The working scope of this Unit is the research and promotion of Ecology and Silviculture of pine species studies. This Unit aims to promote the international cooperation in scientific studies embracing the whole field of research related to ecology and silviculture of pine forests and trees for the sustainability of the forest ecosystems and for the well-being of people that depend on them.

Our immediate plans are:
To divulgate the research that is being done on Ecology and Silviculture of Pine species. This will be pursued throughout the Unit web page, the Unit newsletter and the promotion of scientific and technical reunions.

To prepare an international meeting on pine ecology and silviculture that permits to synthesize the state-of-art of research and to identify the major drawbacks of science knowledge.

To promote the divulgation of national meetings and other events focused to the specific issues of pine ecossystems ecology or pine forests silviculture via the IUFRO web page. Whenever possible, to sponsor the events.

Pine forests mostly occupy the higher latitude regions of the northern hemisphere, as well as high altitude zones and some warm temperate areas, especially on unfavorable soils. Pines have been introduced in subtropical and temperate portions of the Southern Hemisphere, where they are grown widely as a source of timber. Changing policies lead to different silvicultural regimes.  Significant changes have occurred within the last 200 years as industrialized nations shifted from a biomass energy economy to fossil fuels. Further changes are likely to occur due to global change both climatic and social. Changing policies for agriculture and nature conservation in industrialized countries provide incentives for land use shifts from agriculture to forest.