The initiative encouraged a holistic approach to sustainable forestry, integrating scientific research, innovative technology, and sustainable management practices.
Of 61 applications eight research projects were awarded funding of approximately NOK 87 million in total. The eight new project focus on mitigating the risks and harmful impacts of climate change on forests, such as wildfires, drought, and pests, as well as protecting Nordic and Baltic forest heritages. To reach their aims the projects use cutting-edge technologies like remote sensing and work with risk mapping and modelling and explore innovative solutions for forest management like individual tree selection.
“Forests are indispensable to the Nordic–Baltic region, underpinning local economies, cultural identity, biodiversity, and climate resilience at a time when rising temperatures and ecological pressures make their protection more critical than ever. I am thrilled that we have managed to fund eight proposals which will empower early-career researchers and contribute to developing more resilient, knowledge-driven, and sustainable futures for our region’s forests,” says Special Adviser Thorbjørn Gilberg.
The following projects have received funding
Project title: Resilient forests through monitoring, risk modelling, adaptive management, and early detection (REFORMED)
Project leader: Magnus Persson, Skogforsk - The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden
Project partners: Sweden, Latvia, Finland, Norway
Project title: Adapting drained forests to future climates: Ensuring sustainable forest production, water quality and biodiversity
Project leader: Maarja Vaikre, University of Tartu
Partner countries: Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Latvia
Project title: Intelligent Forest Fire Management via Multi-Resolution Risk Maps (INFORM)
Project leader: Shankar Deka, Aalto University
Partner countries: Sweden, Estonia, Norway, Finland
Project title: Resilient Forests, Healthy Waters: A Nordic-Baltic Approach to Sustainable Forest Management Through Advanced Modeling (RE-FOREST)
Project leader: Natalja Čerkasova, Klaipeda University
Partner countries: Lithuania, Norway, Denmark, Finland
Project title: Future Forests: growth trends study and cross-regional Nordic-Baltic climate-sensitive models for sustainable forest management (NorBal2F)
Project leader: Simone Bianchi, Natural Resources Institute Finland
Partner countries: Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Latvia
Project title: Decision support for individual-tree-selection - aiming at profitability and biodiversity
Project leader: Nils Fagerberg, Linnaeus University
Partner countries: Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia
Project title: Recognising Other Ontologies of TreeScapes: A roadmap for sustainable forest heritage futures (ROOTS)
Project leader: Charlotte Wrigley, University of Stavanger
Partner countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark
Project title: Limiting multiplying Adverse effects of forest disturbances with sUstainable Management (LAUMA)
Project leader: Anu Akujärvi, Finnish Environment Institute
Partner countries: Finland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden
Funding partners
The projects are funded collaboration with the Research Council of Finland, Formas – the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning, the Research Council of Norway, the Estonian Research Council, the Latvian Council of Science, the Research Council of Lithuania, and NordForsk.
