First regional stakeholder workshop identified research and innovation priorities
The first regional stakeholder workshop held in June 2023 brought together some 30 experts from Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany.
Led by the FNR team, the workshop participants identified their research and innovation priorities in four thematic areas of “Forest ecology”, “Forest management”, “Forest and wood products” and “Social aspects and policy”.
The priorities varied from symbiosis of fungi and trees and the associated positive or negative development of trees to implementing social campaigns for more forest- and climate-friendly consumer behaviour. Also climate change, bioeconomy, and ecosystem services provided by the forest were brought up repeatedly.
In addition to representatives from universities and forestry research institutions, representatives from ministries at regional and national level, associations of the forestry and timber industry, but also civil society institutions such as NGOs or associations of forest owners participated in the workshop.
What next?
The EUFORE team will next summarise and group the results. Over the coming months, five other workshops will be organised covering the other European regions. The results of the workshops will form the basis for the further process of developing a European strategic research and innovation agenda.
Read more about the workshop: FNR – International: Experts discuss future research and innovation priorities for the forest and wood sectors