The 2020 edition of The State of Europe’s Forests (SoEF 2020) is a comprehensive summary on a multitude of forest aspects in the pan-European region. 

According to the report – produced by Forest Europe, with technical input from the UNECE, the FAO and the JRC – the European forest area increased by 9% over the past 30 years and, with 227 million hectares, now covers more than one-third of Europe’s land surface.

Multi-functionality of European forests

Sustainable management of forests is central to the Forest Europe process. There are a multitude of benefits arising from a functional forest ecosystem, including providing habitat for most land-based plant and animal species, biodiversity conservation, safeguarding water and clean air supply, carbon storage, combating climate change, employment in the forestry and wood processing industry, tourism and recreation, to name a few.

The SoEF 2020 report is the result of the best available information and the work of over 100 national experts and scientists contributing to an international framework of sustainable forest management in continental Europe.

• Forest Europe is the brand name of the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, which develops common strategies for its 47 signatories (46 European countries and the European Union) on how to protect and sustainably manage their forests. Since 1990, periodic meetings of the ministers responsible for forests in Europe result in the definition of a political framework for sustainable forest management, which is detailed in agreed guidelines, criteria and indicators.

To read the Report: HERE