From 7th to 9th May 2025, the Pro Silva International meeting took place in Sardinia, Italy. A representative from CNVP Foundation of our office in Montenegro joined the event, together with experts and forest professionals from many European countries.

The main goal of the meeting was to talk about how the Pro Silva principles can be used in the forests of the Mediterranean region. These principles support close-to-nature forest management, with a strong focus on sustainability, biodiversity, and the needs of local communities.

During the meeting, several important topics were discussed. Participants talked about how local communities use forest resources, how cork is produced, and how cork oak forests are managed. There were also discussions on protecting biodiversity, preventing forest fires, and how to produce firewood from holm oak trees using coppice management—a traditional method that allows trees to regrow from stumps.

The event also included field visits to different forest areas in Sardinia. On the first day, participants visited coppice forests. They learned about local user rights, forest management plans, and fire prevention practices. Then, they visited cork oak forests (Quercus suber), which have been used for cork production for many years. Today, there is more focus on also protecting biodiversity in these forests. They also explored holm oak forests (Quercus ilex), traditionally used to provide firewood for local people.

On the second day, participants visited black oak forests. These included single-age forests managed with modern methods like Continuous Cover Forestry, as well as areas called “Biodiversity Islands,” which help protect plant and animal life. They also saw old-growth forests with trees of different ages, where traditional livestock grazing still takes place.

At every stop, the group had active and lively discussions. The meeting brought together representatives from almost every European country, showing a shared interest in the future of forest management in Europe.