Representatives from governmental and non-governmental organizations, Albania. Bulgaria. Canada, Cyprus, Ethiopia. Fed Rep. of Germany, France, Greece, Israel. Italy. Jordan, Libya, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America. and Yugoslavia, with the participation, as well, of representatives from UNESCO FAO, UNEP, EC, EEB and UEF, have participated in the International Symposium: "For the formulation of an effective common strategy for the prevention and combat of forest fires in the Mediterranean region", held in Athens from 8-12 April 1987.

· Alarmed by the fact that the forests of our planet are being remarkably endangered and drastically reduced by a variety of pressures exerted on natural systems by growing anthropogenic interventions lacking in general term programming and management of natural resources.

· Recalling the deliberations and results of:

1) the EEB Seminar ”A forest policy for the European Community”, Utrecht, 1981;
2) the World Forestry Congress in Mexico in 1985;
3) the 10^th U.E.F. Congress 1985, held in Athens, concerning Mediterranean Forestry problems;
4) the discussion paper on Community action in the forestry of the Commission 9185/1986;
5) the international conference Sylva held in Paris, 1986;
6) the Parliament Assembly of the council of Europe on “the abatement of forest fires in Europe” of September 1986;
7) the International seminar on methods and techniques for forest fire prevention, held in Valencia in 1986;
8) the last IUFRO Congress held in Ljubljana, in September 1986;
9) the European Parliament Report action in the Forestry Sector;
10) the international symposium for the Formulation of an effective Common Strategy for the prevention and Combat of Forest fires in the Mediterranean Region, Athens, 1987, itself

· Bearing in mind the interest shown by F.A.O within the framework of the "Sylva Mediterranea” programme: of UNEP, within the Mediterranean Action Plan;

· Bearing also in mind the interest shown by the European Parliament, as results from a long series of Resolutions, the manifested intention of the Commission of E C, the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee and, mainly, the Council of the European Communities Regulation No 3529/86:

· Noting that fires have been a common element of the Mediterranean countries concern regarding the rapid increase of forest areas affected and destroyed by fires during the last decades throughout the Mediterranean Region:

· Recognizing that public awareness concerning forest tires is increasing, and

· Acknowledging the expressed political will by many Mediterranean governments and the European Communities for urgent action for the abatement of forest fires

Call upon governments and competent international organizations, especially the EC, to establish an effective common strategy for the prevention and control of forest fires In the Mediterranean region.

1. Forest policies - including fire protection strategies - have to be developed, strengthened and implemented. both on a national and international level

2. Existing means of forest fire prevention and control have to be evaluated and critically reviewed. More attention must be paid to using forest species and structures which are mere fife resistant and less inflammable. The conservation and use of native species must be encouraged, wherever it is possible

3. Of particular importance are:

· an integration of ecological principles Into rural and forest management · sound silvlculture practices. adapted to ecological conditions  
· the establishment of efficient forest legislation and authorities at all levels, both for public and for private woodlands,  
· setting up of new education and information programmes in order to improve the knowledge about the importance of forest ecosystems, especially in the Mediterranean region,
· strengthening of public participation in planning and responsibility for forests and woodlands, · creation and keeping of jobs in Mediterranean forest, helping to increase the activities involved in protecting. and managing this natural resource,
· exchange of information on fire-fighting. personnel and equipment,
· improvement of socio-economic conditions, especially in rural areas suffering from depopulation or unemployment
· strengthening of existing, and setting up of new, research programmes in the field of forest fire prevention and control. both at the national and international level,

4. International co-operation and support. especially within the EC, between governmental and non­governmental organizations must be continued and further developed. A European Forest Bureau could strengthen the position of the forestry in Europe and especially in the Mediterranean region.

5. Abandoned agricultural land should be given back to forestry and wood-lands.

ANNEX: Specific Recommendations

A. By Experts

1. At the conclusion of the International Symposium for "the formulation of an effective common strategy for the prevention and combat of forest fires in the Mediterranean Region" the participants expressed the wish to resume and support the technical recommendations of the main international meetings on the matter, the most important of which in the last decade have been:

· Saint Maximin (France) (FAO - UNESCO), 1977;
· Stanford (California, U.S.A.) (UNESCO/-MAB),1977;
· Warsaw (Poland) (FAO - OIT),1981;
· F M. Congres (Mexico), 1981;
· La Grande Motte (France) (FAO/Sylva Mediterranea),1985;
· Sylva (Paris),1986;
· Valencia (Spain) (FAO - OIT),1986,
· and of the international parliamentary assemblies mainly the Council of Europe (No. 5639, of 20 September 1986).

2. Furthermore, the participants put forth supplementary technical recommendations in the following fields:

· Research · Communication and information · Education and training · International Working Groups · Support of governments and international organizations

3. Research and studies must be carried out. within the framework of international co-operation in four main fields:

a. Prevention forestry
· definition of the state of the art.
· creation of a data bank.
· writing of a handbook for the use of researchers.
· development of programmes concerning the selection of species, the reaction of species after the fire, the organization of exploitations, fuel breaks, fire control, grazing and mechanical and chemical deforestation.

b. Sociological aspects:
· study of population groups affected by fires in order to orient in a better way the education and information of the public. In particular, population must be distinguished into rural.urban and tourist.

c. Economic aspects:
· search for concepts and methods of economic evaluation of forest policies, especially those concerning public actions for the prevention of fires and for the reparation of the damage caused by the fires.
· search for agro-silvo-pastoral models adapted to present socio-economic needs.  
· search for new ways of management and for new technological and commercial outlets of specifically Mediterranean forest products.

d. Fire behaviour:
· inflammability of Mediterranean plants
· humidity variation of local fuel,  
· fuel typology,
· methods of danger prediction. e. Active fire fighting.

f. New methods of integral continuous surveillance, teledetection, other.

4. Communication and information The participants invite information professionals (journal­ists of printed, spoken and televisual media) to co-operate in the preparation and dissemination of documents and other material warning their public of the dangers facing Mediterranean forests, avoiding the spectacular aspects of the phenomenon.

They also wish to share experiences in this field. to exchange communication material and to publish material prepared by professionals.

5. Education and training: Particular effort should be made to take full advantage of the capacities of existing training and educational bodies, in order to:

· reach a greater public (engineers and those involved in agriculture. breeding. physical planning, urbanism. etc.),
· give research institutes the means to participate in training and to disseminate the results

The participants would like to see help given to the organization of seminars, meetings common exercises and demonstrations at the international and regional level

6. International working groups: If the various objectives mentioned are to be met. it is necessary that permanent specialised working groups be set up in the various fields of research, communication and education. International organizations and governments are invited to provide in their regular programmes assistance to these working groups.

7. Governments are invited to seek an equilibrium between expenses allocated for the extinction of fires and those earmarked for prevention and management. They are also invited to harmonise their legislations so as to achieve better prevention of forest fires taking into account local conditions.

It is furthermore suggested that they strongly support the initiatives aiming at uniting and organising people for the purpose of fire prevention. information and surveillance, as is already the case in certain countries.

8. International organizations. and more specifically UNESCO. F.A.O.. I.L.O" E.E.C and UNEP, are requested to offer their assistance, especially financial, to the projects that will stem from the above recommendations.

B. By Non-Governmental Organizations

Here are the basic remarks and propositions of Associations pertaining to the European Environmental Bureau, regarding Mediterranean forests and their protection from forest fires.

As an introduction. we wish to state that the question of forest fires is not limited to mere, technical aspects, but on the contrary, touches sociological. economic, sylvicultural and ecological aspects. Only through a coherent forestry policy could all these factors be integrated.

1. We notice a dangerous tendency to use in forestry means of combat, specific to habitation fires. This fact stresses the aspects concerning extinction, at the expense of the means of prevention. Stressing the phase of extinction is only an answer to pressure exerted by fire industries and to the publics desire to see modern and spectacular technological means put into action. Accordingly, we feel actions should not be limited to the reduction only of the material consequences of a fire, but on the contrary, to act upon the number of fires. searching on their origins. so as to find the best actions for prevention

2. It Is not possible to act effectively against fires if their causes and mobiles are unknown. Therefore, three large types of forests should be clearly distinguished

a. Plantations for the production of pines or eucalyptus, which are very easily struck by fires and whose only purpose Is the production of lumber.

b. Forests for the production of holms (ilex) and cork-oaks, frequently called montados or dehesas, which are meant for the production of lumber for cattle breeding and agriculture.

c. Presently non-productive forests, which are of no more use

The first two types of forests defend themselves against fires because use of their economic and social value, of a more or less high cost. The third type is unable to do this, in which case it should be avoided to fall into the vicious circle of public aids (aids for reforestation or aid to communities struck by fires) which generate employment, thanks to the repetition of fires. In these forests of no utility, of no sense Is the implementation of large-scale means to combat fires, as these are voluntary and international.

3. A balance of actions and financement as regards territory management prevention and combat against fires, should be searched for, taking notice of what has been previously mentioned.

4. We sustain that a diversified forest can better resist against both the market's evolution and that of our economy, thus resisting better against forest fires. Diversity of species should be encouraged within the framework of operations of reforestation.

5. Research should be oriented particularly towards

· means and ways of maintaining and modifying Mediterranean agro-sylvopastoral systems. as well as traditional ones

· study of new markets for hard wood and Mediterranean cork-oak.

6. We strongly wish to reaffirm that Mediterranean agro-sylvo-pastoral systems are very rich from an ecological point of view, presenting a fauna and flora that are unique in Europe. Particularly this fauna, depends and is at the same time an integral part of the system.

7. Our Mediterranean associations, members of the E.E.B. are ready to participate in the formulation of common strategies and to activate their members and the public they reach, towards information and sensitization programmes.

8. As a conclusion, we request that a common forestry policy, presently being formulated, be coherent as regards the utilisation of its financial means. Plantations doomed to burn and at the same time fight against forest fires. could be jointly subsidized.