Forest monitoring

Overview

Forests play a key role in responding to climate change, preserving and restoring biodiversity, safeguarding health, ensuring water resilience and developing the bioeconomy. However, information on European forests is often incomplete or outdated.

It is crucial to have precise, complete and up-to-date information on European forests. Therefore, the Commission proposed a new law on a monitoring framework for resilient European forests. This will provide open access to detailed, accurate and timely information on the status and trends of EU forests. It will build on existing national systems and monitoring schemes. It will strengthen the Forest Information System for Europe as common database on forest information in Europe.

Objectives

The Commission proposal aims to

create a comprehensive knowledge base on forests so EU countries, forest owners and forest managers can take swift and action for ensuring forest resilience
offer better data and knowledge for policy making and implementation, including up-to-date information on natural disturbances and forest disasters

Law

The Commission proposal for a Regulation on a monitoring framework for resilient European forests is being examined by the European Parliament and the Council. See the press release and the factsheet on the proposal.

Forest Information System for Europe

The Forest Information System for Europe (FISE) is the first common database on forest information in Europe. The web portal provides tailor-made information to national, EU and international policymakers, experts working in the forest industry, forest owners and conservationists, as well as scientists and researchers. FISE also draws data and information from the EU’s Earth observation and monitoring programme Copernicus.

Studies and publications

Visit the Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy to explore data and information on forestry biomass and the state of EU forests.

Background

Since 2007, when the Forest Focus Regulation expired, there have not been any harmonised EU forest reporting requirements. There is consequently no comparable and consistent information on the status of forests in the EU. The lack of harmonised data in certain areas does constitutes a major risk for EU forests, EU policy monitoring and the achievement of climate, biodiversity, rural development and sustainable bio-economy objectives.