Mapping forest innovation activities in Europe
How can we better support forest innovation in Europe? What are the main barriers? These are the questions EUFORE has been looking into in a task on mapping forest innovation activities across Europe. We analyzed innovation trends, barriers, and solutions based on a review of 812 studies on forestry innovation with data from EU project databases (CORDIS, EIP-Agri, LIFE, Interreg, Espacenet). In addition, 71 expert interviews and a survey with over 100 replies from companies, governments, and forestry organizations were carried out.
During the 6th Forest Innovation Workshop in Brussels, Ivana Zivojinovic and Stojan Ivanovic from University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) presented insights they discovered during the study. Some of their key findings show that:
- There are innovation hubs and gaps. The review shows that the Nordic countries and Western Europe lead in innovations, while Eastern and Southeastern Europe remain underrepresented. To balance out this polarization, a stronger collaboration between regions could be fostered.
- According to the interviews, the current innovation trends in the fields of digitalization (GIS, AI, blockchain), bio-based product innovation, and emerging fields like biodiversity credits.
- There are challenges such as the ineffective bureaucracy, lack of funding, regulatory barriers, and SME engagement in innovation ecosystems.
- Solutions could include strengthening collaboration, targeted funding, governance innovations, and scaling education and training.
Emerging trends in innovation
During the workshop, the participants engaged in a dynamic Mentimeter session which led into an active exchange of ideas on how to better support forest innovations and tackle these barriers.
The presentation on Mapping Forest Innovation activities in Europe: factors, barriers and solutions is available here.