Water for forests and people in the Mediterranean

This study explores the basics of the water cycle, the concepts of blue and green water, their possible trade-offs, and the related key challenges with focus on the Mediterranean region and its specificities. 

It examines the forest / water interface within the framework of different policy initiatives to support decision makers and contributes to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and public perception.

It focuses on the Mediterranean region where the scarcity of water is a permanent challenge – the main limiting factor for life and the most strategic resource for ensuring the sustainability of the region.

Water, forests and people form the three vertices of a triangular relationship that should be analysed pairwise and as a whole.

This publication is also available in French and Spanish.

L’Eau pour les Forêts et les Hommes en Région Méditerranéenne : un équilibre à trouver

Agua para los Bosques y la Sociedad en el Mediterráneo – Un difícil equilibrio

Citation

Yves Birot, Carlos Gracia and Marc Palahí (eds). 2011. Water for forests and people in the Mediterranean – A challenging balance. What Science Can Tell Us 1. European Forest Institute.

Number of pages: 175
ISBN: 978-952-5453-80-5 (pdf)