Reptes per preservar els boscos madurs a Catalunya: II Jornades sobre boscos madurs

The work includes the proceedings of the Second Conference on Mature Forests in Catalonia, which took place in April 2013 in the Agr´Forest School of Santa Coloma de Farners, Catalonia, and the conclusions it generated. It discusses the economic, natural, cultural and spiritual values of mature forests, their status and current trends, and their ecological functions. It also discusses the reasons why they are cut down and some of the responses from various agencies aimed at identifying, studying and safeguarding these mature forests and emphasising their worth. It provides good examples of forest reserves that have been established to preserve old growth forests, some in recent years, others over a century ago, and reveals the danger that they are in due to a lack of effective protection. It is the first published work in Catalonia dedicated to mature forests, which are the most biodiverse of all habitats and are of incalculable scientific value. It is not by accident that old growth forests have been revered for millennia, in amny different cultures, and are considered to be sacred, enchanted and mysterious places. It should be noted that this book combines both technical and scientific articles with photographs, poems and wise sayings that give it a quite unique character.