Management for multifunctionality in European forests in the era of bioeconomy (MultiForest)

Main funder

Funder's project number: 326321

Funds granted by main funder (€)

Funding program

Project timetable

Project start date: 01/04/2019

Project end date: 31/10/2022

Summary

Forests are subject to various, often conflicting societal demands. Consequently, securing the multi-functionality of forests is a key challenge in transforming the global economy from non-renewable raw material dependence to a sustainable forest-based bio-economy. To develop policies and management practices to better account for the potential trade-offs between various social, economic and ecological contributions, a systematic analysis of both national and EU policies on the forest-sector, and their quantitative impacts on multiple forest functions is required. Earlier research has investigated conflicting forest and environmental policies mainly from the governance point of view with limited focus on the quantitative effects of the incoherence of impacts of policy-mixes on forest functions. Moreover, little is known how management practices and policies can foster resilience of forest ecosystems and production systems. By combining environmental modelling and policy research this proposal provides novel insights to forest land-use planning. We analyse and develop forest practices that can simultaneously maintain or increase timber production and the resilience of forest multi-functionality. We develop new methodologies for assessing multifunctionality in regional and national scales, quantify possible policy conflicts, and develop tools to support resolving socio-ecological land-use conflicts to help European countries taking global leadership in sustainable land-use.

Principal Investigator

Other persons related to this project (JYU)

Primary responsible unit

Fields of science

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