We will examine the vital role of biodiversity conservation in sustainable forest management. We emphasize the significance of biodiversity for the proper functioning of forest ecosystems and explore strategies to promote biodiversity conservation within the context of sustainable forest management. Our focus will be on the Mediterranean region, with special attention to Italy, thanks to our guest Serena Buscarini from ProSilva Italia.

More information on:

• FOREST EUROPE website

• Integrated forest management for resilience and sustainability across 25 countries

Let's talk about spruce bark beetles and how sustainable forest management can help minimize the risk of bark beetle damage and maintain long-term forest vitality. We focus on specific examples from Illa Kingla, a harvesting forest manager at the State Forest Management Center in Estonia, a member of EUSTAFOR. We look into the concept of resilience and draw a bridge towards the question of how climate change is accelerating spruce bark beetle outbreaks, highlighting the importance of implementing sustainable practices in Estonia.

More information on:

• FOREST EUROPE website

• European State Forest Association (EUSTAFOR)

• Policy brief Managing bark beetle outbreaks in the 21st century

This episode provides an overview of managing forests sustainably for multiple ecosystem services. Together with Michal Vančo, a policy advisor at the National Forest Centre in Slovakia (former chair of the FOREST EUROPE process), we explore the challenges our forests face when ecological and economic interests clash. We also explore how these issues can be tackled through Sustainable Forest Management with a multifunctional approach.

More information on:

• FOREST EUROPE website

• National Forest Centre in Slovakia
• Bratislava Ministerial Declaration