Forests are among the most significant natural resources we have. As well as being home to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, through their ecosystem services they contribute to our health and well-being and also provide timber for the economy. They are also the largest stores of carbon dioxide after the oceans, which is why they play a key role in the planet’s climate.
The natural system is a collection of the elements of living and non-living nature. It practically includes all organisms and their habitats. We, humans, are an important part of this natural system and are dependent on it in a thousand ways. So, the key to the survival of mankind is the conservation of nature. Through the cycle of nutrients and water, through photosynthesis and soil formation, living and non-living elements are linked and interact incessantly.
Forest ecosystems contribute to the functioning of our environment in many ways.
The healthier and more resilient a forest is, the more it can provide its environment with what it needs.
To date, humans have been connected to forests primarily through the provision of services, but because of dwindling natural resources and climate change, we increasingly value the regulating services forests provide.
“Besides creating habitats for animals, forests are also important for us humans. For example, the densely entwined roots of riparian forests strengthen river banks and stop erosion, thereby reducing the risk of flooding downstream. During heavy rains, the forest slows down the time it takes for the rain to reach the river, absorbing a significant amount of water that runs off the leaves. Along with this, the roots are able to capture the majority of biogenic pollutants falling into the groundwater from the cultivated lands to the river”, says Neli Doncheva, chief expert of the “Forests” program at WWF.
In addition to being a key prerequisite for the condition of the air we breathe, forests also have an important economic importance. The raw materials they provide us for the production of food, energy and medicine, as well as wood, are essential for the development of the economy. It is precisely for this reason that the development of sustainable forestry is of key importance.
You can learn more about the benefits of forests in our thematic brochure.
Our forests are under threat
The over-exploitation of our forests leads to ecosystem degradation, loss of forest services and a reduction in biodiversity. In the course of the development of human cultures, we have transformed nature and its resources to suit our own purposes, while at the same time we have reduced the conditions for the existence of elements of the natural system that are useless to us, or even neglected or destroyed them.
Unfortunately, these practices are still present today in the operation of sectors that use nature directly, such as agriculture, forestry, fishery, water management and mining. Reviewing these practices is essential not only to protect natural systems but also to ensure the livelihoods of our society.
Climate-smart forest management
Forests in the region of Central and Eastern Europe represent an important natural resource. Their importance is likely to increase even more in the near future. The reason for this is not only the growing demand for wood, but also the growing public awareness of the ecosystem services they provide us.
Unfortunately, however, climate change puts the forest’s services at risk. Forest management will have to urgently adapt, both to mitigate the consequences of their negative effects – such as drought, increased water runoff, soil erosion, etc., and to increase the resilience of forests in the new conditions.
“Through the CLIMAFORCEE LIFE project, WWF is already actively working to explore different forest practices and apply specific forest management models in a changing context. The goal is to have a positive impact on the environment and to adapt to climate change the most vulnerable forests in Bulgaria – the artificially created forests of Pinus sylvestris”, says the senior forest expert at WWF – Kostadin Valchev.
Fieldwork in our country is carried out on an area of over 1,000 ha within the scope of seven state forestry farms: State forest unit (SFU) “Vitoshko-Studena”, SFU “Radomir”, SFU “Nevestino”, SFU “Petrich-Parvomai”, SFU “Gotse Delchev”, SFU “Sandanski” and SFU “Kyustendil” – all on the territory of the Southwestern State Forest Enterprise.
