The global decline in biodiversity is recognised as a primary threat to ecological and socio-economic stability. European forest ecosystems, which include both natural and managed forests, provide habitats for numerous species and serve as a refuge for a large proportion of Europe’s biodiversity.

In a new comprehensive study by the European Forest Institute (EFI), 13 authors from 10 countries analysed how to effectively conserve and enhance forest biodiversity in Europe:

Monitoring forest biodiversity is key. Better conservation and management of Europe’s forest biodiversity begins with effective monitoring.

Threats to forest biodiversity can be divided into “external” threats, which forest owners and managers cannot directly influence (for example, atmospheric pollution, climate change, biological invasions, and land-use change), and “internal” threats, which are directly linked to forest management practices.

Stricter protection measures are urgently required in forests where endangered species are found, such as in primary, old-growth, and ancient forests.

Practical, nature-friendly management is possible in all forests managed for timber production, including forest plantations.

Ecosystem management approaches, including variations of nature-based forest management, must continue to be developed to address disturbances and support biodiversity at various scales – from genes to landscapes.

At the landscape level, varying forest management approaches and intensities, such as tripartite management, is a promising strategy for maintaining a wide spectrum of biodiversity while simultaneously achieving other important forest management goals.

Conserving and increasing biodiversity is a collective task that must be purposefully addressed by European forest managers and owners, public and private institutions, and society as a whole. This requires broad institutional and financial support. (...)