1. At its thirteenth session in Zaragoza in 1987, Silva Mediterranea decided to revive cooperation in forest research by establishing networks. Such cooperation was very effective in the 1960s.

2. Five research networks were set up: forest fire management, selection of multi-purpose species for arid and semi-arid zones, silviculture of species: cedar, silviculture of species: stone pine, selection of stands of Mediterranean conifers for the production of seed to be used in reforestation programmes.

3. A sixth network, silviculture of species: cork oak, was established at the session in Faro in 1992, upon the request of several western Mediterranean countries.

4. A coordinator was appointed for each network and each country designated a focal point for topics in which it was particularly interested.

5. The actions and progress of these research programmes were reported and discussed at subsequent Committee sessions and at special meetings of coordinators held principally in intersessional years.

6. A meeting of coordinators was held in Cairo in November 1996 to assess the progress of networks and, in particular, to relaunch the research programme on the selection of multi-purpose species, which is of primary concern to the countries of the southern and eastern Mediterranean.

7. This paper provides a brief overview of the progress made by the research programmes, whose actions will be reported in greater detail by the coordinators.

8. The network on forest fire management, coordinated by Mr Velez (Spain), has focused on compiling and analysing forest fire statistics, with the active cooperation of other bodies such as CIHEAM in Chania and the European Union. Seminars were held on various aspects of this problem. An updated programme of action will be presented by the coordinator.

9. The Cedar group, under the capable coordination of Mr M’Hirit (Morocco), is experiencing serious difficulties in completing the monograph on Cedrus atlantica which was to have been jointly published by FAO and INRA. There is a strong need for this work to be resumed and completed so that the wealth of knowledge and data already acquired can be put at the disposal of Mediterranean foresters. The comparative trials of provenances of Atlas and Lebanon cedar established in previous years are being monitored and assessed, while seeds of new provenances have been made available to interest researchers.

10. As regards stone pine, the monograph prepared by Mr Ciancio and presented in draft form in Larnaca has now been revised and finalized for this session. Mr Ciancio had to step down as network coordinator and suggested that the Committee ask Mr Gabriel Catalan Bachiller (Spain) to take over. This would result in greater cooperation and integration with the "Pinus pinea" group of FAO’s "dry fruits" network which Mr Bachiller already leads.

11. The activities of the multi-purpose species network were carefully examined at the meeting in Cairo to which all the focal points had been invited. The first phase of identification of species of major interest to countries has now been completed thanks to replies to the questionnaire that was distributed and field visits made by the previous coordinator, Mr Akrimi. The next step is for a better-defined operational phase. In view of the large number of species signalled by countries and their different interests, it has been decided to concentrate firstly on three species, Acacia saligna, Ceratonia siliqua, Gleditsia triacanthos, which all feature among the priority species of the three major regional zones. A summary monograph on each of these species should be presented at this session. The Committee needs to elaborate detailed programmes of action for the collection and exchange of material and for the commencement of collaborative comparison trials. Similar actions could be envisaged for other species at a later date, drawing upon the preliminary results of this first phase. The new coordinator, Mr Zaafouri (Tunisia), will carry on the work of his predecessor and compatriot, Mr Akrimi. We believe that this network merits special attention considering that stockraising, grazing and alternative sources of forage are particularly relevant to much of the Mediterranean Basin.

12. Mr Topak (Turkey), the coordinator of the network on the selection of stands of Mediterranean conifers, has already drawn up and revised a very long list of stands selected in individual countries. This will be presented in final form at the session.

13. The cork oak network has not made significant progress to date. Mr Sardinha (Portugal) had presented working orientations but these were not followed up. There is, nevertheless, a clear interest in this species as shown by the genetic research activities that are conducted, some with EU support (Euforgen working party on cork oak, resolution no.2 of the ministerial meeting for the protection of Europe’s forests). A number of network members participated, with FAO assistance, in the meetings of the Euforgen group, in the international provenance trials and in a successful seminar organized by a Tunisian project in Tabarka in October 1996. We believe that this network should be evaluated and that a decision be taken as whether to reactivate and provide it with the means to function dynamically or whether to disband it.

14. This brief overview indicates very uneven network performance. This depends firstly on the interest of countries (and researchers) in a particular subject area and, to a large extent, also on the level of coordination which needs to be vigorous and ongoing. With this in mind, coordinators need a minimum of financial support to be able to maintain effective contact with their correspondents, visit countries if need be, and organize meetings of focal points to discuss and evaluate actions and programmes. At a time when forest research is increasingly running into difficulties virtually everywhere, it would be illusory to expect effective cooperation without any financial support.

15. Finally, we should like to recall that, at the last session in Larnaca, we suggested the establishment of a research network on the development of Mediterranean forest products, especially wood-products. Many countries expressed a strong interest in this proposal which was to be evaluated by the Secretariat of Silva Mediterranea. The matter could be usefully re-examined at this session and a final decision taken.