Our society is witnessing an unprecedented series of crises at a global scale, both ecological, economic and social. Forests and forestry play a key role in dealing with these challenges and facilitating the transition to a modern-resource efficient economy, which is carbon neutral and decoupled from environmental depletion. Forests are central to reaching the EU’s ambitious plans for a sustainable circular bioeconomy – but are under increasing pressure from environmental processes (e.g. fires, droughts, pests and diseases), and increased human activities.
To overcome the challenges faced by forests and unlock their full potential, we need innovative solutions, based on improved knowledge. The four-year EUFORE (European Forest Research and Innovation Ecosystem) project will assess and outline research and innovation needs, and provide a platform for increased R&I cooperation, coordination and joint funding for forestry and the forest-based sector.
The project aims to develop a sustainable, transnational, inclusive cooperation platform to engage with a broad range of stakeholders. With them, it will evaluate, define and co-create a strategic Research and Innovation agenda for forestry and the forest-based sector, as well as accompanying roadmaps, implementation measures and stakeholder commitments. This supports the preparation for a possible European research and innovation Partnership on forests under the Horizon Europe Programme.
The project consortium consists of 15 partner organisations from 10 countries and is coordinated by the European Forest Institute. For many years, FNR has been organising stakeholder participation processes in Germany in the framework of the German Charter for Wood. Within EUFORE, FNR is leading the stakeholder engagement activities and will bring in its competences on the European level.
More information:
- EUFORE
- https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101081788
- Charter for Wood, English version: https://www.charta-fuer-holz.de/fileadmin/charta-fuer-holz/dateien/service/mediathek/Web_ENGL_BMEL_Charta_130721_komplett_1250.pdf
Duration of the project: 11/2022 – 10/2026
EUFORE is funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under project no. 101081788.
FNR contact person: Martin Behrens
