SITUATION IN SPAIN

A detailed study of the forestry sector has been carried out in accordance with information taken from the Spanish 2nd National Forestry Inventory.

Total Forest surface area 25.960.000. An estimated 51% of the national territory, and of that area 13.695.000 are planted with 12.265.000 pending.

Percentage of forest ownership: Privately owned 74%, 22% by local councils, the remanding. 4% is distributed between the State and the Spanish Autonomies.

Most Spanish forests are located in the regions along the northern coast of Spain. (The Atlantic Arc). 8.225.300, some 59,3% of Spanish forests. 4.686.408 an estimated 33,8% of the national total.

According to the data of the 2º I.F.N. the surface area occupied by coniferous is 7.093.813 has, 53,1% of the countries total forest content. The varieties of tree species are as follows:

· Pinus pinaster : 1.762.883 has. 24,8 %
· Pinus sylvestris : 1.377.716 has. 19,4 %
· Pinus nigra : 883.888 has. 12,4 %
· Pinus radiata : 287.118 has. 4,0 %

Broad-leafed trees, the surface occupied by these is 6.246.057 has, an estimated 46,9% of planted/growing forest surface. The most interesting species are as follows:

· Fagus sylvatica : 532.111 has. 8,5 %
· Eucaliptus sp : 507.308 has. 8,1 %
· Castanea sativa : 185.075 has. 2,9 %
· Q.robur/Q.petraea : 166.891 has. 2,6 %

With regards to the productivity of the most representative species:

· PopulusXcanadensis: 40 m³/ha/year felling after 10-20 years old.
· Eucaliptus globulus: 15-20 m³/ha/year (max. 30 m³/ha/year) felling after 12-15 years old.
· Pinus radiata: 23,7 m³/ha/year felling after 35 years old.
· Castanea sativa : 8-10 m³/ha/year felling after 40-50 years old.
· Pinus pinaster: 6-8 m³/ha/year felling after 30-35 years old.
· Fagus sylvatica : 6,1 m³/ha/year felling after 90 years.