Bad cork removing: a dangerous factor that may affect the generating surface of the cork and the cork oak decline

Abstract: The decline of cork oak is a worrying phenomenon in most Mediterranean countries. It is difficult to explain the origin and the causes of this phenomenon. In Tunisian cork oak forests the damage resulting from debarking operations occur more by the deterioration of trunks as crowns. Damages are usually noted on the trunks (canker, fungi, and injuries). These damages have led at short term a considerable losses cork production by reducing the corky surface and loss of growth of cork (40%). But in the long term, these bad practices can compromise the strength of cork forests elsewhere and therefore their future. The present work focuses on the poor quality of the cork removal and its impact on tree vigor and generator cork surface. It explains that it is possible to minimize the damage through a good training and an increase in workers’ wages.