ForestPaths' policy pathways should be practically applicable across Europe and relevant to policymakers, practitioners and other stakeholders. The project therefore includes four demo cases, located in Finland, Italy, Romania, and the Netherlands. These have been selected to cover a range of forest decision-making structures (incl. ownership), importance of forests and the forest sector to the national economy, climate change impacts, approach to biodiversity and biogeographic regions.
These demo cases contribute to:
- Co-design and evaluate Climate and Biodiversity-Smart (CBS) options together with forest managers in workshops
- Co-design and validate policy pathways through the involvement of national and regional decision-makers in policy labs
- Contextualise the pathways’ results obtained from the Europe-wide model simulations
- Boreal climate
- Atlantic climate
- Mediterranean and continental climate
- Continental and Alpine climate
Boreal climate
- Mostly under private ownership (60%), excluding companies
- State forest service is responsible for actively managed forests and conservation areas
- The forest industry, as well as NVVFPs, recreation, and GHG balance for climate neutrality are of high importance
- 106,000 people are employed by the forest-based bioeconomy
- There is increasing productivity, a moderate increase in disturbances and challenges to mobilise wood under climate change
- The approach to protection of forests is fairly segregated
- Management focuses on production and considers biodiversity following certification standards

Atlantic climate
- Mix of private (52%) and state owners (48%)
- Low economic importance for the industry, but high for climate change mitigation, recreation and other services
- 86,000 people are employed by the forest-based bioeconomy
- There is an increased risk of droughts and occasional wildfires, as well as loss of vitality by combined impacts of climate change and high nitrogen deposition
- 1/3 of forests have biodiversity as the main focus, otherwise, there is an integrated approach

Mediterranean and continental climate
- Mostly under private ownership (66%)
- Associations are being established as ownership becomes more regulated
- Medium importance to the forest industry, with large differences between regions
- High importance for protection (35% of the total forest area) and NIFPs
- 440,000 people are employed by the forest-based bioeconomy
- There is decreasing productivity and a strong increase in wildfire risk
- Segregated approach to forest protection
- A recent decree introduces important innovations for NWFPs, biodiversity and sustainability

Continental and Alpine climate
- Over 48% of state-owned forests
- The management is fully regulated by the state
- Medium importance to the industry, high importance for NWFP
- Around 3.5 million households rely on wood for heating
- 257,000 people are employed by the forest-based bioeconomy
- Climate change and natural disturbances have had limited impacts so far
- Management aims to increase stand stability by enforcing natural forest types
- Well-connected forested landscapes with significant tracts of old-growth forests and big large carnivore populations
