LIFE: supporting forest economies and communities

This year's International Day of Forests celebrates 'the essential roles of forests in driving economic prosperity' - and that's exactly what LIFE4Forest and LIFE ClimatePositive are doing. Forest managers are increasingly adopting climate-smart and closer-to-nature forestry (CNF) to ensure sustainable forest bioeconomies for the future.

With €13 million EU funding, the 8-year LIFE4Forest project aims to create multifunctional, economically sustainable forests across Denmark as recommended in the EU Guidelines on closer-to-nature forest (CNF) management. The project is converting 4200+ hectares of state and private owned forests in 220 locations across the country through closer-to-nature forestry management techniques. Some of these include natural regeneration and the introduction of more conifer species as well as native deciduous trees. In addition, 85 hectares of new forests are being erected according tocloser-to-nature forestry principles. These techniques are implemented to increase biodiversity as well as the resilience of forests to climate change, thereby enhancing their capacity to deliver a diverse mix of ecosystem services.

'We saw an opportunity to convert the old Norway spruce to other tree species and try a new planting method,' says Ole Callesen, who owns shares in a private forest company. 'We are open to experimenting with new methods and curious to see if it's a viable and profitable management approach on the poor soils of the heath. We need wood, and therefore we also cultivate the forest as a production forest.'

Good for people, good for planet, good for profits

Demonstrating the economic viability of closer-to-nature forestry is crucial for getting private forestry companies on board. The project estimates that converting conifer forests to other species could increase their potential land value by up to €6 000 per hectares per year. The team has also trained forest managers in the economics of closer-to-nature forestry conversion by introducing and promoting new ways to monitor growth, yield, health, biodiversity and carbon storage in converted conifer forests.

In Italy, LIFE ClimatePositive has developed a new model for more resilient and sustainable forest management. Unlike some other European countries, Italian forests have actually expanded in recent decades - but that also brings challenges from rural depopulation, abandoned forests and fragmented land ownership.

'Only around 15% of forests in Italy have a management plan,' says LIFE ClimatePositive's communications manager Martina Doppio. 'Without proper management, forests risk losing their ability to provide critical ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and sustainable economic opportunities.'

As with LIFE4Forest, collaboration with private foresters is key to success. LIFE ClimatePositive has created SMART forest associations of small forest owners and developed a SMART toolkit to help them access funding opportunities and establish support offices - a model which can be replicated across the EU. The €3.5 million, 5-year project has also helped develop Italian guidelines for generating voluntary forest carbon credits in line with the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming regulation.

'The project will scale up sustainable forest management across Europe, improving forest resilience, biodiversity, and the provision of ecosystem services while delivering tangible socio-economic benefits for rural communities,' adds Doppio.

LIFE4Forest and LIFE ClimatePositive are just 2 of the many projects funded under the LIFE Programme aimed at restoring and enhancing Europe's forests for the benefit of both people and nature. Together, they play a key role in supporting the EU Directives on Birds, Habitats and Marine Strategy Framework; the 2030 EU Biodiversity Strategy; the Nature Restoration Regulation; and the new integrated framework for European climate resilience and risk management. Other projects in this area include LIFE ADAPT-ALEPPO, LIFE RedBosques Clima, LIFE CLIMATE FOREST, LIFE CLIMARK, LIFE AgroForAdapt, LIFE SILFORE and LIFE-AFaktive.