Synergies between forest biomass exploitation and grazing for avifauna conservation and rural economy

Greek forests host about one third of bird species across Europe. Of particular importance are the Mediterranean forests, characterized by the existence of a mosaic of forest and rangeland cover types. These landscapes are lost due to abandonment or are transformed to build environment. Often, the forests that merge afterwards are very dense, resulting fewer habitats suitable for bird species, while they face greater wildfire risks. In this paper, synergies between biomass production and extensive grazing are being proposed as an effort to support the sustainable management of Mediterranean forests for the benefit of biodiversity and rural communities.