Biofore-Magazine-2021

By Asa Butcher Photography UPM

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FEATURE

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Can the EU see the forest for the trees?

P rotecting trees is the unifying goal of the European Commission’s new EU Forest Strategy for 2030. However, the strategy has raised concern within the forestry industry and among European lawmakers, with criticism levelled at its unlikely implementa tion since circumstances differ across the 27member states. Published as part of its legislative Fit for 55 package, the flagship strategy supports the EU’s target of reducing green house gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and recognises the cen tral and multifunctional role of forests. But what does it hope to achieve? How will it help to reduce emissions? And does it acknowledge that biodiversity doesn’t simply come from preservation? Within the boundaries of sustainability “The main aim is to ensure that we have a resilient forest ecosystem; something that is useful for biodiversity, the economy and all its socio-economic functions. We need it for thriving rural areas and we need it to boost the bioeconomy,” says Vivian Loonela , the coordinating spokesperson for the European Green Deal. Toomany of theEU’s forests are in a poor state and the real ity of climate change is already inflicting biodiversity damage.

There is an urgent need to change in order to have a habitable planet and it must be accomplished within the boundaries of sustainability. In close cooperation and consultation with stakeholders, the strategy hopes to help the vastly different member states achieve that. While some countries emphasisenon-wood forest products and others opt for a forest value chain, Marc Palahí , Director of the European Forest Institute, sees the strategy as provid ing an inspiration for a common vision for European forests. Theoretically, he believes that it has all the key components to be successful, but it will depend on its implementation and the resources allocated by the EU andmember countries. “The issues to be addressed range from restoration, plant ing billions of trees, stimulating the forest bioeconomy and supporting the skills of forest workers. Howwill it all be prior itised? I feel the success of the strategywill dependonhowthe Commission engages with the forestmanagers and owners, as well as howtheyworkwith themember states countries,” pre dicts Palahí. Loonela notes that a concrete next step is a legislative pro posal that will be on forest observation reporting and data collection: “At the European level, there hasn’t been a com prehensive reporting requirement for forests since 2007.

The aim of the European Commission’s new EU forest strategy for 2030 is to ensure that Europe has a resilient forest ecosystem. We spoke to a European Green Deal spokesperson and a forest scientist to hear their thoughts on how this will be achieved.