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Harnessing forest genetic resources for increasing options in the face of environmental and societal challenges

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

Forecasting future forest needs

Europe’s forests can play a big role in the development of a circular, sustainable bioeconomy. Not only does the forest-based bioeconomy provide jobs, but it also maintains countless of regulating ecosystem services. Forests also contribute to climate change mitigation. In this context, the EU-funded OptFORESTS project will support the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources. Specifically, the project will study the selection of diverse forest reproductive material, including mixtures, adapted to future climates. It will also foster sustainable use and resilience of natural forests. Another project priority is the development of nature-based solutions. To evaluate the adaptive and biomass traits in forests, OptFORESTS will employ genetics, modelling, stakeholder surveys and socioeconomic analyses.

Objective

Forests are key elements of the European bioeconomy. To enhance provision of their ecosystem services (ES), harnessing Forest Genetic Resources (FGR) is essential. OptFORESTS will support the conservation and sustainable use of FGR by: i) conducting research on the selection of diverse forest reproductive material (FRM), including mixtures, adapted to future climates, ii) fostering sustainable use and resilience of natural forests, iii) helping expand and diversify nursery production, iv) developing nature-based solutions (NBS), tools (e.g. expanded Information Systems) and cultural trajectories to promote forest biodiversity and ES, and v) demonstrating biodiversity restoration solutions. To do this, OptFORESTS will carry out genetics, modelling, stakeholder surveys, expert panels and socioeconomic analyses. OptFORESTS will evaluate adaptive and biomass traits in existing common gardens and newly-established next-generation ones, conserve and utilise unique tree lineages for ecosystem restoration and management, model future adaptation of trees at different life stages and conduct low-input breeding. This will be complemented by studying the effects of silviculture and landscape heterogeneity on genetic diversity and developing new silvicultural options for genetically mixed forests, which will be implemented via training software (marteloscopes) and long-term demonstration plots. To enable optimal supply of diversified FRM, OptFORESTS will assess the European nursery sector, forecast future FRM needs, develop plant production technology and promote cooperation between nurseries. To ensure the uptake of NBS, they will be co-designed with local and EU-level stakeholders and a cost-benefit and gap analysis of key socio-economic, governance and policy issues will be developed. Finally, the OptFORESTS tailored communication strategy will be instrumental in achieving long-term impacts supporting international and EU policy under the European Green Deal.

Fields of science

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-01

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Funding Scheme

HORIZON-AG - HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based

Coordinator

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENT
Net EU contribution
€ 1 442 705,00
Address
147 rue de l'universite
75007 Paris
France

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Region
Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Other funding
€ 0,00

Participants (17)

Partners (1)

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EC signature date 6 October 2022
Last update: 10 March 2023

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101081774

European Union, 2023