Forestry in Spain is characterised by an enormous variety of natural, historical and socio-economic conditions. In the same country you can find very close to each other the most and least wood productive stands of Europe and one of the main European productions of non-woods like cork, gum resin, pinecones, mushrooms etc. The forest located in mountainous regions has remarkable protective functions. The environmental consciousness of the landscape function is increasing, due to the relevance of tourism in Spain. Except for irregular afforestation policies, there has been no forest policy at all in the past.
Forest area:
27.9 million hectares = 55,9%
Confederation of Spanish Forest Owners Organizations
In 1992 the existing regional forest owner's associations founded their national confederation COSE (confederación de organisaciones de selvicultores de espana), to be able to join the European forest owners association, that assures the representation in Brussels. COSE has been working intensively in structuring the forest sector in general, and the forest owners in particular, and in increasing information and experience exchange.
The COSE campaigned for substantial improvements in the Spanish forest policy (taxation, forest law, subsidies, establecimiento de un estatuto jurídico de la propiedad forestal etc). Important work has been achieved by the COSE in order to increase environmental consciousness of the forest in Spain's society. In October 1996 a Conference of European Forest Owners was organised by the COSE in Barcelona. In 1999 the same city hosted a meeting from the Non Wood Products Group into the UE Advisory Committee of Forestry and Cork y en el año 2003 se le concedió una mención especial dentro de los premios que otorga la organización europea EUROSITE en el marco de los "Green Days" por su iniciativa "One year working together For Natura 2000".
President: Francisco Carreño Sandoval
Secretary General: Patricia Gomez
Web site: www.selvicultor.net
Mail contact: cose@selvicultor.net
Address:
Paseo del Rey n.10, bajo A
28008 Madrid
Spain
Tel number: +34 91 547 64 46
Fax: +34 91 548 47 43
For more information about COSE, please see their presentation below.