EFI presents a new study aiming to tackle key questions on European forests

ProPopulus Team

The European Forest Institute (EFI) released a new study that compiles key research findings to answer 12 important questions about forests in the European Union. The publication gathers work from 28 researchers from EFI and its network, and the conclusions are available in two formats: a PDF short version, freely downloadable, and the website Forest Questions containing more detailed information and references.

EFI performs ongoing monitoring on EU’s forest policy processes and, for this research, decided to select the following areas: bioeconomy, civil protection, climate change mitigation and adaptation, forestry, impact on global forests, nature conservation, public health and regional development.

According to EFI’s press release on the report “Sound decision-making needs a solid and holistic understanding of the different roles forests play, the complex, diverse and long-term ecological processes which take place and the stakeholders directly or indirectly involved”. Hence the need for a thorough and comprehensive research that answers the main questions on forests.

The 12 questions are:

1. How did EU forests develop?
2. Who owns the forests?
3. What do people think about forests?
4. How has climate change affected forests?
5. To manage or not to manage?
6. How does forest management affect biodiversity?
7. What role do forests play in the water cycle?
8. How do forests improve health and well-being?
9. How do forests support cities?
10. How do forests contribute to prosperity?
11. How can the bioeconomy support biodiversity and climate neutrality?
12. What impact does EU consumption have on global forests?

Each question is addressed in a full and eloquent manner, suitable for any audience, aiming to inform a wider range of people who are not forest experts, but who are interested in the many contributions forests make to achieving EU policy goals.

EFI conducts research and provides policy support on issues related to forests, stimulating forest-related networking, and promoting the dissemination of unbiased and policy-relevant information on forests and forestry. The Institute also advocates for forest research and for the use of scientifically sound information as a basis for forest policies.