BiodivERsA_European Beech Forests for the Future

The European beech, Fagus sylvatica, is one of the most important broadleaved tree species in Europe and is of fundamental importance for European biodiversity. On European level, beech forests are protected under the framework of Natura 2000. The interdisciplinary research project BeFoFu analysed the governance and management of beech forests that are protected under Natura 2000. The project conducted case studies in selected European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, UK), and at EU level. More concretely, BeFoFu analysed: i) the management and conservation strategies and the impact of climate change on beech forest ecosystems, and ii) the implementation of Natura 2000 in forests at different policy levels. Furthermore, BeFoFu developed recommendations for policy makers and managers in an inter- and transdisciplinary process. The Austrian project team particularly focused on the role of economic instruments in forest conservation. BeFoFus findings can be summarized via a list of specific challenges that policy makers and practitioners face in the protection of European beech forests under Natura 2000. First, while there are several synergies related to the management of beech forests for both wood production and biodiversity protection, there are also significant conflicts that need to be tackled in governance and management. Second, the current governance arrangement of Beech forests protected under Natura 2000 is not yet working properly in view of conservation objectives. Not only are management plans only vaguely formulated and tend to circumvent contested issues, but also do these plans often play an unclear role regarding actual management practices. Third, BeFoFu ecological research findings demonstrate that climate change does already influence beech forests, particularly at the southern edge of their range, which necessitates taking such dynamics into consideration when specifying conservation targets for these forests. Forth, in a situation where binding goals and measures are not realised due to the political opposition by land owners, the implementation of forest conservation will depend on the will of affected land owners and the availability of sufficient funds for measures or compensation of economic losses. The project results show that there are much less financial means dedicated for Natura 2000 than would be needed but also the paradox situation that those financial means that are available are not used by the target groups. Finally, based on an intense discussion process with stakeholders, BeFoFu provides distinct solution paths of how the management of European beech forests can be governed in the future: 1) a learning approach through better communication and transparency, 2) a pathway emphasizing the role of conservation science in developing management strategies and responding to climate change, 3) an approach of better integrating Europes citizens in the design and implementation of the policy, 4) an approach highlighting the necessity of an effective funding strategy, and 5) the vision to work towards an integrated European land use and conservation policy. These different strategies may be combined.