The future management of planted forests has to meet a number of challenges. The first challenge is certainly the need to adapt the design and management of planted forests to current climate changes, taking into account the continuous increase of abiotic risks (droughts, heat waves, forest fires, storms) and biotic risks (insect outbreaks, emerging diseases, biological invasions). But other equally important challenges are coping with the high fragmentation of private forest ownership (16 million forest owners in the Europe), the uncertain demand under the current economic crisis aggravated by the COVID19 pandemic, the creation of innovative products, together with the optimization of the value-added chain, and the increasingly important role the forestry sector will play in the bioeconomy.
IEFC faces several challenges to operate in an environment where more and more pressure is being put on planted forests on multiple fronts such as : fuelling the bioeconomy, mitigating against climate change, adapting to climate change, resisting emerging pests and diseases, supporting fire prevention organisations and providing regulation services such as carbon, water, while at the same time retaining and conserving soil and biodiversity.
Open Call
This fund is available to IEFC members to facilitate cooperation within the network on any topic in line with the new strategy of IEFC. It will distribute a total amount of 20000€ to 4 or 5 projects.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA & DEADLINES