Author: E. Rouyer (CRPF Midi-Pyrénées).

During the 5th RMT AFORCE workshop in Paris dealing with the topic “Observatories for the impact of climate change on forests: What can we learn from their experiences?”, the Forests Action of the OPCC was presented during the conference of the 15 June.

This workshop held in Paris brought together more than 80 people from different fields: Managers (National Forests Office, Regional Centres for Forest Property, forests experts), decision makers (MAAPRAT), consular chambers (Chamber of Agriculture), local coordinators (Pyrenees National Park, forest coordinators), tracking network managers (Forest Health Department, National Forest Ecosystems Tracking Network, National Geographic Institute…), researchers (INRA, CNRS) and environmental, agricultural and forest associations.

The first part of this discussion was structured around the presentations of the national forestry ecosystems tracking observatories. On a more specific level, focus was placed on the National Observatory for the Effects of Global Warming, on the specificities of the Forest Health Department network, on the National Forest Ecosystems Tracking Network (RENECOFOR), on National Forest Inventory Tracking and finally on the Seasonal Observatory.

The regional forest ecosystems tracking observatories were then presented. These included the Regional Agricultural and Climate Change Observatory (ORACLE), the departmental tracking (Alpes-Maritimes) of forest debilitation (mainly the fir and wild pine), the Regional Forest Ecosystems Observatory ofthe Nord Pas-de-Calais Picardie (OREF) and the Pyrenees Climate Change Observatory (OPCC).

Regarding the OPCC, presentation focused specifically on the “Climatic Evolutions and Mountain Forest” action with explanations of the choice of tracking indicators and the means used to carry out this action. Special attention was paid to the willingness to integrate pre-existing tracking networks mainly on a European level. The two main reasons for this are as follows: On the one hand for the assessment of that already in place not just in terms of data but also in relation to common trans-border protocol; and on the other hand, because of the possibility of rapidly benefiting from conclusions of the effects of climate change since dealing with tracking networks that boast more than 20 years worth of data and records.

The OPCC study also seeks added value by creating new tracking plots in order to fill gaps in data, more so with regards to the protection forests.

Likewise it was discussed that some indicators are more reactive than others (phenology and progression of certain pathogens would give answers quicker than debilitation and damages, they would be quicker than in the evolution of split areas and thus flora “would migrate” quicker than trees, for example).

To conclude, this conference has proved beneficial for the OPCC Forests Action. Indeed, the presentation was followed carefully, giving rise to various comments and wider, more technical debates between those in charge of the different ecosystem tracking networks both on a national and regional level.

In the end this experience has allowed for the integration of the OPCC focus with that of other similar initiatives, which have mostly made similar choices especially in the selection of indicators and the use of protocol and pre-existing data.

Acknowledgments go to Emmanuel Rouyer (CRPF Midi-Pyrénées) and Sébastien Chauvin (GEIE Forespir).

For more information on the “Forests” Action of the OPCC visit http://bit.ly/opcc_bosques_es

RMT AFORCE: France’s Mixed Technology Network is geared towards adapting forests to climate change. AFORCE is a network of members that brings together stakeholders in research, development, management and training.
CRPF Midi-Pyrénées: Midi-Pyrénées Regional Forest Property Centre.
CNRS: National Scientific Research Centre (France).
MAAPRAT: Ministry of Agriculture, Agri-food and Forests (France).
INRA: National Agronomic Research Institute (France)