Identifying Green Jobs in the Forest Sector, a UNECE/FAO/ILO Team of
Specialists initiative
Diarmuid McAree, Deputy Leader ToSForestry Consultant & Advisor
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
What has been done so far?
• Workshop on Threats to the Sustainability of the Forest Sector Workforce.– 17th March 2015, Geneva
• Team meetings, workshops and side events at international conferences.
• Analysis of existing reports and case studies including an evaluation of current situation regarding green forest jobs.
• Elaboration of a draft report: thematic areas & identified fields of action; further exploration.
• Questionnaire on Green Forest Jobs.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
What is a green forest job?
A green forest job …
• … complies with the principles of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM),
• … contributes to the green economy,
• … and is involved in the value chain of forest products and/or in the performance of forest services.
• Nothing is more empowering than having a job.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Goals & tasks
• “Advise and support the secretariat on the implementation of the ECE/FAO Integrated Programme on employment-related issues such as jobs, required competencies and education and training for the forestry sector in the context of the green economy.”
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Goals
• The general goal of the ToS activities is “to identify and list the existing and especially potential new green jobs in the forestry sector.”
• We welcome the assistance and co-operation of our Forest Europe colleagues in identifying potential and actual green forest jobs.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Green forest jobs and its context
Forestry
Health and
recreation
Education and
knowledge
transfer
Biodiversity and
forest protection
Regional &
landuse
development
Wood and energy
production
Social and urban
development
Existingjobs
New jobs
7 thematic areas now: forest management and inventory
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Example / Field of activity Forest Protection & Contingency Planning
• Forest fire control.
• Global warming/climate change is creating major challenges.
• Forest contingency planners need to think global and will have to develop and implement new insect & disease management strategies.
Thematic area: Biodiversity & Forest Protection
Forest protection and contingency
planning
Skills, Expertise and Green Forest
Professions
Forest fire control
specialists
Forest pathologists and
entomologists.
Specialists in laboratories
for analysis.
Specialists on forest
disease and insect
identification.
Specialist on surveying,
monitoring and control.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Forest protection
• Pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) poses a major threat to European forests.
o Control measures against this dangerous pest and its insect vectors will provide new green jobs in the forest protection sector.
• The Asian longhorn beetle (ALB) [Anoplophora glabripennis] poses a similar threat.
o Controlling it also provides an opportunity for job creation.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Example / Field of activity: Mycoforestry
• The forest mycelium is a biomolecular superhighway.
o www. – wood wide web (communicating with its environment).
• Ecosystem hydrology –Integrated constructed wetlands-enhanced water quality by judicious tree planting in riparian
• zones for flood control .
• Working with mycorrhizal fungi in forests opens up different fields such as mycoremediation and biological control by utilising mycorrhizal benefits and interactions.
Thematic area: Biodiversity & Forest Protection
Myco-forestry
Skills, Expertise and GreenForest Professions
Mycology researchers.
Specialists in mycology
laboratory diagnostics.
Forest mycologists,
specialists in fungal
taxonomy.
Specialists in Myco-
remediation and biological
control.
Managers of fungal forests.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Example / field of activity Energy ProductionThematic area: Wood & Energy Production
• In 2015, forest based fuels provided enough wood-based energy to heat 2 million homes in Sweden.
• In 2015, district heating satisfied about 60% of the heat demand in Swedish buildings. Today, more than two thirds of the heat supply to the district heating systems is based on biomass and waste. Biomass alone accounts for 50% of the heat supply.
• A new integrated work perspective: excellent logistic abilities and negotiating skills will be required!
Energy production
Skills, Expertise and Green
Forest Professions
Forest energy producers
Specialist s in biomass
marketing and logistics
Experts in energy wood
procurement
Experts in trade and
communication
Forest entrepreneurs and
operators
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Example / Field of activity Forest Education
• Forest education should be a hands-on exciting learning experience.
• Forest certification training.
• Germany:
o More than 1,000 forest kindergardens.
o In excess of 300,000 people per annum take forest excursions in Bavaria.
• Forest educators need additional training on how to best transfer their knowledge and on how to improve their communication skills.
Thematic area: Education & Knowledge Transfer
Education
Skills, Expertise and Green
Forest Professions
Teachers in the forest
University lecturers, forest
instructors
Forest interpreters
Forest guided walk leaders
Nature study and outdoor
pursuits professionals
Carbon accounting
* Curriculum development
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Example / Field of activity Mountain Forestry
• Swiss mountain forests protect in excess of
130,000 buildings and 1,000s of kilometres of
roads & tracks from natural disasters.
o This includes land slide and avalanche.
o 49% of Swiss forests are managed as
protection forests with special management
restrictions.
• Risk management will be one of the main tasks for
mountain foresters to consider including:
o Risk analysis, valuation and action planning.
Thematic area: Regional & Landuse Development
Mountain forestry
Skills, Expertise and GreenForest Professions
Mountain forestry
specialists
Specialists in the
management of natural
hazards
Soil bio-engineers
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Example / Field of activity Urban Forestry
• The > 70,000 trees of Melbourne city are valued at $650 million.
o These includes health, amenity and microclimate benefits.
• Abatement of air pollution, noise reduction, the creation of urban forests and neighbourwoods.
• Urban foresters have to handle the special needs& demands of urban society as well as the specialneeds of urban trees associated with harsh and extreme growing conditions.
Thematic area: Social & Urban development
Urban forestry
Skills, Expertise and Green Forest
Professions
Urban foresters
Forest landscape gardeners
Urban forest planners /
Green urban Infrastructure
Managers
Multiple use forestry skills
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Example / Field of activity Recreation, leisure and sports
• In 2013, 447 million day visits were made to forests
in the UK. This trend is increasing.
• In excess of 650 forest recreation sites are
provided in Great Britain.
• Working in this field, one is responsible for
balancing forest and visitor needs and engaging in
important public relations, information &
communications work.
Thematic area: Health & Recreation
Recreation, leisure and sports
Skills, Expertise and Green
Forest Professions
Recreation foresters
Forest rangers
Forest tourist guides
Outdoor pursuits & activity
organisers
Multiple-use forestry experts
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Example / Field of activity Forest Ecotherapy
• Forests act as an antidote to stress.
o More than 44 accredited forest ecotherapeutic areas
are operated in Japan.
- They are spreading all over the world.
• In Ireland foresters and ecotherapists are promoting
the non-timber forest health benefits (of forests) by
combining new forest health research with a basic
knowledge of medical issues.
Thematic area: Health & Recreation
Forest ecotherapy
Skills, Expertise and Green
Forest Professions
Research and dissemination
of knowledge about forest
healing effects.
Forest ecotherapists
Medical doctors working in
forest therapy centres
Sports professionals, forest
health coaches
Forest educators and
guided walks leaders…
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Contribution of Green Forest Jobs to achieve the SDG: two examples
3 Good Health and
Well-Being
Ensure healthy lives and
promote well-being for all at
all ages.
…promote the huge
physical and physiological
health benefits of forests
and provide appropriate
facilities to achieve these
objectives.
11 Sustainable Cities and
Communities
Make cities and human
settlements more inclusive,safe, resilient and
sustainable.
…promote and manage
green infrastructures and
urban forests within cities
for a better quality of life.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
• Over the period 2000-2010, employment in
the forest sector in the ECE region
decreased .
o UNECE and FAO (2015).
• Over the period 2000-2011, the
contribution of the forest sector to GDP
(gross domestic product) decreased from
1.2% to 0.8% from 2000 – 2011 (374 Bill. $
to 286 Bill. $) in ECE
o UNECE and FAO (2015).
• The number of forest-related
public employees reported in 2014 was
around 14% lower than that reported in
2010.
o FOREST EUROPE (2015).
Trends in the forest sector
Reported employment of traditional forestry jobs
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Towards a green economy
• From 2002-2011, employment in the environmental goods and service sectors in the EU increased from 3 to 4.2 million.
o This includes an increase in employment of 20% during the recession years
- It is estimated that Natura 2000 sites support 8 million new jobs.
Driven by tourism and recreation.
This is 6% of total employment in the EU.
o Further green jobs will be created in the future.
- European Commission (2014).
• The importance of forests for recreation, cultural values and energy production is increasing. o FOREST EUROPE, UNECE and FAO (2011).
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
In search of a reliable basis – next steps• Joint co-operation with Forest Europe.• Enhancing the European Think Tank on
future Green Jobs.• Workshop in June 2017.
With that in mind we are aiming at:• Identifying and listing the existing and
especially the potential new Green Forest Jobs in the forest sector.
• By the end of 2017: first recommendations will be presented to the Member States (end of the mandate) .
Beyond the Mandate • Developing indicators and a statistical
foundation for new Green Jobs in the Forest Sector?
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Expected major outputs / ToS deliverables
• Undertake periodic surveys of major trends & challenges associated with the sustainable forest workforce (among the team members representing the member states and related bodies).
• Organise trend scenario workshops on the future forest workforce.
• Produce policy briefs outlining rationales for choosing particular workforce policy strategies.
• Publish reviews and recommendations addressing main forest sector workforce issues developed in close cooperation with other issue-related Teams of Specialists and related bodies.
• Presentation of these outcomes at the yearly meeting of the Working Party and at the COFFI.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Green Forest Jobs have the potential to link the green economy with Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) in a modern globalised world of continuous change!
• Recommendations: – October 2017 (Poland).
• Green Forest Jobs – Implementation 2018.
Meeting Forest Europe Expert Group 2017
Zvolen, January 2017
Thank you - Go raibh maith agaibh - Ďakujem
T: +353 87 255 1491 E: [email protected]