Society needs technicians and researchers who are able to make use of the resources available to man in forests and in the environment at large so that they can be managed in a more sustainable way. In order to carry out this task, it used to be thought that these technicians had to obtain new plant varieties to obtain higher yields or manage forests to increase wood production. However, the priority now is based on the maintenance of systems or, put otherwise, on their sustainability. This change means that there is a need for a forestry research and training programme that focuses on the following:

• Preserving and regenerating places struck by natural catastrophes.  

• Supporting rural development in agro-forestry areas and the stability of their populations.

• Conserving species or groups of species in ecosystems, whilst supporting agricultural production.