The SWG Forest group has renewed its mandate for 2017-2019. Its priorities are to promote transnational forest research cooperation to address climate change adaptation and mitigation, increase forest sector sustainability and competitiveness, and provide ecosystem services. Activities planned through 2019 include mapping member countries' forest research capacities, engaging in policy discussions, and advising on research support. Main outputs will be reports on the forest bioeconomy, forest-related research networks, and international cooperation opportunities.

1. © Luonnonvarakeskus© Luonnonvarakeskus
Taneli Kolström
Suomi SCAR tilaisuus 23.5.2018
SWG Forest

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SWG FOREST status
• Renewed mandate 2017-2019 (revised ToR)
• Contact person (coordinator):
• -> 31.12.2017 Jean-Michel CARNUS, France
• 1.1.2018-> Jean-Luc Peyron, France
• Core group: Austria (Martin Greimel), Greece (Kalliopi
Radoglou, deputy coordinator), Sweden (Karin Perhans)
• Member states from previous mandate (15): AT, BE, DE,
EE, ES, FI, FR, GR, IE, IT, NO, PL, SE, SK, UK
• Observers: European Forest Institute EFI
• New members: HU, LV, LT, NL, PT, SI, TR (tbc)
• FI: Taneli Kolström Luke, Teemu Seppä MMM

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SWG FOREST - priorities 2016-19
promote transnational research and cooperation to meet the
challenges of adaptation to and mitigation of climate changes, and
of increasing the sustainability and competitiveness of the EU's
forest-based sector, by sustainably providing biomass for a
growing bioeconomy and other ecosystem services for societal
wellbeing.[…]
– Promote a forest system approach with due considerations of
synergies and interrelations with other sectors;
– Provide strategic intelligence by mapping national forest R&I
capacities, policies, strategies;
– Engage in knowledge-based input to public debates on forest-
related EU policy areas (climate change, bioenergy, biodiversity,
plant health, trade, etc.);
– Advice on R&I support to the implementation of national forestry
policies and the EU Forest Strategy (priority area 6 for an
ambitious EU Forest-based Research Area)

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SWG FOREST – (planned) activities 2016-19
• 2016: Finalising ToR and detailed work plan, participation in the
CASA project kick-off meeting and workshop, widening participation
and invitation of other countries to join SWG Forest.
• 2017: SWG FOREST meetings back-to-back with meetings of ERA-
NET Sumforest; mapping forest bioeconomy R&I capacities and
advise on the revision of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy; assessing
forest-related ERA-NETs and COST actions.
• 2018: Research and innovation in the forest-based sector:
alignment, resource use and sharing, etc.; strategic workshop on
global R&I cooperation in key area with forest relevance (e.g. role of
forests and forest sector in global mitigation efforts post COP21).
• 2019: Joint activities with other European innovation actors: ERA-
NET Cofund, FTP, EIP-Agri, EIP Raw Materials, EFI, COST, ..;
strategic input to EU’s 9th Framework Programme.

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SWG FOREST – main outputs 2017-19
• D1 Report on forest bioeconomy research and innovation
in Europe (expert study 1 - CASA) - Dec 2017
• D2 Report on the assessment of forest-related ERA-NETs
and COST actions (expert study 2 -CASA) - Feb 2018
• D3 Strategic workshop on global issues in conjunction with
COST – Mid 2018
– COST CONNECT 8 – CLIMATE CHANGE AND
FOREST SYSTEMS 4.-5.6. Sofia, Bulgaria
• D4 Report on international cooperation on forest research
and innovation - 2019