Barry Gardiner

Mart-Jan Schelhaas

Understanding Forest Abiotic and Biotic Risks and Their Interactions Abiotic Risks

•Coupled

  Examples of types of abiotic damage to forests • Key current abiotic risks to European forests • Changes in damage levels • Example of predicting and mapping abiotic risk • Tools and information available to help foresters and policy makers • Summary EFI 20 Years -Science and Policy Forum Stadelmann et al. (2013). Forest Ecology and Management, 305 LiDAR on Satellites and Aircraft EFI 20 Years -Science and Policy Forum Forest Data from National Inventories: EFISCEN-Space EFI 20 Years -Science and Policy Forum Cri cal Wind Speeds→ EFISCEN + ForestGALES EFI 20 Years -Science and Policy Forum Return Periods→ EFISCEN + ForestGALES + ENSEMBLES EFI 20 Years -Science and Policy Forum Change in Fire Risk with Climate Change European Environment Agency EFI 20 Years -Science and Policy Forum Example Knowledge and Tools for Managing Abiotic Risk

Summary of Presentation on Abiotic Risks

• Abiotic damage to European forests is increasing • The increase in damage is due to a combination of management practice and changing climate • Currently risks to forests are treated independently but there are a lot of coupled risks (e.g. drought/fire; wind/beetles) • We need to take a holistic view of the risks to European forests • There is a lot of information and knowledge on abiotic risk • Currently information is dispersed and not universally available

• Need to make information and tools easily available to forest managers and policy makers across Europe • Need to make active risk management a fundamental part of how we manage our forests to ensure their sustainability Thank You