Researchers and EU decision-makers gather around the same table to discuss the Europe's old-growth forests
Europe has only a limited amount of remaining old-growth forest. These forests are economically important, but they also provide critical habitats for numerous species and support biodiversity that cannot be replaced once lost. Their protection therefore requires a balance between ecological, economic and social considerations and must be based on sound science while being implemented in a socially just way.
Across the Nordic and Baltic countries, scientists have raised concerns that national definitions of old-growth forests do not always reflect the latest scientific understanding of these ecosystems. In some cases, forests that meet scientific criteria for old-growth status may remain outside protection and could be exposed to logging.
From science to policy
The European Commission has stressed that Member States’ methodologies should be transparent, publicly available and science-based, enabling consistency across borders and objective verification.
Yet differences between scientific criteria and national implementation raise concerns about whether political and economic considerations may ultimately determine which forests qualify for protection.
Highlights of the event
The event will bring together perspectives from science, the European Commission, the European Parliament and forest owners to discuss how scientific evidence can shape policy and whether the EU has sufficient tools to ensure that its biodiversity commitments are implemented in practice.
The event "Europe’s Old-Growth Forests: Are National Definitions Keeping Pace with Science?" will be opened by Professor in Applied Ecology Mikko Mönkkönen from the University of Jyväskylä. He will present research-based criteria for identifying and protecting old-growth forests in Northern Europe.
They will be joined for a discussion on the study’s impacts and policy recommendations by Acting Director Ion Codescu (DG Environment, European Commission), Forest Director Marko Mäki-Hakola, Copa-Cogeca (Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners) and Member of the European Parliament Katri Kulmuni.
The event offers an unique opportunity to hear from the researchers who developed a new research framework for identifying old-growth forests, and their views on its importance for European forest policy.
The event will be held on 29 September from 13:30 to 15:30 (CET) in Brussels, and can be followed remotely.
Further information:
-
Interaction lead Sini Suomalainen, sini.p.suomalainen@jyu.fi
- Professor Mikko Mönkkönen, mikko.monkkonen@jyu.fi, +358 50 441 3682
