Health of Europe's Forests Deteriorating

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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

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Forest Networking a Project of forests.org

http://forests.org/ -- Forest Conservation Archives

http://forests.org/state/-- Rainforest Portal

10/7/99

OVERVIEW & COMMENTARY

Europe's forests are in abysmal shape--only 35% of trees in a recent

continental study were "healthy". Europe has been extensively

cultivated and deforested. In most areas, only very small patches of

"natural" vegetation remain--and these are adversely effected by air

pollution problems. Efforts to restore ecological sustainability to

industrialized and over-developed landscapes in Europe and elsewhere

will require expanded forest cover and natural forest reserves that

are larger and more connected. Europe has a massive rewilding and

ecological restoration effort before it, whose likelihood of success

will depend upon how soon it is embarked upon. Civilizations fall

when their ecosystems fail.

g.b.

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Title: Health of Europe's forests deteriorating - report

Source: Reuters

Date: October 7, 1999

BRUSSELS, Oct 7 (Reuters) - The condition of Europe's forests is

continuing to deteriorate, despite measures to reduce air pollution,

a new report said on Thursday.

Throughout Europe, 35 percent of trees assessed in the survey can be

classified as ``healthy,'' about 40 percent are in the ``warning

stage,'' while about a quarter of trees are rated ``damaged,''

meaning they have lost more than 25 percent of their leaves, said the

report from the European Commission and the United Nations Economic

Commission for Europe.

``The results of the 1998 forest health survey show a general

deterioration of the crown condition of the main tree species,'' it

said. ``The main causes of the vitality losses and damage are air

pollution and extreme droughts.''

While the condition of pine forests in parts of eastern Europe has

recovered gradually, the health of oak forests in western Europe has

deteriorated in recent years.

This is mainly down to pollution from gases such as ozone and is

particularly bad in the Mediterranean region.

The report found that 20 percent of soils in Europe are very acid,

with the greatest problem in eastern Europe. Half of the areas

surveyed -- mostly in western Europe -- showed increased nitrogen

deposits. There was a general increase in ozone pollution.

The 15 member European Union has introduced a number of pieces of

legislation over the past few years to reduce air pollution.

Environment ministers are scheduled next week to debate proposals to

reduce emissions of the main gases that lead to acid rain, one of the

principal causes of forest degradation.

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