LIFE Climate Forest shows how climate-smart forest management can increase the resilience of forests on sandy soils so that the forest continues to fulfil its crucial role for plants, people and animals, also in the future.

Our forest ecosystems are vulnerable. Especially on sandy soils, where the forests are often still quite young and have little structure and little diversity. Moreover, they must deal with poor, acidic soil and problems caused by drought. As a result, these forests lack the resilience to adapt well and quickly enough to changes. Their vitality and biodiversity are under great pressure from climate change, nitrogen deposition, desiccation, heat, wildlife pressure and insufficient variation in species, age, and forest structure. Therefore, more and more species are struggling. These include Norway spruce and larch, and in some places also oak, beech and Scots pine. That means a dilemma for many forest managers: what can I do, what am I going to do and how do I do it?

LIFE Climate Forest shows that small-scale climate-smart forest management can provide answers to those questions. The project clarifies the challenges, dilemmas, opportunities and management options. Because although forests will not disappear if you don't change anything, it is expected that their vitality will come under such pressure that forests will be less able to fulfil their important functions in the future. Think of biodiversity, the quality of our living environment, filtering water and air, erosion control and sequestering CO₂.

Increasing resilience is therefore key in preserving our forests and the important role they play. This requires targeted intervention by the manager and making guiding choices. From selecting and adding species to create more variety in the forest, to choosing specific provenances. And from considering which trees to keep to which trees to remove, to make room for new plantings or future trees. Choices that contribute to a better structure and age structure, a well-functioning and more nutritious soil and successful rejuvenation are also important.

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Are you curious about the opportunities of climate-smart forest management or would you like to get started, but need more information and practical examples? Then click here >