ForestNavigator: Navigating European forests and forest bioeconomy sustainably to EU climate neutrality

ForestNavigator explores the potentials of forests in achieving EU’s climate goals through the application of integrated modelling and monitoring approaches. Forests can act as a carbon sink, regulate local climate and provide biodiversity benefits. In Europe, the majority of forests are under active management, typically with a significant focus on wood production and forestry. This project aims to provide stakeholders and policymakers with pathways for sustainable forest management practices that align with both short- and long-term targets for climate, biodiversity, and ecosystem services in Europe.

Our role in the project is to investigate how different forest management practices influence local climate conditions. As forests are in constant interaction with the atmosphere—through the exchange of energy, carbon, and water— changes in forest properties can directly regulate local climates. Such effects may also have broader, non-local consequences. By exploring various management scenarios, we help identify approaches that could maximise carbon sequestration while assessing the associated ecosystem services, paving the way for well-informed solutions to meet the EU’s carbon neutrality goals.