It is great to see that the concern for ecosystem services and sustainable ecosystems market is still strong and growing. Following the Nobel initiative, many projects have emerged to fulfill these goals from different perspectives. One recent project is Forest EcoValue, which contributes to this important work. The Forest EcoValue project, funded by the Interreg Alpine Space Programme, aims to support multiple forest ecosystem services through new sustainable markets and value chains.
The forests of the Alpine region are under threat: decline in management, climate crisis, and territorial degradation are leading to a decrease in natural resource stocks and a decline in the ecosystem services that forests can provide.
As a result, forest management costs are rising and fewer and fewer public and private owners are able to generate sufficient economic income from them: public funding and revenues from traditional timber value chains are no longer sufficient, and the development of new, additional resources becomes an obvious necessity.
The three-year Forest EcoValue project addresses these challenges by proposing sustainable business models for forest management based on regional circular, ecological, and bio-based value chains (energy, construction, chemical/pharmaceutical, food, and recreation). The project will involve both the public and private sectors and citizens. Market and payment systems for forest ecosystem services will be tested in order to create new green businesses and jobs in the Alpine Space, while contributing to the restoration of a healthy forest.
Partnership: The Forest EcoValue project brings together partners from five European countries. The ten different organizations complement each other in their competencies. These range from ecosystem services mapping, forest management, value chains of a green economy, environmental economics and financial planning to policy analysis and know-how building.
Coordinator: Finpiemonte SpA – Finance and Development Agency of the Piedmont Region (IT).
Project partner:
IT – Lombard Foundation for the Environment (FLA).
IT – Lombardy Green Chemistry Association (LGCA)
AU – BioBASE – Innovation Platform for Bioeconomy & Circular Economy
AU – the University of Graz, Institute for Environmental Systems Science
SI – Slovenian Forest Service (SFS)
DE – Ifuplan – Institute for Environmental Planning and Spatial Development GmbH & Co. KG
FR – National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE)
FR – Regional Center for Forest Property Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (CRPF)
FR – National Forestry Agency (ONF)
Forest EcoValue and the macro-regional strategy for the Alpine Space
The Forest EcoValue project supports the macro-regional strategy for the Alpine Space EUSALP and aims to work with its action groups in key areas of sustainable forest management and ecosystem services. Furthermore, it supports the objectives of the Alpine Convention, especially in the areas of mountain forest management, climate adaptation and biodiversity protection.
Check the links below and find out more: