Junior researcher Hinke Wiersma and Dr Ir Mart-Jan Schelhaas, representing Wageningen University and Research, one of ForestPaths project partners, led an engaging workshop with 10 participants, exploring various forest management strategies. The workshop was held during the Koninklijke Nederlandse Bosbouw Vereniging (Royal Dutch Forestry Association) meeting in April 2024, in the Netherlands. The meeting itself drew approximately 50 professionals working in the forestry sector for a day filled with insightful discussions and presentations.

Image: Junior researcher Hinke Wiersma and Dr Ir Mart-Jan Schelhaas leading the ForestPaths workshop during Royal Dutch Forestry Association meeting

The day kicked off with the association's annual general meeting, followed by three compelling presentations focusing on the importance of dead wood in forest ecosystems. Attendees learned about trends in leaving more dead wood in Dutch forests and ongoing research on the stages of decay and its impact on biodiversity.

Junior researcher Wiersma and Dr Ir Schelhaas' workshop delved into the core pillars of the ForestPaths project: mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity. Participants engaged in lively discussions, exploring the ideal forest management scenarios for the Netherlands while grappling with the complexities of balancing multiple forest management objectives and identifying synergies and trade-offs between mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. Despite recognising certain challenges in combining the three pillars and identifying synergies, the workshop yielded valuable insights and sparked new ideas among participants, concluding on a positive note.