FOREST EUROPE

07/09/2026

“…The forests that we produce today, that we plant today, are going to thrive in 100 and 150, 200 years’ time.”
How do we make decisions today that will keep forests resilient far into the future?

In a short interview recorded during the 10th FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference in Stockholm, Richard Stanford, Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, United Kingdom, reflects on the long-term perspective at the heart of Sustainable Forest Management.

Stanford also highlights why international cooperation matters when many of the challenges facing forests cross national borders – and the value of sharing ideas and best practice as countries adapt and evolve.

02/09/2026

, 22 SEPTEMBER, 12-13 CEST: How much deadwood is enough? Biodiversity and forest management in Europe

In this webinar, we will explore the key findings of the SoEF 2025 report with a special focus on deadwood, examining its ecological significance, current trends across Europe, and its role in promoting biodiversity and sustainable forest management.

What does increasing deadwood tell us about biodiversity? Is there an “optimal” amount? Should we establish targets, or do appropriate levels depend too strongly on forest type and region?

This webinar will focus on present and future policy and management challenges related to deadwood in European forests.

The webinar will be moderated by Maja Drča, EU Representative at the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification and Matteo Mascolo, Forest Steward at FSC.

📆22 September 2026
🕛12:00-13:00 CEST

Read more and register here: https://foresteurope.org/state-of-europes-forests-report/webinars-exploring-soef-2025/how-much-deadwood-is-enough/

31/08/2026

In this video, Maja Drča, EU Representative at the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, reflects on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and FOREST EUROPE’s role.

“We could say, our roots are in the FOREST EUROPE process, because much of our system or standards are based on the principles of Sustainable Forest Management, criteria and indicators, which were developed through FOREST EUROPE.”

She highlights the role of forest certification in translating these principles into practice:
“Forest certification is really important when we try to bring the ambition that is put on the paper or in principles, then on the ground.”

And looking ahead, she points to what should remain at the heart of SFM:
“Forest owners and forest managers should be put at the centre of SFM. SFM should remain feasible and practical.”

25/08/2026

In this video, Stefanie Schmidt, Team Leader Forests, Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission, reflects on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and Forest Europe’s role.

“SFM is really the backbone of forest related policies for the EU… And through these policies and legislations, we use SFM as a tool to really ensure forests as healthy, resilient and multifunctional ecosystems, while at the same time unlocking their full potential for economy and society.”

“I think right now our focus is really to see on how we can put SFM to work, because we think this is more important than ever… the Forest Europe is a natural place to explore the options here and to make recommendations for the pan-European region.”

📹: University of Sopron

18/08/2026

🌲 Europe’s forests continue to grow — but pressures are increasing.
In the FOREST EUROPE webinar from 22 May, “Do Europe’s Forests Suffice? Forest Resources and Carbon Sequestration”, experts from research, European institutions and the forest sector explored selected findings from the State of Europe’s Forests 2025 report (SoEF 2025), with a particular focus on forest resources, harvesting levels and carbon sequestration.

Speakers Kari T. Korhonen (Luke), Michael Losch (European Commission DG AGRI), Sven-Erik Hammar (CEPF) and Jori Ringman (Cepi) discussed how these indicators help illustrate current trends in Europe’s forests and the increasing societal demands placed upon them.

Key messages from the discussion:
🌱 Europe’s forests continue to function as a carbon sink, although sequestration rates are slowing
🌍 Europe remains in a comparatively strong position globally, while many regions continue to face significant deforestation pressures
🪵 Harvesting levels remain below annual forest growth across Europe
♻️ Forests and forest-based products remain important for climate mitigation and the circular bioeconomy
📊 Long-term, harmonised forest data are essential for informed policymaking and international cooperation

Watch the webinar recording to learn more about the selected SoEF 2025 indicators and what they reveal about Europe’s forests today:
https://foresteurope.org/state-of-europes-forests-report/webinars-exploring-soef-2025/do-europes-forests-suffice/

13/08/2026

In this video Daniela Kleinschmit, President of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations - IUFRO, reflects on the importance of FOREST EUROPE and SFM.

“FOREST EUROPE is important because this is one of the few ways where there has been a common discussion on forests, what goals to be set for the future and which pathways to take for the future. In particular when we think about the international level, where there are some struggles as well to find an agreement about the goals. This is why regional level political decision-making is becoming more and more relevant.”

“We are not doing research just for ourselves. We want to show what is relevant from our perception and also give some answers to questions that are there... Through FOREST EUROPE we can deliver scientific evidence to policymakers.”

“SFM forms the basis for what to do in the future. We can build on that. SFM is a good starting point, and it is good to have a common definition for all of us.”


📹: University of Sopron

12/08/2026

What happens when forest data moves from reporting into practical use?

MTK - Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners, has launched a new forest statistics service built on data from FOREST EUROPE’s State of Europe’s Forests 2025 report.

The service brings together comparable data from across Europe on forest ownership, harvesting, biodiversity, the economic importance of forests and more. Users can explore key findings or dig into the statistical database and compare information between countries.

For FOREST EUROPE, this is a good example of how the extensive pan-European data collection behind the State of Europe’s Forests can be put to further use. Comparable and accessible data provides a common knowledge base for discussions about Europe’s forests – across countries and across different aspects of sustainable forest management.

Making this information more accessible and useful is also an important part of the continued development of the State of Europe’s Forests reporting.

Explore MTK’s new service: https://europeanforestdata.fi/metsat-lukuina-en/

Read the State of Europe’s Forests 2025 report: https://foresteurope.org/state-of-europes-forests/

comprehensive and up-to-date description of the situation and the management of European forests as well as the related policies and institutions

09/07/2026

Under the Swedish Chairmanship of FOREST EUROPE 2025–2026, the Work Programme highlights the importance of maintaining flexibility and preparedness to address “new and emerging issues” affecting Europe’s forests and the forest sector. In this context, the need for sustainable forests for resilient societies, as well as forest-based geopolitical preparedness in a rapidly changing security environment, has become increasingly important.

This Policy Brief raises awareness of how forests and forest-based value chains contribute to Europe’s geopolitical preparedness.

“The Signatories of Forest Europe acknowledge that forests and the forest-based sector are strategic assets required for societal resilience in Europe, particularly in times of geopolitical crises. This highlights an essential requirement for strengthening crisis preparedness, response systems and security of the supply of wood and non-wood forest products” says Alessandra Giolo, the lead author of the Policy Brief.

She continues:
“Preparedness is not reactive; it is an intergenerational responsibility. If Europe acts now, sustainably managed forests can become pillars of strategic autonomy and enable resilient societies, supporting energy stability, plant and machinery repair capacity, functioning value chains and the environmental foundations of societal continuity under geopolitical pressure.”

The Policy Brief concludes with eight recommendations for achieving sustainable forests for resilient societies and strengthening forest-based geopolitical preparedness in Europe.

Read the full Policy Brief "Sustainable Forests for Resilient Societies and Forest-based geopolitical preparedness in Europe" here:https://foresteurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Policy-Brief-Geopolitical-Preparedness-2026.pdf

06/07/2026

Under the Swedish Chairmanship, FOREST EUROPE is working to make green jobs in the European forest sector more attractive and to support forest education and international cooperation networks.

Our Policy Brief presents the challenges, past recommendations, their uptake across Pan-Europe, and future directions for green forest jobs in the forests of Europe.

“The Policy Brief highlights the need to improve job quality and attractiveness through reskilling, gender equality measures, and better occupational safety and health standards,” says Ana Alice O. Tavares, one of the authors of the Policy Brief representing International Forestry Students’ Association, and continues:
“Another key take-home message is the need to modernise education and training by updating curricula for digitalisation and green skills, promoting lifelong learning, and strengthening multidisciplinary programmes with employer input.”

Finally, the policy brief emphasizes the need to strengthen collaboration and monitoring by keeping forest-sector workforce issues high on the FOREST EUROPE agenda, enhancing cross-country cooperation on Green Forest Jobs, and further developing pan-European workforce data.

Read the full Policy Brief on Green Forest Jobs here: Read the full Policy Brief on Green Forest Jobs here https://foresteurope.org/green-forest-jobs-in-the-future-forests-of-europe/

02/07/2026

🌲On Tuesday, Forest Europe attended the Standing Forestry Committee meeting hosted by DG AGRI in Brussels. The agenda covered a range of topics, including climate-related forestry policies, the bioeconomy, sustainable forest management, and forest biodiversity.

Forest Europe was represented by Rebecca Hunt, leader of Workstream 1, who provided an update on the workstream's achievements and presented key priorities and next steps leading up to the conclusion of the Swedish Chairmanship in December.

Building on the commitments outlined in the Stockholm Ministerial Declaration, Forest Europe will invite signatories to join a coordination group with the primary objectives to:

✅ Develop a roadmap for the continuous revision of Forest Europe's Criteria and Indicators
✅ Coordinate revision processes with experts and relevant stakeholders
✅ Support the ongoing development of sustainable forest management across Europe
👉Download the Stockholm Ministerial Declaration here:https://foresteurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FOREST-EUROPE-Stockholm-Ministerial-Declaration-Final.pdf

We would like to thank the European Commission for the invitation and DG AGRI for hosting a productive and engaging meeting.

On the photo: Rebecca Hunt (to the left) and Ms Gaelle MARION, Head of Unit, DG Agri (to the right).