Source: Inga Nielsen - Fotolia.com
Forests and deforestation-free products
The focus of sustainable forestry is on issues such as the adaptation of forests to climate change, the preservation of near-natural, highly structured and species-rich forests as a natural resource, the protection of forest ecosystems and the increased exploitation of the CO2 reduction and energy potential of forests and timber. To achieve sustainable forestry, measures against deforestation, forest degradation and illegal logging are essential.
As part of a comprehensive package of measures by the EU Commission to combat deforestation and forest degradation (Communication from the Commission on Stepping up EU Action to Protect and Restore the World’s Forests of 23 July 2019), the European Parliament and the Council adopted on 31 May 2023 the Regulation on the making available on the Union Market and the Export from the Union of Certain Commodities and Products Associated with Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REGULATION (EU) 2023/1115). As the competent authority, the BLE will carry out checks on operators and traders. Further information can be found in the section on deforestation-free products.
The EU action plan FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) aims to help ensure that only legally harvested timber and derived products are imported into the EU. The BLE carries out checks on monitoring organisations, operators and traders. Further information is available in the timber trade section.
The BLE performs tasks under the Forest Reproductive Material Act (Forstvermehrungsgutgesetz), such as maintaining the register of approved basic material and the list of forest seed and forest plant establishments. Furthermore, it monitors the import of forest reproductive material and organises co-operation with the other EU member states in this area. The BLE compiles annual statistics on forest reproductive material.
National Forest Genetic Resources Programme
The Programme is the basis for the long-term conservation and use as well as research and development of genetic resources in the area of trees and shrubs in Germany. The Information and Coordination Centre for Biodiversity (IBV) at the BLE supports the implementation of the National Programme by providing documentation and information as well as advisory and coordination services.
Research for international sustainable forestry
While the BMEL promotes research with view to international sustainable forest management, the BLE as project sponsor supervises the individual research projects. The research co-operations and projects focus on sustainable and multifunctional forest management. For example, research projects to combat illegal logging are a first step towards achieving sustainability.
