Deadline: 15-Feb-22
European Commission is calling for proposals for Forestry – European observatory of climate change impacts and demonstration network of climate-smart restoration pilots.
Scope
Proposals will:
- Establish a European network to gather information on current developments in demo and long-term observation sites;
- Reinitiate EU participation in the International Co-operative Programme on the Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) for long-term observations of forest ecosystems;
- Develop an evidence-based overview on current and planned forest restoration activities across Europe and their socio-economic and environmental impacts;
- Quantify possible synergies and trade-offs between contrasting forest management objectives at different spatial, temporal scales in different social environmental contexts in Europe;
- Analyse typical restoration cases to systematise knowledge on implementation successes and failures in specific regional settings, and distil best practices cases and business models for upscaling;
- Engage with key stakeholders and citizens to develop regionalised restoration trajectories through assessment of regional restoration pathways;
- Consider forward-looking forest conversion through adaptive forest management to mitigate/prevent future adverse effects;
- Improve communication and network/capacity building and exchange of experience, engagement with key stakeholders including national and regional policymakers and enable knowledge exchange beyond the forest community;
- Pilot climate-smart forestry measures and support forest restoration of damaged areas and degraded ecosystems in view of the diverse forest conditions, value chains and societal needs found across Europe.
Funding Information
The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).
Expected Outcomes
In line with the European Green Deal objectives and the EU forest strategy, successful proposals will increase the knowledge on climate change impacts and enhance the practical knowledge on adaptive management practices contributing to efficient monitoring, assessment and projections related to climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation potential in order to bring out solutions for tackling emerging threats and support decision-making in climate change mitigation and adaptation policies at European and global levels. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Better knowledge on impacts and effects of drivers and pressures on Europe’s forests in the context of climate change.
- Combination of modern monitoring tools (remote sensing) and traditional approaches (demo sites) in European forests.
- Enhanced practical knowledge on restoration, afforestation, reforestation and forest protection addressing forest composition and forest management practices that support mitigation, adaptation, optimal use of genetic diversity within and among tree species, and (biodiversity), maximising the synergies and minimising trade-offs.
- Better knowledge on best practices for effective adaptation and mitigation strategies, including synergies with biodiversity management goals and soil carbon impacts.
- Increased capacity and exchange of scientific knowledge, proven experience and know-how, tools and practices.
- Engagement of the society in forest restoration through information, participation and merging of societal engagement with scientific evidence and professional expertise.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe
- low- and middle-income countries
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3bnQGkM