RESONATE carried out extensive reviews of the state-of knowledge related to forest resilience assessments and the effectiveness of resilience enhancing measures. The methodology for an Operational Resilience Framework, ORF developed a harmonised and widely applicable methodology at varying scales from local to the continental level. RESONATE improved the disturbance evidence gathered from ground based and remote sensing derived data and projected disturbance hotspots into the future to generate state-of-the art disturbance scenarios. RESONATE selected nine case studies to analyse management traditions and societal demands for ecosystem services across Europe using existing and regionally validated forest simulation models. In addition, the EFISCEN-space model projected forest resource development and wood utilisation for 17 countries in Europe.
RESONATE highlighted that enhancing forest resilience requires the need to embrace diversity holistically. Forests with varied tree species and functional traits are better equipped to withstand and recover from disturbances like storms and pests. Natural disturbances can boost biodiversity when fallen trees and deadwood are retained as habitats. The analysis of silvicultural options to enhance forest resilience revealed evidence of management effects on resilience in the future. The projection of future disturbance risks showed a drastic increase in wildfire disturbances under the expected changes in climatic conditions and extreme events.
RESONATE investigated social-ecological forest resilience in European forests with a specific focus also on forest value chain resilience. Forest sector stakeholders have identified fewer adaptation pathways for harvest operations and the wood industry compared to forest management. Climate change and increasing forest disturbance risks require not only changes in forest management, but adaptation is equally necessary in forest value chains. Balancing forest management, industry, and consumer needs in a changing landscape was identified as a major challenge in RESONATE. RESONATE research suggests investing in efficient technologies to help process diverse wood assortments as a crucial step towards more resilient value chains. Flexible harvesting, enhanced logistics, and increased storage capacities can mitigate post-disturbance wood surges.
However, there is no one size-fits-all measure to enhance social-ecological resilience in forest systems. RESONATE analysis emphasised that there could be multiple trade-offs between measures enhancing resilience in forest management and in the wood industry. Generally, there has been a notable lack of integrative approaches that encompass both forest management and the wood processing industry. Enhancing resilience in forest management requires diversifying forest structures and adapting to climate change with higher shares of hardwood species. This leads to higher diversity of wood assortments, which strongly conflicts with current preferences in the forest industry towards efficient processing of high volumes of softwood supply. Forests, wood industries and society are interconnected, and the interplay of all drivers, actors, risks and potential solutions must be addressed from a systems point of view to enhance climate resilience of Europe’s entire forest value chains.
RESONATE carried out numerous targeted dissemination and communication activities (including scientific presentations and publications, social media postings, videos, etc.) and successfully achieved its key performance impact indicators.
