FORESTS IN PORTUGAL,    FORESTS IN EUROPE

The National Forestry Authority (AFN) manages 8% of forests, where 2% are state forest and 6% are municipal and community forests. In Portugal, 92% of forests are being managed by 400.000 private forest owners (86%) and private companies (6%)^[16].

In Peneda-Gerês National Park, 5.275ha of them are public property (7,5%), 19.438ha (27,6%) are private property, and the remaining 45.577ha are community property (65%)^[17].

AFN is the state body responsible for protecting and managing the national forests. This agency's mission is^[18]:

·         Promoting the sustainable development of forest resources and of the associated spaces, of the hunting resources, apiculture and aquaculture, and other inland waters directly linked to forest and forestry activities, through the knowledge of its development and fruition, ensuring their protection, conservation and management.
·         Promoting cross-sectoral balances, accountability of different actors and an appropriate organization of forest areas.
·         Encourages the improvement in the competitiveness of industries that comprise the various ranks of the forestry sector, as well as structural prevention, acting in planning and seeking joint strategies in the defense of the forests.
 
AFN is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Sea, Environment and Regional Planning (MAMAOT), and is endowed with administrative autonomy. It is divided into three directorates, which are responsible for supporting the formulation and implementation of policies that promote the forestry sector, coordinating the management of forest resources of the State, formulate and promote the implementation of policies for the management of communal areas, regular the management of private forest areas, promote and coordinate action plans aimed at reducing the impacts and effects of the elimination of biotic agents and implementation of policies for  the defense against forest fires.

The Regional Directorates of Forests, also belongs to the AFN, this are decentralized agencies that are responsible for the implementation of forest policies and instructions established by the AFN, but also, for the implementation of programs and studies at local and regional level. They are divided into five regional directorates, which incorporate 7 Flexible Units, 6 Multidisciplinary Teams and 16 Regional Forest Management Units.

Beyond the AFN there are other entities that contribute to the protection and development of forests, including Forest Federations and Organizations. There are four Federations:

·         Forestis – Associação Florestal de Portugal;
·         FENAFLORESTA - Federação Nacional das Cooperativas de Produtores Florestais, FCRL;
·         BALADI - Federação Nacional dos Baldios;
·         UNAC - União da Floresta Mediterrânica;
·         FNAPF - Federação Nacional das Associações de Proprietários Florestais;
·         Fórum Florestal – Estrutura Federativa da Floresta Portuguesa;

These associations represent 164 Forest Landowners Organizations (OPF), distributed throughout the country. Currently there are 51 in the Northern Region, 87 in the Centre, 8 in Lisbon and Tejo Valley, 9 in the Alentejo Region and 9 in the Algarve region.Ouvir

According to AFN, as activities carried out by OPF are diverse, the main ones being the development of projects, technical and legal information, professional training, the promotion of dissemination actions, the cadastral survey with GPS, the preparation of Forest Management Plans, management of settlements and the assessment of woody material from its members. Concerning activities related to the Forest Fire Protection, we stress the fact that more than half of the OPF, have teams of forestry sapper teams who provide services in preventive forestry and first fire intervention.

Currently the OPF play an important role in the creation and operation of Forest Intervention Areas (ZIF), working manager’s organizations of these areas. The ZIF perimeters are made of contiguous forest areas totaling 1000 ha or more, where the forest owners of at least 50% of the area are in agreement. When a ZIF is established, all forest landowners within its boundaries, whether they belong to the ZIF, or not, are bound to comply with the rules of forest management that will be adopted in place by the members of general assembly of this ZIF.

Forests are privately owned but are for public use, except those linked to universities or who have restrictions on use, such as for example, the National Park of Peneda Gerês. Some forest areas, where there is a high fire risk, have in the entrance panels with an indication of conditional access. These panels are placed when these areas are:  critical by law, areas subject to forestry regime and forest lands under state management, the areas where there is a corresponding limitation of signaling activities (AFN, 2009)^[19].