New EFI study on Closer-to-Nature Forest Management

Closer-to-Nature Forest Management is a concept proposed in the EU Forest
Strategy for 2030, which aims to improve the conservation values and
climate resilience of multifunctional, managed forests in Europe. Building
on the latest scientific evidence, a new *From Science to Policy* study

from EFI attempts to define the concept based on a set of s*even guiding
principles*. It also outlines a *framework/checklist* for flexible
European-wide implementation of the concept.

The authors also explore the current pressures on forest biodiversity as
well as on the health of, and resilience in, managed forests. They examine
existing nature-oriented forest management approaches in Europe and analyse
their ability to support biodiversity, their stability and adaptability to
uncertain future conditions. Finally, they evaluate the barriers and
enablers for implementation and presents a list of existing networks that
can be used to assist the dissemination of Closer-to-Nature Forest
Management throughout Europe.

Lessons for implementing this new concept include:

1. Different regions need different management approaches
2. Learn from the past and consolidate existing networks and
demonstrations
3. Use adaptive management as a way to tackle uncertainties
4. Closer-to-Nature Forest Management is not a quick-fix, long-term
measures are needed
5. We need to review existing subsidy and taxation regimes for private
owners
6. We need to develop and use new technologies and tools.

Finally, there are still some uncertainties about the effect of certain
elements of Closer-to-Nature Forest Management on biodiversity conservation
and ecosystem health, and how they will affect other ecosystem services
including wood production under different management conditions throughout
Europe. This calls for more collective learning, experimentation and
research.

*More information*

Larsen, J.B., Angelstam, P., Bauhus, J., Carvalho, J.F., Diaci, J.,
Dobrowolska, D., Gazda, A., Gustafsson, L., Krumm, F., Knoke, T., Konczal,
A., Kuuluvainen, T., Mason, B., Motta, R., Pötzelsberger, E., Rigling, A.,
Schuck, A., 2022. *Closer-to-Nature Forest Management*. From Science to
Policy 12. European Forest Institute. https://doi.org/10.36333/fs12

For more information, please contact:
Rach Colling, Head of Communications, European Forest Institute
email: [email protected]

www.efi.int

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