May 9, Subgroup 4: Management of forests and forest-influenced landscapes Konstantin von Teuffel and Hubert Sterba

2 General Focus on management methods Need for innovative management methods arises from Global change, e.g. increasing frequency of disturbances Societal changes, e.g. changing forest ownership, recreation needs due to urbanisation Innovations in technologies, e.g. improved remote sensing methods and data, decision support systems etc. Changing economic frame conditions, e.g. carbon trade systems, energy prices

3 Theme 12: Enhancing Multi-functionality and sustainability of forests for people and nature Two basic management options in spatial scaling sustainability: Small spatial scale = integration of forest functions Larger spatial scale = segregation of forest functions During past 30 years emphasis was on small spatial scale Challenge: To find a balance between economic viability, environmental functions and commodity services on an appropriate spatial scale

4 Theme 12: Enhancing Multi-functionality and sustainability of forests for people and nature Research objectives: Understanding impacts of forest management on desired effects (economics, biodiversity, water provision, protection...) Develop a set of regionally adaptable criteria and indicators of sustainability/multifunctionality Development and evaluation of management methods for both options (segregation/integration) Decision support systems for the degree of integration/segregation Multifunctional management methods e.g. for small private forest land holdings

5 Theme 13: Adaptive Forest Management under Global Change Climate and land-use are key environmental drivers of change in European forests At the same time, societal demands from forests related to production and to externalities (biodiversity, protection, landscape, recreation, tourism) are rapidly changing. Challenge: An improved scientific understanding is required in order to adapt forest management to changing environmental conditions.

6 Theme 13: Adaptive Forest Management under Global Change Research objectives: Adaptive management strategies to improve resistance and resilience of forest ecosystems Optimized management strategies to minimize risk of snow, storm and pests Optimized post disturbance management methods Forest management strategies to mitigate forest fire and drought Integrated Greenhouse Gas mitigation through adapted forest management Develop decision support systems to manage forest ecosystems under changing environmental conditions

7 Theme 14: Monitoring, planning and knowledge management for forestry Monitoring, planning and knowledge management improve decision making in forestry Sustainable management and planning requires sufficient information Challenge: To acquire information faster, spatially explicit, accurate and harmonized at European level and at low cost To bring the information to the end user Feasible due to recent and fast development of IT- and remote sensing techniques

8 Theme 14: Monitoring, planning and knowledge management for forestry Research objectives: Development of advanced tools and methodology of information supply for forest management Development of automated information retrieval of geo- and biophysical parameters from remote sensing data Establishment of a multi-scale European Forest Monitoring System based on satellite remote sensing-, GIS- and ground sampling techniques Development of advanced planning methods including multi-criteria decision methods and multi-objective optimization techniques Establishment of an integrated, IT-based knowledge management in a network context with the end user

9 Theme 15: Land use dynamics and Forests Spontaneous forest expansion, tree plantations. and agro- forestry on former agricultural land can greatly contribute to biomass production for energy and industrial uses. Improving environmental conditions contributes to carbon sequestration, land stabilization, biodiversity as well as to enhancement and phytoremediation of degraded environments. Challenge: To simultaneously improve the energetic efficiency of this particular type of land utilization, enhance its environmental value and increase its economic attractiveness for the producers and land owners and other stakeholders

10 Theme 15: Land use dynamics and Forests Research objectives: Economically sound forestry production methods on former agricultural land Plantation regimes to enhance timber production, biodiversity, land stabilization and landscape improvement as well as improved water quality Climatically adapted agro-forestry systems Optimized biomass-production regimes Land use change concepts integrated into a broader concept of rural development