1. Andreas Schuck EFICENT – Institutional set-up and planned activities Central European Regional Office – EFICENT - Information Event at The Forest Research Institute of Baden-Württemberg, Freiburg, Germany 03.04.2009

2. 20.8.20042 Structure of the presentation  Main aims and core competences  Organizational structure and scope  Main themes and work areas  Presentation of potential activities

3. Main aims of EFICENT  promote and support national and transboundary research collaboration and networking of forest research and related institutions in the Central European region  contribute to EFI’s strategic core competences research, networking, information provision and advocacy  initiate and implement activities to support EFI’s strategic aim of providing information/information products on Europe’s forests to stakeholders 31.3.20093

4. Core competence – Research  Building an integrated, coherent and strengthened research capacity on Central European temperate forests  Addressing existing and emerging forest policy and research needs of Central European dimension 31.3.20094

5. Core competence – Information  Strengthen EFI in its core aim of providing value-added, science-based information & services on European forests and forestry to a wide range of target groups  Complementarity & support to existing initiatives in information provision and analysis at European level o contribution to filling existing data and information gaps in the European forest sector  This work shall be addressed by a ‘European Forest Observatory’ constituting an integral part of EFICENT 31.3.20095

6. Core competence – Networking  Strengthening and expanding networks to organisations involved in research, information management at Central European, European and international level  Emphasis on involving EFI Associate Members from Central Europe in EFICENT activities 31.3.20096

7. Core competence – Advocacy  Promote forest research and information dissemination activities in EFI member countries to stakeholders  Strengthen dialogue with European and international bodies/processes including e.g. UNECE, FAO, MCPFE, EC, EEA, IUFRO and the Forest-based Sector Technology Platform 31.3.20097

8. Organizational structure 31.3.20098 Advisory Group Observatory Manager INFORMATION PILLAR

9. Geographic scope of EFICENT is twofold 31.3.20099 EFICENT ‘European Forest Observatory’

10. EFICENT locations 31.3.200910 Nancy Freiburg Birmensdorf

11. Donors of EFICENT France  French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries  Urban Community of Greater Nancy  Regional Council of Lorraine Germany  Ministry of Nutrition and Rural Space, Baden-Württemberg Switzerland  Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, WSL 31.3.200911

12. Funding for EFICENT  Cash contributions  In-kind contributions o Personnel o Office space  Total annual budget: ~650 kEuro 31.3.200912

13. Research and information themes Regional dimension:  Forests under changing environmental conditions  Forest resources – multifunctional demands and sustainable development European dimension:  Collection, analysis and dissemination of information on forests and the forest based sector  Provision of value added information products and services for research, policy and decision-making in forestry and related disciplines 31.3.200913

14. Proposed action (1) Mixed oak-beech forests - growth dynamics & management perspectives under climate change proposal developed by: Institute for Forest Growth, University Freiburg (H. Spiecker) Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg (U.Kohnle) EFICENT Regional Office (A. Schuck) 31.3.200914

15. Oak – beech: climate change  Most common broadleaves in Central Europe; of transnational importance: F / D / CH !mixed oak-beech-forests !  Water supply / competitiveness o (oaks) dry/warm - humid/cool (beech)  Relevance of climate change o shifting competitiveness (landscape magintude) o historic dimensions: transition from oak to beech forests o current development and future perspectives ? 31.3.200915

16. Oak – beech: project objectives  Growth (competition) dynamics o climate gradient (e.g. water supply) o comparative approach o quantitative methods height, diameter, per hectare growth  Aspect: mixed forests 16 humiddry growth potential oak beech

17. Oak – beech: Proposed project structure  Duration: 5 years (full-time postdoc)  Co-financing partners Institute for Forest Growth (University of Freiburg) Forest Research Station Baden-Württemberg EFICENT Regional Office  Expected products quantitative growth models (oak, beech) dynamics in mixed forests along climate gradients silivicultural concepts to mitigate management optimal adaption to current climate change dynamics 31.3.200917

18. Proposed action (2) The economic loss in value of Central European forests as a consequence of changes in climate  Cooperation: Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wuerttemberg (M. Hanewinkel) Regional Office EFICENT (A. Schuck)  Time frame: about 3 years  Implementation: PhD thesis 31.3.200918

19. The economic loss in value of Central European forests as a consequence of changes in climate  Focus: analysis of the shift of main tree species in Central Europe induced by climate change More cold-adapted and mesic tree species tend to lose large fractions of their natural ranges More drought-adapted tree species will gain in importance => Changes in the economical value of Central European forest land will be analysed 31.3.200919

20. The economic loss in value of Central European forests as a consequence of changes in climate  Use of forest growth models under different IPCC scenarios  Economic evaluation: Soil expectation value as measure for defining the willingness to pay for forest land Identify break-even-points  Links to related project activities at regional and European level (e.g. MOTIVE)  To date only few international studies on this topic 31.3.200920

21. Proposed action (3) Integration of nature protection measures in multifunctional forest management  International reporting on protected forests is common practice  Reporting refers to geographically defined areas  Protected forest areas reflect only a part of the total forest area  basic nature protection measures on the forest area as a whole are not captured 31.3.200921 MCPFE, 2007. (Europe excluding the Russian Federation)

22. Integration of nature protection measures in multifunctional forest management  Objective: investigate extent to which basic protection and its functions are fulfilled through regional/national policy measures/legal regulations on the forest area as a whole and how they are enforced in practice  Coverage: all ownership categories  Geographic scope: Central Europe region; open to others  Approach: case studies; scale: country/region  Tasks: (1) legal basis of protection measures; (2) identification and analysis of existing guidelines incorporating active management for biodiversity; (3) socio economic functions and cultural and impacts; (4) safeguarding mechanisms 31.3.200922

23. Proposed actions ‘information’ Study revealed limited availability of information and tailored products on: production and socio-economic functions of forests at a European level (e.g. forest products and trade, forest products prices, forest sector employment, wood for energy) spatial information products 31.3.200923 Wardle et al. (2008) International Information on European Forest Sector State – Challenges - Opportunities,.EFI Discussion Paper 14. (supported by the Urban Community of Greater Nancy)

24. Proposed action (4) Improving international forest products price information Rationale:  UNFF identified lack of reliable international price information as a stumbling block in development for people dependent on forest products  Joint FAO/UNECE Working Party on Forest Economics and Statistics endorsed efforts to provide up-to-date price information in a user-friendly framework  UNECE/FAO Timber Committee supports collection and dissemination of international forest products prices (coverage limited) 31.3.200924

25. Improving international forest products price information  Objective: investigate potentials of improving coverage and quality of forest products price information and depict best options for their collection and dissemination  Tasks: o Analyse current content of UNECE/FAO prices data; o Map availability of prices data from existing sources (type of forest products, frequency of updating) o Implement gap analysis including surveys on actual needs of a potential client base. o Propose solutions to collection and dissemination  Partners: UNECE/FAO, EFICENT - EFI 31.3.200925

26. Proposed action (5) Forest ownership maps of the pan-European region  Requests from stakeholders for ownership maps (e.g. EUSTAFOR)  Tasks: o Update of European Forest Map with latest NFI statistics o Collection of forest ownership boundariy maps for case study regions (e.g. state forest) o Overlay and calculation of forest area by ownership type o Test methodology and apply to European scale  Application: Ownership map can serve as base map for other GIS applications as e.g. wood accessibility studies  Partners: EFI, EFICENT, interested partners &related projects 31.3.200926

27. Your ideas are very welcome  Research topics  Information needs  Modes of cooperation 31.3.200927