FORWARDS: The ForestWard Observatory to secure resilience of European forests

FORWARDS aims to develop, test and implement a European Observatory that (a) will supply timely and detailed information on European forests' vulnerability to climate change impacts on forests, (b) providing science-based reference knowledge to guide CSF (climate smart forestry) & Restoration management activities, and (c) building on a network of CSF and restoration pilots where final decision-making is carried out through a system for stakeholder engagement and public participation. To achieve these overarching goals, FORWARD will establish 'The ForestWard Observatory': a platform linking forest data, management options and stakeholder engagement, to increase our knowledge on the impacts of climate change on European forests and facilitate timely and widespread CSF & Restoration management responses, contributing to increasing the resilience of European forests in the long term.