The post Gearing up for the 9th Ministerial Conference: FOREST EUROPE’s Expert Level Meeting set the stage first appeared on FOREST EUROPE.

Join us for conversations with forestry experts from different pan-European regions as we explore the challenges, solutions, and the way forward to preserve our forests for generations to come. Our speakers will address key issues, including the important role of FOREST EUROPE, how Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) can ensure the multi-functions of our forests, strategies to protect our forests from pests, and the critical role of biodiversity when it comes to managing our forests. Hear their voices, share their passion, and be inspired by their stories.

Discover the benefits of impactful forest policymaking and sustainable practices from different countries in the pan-European region. Listen to our four episodes here!

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The current scenario we are facing at the national and international forestry level leads to a critical debate: How can Sustainable Forest Management maintain and enhance resilience in your forest, considering social, economic, and environmental factors?

This event will be hosted by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Berlin having a hybrid character. FOREST EUROPE high-level policymakers responsible for forests and forestry and high-level representatives from FOREST EUROPE observer organizations and other interested stakeholders will be invited to this meeting. The interested public can join this event in Berlin or online.

The host of this event is the German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Cem Özdemir. Our panel discussions in Berlin will bring together ministers and other high-level policymakers with representatives of environmental organizations, forest practitioners, researchers, youth, and landowners to provide a space promoting shared understanding and synergies in the pan-European region and beyond.

The event will have two consecutive panel discussions where participants can interact directly with high-level speakers during the debate. To set the scene, renowned researchers will present their latest findings.

Check our High-Level Talks website to stay updated.

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Hotel Steigenberger in Dresden, where the ELM was held.

Rapid Response Mechanism: supporting the Ukrainian forest sector and its forests

The ELM acknowledged the full implementation of the Ministerial Decision to support the Ukrainian forest sector and its forests from August 2022, which was created within FOREST EUROPE’s rapid response mechanism to react to emerging issues of relevance. The ELM recognized the importance of Ukraine’s forests and the challenges they face due to the war and demonstrated a strong commitment to helping the country in recovering. ELM’s delegates also agreed to a smooth transfer of the work to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to ensure continued support and cooperation in the region.

Silvia Abruscato introducing the High-Level Policy Dialogue 2023.

The 2^nd High-Level Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and resilience

The ELM delegates supported the organization of the 2^nd High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD), which will be held in Berlin on November 9, 2023, providing a platform for policymakers, experts, practitioners, forest owners, students, researchers, and interested stakeholders to discuss how SFM can maintain and enhance forest resilience, from an environmental, social, and economic perspective. With a hybrid meeting format, the event aims to harness high-level speakers’ collective knowledge and experience to chart a path to a more sustainable future. Stay tuned to our social media for updates, or visit talks.foresteurope.org.

Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland were very active in the discussions.

Think Tank on the dynamic concept of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)

The presentation of the ongoing efforts of the Think Tank about SFM highlighted the need to address gaps in current policy developments and emphasized the importance of developing tools and instruments to enhance SFM. The ELM recognized its relevance as a core activity of FOREST EUROPE. Additionally, forest monitoring was emphasized as a synergistic approach, and the importance of creating new narratives on SFM as a dynamic concept was underscored. The delegates’ opinion reinforces the significance of these efforts and sets the stage for future progress in SFM, monitoring, and reporting.

Yana Vikhtiuk (UA) and Tomasz Markiewicz (PL).

Preparations for the 9th Ministerial Conference in 2024

The meeting concluded with discussions on the preparations for the upcoming 9th Ministerial Conference (9MC), scheduled for October 1-2, 2024, near Bonn, Germany. As a significant event during the FOREST EUROPE signatory’s term, the conference represents the decision-making body of the process and marks the end of the German chairmanship. Ministers of signatory countries, renowned experts, and high-level representatives from observers’ organizations from the pan-European region will convene to discuss strategies and actions shaping the future of our forests. One key goal is to make the SFM concept fit for the future and to establish a Forest Risk Facility (FoRISK), to address forest risks, like climate change, forest fires, and biodiversity loss.

Green Jobs and Forest Education developments

The report on Green Jobs and Forest Education emphasized involving future generations and addressing challenges in shaping innovative pathways. Engaging policymakers is crucial in finding collaborative solutions to these challenges. The benefits and shortage of skilled personnel associated with Green Jobs and Forest Education were acknowledged, and the ELM offered guidance for future efforts in green job development and forest education.

Field trip on the second day after the conference

After being in a meeting room, an exciting field excursion took place to delve into the practical application of SFM in the State forests of Saxony, followed by a visit to the esteemed Campus Tharandt, one of the oldest forestry educational institutions worldwide, established in 1811.

Excursion to the Tharandt forest.

What have we learned?

It is important to maintain the momentum and build on the results of this meeting. Collaborative efforts, sound policy frameworks, and proactive measures are critical to achieving the vision of SFM for the benefit of current and future generations. The ELM demonstrated what can be achieved when nations, international organizations, and NGOs join in their pursuit of a more sustainable future.

Chris Quine (UK) and Helga Pülzl (EFI).

The post Signatories and observers of FOREST EUROPE met in Dresden to shape the future of sustainable forest management first appeared on FOREST EUROPE.

To mark this important day, FOREST EUROPE hosted students and lecturers from the Tropical Forestry Master’s Programme (International Forest Governance & Multilateralism-Chair of Tropical and International Forestry) who were on an International Forest Governance Course Excursion to international organizations in Bonn focusing on forests and climate. They learned how FOREST EUROPE as a Pan-European voluntary high-level political process contributes to the development of common strategies to protect and sustainably manage forests while also offering a platform for intergovernmental dialogue and cooperation. Our institutional structure is made up of 45 European states and the European Union as signatories, while observers comprise of 14 countries and 45 organizations. Roundtable Meeting (RTM), Working Group and Advisory Group are some of the tools used for strategic debate while Expert Group and Workshops or Webinars are for technical debates. 

Thomas Haußmann also highlighted the significance of FOREST EUROPE’s policies on forests which have a far-reaching impact even at the international level. Some examples presented include the definition of the pan-European concept of Sustainable Forest Management in 1993, the guidelines, criteria and indicators for Sustainable Forest Management. The five editions of the “State of Europe’s Forests” (SoEF) report have provided comprehensive information on the status and trends in forests and forestry in the pan-European region, based on the criteria for SFM with the current edition (SoEF 2020) produced in collaboration with the FAO and UNECE.  Since its inception, Forest Europe has developed 22 Ministerial Resolutions, 2 Decisions and 2 Declarations.  

The next question in the students’ minds was how they as youth could be involved in FOREST EUROPE’s activities. Since the International Forestry Students Association (IFSA) is one of our partner organizations, the students could be Head of the FOREST EUROPE Sub-Commission (one of the IFSA official positions under the International Policy Commission). Forest Europe also organizes webinars and workshops targeted at students e.g. Forest Education in Africa and Europe Workshop. The Youth Forest Policy Days was also another novel project where Forest Europe partnered with IFSA to expose students to the international forest policy process by bringing experts on relevant topics, such as sustainable forest management, deforestation, landscape restoration and forest finance, to share their knowledge while also providing real-life examples of their work. The students can also join any of the three sub-groups in Work Stream 3 (Analysis, Transition and Communication/PR) or participate as observers in our events.  We also provide content for the TreE-Learning Platform by IFSA and the latest course by FOREST EUROPE is available here.  The Grow Green Jobs Campaign showcased endless new job opportunities in the forestry field for young people interested in working in the sector. We are exploring more ways of bringing the youth on board including in the next Ministerial Conference in 2024.  

Another question the students were eager to learn more about was the desired skill set of a forestry professional required by our institution. Juliet Achieng informed the students that the importance of subject-specific skills, human relationships, leadership and other generic competencies, communication, research and data management and general academic competencies have increased over the last ten years and will continue to be important to the near future. More information is available from these studies: Green Forest Jobs in the Pan-European Region, Trends in forest-related employment and tertiary forest education, Global Assessment of Forest Education and the Global Outlook on Education.  

We at FOREST EUROPE appreciate the interest of the students in our work! 

The post FOREST EUROPE celebrated International Education Day 2023 and raises awareness among students with its different initiatives first appeared on FOREST EUROPE.

FOREST EUROPE produced several videos with authors of the State of Europe’s Forests 2020 report and other experts to discuss the current situation of forests in Europe, main challenges and possible solutions. The videos cover different aspects of the Report, such as impact of climate change, substitution effect of wood-based products, payment for ecosystem services, ownership, biodiversity and much more.

The aim of the series is to spark discussions around the various topics. All interviews are available on FOREST EUROPE YouTube channel.

“A major threat [for trees] now are these dry summers that we had to face in recent years.”

Michael Köhl

The State of Europe’s Forests is FOREST EUROPE flagship publication. The current edition was published in December 2020. You can read the full report here. Follow FOREST EUROPE on Twitter to learn more about ongoing activities.

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