Shaping the Future of European Forests: Reflections from our Foresight Workshops

Euforeadmin on May 5, 2025

In April 2025, we brought together a committed group of experts for the two EUFORE foresight workshops to explore plausible futures for European forests and the forest-based sector. During the first workshop, the participants helped us capture three different futures:

  • Living Forests in a Resilient Bioeconomy (likely & desirable, probable, positive trajectory)
  • Regenerative Forest Futures (unlikely & desirable, aspirational but uncertain)
  • Forests Under Pressure (likely & undesirable, probable but problematic)

In the second workshop, we engaged them in in a deep-dive exploration of key challenges, opportunities, and knowledge gaps facing forest research and innovation in Europe. For each of the above scenarios, enablers, obstacles, and knowledge needs were discussed, using also an interactive Miro board.

Here are some of our key takeaways:

  • The need for better coordination across sectors and governance levels, e.g. regarding biodiversity and sustainability metrics.
  • Calls for strategic investment in forest-owner engagement, innovation, and blended finance models.
  • Recognition that cross-sectoral knowledge exchange and capacity building are essential to support transition pathways across different scenarios.

As a next step, we are launching a post-workshop survey and mini-Delphi to help prioritize the most critical research needs and validate expert input. This will feed upcoming deliverables and support a forthcoming Policy Brief and scientific publications.

A big thank you to all participants for their insightful contributions and collaborative spirit!