NOBEL will develop and proof novel strategies and methods to support forestry (including consumers and end-users) in remaining competitive and efficient providers of sustainable products and services. We will consider a value-chain approach and apply monetary and non-monetary economic valuation methods (e.g. cost-based and multi-objective preference-based methods) to assess preferences of consumer and providers regarding the provision of FES in Europe and identify innovative sustainable management concepts for multifunctional forest management.
Methods for predicting, quantifying and mapping FES will be developed using remote sensing technologies (e.g. airborne laser and COPERNICUS data. Costs for providing ES and expected societal benefits will be assessed under possible future conditions via five pilot demonstrations across Europe. NOBEL will analyze public and private financing mechanisms for enhancing FES provision and related societal benefits in Europe, develop options for market-based mechanisms, present best practice examples, and prepare strategies and guidelines for policy-makers to implement new mechanisms and to foster stakeholder satisfaction. The use of advanced multi-objective forest management planning and optimization tools will show to landowners and managers the capacities to provide FES and at the same time inform them about trade-offs and costs of management. This will result in more informed and rational decision making about sustainable forest management. NOBEL will enhance income possibilities considerably through the introduction of auction mechanisms via a web-based platform to capitalize the value of multiple ES. Forest owners can directly sell their products and services to the end-consumers. Forested areas provide immense economic benefits to people and they are highly dependent on FES for their subsistence and well-being. However, these benefits are not recognized in national and regional planning and development. Estimation of the economic value of ecosystem services will help facilitate understanding of the importance of FES and create awareness of the importance of target oriented sustainable management of forests.