Family Forestry in Europe

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Family Forestry in Europe generation bridging
commitment to sustainable forest
management International Symposium on Human
Dimensions of family, farm and community
forestry, Pullmann, WSU 29.03 -1.04.2004
Natalie Hufnagl CEPF
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• CEPF the umbrella federation of family forestry
  in Europe
• Characteristics of family forestry in Europe
• Challenges
• Opportunities
• Family forestry quo vadis?

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• CEPF the umbrella federation of family forestry
  in Europe
• Current membership assembles national forest
  owner associations of 23 European countries
  (CEEC Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia,
  Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia)
• Represents the interests and provides the
  expertise of family forest owners vis-à-vis the
  European Institutions (in particular the European
  Commission, the European Parliament, the Economic
  and Social Committee)
• Active participation in international and global
  forest policy fora (e.g. MCPFE, UNECE/FAO, UNFF,
  UNFCCC, WSSD)

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• Characteristics of family forestry in Europe
• 60 of EU 15 forests are owned and managed by
  families
• 36 estimated share of private forestry in CEEC
• Small scale forest holdings
• (average size EU155 ha CEEC2 ha)
• 15 million family forest owners (EU 25)
• Value chain approach (main supplier to industry)

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• Characteristics of family forestry in Europe
  (contd)
• Generation bridging management based on secure
  property rights
• Multifunctional forest management orientated to
  the long term respecting the diversity across
  Europe
• Local ownership, contributing to economic and
  social sustainability of communities
• High degree of organisation from local to
  national level

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• Challenges
• Sustainability quo vadis? Virtuality versus
  reality
• Demographic changes
• urban forest owners versus in situ forest
  owners
• gt Need to develop tailor made service concepts
  for urban forest owners
• The impact of globalisation global market
  versus local market
• gt Innovation can not solve it all!

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• Opportunities
• Build on the positive notion of Family forestry
• gt Communicator role
• Communicate an understanding of sustainability as
  implemented by family forestry social
  cultural values
• Reach an adequate balance between social
  responsibility and delivery of services to
  society which have to be monetised
• Enhanced use of wood gt back to the future into
  the wood age gt need for favourable policy
  framework

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• Family forestry quo vadis?
• Communication is key!
• IFFA influence policy formulation at its
  source
• PEFC a voluntary marketing tool based on a
  partnership approach and the strength of
  alliances
• Put the people first!

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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION!