Publicação
The main current challenges of public forest in Portugal: The case of Pinhal de Leiria
| Resumo: | With the ongoing global debate on climate change and strategies for its mitigation, forests have become central to the conversation due to their positive environmental impact. In Portugal, forests cover one- third of the country’s territory, yet only 3% is owned by the Portuguese State. Given this small portion of State ownership, this dissertation aims to evaluate the key challenges in these forests management, focusing especially on the Mata Nacional de Leiria (MNL), one of the largest State-owned forests. Forests play a crucial role socially, environmentally, and economically, and this dissertation highlights the main forestry policies enacted at European and National levels, along with some of their key effects. However, the primary objective is to analyse how the Portuguese State manages its forest, with an emphasis on the challenges it encounters. The study follows a qualitative methodology, using interviews as the primary tool to understand public forest management and assess the relationship between key stakeholders in the MNL. Additionally, a normative framework and a strategic plan analysis were conducted to further illustrate the current management practices within the sector. In conclusion, it appears that the challenges in managing public forests at a national level differ from those specific to the MNL. Nationally, the primary challenge is the shortage of resources, including financial, human, and machinery. However, in the case of the MNL, the most pressing issue is the development of a participatory management model. |
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| Autores principais: | Santos, Joana Celina Gaspar |
| Assunto: | Mata nacional de Leiria Ordenamento florestal -- Forest management Políticas públicas -- Public policies Participatory management model Gestão participativa |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso restrito |
| Instituição associada: | ISCTE |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório ISCTE |
| Resumo: | With the ongoing global debate on climate change and strategies for its mitigation, forests have become central to the conversation due to their positive environmental impact. In Portugal, forests cover one- third of the country’s territory, yet only 3% is owned by the Portuguese State. Given this small portion of State ownership, this dissertation aims to evaluate the key challenges in these forests management, focusing especially on the Mata Nacional de Leiria (MNL), one of the largest State-owned forests. Forests play a crucial role socially, environmentally, and economically, and this dissertation highlights the main forestry policies enacted at European and National levels, along with some of their key effects. However, the primary objective is to analyse how the Portuguese State manages its forest, with an emphasis on the challenges it encounters. The study follows a qualitative methodology, using interviews as the primary tool to understand public forest management and assess the relationship between key stakeholders in the MNL. Additionally, a normative framework and a strategic plan analysis were conducted to further illustrate the current management practices within the sector. In conclusion, it appears that the challenges in managing public forests at a national level differ from those specific to the MNL. Nationally, the primary challenge is the shortage of resources, including financial, human, and machinery. However, in the case of the MNL, the most pressing issue is the development of a participatory management model. |
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