Conference on Regional Forest Innovation - 13 October 2019
In the European Union, forests are a key resource for improving quality of life and job creation and thereby keeping our rural communities alive and thriving. Good dissemination of forest innovations, including through regional cooperation, in the EU is thus essential.
On 13 October 2019, the Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), in collaboration with EFI and the ROSEWOOD Network, organised a Conference on Regional Forest Innovation The conference brought together more than 70 people to discuss regional forest innovation during two sessions. The first session addressed the challenge to boost innovation in forest sector in EU Regions; and the second focused on the ROSEWOOD project and the opportunity for wood mobilisation and promotion of novel approaches in forest management.
The Chair of the NAT Commission of the CoR and rapporteur on the Implementation of the EU forest Strategy, Ossi Martikainen, introduced the event. CEPF was represented by its French member, at the first session on “Boosting innovation in forest sector in EU Regions” which addressed innovation tools available at EU level and presentation of practical examples of achievements in the field of forest innovation. Luc Bouvarel, representative the French private forest owners' union (Fransylva), presented how French forest owners have been supported to actively manage their forests through the development of concerted simplified forest managements plans.
Over the past decade Fransylva and regional centres for private forests (CRPF) have organised meetings to inform local elected officials and forest owners of how to better mobilise forest in areas with high potential. With throughout support and the use of IT based solutions, simple concerted forest management plans were developed for several owners. This work is useful for small-scale forest owners, whose forests are often economically unmanageable, but also for owners of larger areas who have the opportunity to share their knowledge and to have more weight in the negotiations with the wood working industry. Thus, the network of actors involved all benefits from a better structured and managed forest, including the development of rural communities.
The second session of the conference discussed European projects and synergies with regional policies, with a specific focus on the ROSEWOOD Network. It showcased the importance of cooperation and know-how sharing between the different countries and regions that can lead to significant gains in forest management. All speakers regretted the weakness of the funds allocated to the forest as well as the fragility of their durability which does not correspond to forest in the long-term perspective.
Due to their region specificities, the main challenge for the innovative methods and tools presented at the conference is the feasibility to upscale them or to replicate them in other environments and regions. This being said, we encourage everyone to look up those projects and to participate to the dissemination of these best practices.
Presentation of Mr Bouvarel can be found here.
Please find all the presentations here and the recording of the conference here.
On 15 – 16 January 2020, exchange on the forest innovation continue when 4th Forest Innovation Workshop and ROSEWOOD Final Conference takes place in Florence, Italy. The Forest Innovation Workshop is a biennial European initiative which promotes networking and exchanges among regions and the community of forestry and wood industry innovators and actors.
The workshop focuses on the following four thematic areas:
- Managing Impacts related to Climate Change;
- Supporting Wood and Biomass Mobilization;
- Supporting the Provision of Ecosystem Services;
- Improving Sustainable Forest Management Approaches and Tools.
CEPF is partner of the 2020 workshop edition which will be hosted by the ROSEWOOD Network, a Horizon 2020 funded Coordination and Support Action which main target is the enhancement of sustainable wood mobilisation through inter-regional knowledge transfer.
More information about the event and registration link can be found here.
