms of the changes in excludability and rivalry. Paths are then summarised in order to identify some general guidelines to enable the support of the transformation processes under different circumstances, cases and sites. The results of the research demonstrate how these processes are feasible through, as a first step, some changes of institutional factors, followed by new management/marketing approaches: the key for transformation.

Forest products, markets and socio-economics: ten years of pan-European research co-operation at EFI

Abstract An insight of the EFI Programme on Forest Products, Markets and Socio-economics should consider that Forest Economics research is generally done by small groups of scientists dispersed around Universities and Research Institutes. EFI has provided the European forest economists a new arena—laboratory, an encounter place, where they can meet, find new opportunities and challenges through co-operation and joint research work. The three main themes of research considered by the Programme have been: (i) market analysis; (ii) forest related industries and regional development; (iii) business management and accounting. An extensive list of publications demonstrate the outstanding quantity of research work undertaken during the last decade. All in all, it has to be acknowledged also that the quality of the research work, undertaken according to the tradition of forest economists, open to both scientific innovation and attention to the real world. The ability to attract human and financial resources in forestry economics research must also be acknowledged. A shortcoming is the poor coverage of certain regions of Europe. However, it should be mentioned that the large spectrum of nationalities involved in the most recent years as well as the launch of Regional Project Centres are now paying major attention to regional issues. Relationships with EFI members have been essential to the Programme: when research has been done by networking with members, an added value can always be seen and the light of the ‘diamond’ can be fully appreciated. Otherwise, it has remained shadowed by regional narrow perspectives missing the main scope of EFI.

The effects of late economic development on land use

Abstract This paper examines the effects of various factors, such as economic and demographic development, land resource availability, settlement patterns, regional policies and planning, on land use in Italy. Employing regional time-series panel data, an attempt is made to model the relationships between economic development and land use. In a context where the Anglo-Italian experience is compared, attention is paid to the effects of late economic development. Three groups of Italian regions are identified: the old industrialised North-West, the newly industrialised North-East-Centre and the less-developed South. The conclusions stress how late economic development has had a remarkable and wide impact on land use.

Transformation of Recreational Environmental Goods and Services Provided by Agriculture and Forestry into Recreational Environmental Products

In addition to traditional market commodities, agriculture, forestry and the related environment, produce a large set of Environmental Recreational Goods and Services (ERGSs). Examples include pleasant landscapes, rural lanes and footpaths, habitats for various kinds of flora and fauna, grounds for sports and other recreational activities. At the same time agriculture and forestry can produce Environmental Bads and Disservices (EBD). These ERGSs, and EBDs, are generally perceived by our societies as public goods and/or externalities of farming and forestry, as people cannot be excluded from using them and rivalry is not greatly felt; everyone can enjoy and/or suffer from them without any market transaction taking place.

An analysis of factors which influence land use (the relationships with the pattern of economic development)

Abstract The paper analyzes factors affecting land use. Firstly the role of economic development is probed with reference to the Anglo-Italian historical experience. Three phases are distinguished: the preliminary industrialization, the subsequent income growth and the post-industrial phase. The peculiarities of an early or a late economic development are then considered with reference to the Italian Regions. The influence of other factors is also examined through a spatial analysis regarding Italian Regions and various Western Countries. It is demonstrated that land use, expressed in term of urban land per capita, is influenced, besides the economic development, by land availability and by the mode of settlements.