1. Dr Richard Johnson, Mountain Environments, UK

2.  Lead Partner: Germany: Research Institute of Forest Ecology and Forestry  Partner countries: Germany, France, Luxembourg, UK, Netherlands  Start: January 2008  Duration: 5 years

3.  Development of transnational forest management strategies  Taking into account predicted climate change scenarios  European forests: economics, protection, environmental benefits and recreation

4.  Regionalisation of climate change scenarios  Response of forests to climate change – spatial shifts, risks (fire, disease etc), water regimes, ecology, economic consequences  Water management – water retention in forests, mitigation of flash floods, enhancement of low flows  Stakeholder involvement – oversee for the implementation of the management strategies.

5.  Runoff control to buffer intense rainstorm and rapid snow melt to reduce the risk of flash floods in upland catchments  Groundwater recharge to sustain low flows and reduce the impacts of droughts of water supplies and aquatic ecology  Control of soil erosion to improve water quality and reduce the risk of river and reservoir siltation

6.  River basin approach  Flood generation processes  Runoff rates in upland catchments  River flow restoration  Land management changes in priority zones  Role of forests

7.  Restoration of native woodlands – in upper catchments and along river banks  Restoration of natural drainage – forest and agricultural drainage, river meander restoration  Restoration of wetlands – upland and floodplain wetlands to increase the storage and buffering of flood flows  Retention of water to reduce flood flows and sustain low flows

8.  Flood risk management  Drought risk management  Ecology and recreation  Water resources – benefits to water supplies, hydropower, river ecology, river erosion by reducing runoff rates and modifying the flow regimes

9.  Take a drainage basin approach – Water Framework Directive  Integration of land management practices  Technical details for selecting priority areas and quantifying the effects  Cooperation between national, regional or administration areas  Consider all water resources aspects  Involve communities and other stakeholders  Long term funding and support

10. River basin management Reduce risks and improve water resources