Imagine you were a bird flying over Europe. You would see cities and villages, rivers, agricultural landscape, and forests covering almost one-third of Europe. You will distinguish many different types of trees: dark green or more reddish, straight and tall, wide and crooked or small and slender, with many different shapes of leaves or needles. While flying over Europe, you would also encounter damaged forest areas, burned down by the fire, or destroyed by bark beetles; and tree leaves affected by air pollution and herbivorous pests, or turning yellow and brown from a drought. These disturbances overall are becoming more frequent and severe, be it due to various short-sighted human interventions or ongoing climate change. Luckily, it is not all bad news. From the air, you would also see people working in these damaged forests, planting or seeding new trees, or protecting the naturally regenerating forest against grazing. You would discover people preserving surviving old trees or even the deadwood, because these people have understood how valuable they are for a functioning ecosystem. If done right and with some luck, a diverse and healthy forest will again develop, which will be roamed once more by the many forest creatures.

While there is a widespread awareness of the urgency to conserve and restore biodiversity and halt climate change, in fact much more actions are needed on the ground to ensure long-term thriving of forests in Europe. A series of political commitments at the European level are already in place, including the 2019 European Green Deal, the 2020 EU Biodiversity Strategy and EU Forest Strategy 2030. Yet, in many places a transformative change is still needed on the ground.

From challenges to opportunities

This is why we are launching “Systemic solutions for upscaling of urgent ecosystem restoration for forest-related biodiversity and ecosystem services” (SUPERB). This four-year project is conducted by a consortium of 36 science and practice partners from all Europe and led by the European Forest Institute. SUPERB is further supported by at least 90 regional to international associate project partners, all having a strong ties to the management and protection of European forest landscapes (e.g. agricultural and nature protection ministries and government agencies from over 20 European countries, landowner associations, certifiers, funders, NGOs etc.). Starting in December 2021, SUPERB aims to restore our forest landscape by creating an enabling environment for implementation of forest restoration and adaptation at different scales.

SUPERB will build on the vast but scattered practical knowledge and lessons learned of successful and non-successful forest restoration and adaptation activities and synthesise it for action. We will connect with restoration experts, including from LIFE projects and practitioners with decades of experiences with alternative management approaches. This practical knowledge will be underpinned by a compilation of highly relevant scientific knowledge including economic, governance, forest management, and climate change adaptation aspects of restoration. At the core of SUPERB, concrete restoration actions will be carried out in 12 large-scale demonstration areas, located in 13 different countries. These demo areas not only represent the diversity of stressors on European forests and the wide range of necessary restoration actions, but also, consider the whole socio-ecological system including people’s manyfold needs for ecosystem goods and services.

By taking a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach, we will translate all practical and scientific knowledge on successful restoration into restoration-support guidelines, recommendations, and tools, that will be easily accessible on the stakeholder-targeted online Forest Ecosystem Restoration Gateway.

Further information:

The consortium of SUPERB consists of the following organizations:
Wageningen Research, Prospex Institute, Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Bangor University, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape, University of Copenhagen, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, Spanish National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Land Life Company, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Forest Sciences Center of Catalonia, University of Kent, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, University of Florence, King’s College London, University of Milan, Bosgroep zuid, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Research, University of Novi Sad, Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, Cesefor, University of Belgrade, University of Lancaster, Institut Européen de la Forêt Cultivée, Fundatia Conservation Carpathia, University of Molise, County Administrative Board of Västerbotten (V-J) for Vindelälven-Juhttátahkka UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW, Alliance Forêts Bois, Parco Nord Milano, Junta de Castilla y León, Danish Nature Agency 

SUPERB is funded by Horizon 2020 through Grant Agreement 101036849, and receives 20 Million Euro for the implementation period between 2021-2025.

Imaginez être un oiseau survolant l’Europe. Vous verriez des villes et des villages, des rivières, des paysages agricoles et des forêts couvrant presque un tiers du territoire. Vous distinguerez de nombreux types d’arbres différents : vert foncé ou plus rougeâtre, droits et hauts, larges et tortueux ou petits et élancés, avec de nombreuses formes différentes de feuilles ou d’aiguilles. En survolant l’Europe, vous rencontrerez également des zones forestières endommagées, brûlées ou détruites par les scolytes ; et des feuilles d’arbres affectées par la pollution atmosphérique et les parasites herbivores, ou devenant jaunes et brunes à cause de la sécheresse. Dans l’ensemble, ces perturbations sont de plus en plus fréquentes et graves, que ce soit en raison de diverses interventions humaines à court terme ou du changement climatique en cours. Pour autant, il n’y a pas que des mauvaises nouvelles. Depuis le ciel, vous verrez aussi des gens travailler dans ces forêts endommagées, planter ou semer de nouveaux arbres, ou protéger la forêt en régénération naturelle contre le pâturage. Vous découvrirez des personnes qui préservent de vieux arbres ou même le bois mort, car ils ont compris à quel point ceux-ci sont précieux pour le fonctionnement de l’écosystème. Si tout est fait correctement et avec un peu de chance, une forêt diversifiée et saine se développera, et sera à nouveau parcourue par les nombreux animaux.

Bien que l’on soit largement conscient de l’urgence de conserver et de restaurer la biodiversité et d’enrayer le changement climatique, il faut malgré tout beaucoup plus d’actions sur le terrain pour assurer la prospérité à long terme des forêts en Europe. Une série d’engagements politiques au niveau européen est déjà en place, notamment le “Green Deal” de 2019, la stratégie de l’UE pour la biodiversité de 2020 et la stratégie forestière de l’UE de 2030. Pourtant, dans de nombreux endroits, des évolutions sont encore nécessaire sur le terrain.

Des défis aux opportunités

C’est pour cela qu nous lançons “Systemic solutions for upscaling of urgent ecosystem restoration for forest-related biodiversity and ecosystem services” (SUPERB). Ce projet de quatre ans est mené par un consortium de 36 partenaires scientifiques et techniques européens et dirigé par l’Institut forestier européen. SUPERB est en outre soutenu 90 partenaires de projet associés régionaux et internationaux, ayant tous des liens étroits avec la gestion et la protection des paysages forestiers européens (par exemple, les ministères de l’agriculture et de la protection de la nature et les agences gouvernementales de plus de 20 pays européens, les associations de propriétaires fonciers, des certificateurs, des bailleurs de fonds, des ONG, etc.) À partir de décembre 2021, SUPERB vise à restaurer notre paysage forestier en créant un environnement favorable à la mise en œuvre de la restauration et de l’adaptation des forêts à différentes échelles.

SUPERB s’appuiera sur les connaissances pratiques et les retours d’expériences, qu’elles soient réussies ou non, des activités de restauration et d’adaptation des forêts, et en fera la synthèse pour mettre en place des actions concrètes. Nous nous mettrons en relation avec des experts de la restauration forestière, tels que des experts du projet LIFE et des professionnels ayant des dizaines d’années d’expérience en approches de gestion alternatives. Ces connaissances pratiques seront étayées par une compilation de connaissances scientifiques, notamment sur les aspects de la restauration liés à l’économie, la gouvernance, la gestion forestière et l’adaptation au changement climatique. Au cœur de SUPERB, des actions concrètes de restauration seront menées dans 12 zones test à grande échelle impliquant plusieurs membres IEFC (Frieburg university, Inrae, Forest research, alliance forêt bois et IEFC), situées dans 13 pays différents. Ces zones représentent non seulement la diversité des stress affectant les écosystèmes forestiers  européens et le large éventail d’actions de restauration nécessaires, mais elles prennent également en compte l’ensemble du système socio-écologique, y compris les besoins multiples de la population en matière de biens et de services écosystémiques.

En adoptant une approche globale et multidisciplinaire, toutes ces connaissances pratiques et scientifiques sur la restauration forestière permettront la création de lignes directrices, recommandations et la création d’outils, qui seront facilement accessibles en ligne sur Forest Ecosystem Restoration Gateway.

Informations complémentaires :

Le consortium de SUPERB est composé des organisations suivantes :
Wageningen Research, Prospex Institute, Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Bangor University, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape, University of Copenhagen, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, Spanish National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Land Life Company, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Forest Sciences Center of Catalonia, University of Kent, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, University of Florence, King’s College London, University of Milan, Bosgroep zuid, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Research, University of Novi Sad, Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, Cesefor, University of Belgrade, University of Lancaster, Institut Européen de la Forêt Cultivée, Fundatia Conservation Carpathia, University of Molise, County Administrative Board of Västerbotten (V-J) for Vindelälven-Juhttátahkka UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW, Alliance Forêts Bois, Parco Nord Milano, Junta de Castilla y León, Danish Nature Agency

SUPERB est financé par Horizon 2020 à travers la convention de subvention 101036849, et reçoit 20 millions d’euros pour la période de mise en œuvre entre 2021-2025.

Imagine que é um pássaro a sobrevoar a Europa. Veria cidades e aldeias, rios, paisagens agrícolas e florestas cobrindo quase um terço do território. Poderia ver muitos tipos diferentes de árvores: verde escuras ou mais avermelhadas, retas e altas, largas e torcidas ou pequenas e esguias, com muitas formas diferentes de folhas ou agulhas. Voando sobre a Europa, também encontraria áreas florestais danificadas, queimadas ou destruídas por escolitídeos; e folhas de árvores afetadas pela poluição atmosférica e pragas de insetos desfolhadores , ou que ficam amarelas e castanhas devido à seca. Globalmente, estas perturbações estão a tornar-se mais frequentes e graves, quer devido à falta de visão de algumas intervenções humanas, quer às alterações climáticas em curso. Mas nem tudo são más notícias. Do céu veria também pessoas a trabalhar nestas florestas danificadas, plantando ou semeando novas árvores, ou protegendo do pastoreio a floresta em regeneração natural. Veria pessoas a preservar árvores antigas ou mesmo madeira morta, porque compreenderam como estas são valiosas para o funcionamento do ecossistema. Se tudo for feito corretamente e com um pouco de sorte, desenvolver-se-á uma floresta diversificada e saudável, e será novamente frequentada pelos muitos animais.

Embora haja uma consciência generalizada da urgência de conservar e restaurar a biodiversidade e travar as alterações climáticas, é necessária muito mais ação no terreno para assegurar a prosperidade a longo prazo das florestas europeias. Já existe uma série de compromissos políticos a nível da UE, incluindo o Acordo Verde de 2019, a Estratégia da UE para a Biodiversidade de 2020 e a Estratégia Florestal da UE de 2030. No entanto, em muitos locais, são ainda necessários desenvolvimentos no terreno.

Dos desafios às oportunidades

É por isso que estamos a lançar o projeto SUPERB  para ” Alargar à escala da paisagem  soluções sistémicas que visem o restauro urgente dos ecossistemas para promover a biodiversidade e os serviços do ecossistema relacionados com a floresta”. Este projeto de quatro anos é liderado por um consórcio de 36 parceiros científicos e técnicos de toda a Europa[s1]  e liderado pelo Instituto Europeu da Floresta. O projeto SUPERB é ainda apoiado por 90 parceiros associados, desde regionais a internacionais,  , todos com fortes ligações à gestão e proteção das paisagens florestais europeias (por exemplo, ministérios da agricultura e proteção da natureza e agências governamentais de mais de 20 países europeus, associações de proprietários florestais, certificadores, doadores, ONG, etc.). A partir de Dezembro de 2021, o SUPERB visa restaurar a paisagem florestal, criando um ambiente propício à implementação do restauro e adaptação das florestas a diferentes escalas.

O SUPERB basear-se-á nos conhecimentos práticos e no feedback das atividades de restauro e adaptação florestal bem sucedidas e infrutíferas e sintetizá-los-á em ações concretas. Estabelecerá contacto com peritos em restauro florestal, tais como especialistas em projetos LIFE e profissionais com décadas de experiência em abordagens de gestão alternativa. Este conhecimento prático será sustentado por uma compilação de conhecimentos científicos, particularmente sobre os aspetos económicos, de governação, de gestão florestal e de adaptação às alterações climáticas do restauro. No coração do SUPERB, serão realizadas ações concretas de restauro em 12 áreas de teste em grande escala envolvendo vários membros do IEFC (Universidade de Friburgo, INRAe, Forest Research, aliança forêt bois e IEFC), localizadas em 13 países diferentes. Estas áreas não só representam a diversidade de pressões que afetam os ecossistemas florestais europeus e a vasta gama de ações de restauro necessárias, mas também têm em conta todo o sistema sócio-ecológico, incluindo as múltiplas necessidades da população em termos de bens e serviços dos ecossistemas.

Adotando uma abordagem global e multidisciplinar, todas estas iniciativas práticas e científicas sobre o restauro florestal permitirão a criação de linhass orientadoras, recomendações e ferramentas facilmente acessíveis no Portal online para o Restauro de Ecossistemas direcionado para todas as partes interessadas.

Informações complementares :

O  consortium do SUPERB é constituido pelas seguintes instituições:

Wageningen Research, Prospex Institute, Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Bangor University, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape, University of Copenhagen, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, Spanish National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Land Life Company, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Forest Sciences Center of Catalonia, University of Kent, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, University of Florence, King’s College London, University of Milan, Bosgroep zuid, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forest Research, University of Novi Sad, Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, Cesefor, University of Belgrade, University of Lancaster, Institut Européen de la Forêt Cultivée, Fundatia Conservation Carpathia, University of Molise, County Administrative Board of Västerbotten (V-J) for Vindelälven-Juhttátahkka UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW, Alliance Forêts Bois, Parco Nord Milano, Junta de Castilla y León, Danish Nature Agency

O SUPERB é financiado pela Horizon 2020 através do acordo de subvenção 101036849, e recebe 20 milhões de euros para o período de implementação entre 2021-2025.