**1. Introduction**

Galicia is an autonomous region of Spain that produces more than 8 million cubic metres (m3) of timber, with the Galician forestry sector currently providing 12% of industrial employment in the region (Monte Industria, 2010a). However, Galicia's potential as a forest product producer can be considered to be under-developed since both the amount and unit value of forest production could be greatly increased (Xunta de Galicia, 2001). Given that the Galician agriculture and fishery sectors (traditional bases for economic activity, especially in rural communities) are declining, a healthy forestry sector can be seen as an engine for regional and rural economic development.

One of the primary causes for forest sector under-development is the high degree of private forest ownership in small, scattered holdings. According to Ambrosio et al. (2003), private forests comprise approximately 97% of Galician forestlands, with about two thirds of those in holdings of less than 2 hectares (often in several non-contiguous parcels). Approximately 30% of private forests are owned by communities, but even these average only several hundred hectares in size. About half of the community forest area is managed by an agency of the regional government as a result of agreements signed in the second half of the twentieth century.

This fragmented ownership pattern has made it difficult to promote sustainable forest management (SFM) and the development of the sector. Only a small portion of the forested land is managed in a patently sustainable manner, which does not bode well for the future of industrial forestry given the pressure for certified SFM from governments, the general public and the forest product marketplace. This makes it difficult to justify public and private investment in forestry, which in turn impedes investment in forest industry modernization. If the industry is not modernized, the degree of "value-added" processing will remain low, with most raw production sent to other regions for processing.

Given the situation, the government department primarily responsible for forest management (Dirección Xeral de Montes, or DXM, of the Galician Rural Development Ministry) recognized that it was necessary to formulate new strategies, policies and processes aimed at the development of the forestry sector based upon the principles of SFM.

Sustainable Forest Management in Galicia (Spain): Lessons Learned 223

3. **Development of the criteria and indicators of sustainability**. Forest management processes in Galicia should be developed that are consistent with regional criteria and indicators of sustainability, which will be, in turn, based upon those affirmed in the 3rd

4. **Establishment of an accurate and reliable system of forestry information**. Good information is essential for forest management planning, monitoring and control, and to

5. **Promote increased research into forest sustainability**. Forest management should be based upon scientific knowledge, and research directed by management needs. 6. **Foster public forestry education to facilitate understanding and participation**. Informed participation of the public and the forestry sector of Galicia are critical to the

7. **Foster and support the economic development of the forest sector of Galicia**. Priorities include promoting timber and non-timber forest products as renewable resources, enhancing the role of the forestry sector in rural development, and

The DXM believed that a new integrated process should be a critical component of the new strategy. The following sections of this paper focus on the new SFM process and supporting

While many actions and programs would be required to implement the new strategy as envisaged, a key component would involve the implementation of a new forest management process. This new process, which is illustrated schematically in Figure 1, would be aimed at integrating and coordinating forest management at the regional, district and forest ownership levels while at the same time fostering the active participation of

The following are brief descriptions of the three major sub-processes of the proposed new SFM process for Galicia, followed by a description of how they are to interact (Fig. 1.)

The first major goal of Regional Management would be to develop a revision to the current Plan Forestal de Galicia – PFG (Xunta de Galicia, 1992) based upon principles of sustainability, input from the public and the forest sector, and the best current forestry knowledge. A Regional Committee for Sustainable Forestry representing all regional stakeholders would endorse a Declaration of Regional Principles of Sustainability based

1 Galicia is divided into 19 Forest Districts that have common physical, biological, economic and social characteristics. It can be argued that it is only at the level of the Forest District that it is possible to

manage for critical landscape, territorial and community objectives and constraints.

supporting cooperation amongst forest owners and forest owners associations. 8. **Promotion of forest certification**. Forest certification initiatives that lend credibility and transparency to the forest management process should be fostered, especially those that

evaluate and document actions and results in relation to accepted criteria.

decision processes.

success of the Strategy.

MCPFE in Lisbon (MCPFE, 1998).

enable certification by small forest owners.

information infrastructure proposed by the DXM.

**4. The proposed SFM process in Galicia** 

forestry stakeholders and Galician society at all levels.

**4.1 Regional management sub-process** 

control structures would be implemented at the regional, district1 and forest management unit levels to ensure the continuity of strategic, tactical and operational

The goal of this chapter is to describe the Galician SFM strategy framework as initially envisaged, assess its evolution and implementation to date, describe important initiatives that have been undertaken by the private sector itself, and conclude with a summary of what we believe that should be learned from the entire process.
