ONEforest Featured in Prestigious Echos d’Ecofor
The distinguished French publication Echos d’Ecofor, created by the Public Interest Group (GIP) Ecofor (Forest Ecosystems), has recently featured the groundbreaking ONEforest project in its latest issue. This article, authored by partners at the Technical University of Applied Sciences of Rosenheim, delves into how the ONEforest project is actively addressing the formidable challenges confronting European forests, driven by climate change and societal needs.
At the core of ONEforest is the development of a Multi-Criteria Decision Support System tailored for the forest and wood value chain. This system is designed to empower stakeholders (from forestry, industry, politics, and NGOs), providing them with valuable insights for navigating the intricate landscape of decision-making in the sector.
Adopting a holistic approach, the ONEforest project meticulously studies the forest and its downstream value chain from an economic, ecological, and social perspective across four distinct European regions: Mediterranean forests in Catalonia, Spain; Alpine forests in Graubünden, Switzerland; continental forests in Hesse and Thuringia, Germany; and hemiboreal forests in Estonia. This multi-criteria decision support system is poised to serve as a model for other European regions, balancing forest ecosystem services in light of climate change and regional considerations.
A key emphasis is placed on integrating of interest groups to prepare companies and other stakeholders for changing material and product flows throughout the forest wood value chain and to create common perspectives for the future use of wood. The corresponding impacts on the timber industry are presented using an additional system dynamics model. The decision support system is grounded in a wealth of data, including forest inventories, specific indicators from policy and stakeholder analyses, field studies, material flow analyses, and life cycle assessments.
Notably, the ONEforest project is actively shaping the future through the collaborative development of scenarios spanning the next 40 years. These scenarios play a pivotal role in guiding policy decisions and shaping effective management strategies, ensuring a sustainable and resilient future for European forests.
The Public Interest Group (GIP) Ecofor (Forest Ecosystems) is a collective effort comprising 12 public organizations. Its purpose is to synergize resources in advancing forestry research and management, aligning with the needs of the forest timber sector and broader societal expectations. Functioning as a crucial bridge, Ecofor connects public authorities, research entities, training initiatives, forest management practices, and the forest timber sector.
This publication represents a unique opportunity for the ONEforest to share its insights and findings with this expansive community and beyond, contributing to the collaborative and knowledge-sharing ethos fostered by GIP Ecofor.
Read the full article in French here.
