SUPERB researchers: EU Nature Restoration Regulation can support future-ready forestry and reduce conflicts in Sweden

Gesche Schifferdecker on January 7, 2026

Prescribed burning (photo: Gesche Schifferdecker)

A recently published paper An ambitious and science-based implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation could help transform forestry toward greater sustainability and fewer conflicts, according to SUPERB researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). In contrast, a minimal or restrictive approach risks prolonging uncertainty, controversy, and polarization in the forestry debate.

In a recent paper with the title “The EU Nature Restoration Regulation offers new opportunities for resilient forests and sustainable forestry“, published in the scientific journal Ambio, SLU researchers Johan Svensson and Bengt Gunnar Jonsson (both SUPERB) as well as Torbjörn Ebenhard analyze how the regulation may be implemented in Sweden’s forests. The EU Nature Restoration Regulation requires restoration measures on at least 20% of land and sea areas by 2030, and obliges Member States to base their actions on the best available and most up-to-date scientific knowledge. Sweden, like other EU countries, is currently developing its national restoration plan.

A key issue highlighted in the paper is how so-called “favorable reference areas” are defined. These areas represent the minimum extent needed to ensure the long-term viability of habitats and species protected under the EU Species and Habitats Directive. The Swedish government has decided to base forest reference areas on estimates from 1995, when Sweden joined the EU. According to the researchers, this decision departs from current scientific knowledge and risks cementing existing ambiguities and conflicts in forestry.

“Setting restoration ambitions at an absolute minimum level will not help Sweden meet environmental goals or international commitments,” says Johan Svensson. “It also risks continued conflict for forest owners and operators, damage to Sweden’s reputation as a forest nation, and criticism from the EU.”

The researchers argue that the regulation should instead be seen as an opportunity to adapt forestry to future challenges. By considering forests as multifunctional landscapes – rather than focusing narrowly on timber production or conservation – the regulation can encourage alternative forestry methods, new value chains, and more resilient ecosystems.

They also note that the regulation could help establish measurable criteria for biodiversity-friendly forestry, something that is currently lacking. Drawing on historical experience, the authors emphasize that restoration is not about recreating the past, but about shaping a sustainable and credible future for forestry.

Reference: Svensson, J., Jonsson, B. G., & Ebenhard, T. (2025). The EU Nature Restoration Regulation offers new opportunities for resilient forests and sustainable forestry. Ambio. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02309-3

Featured image: According to the SLU researchers, prescribed burning is an example of a concrete and simple restoration of biodiversity linked to fire. This type of restoration can be carried out in forests with nature conservation objectives, but also in areas left untouched in forests with production objectives (photo: Gesche Schifferdecker).

New Call for Proposals: Climate-Smart Forestry and Forest Restoration Pilots in Europe

Gesche Schifferdecker on December 19, 2025

FORWARDS via the European Forest Institute (EFI) has launched a new call for proposals, G-07-2025, inviting applications to establish Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) and forest restoration pilot projects across Europe, with a strong focus on citizen and stakeholder engagement. The call aims to generate practical, region-specific evidence on how CSF and restoration approaches influence forest functioning and contribute to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity, while addressing uncertainties and real-world implementation challenges.

A core element of the call is the active involvement of citizens and stakeholders in forest management. Coordinating with local communities and practitioners is crucial for the successful implementation of climate-smart solutions, ensuring that diverse perspectives and place-based knowledge are fairly integrated. Through stakeholder engagement, projects are expected to foster social learning, build trust, reduce marginalisation, and strengthen collective capacity for action, ultimately improving the effectiveness and uptake of sustainable forest management and adaptation measures.

Up to five grants of up to EUR 150,000 each will be awarded, across three thematic lots, for projects with a maximum duration of 12 months. Proposals must be received by EFI no later than 1 February 2026 at 21:00 (UTC+2). EFI encourages forest practitioners, researchers, and practitioner–science partnerships to apply and contribute to advancing climate-smart forestry and restoration practices across Europe.

For full details on eligibility, scope, and application requirements, please check the respective website: G-07-2025: Establishing Climate-Smart Forestry and forest restoration pilots in Europe with citizen and stakeholder engagement | European Forest Institute

New SUPERB policy brief: forest restoration as a pillar of Europe’s climate and biodiversity action

Gesche Schifferdecker on December 17, 2025

SUBERB demo areas

Our newly released policy brief brings together scientific knowledge and hands-on experience from our 12 large-scale forest restoration initiatives across Europe, offering timely and practical guidance for policymakers, forest managers, and other key stakeholders.

The brief underlines that restoring forests is not a single action, but a long-term, multi-phase process. Effective restoration typically moves from assessing initial conditions and drivers of degradation, through planning and implementation, to long-term maintenance, monitoring, and evaluation. Success depends on flexibility, adaptive management, and strong engagement with multiple stakeholders, including forest owners, local communities, policymakers, and practitioners.

In the face of climate change, increasing disturbances, and shifting socio-economic demands, our policy brief stresses the need for future-oriented restoration targets. These should focus not only on biodiversity, but also on the ecosystem services forests provide – such as carbon storage, water regulation, and recreation – and the ecological processes that sustain them. Because the benefits of restoration often become visible only after decades, our brief highlights the critical importance of sustained funding for monitoring and adaptive management.

Drawing on insights from our 12 large-scale forest restoration demonstration areas across Europe, our experts identified shared challenges despite the diversity of forest types, ownership structures, and management traditions. Key issues include high ungulate browsing pressure that damages young trees and increases restoration costs, difficulties in engaging private forest owners – who manage around 60% of Europe’s forests – and constraints related to forest reproductive materials, such as shortages of climate-adapted seeds and seedlings.

To address these challenges, the brief puts forward clear and actionable recommendations. These include increasing flexibility in restoration objectives and timelines, adapting hunting and forest reproductive materials legislation, and strengthening monitoring of browsing impacts. Further recommendations suggest improving dialogue among forest managers, hunters, and communities, and supporting nurseries through long-term planning and investment. Our experts also call for contingency planning to cope with natural disturbances and for the strategic use of pioneer and climate-adapted species to build resilient mixed forests.

By translating lessons learned from real-world restoration efforts into policy-relevant recommendations, this policy brief provides a valuable roadmap for scaling up forest restoration across Europe. At a time when resilient forests are more important than ever, it offers concrete guidance to help turn ambitious restoration commitments into lasting outcomes.

Reference: Filipek, S., Jacobs, S., Nabuurs, GJ., Barnkob Lehrmann, M., Bílek, L., Campana, F., Cotten, L., de Dios, J., de Graaf, M., de Guerry, B., Đodan, M., Galić, Z., Gallego, R., García, R., Gómez Fernández, M., Granberg, Å., Hoch, T., Jactel, H., Janzen, L., Lastra González, D., Lindner, M., Locatelli, T., Marušák, R., Mijatović, L., Nicoll, B., Oleagordia, Í., Olsen, H., Orazio, C., Olrik, D. C., Raats, L., Saini, M., Schmidt, C., Svoboda, M., Svensson, J., Tognetti, R., Vacchiano, G., Zorić, M., Zotta, M., Schatzdorfer, E. (2025): Common challenges in implementing forest restoration: Experiences from 12 large-scale demonstration areas across Europe. Policy brief. https://doi.org/10.36333/rs15

Welcome to our new Forest Knowledge Gateway! 

Louisa Louisa Bouri-Saouter on November 12, 2025

Forest Knowledge Gateway

Do you have questions about forest restoration and its role in helping forests adapt to climate change? Are you curious to learn more about integrative forest management? 

The recently launched Forest Knowledge Gateway is a dynamic knowledge base, continuously updated with new insights, tools, and practical guidance on forest restoration, climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and integrative forest management. Users can browse hundreds of resources by navigating a rich taxonomy organized by topic, restoration, management purpose, geographic region, and more.  

The Forest Knowledge Gateway has been thoughtfully designed for four key forest stakeholder groups: Landowners & Practitioners, Planners & Implementers, Policy Actors, and Funders & Investors. Created by several experts, our stakeholder-targeted “Knowledge Pathways” oguide users through a synthesis of the most relevant knowledge, resources, and tools to support specific needs. 

A set of online guidelines, covering areas such as monitoring, forest restoration practices, and upscaling strategies, provides more in-depth support for users seeking topic-specific guidance. 

One of our latest additions is The Restoration Marketplace. This platform, linked to the Gateway, helps match nature-positive projects with potential funders. Landowners can use the Marketplace to make their proposed projects visible to funders, and investors can discover innovative nature-based projects. 

Finally, if you need help finding something, you can use our Frog Bot, an AI-powered assistant that guides you to relevant information, tools, and resources. It answers questions, provides quick links, and supports multiple languages – making it easier  to navigate the Gateway and discover what you are looking for. 

The Forest Knowledge Gateway is led by the European Forest Institute. It has been developed in close collaboration with a wide range of research and practice organizations, co-designed with key stakeholders, and supported by policy actors. It was created as part of the SUPERB project and will continue to be maintained and further developed under the HorizonEurope project TRANSFORMIT.  

New policy brief: Engaging stakeholders in National Restoration Plans 

Louisa Louisa Bouri-Saouter on October 24, 2025

New policy brief: Engaging stakeholders in National Restoration Plans

Stakeholder engagement is a critical component for European Member States to consider when drafting their National Restoration Plans by September 2026, as mandated by the European Union Nature Restoration Regulation. 

Understanding and addressing stakeholder engagement is essential, as conflicts around restoration are not uncommon. However, they are often the result of insufficient involvement of individuals or stakeholders groups, which may feel overlooked or uniformed, and the lack of attention to public concerns at an early stage. 

Opposition to restoration also often stems from limited understanding of the synergies that can arise between restoration and long-term economic development and other ecosystem services. 

Our new policy brief gives key recommendations to produce clear messages on restorations plans and objectives while having an inclusive approach. True listening, open discussions, and transparency about how input will be incorporated in restoration plans are vital for establishing trust and ownership. 

Readers will learn how to foster meaningful long-term engagement while achieving social justice in restoration efforts, how to strengthen a positive narrative and overall dialogue while targeting communication, and more. 

This new policy and practice brief was written by the ‘Restoration Cluster’, a collaborative initiative of four major EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation project funded under the Green Deal and focusing on ecosystem restoration: MERLIN (restoration of freshwater-related ecosystems in a landscape context), REST-COAST (restoration of coastal ecosystems), SUPERB (forest and forest landscape restoration) and WaterLANDS (restoration of wetlands), with particular support by Prospex Institute and European Forest Institute. 

Read the full brief here: https://doi.org/10.36333/rs14. 

What motivates forest owners to join biodiversity restoration schemes?

Daria Kononenko on October 17, 2025

A new study from the SUPERB project, published in Restoration Ecology, explored how forest owners in Denmark and Finland respond to different kinds of agreements for supporting biodiversity in their forests. 

The research showed that many owners want much higher compensation to join result-based schemes, where payments depend on proven improvements in biodiversity. In Finland, owners asked for more than double compared to action-based schemes, which simply pay for carrying out agreed management practices (like planting or habitat protection). 

Preferences also varied by country: Danish owners welcomed outside consultant support, while Finnish owners preferred to do self-monitoring under action-based contracts – but disliked monitoring when payments depended on biodiversity results. 

Overall, the study highlights that restoring nature on private land will only succeed if agreements are designed to fit both the practical needs of forest owners and the ecological goals of restoration. This insight is particularly important as the EU shapes its new Forest Strategy for 2030. 

Read the study here

Full reference: Süring, C. M., & Lundhede, T. H. (2025). Private forest owner preferences for action- and result-based biodiversity restoration contracts – A discrete choice experiment in Denmark and Finland. Forest Policy and Economics, 169, 103609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103609

Photo: Punyawee / Adobe Stock

Webinar: From Nature Restoration to National Restoration Plans

Daria Kononenko on October 13, 2025

The European Forest Institute’s ThinkForest forum and the SUPERB project are jointly hosting a webinar titled “From Nature Restoration to National Restoration Plans – What Support Can the Latest Science Offer?” to discuss how science can inform and guide the implementation of the EU’s Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR).

In force since 18 August 2024, the NRR sets legally binding targets to halt and reverse ecosystem degradation across the European Union. By 2030, at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas must undergo restoration measures, and by 2050, all ecosystems in need should be addressed. To achieve these goals, each EU Member State must prepare and submit a National Restoration Plan (NRP) by 1 September 2026.

Forests form a central part of this effort. The Regulation applies not only to protected areas, such as those under the Natura 2000 network, but to all forests in the EU. Considering Europe’s diversity in forest types, species, and disturbance regimes, effective restoration requires science-based, adaptive, and socially inclusive approaches.

The upcoming webinar will:

  • Explore the drivers of forest degradation and restoration approaches, including ecological and adaptive measures.
  • Discuss key success factors for forest restoration such as inclusive governance forms and participatory approaches.
  • Foster dialogue on challenges and opportunities in designing effective, realistic and synergistic National Restoration Plans.

Speakers:

  • Helga Pülzl, Assistant Director, European Forest Institute
  • Elisabeth Schatzdorfer, Principal Scientist, European Forest Institute
  • Gesche Schifferdecker, Communications Manager, European Forest Institute
  • Florian Claeys, European Commission, DG Environment
  • Jenni Roche, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Ireland
  • Katarina Tumpa, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Croatia
  • Łukasz Rejt, Ministry of Climate and Environment, Poland

Join us to explore how the latest scientific insights can help shape effective, equitable, and forward-looking forest restoration strategies under the EU’s Nature Restoration Regulation.

Date: Tuesday, 4 November 2025
Time: 10:00–11:30 CET
Register here

From pixels to pines: exploring Bulgaria’s Rhodopes Forests

Annabel Burg on September 30, 2025

Excursion group in Bulgaria

#RestorationStory by Annabel Burg, Sietse van der Woude, and Niamh Kelly

It was the last day of June 2025 when our small group set out from Schiphol Airport. Traveling with us, three PhD students from Wageningen University and Research, were two colleagues: Gert-Jan Nabuurs, Professor of European Forest Resources at Wageningen University, and Thomas Groen, Associate Professor of Remote Sensing at the University of Twente. Our destination was Bulgaria – a country that, until then, most of us knew little about. We were curious, not only about its history and culture, but especially about its landscapes. Despite its modest size, Bulgaria is blessed with mountains, rivers, caves, and lakes. More than one-third of the country is covered by forests, making it one of Europe’s most densely forested and biodiverse nations.

The roots of this journey stretched back a few months earlier. In February, during a meeting in Suceava, Romania, Gert-Jan had spoken with Tzvetan Zlatanov, Professor of Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. That conversation marked the beginning of a collaboration. In the weeks that followed, Tzvetan shared with us a treasure trove of information: a forest inventory database compiled from over 150 forest enterprises across Bulgaria, with data on about one million forest stands. It was an extraordinary resource. But data can only take us so far. To truly understand forests, we also need to see them. And so, this trip was born – part scientific mission, part field validation, and part opportunity to experience Bulgarian forests firsthand.

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What drives public support for forest restoration in Europe?

Daria Kononenko on September 17, 2025

New research from the SUPERB project, published in Ecosystems and People, compares public attitudes toward forest restoration in Sweden and Spain. The study highlights how social and cultural factors shape people’s support.

The results show contrasting patterns: in Sweden, older people are more supportive of restoration, while in Spain, younger generations show stronger backing. Longer travel times to forests reduce support, especially in Northern Sweden. Across both countries, positive views of forest benefits such as biodiversity, recreation, and risk reduction boost support, while seeing forests mainly as resources for exploitation lowers it.

These findings underline the need for restoration strategies that are tailored to local perceptions and values. For the EU’s Nature Restoration Regulation to succeed, policies must go beyond ecology and engage people where they are, reflecting different regional priorities – from wildfire resilience in Mediterranean Spain to biodiversity protection in boreal Sweden.

Read the study here!

Full reference: Kazungu, M., Svensson, J., Erdozain, M., de-Dios-García, J., Granberg, Å., & Hunziker, M. (2025). Factors influencing public support for forest restoration in Europe: Evidence from Sweden and Spain. Forest Policy and Economics. https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2025.2554695 

Photo: Best / Adobe Stock

Crowdfunding Campaign: Seeding Eternal Forest in Faia Brava – first of 1,000 forest sanctuaries – connecting art, community, and forest

Rahel Könen on September 10, 2025

For the first time, Eternal Forest and Faia Brava join efforts to create a sanctuary where contemporary art meets nature conservation — in Portugal’s first private protected area, which in 2025 celebrates its 25th anniversary.

This event will bring together thinkers, decision-makers, and key actors in the fields of art and ecosystem regeneration.

Through a crowdfunding campaign, they invite you to take part and support this first phase of the project.

On November 7–8, 2025, the initiative will take the first steps to seed a forest that is not only regenerative and biodiverse but also a living work of art. Created through the partnership of Eternal Forest, a global art and ecology initiative founded in Portugal, and Faia Brava – Associação de Conservação da Natureza, a protected reserve stewarded for 25 years, this will be a forest like no other.

You are warmly invited to join Eternal Forest in person on the days of November 2025 at Faia Brava for this unforgettable gathering. Come plant the first trees through a regenerative artistic design, meet the artists, scientists, and guardians, and take part in an experience of art and poetry, along with a symposium on art, forest, and community in collaboration with the Côa Park Foundation — an event open to all who wish to participate, support, or witness this historic moment.

🌿 This is just the beginning: first chapter of a long-term vision, first forest sanctuary out of 1,000!

The planting in November is not a one-off event — it’s the first chapter of a multi-generational project that will unfold over the years. Eternal Forest Faia Brava will grow slowly and meaningfully, rooted in care, co-creation, and ecological knowledge.

This crowdfunding campaign will provide them with the resources to not only deliver the first phase and the event in November, but also to develop vital research and collaborative designs that can be replicated to grow Eternal Forests all over Portugal. 

By contributing to this campaign, you are planting the first seeds of a sanctuary that will continue to grow over generations, ecologically, artistically, and communally. 

🌿 What this campaign supports

With your help, the initiative hopes to raise €22,000 to fund the Seed of Eternal Forest Faia Brava, the Phase 1 of the project, including:

  • Organise an artistic residency and a technical visit at Faia Brava to do on-site research and ecological listening to select the most meaningful planting location, while connecting to local community, initiatives and planning the project
  • Create a collaborative design of the forest sanctuary: artist Evgenia Emets and regenerative designer Maurício Umann of Fractal Regenerative Technologies, together with biodiversity specialists and plant experts, focusing on creating habitats
  • Prepare the site and plant the first trees in November, including transport, logistics, plants, materials and equipment
  • Organise the Seeding Eternal Forest in Faia Brava Symposium in collaboration with Côa Museum
  • Community gathering and village celebration
  • Filming of the process of creating the Eternal Forest Sanctuary + short trailer
  • A digital and physical publication about the process of creating Eternal Forest Sanctuary

🌿 Why Eternal Forest is creating this project

This Eternal Forest is an invitation to long-term thinking. They are creating a habitat for the future old-growth forest, not a plantation. A seed of Eternal Forest – native species will be planted in an artistic design — guided by biodiversity, artistic vision, regenerative design and a deep respect for place.

The forest will grow alongside artistic residencies, education, and community participation, becoming a space of beauty, resilience, and cultural continuity.

The site sits in the Côa Valley, home to some of Europe’s most extraordinary prehistoric engravings and paintings — a region where nature and culture have always been entwined. 

CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE? https://seed.eternalforest.earth/event-en

Eternal Forest began in Portugal in 2018 and has since grown into an international network of artists, ecologists, and communities. Our vision is to create 1,000 forest sanctuaries protected for 1,000 years – and Faia Brava will be the very first.  https://www.eternalforest.earth/ 

Faia Brava is Portugal’s first classified Private Protected Area, part of the Natura 2000 network, IBA and Côa Archaeological Park (UNESCO). Spanning 1,000 ha of sustainably managed natural landscapes, it features stunning landscape of Côa River with wild cliffs, native forest of cork oaks, holm oaks. It provides critical habitat for griffon and Egyptian vultures, golden and Bonelli’s eagles, and black storks. Emblematic species like wildcats, otters, roe deer, and wild boar help sustain the ecosystem and naturally reduce wildfire risk. 

Image credits: Marco Piano, Eternal Forest