Strasbourg 1990
INITIATING CROSS-BORDER MECHANISMS FOR THE PROTECTION OF FORESTS
On the initiative of France and Finland, the First Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe was held
in Strasbourg in 1990. The conference was attended by 30 European countries and the European Community as well as several
intergovernmental observer organisations. Recognising the need for cross-border protection of forests in Europe, the participants
agreed on six resolutions. These Strasbourg Resolutions focused particularly on technical and scientific co-operation in order
to provide the necessary data for common measures concerning European forests.
The Strasbourg Resolutions initiated a broad co-operation throughout Europe. Moreover, the Strasbourg Conference was a major
step to initiate the incorporation of scientific data into political action to protect Europe’s forests.
This First Ministerial Conference constitutes the beginning of an ongoing political process to initiate proposals and actions
for the protection and sustainable management of forests in Europe. After the First Ministerial Conference, meetings among
the participants and observers of the MCPFE were held regularly to put into action the six Strasbourg Resolutions.
