Funding programme: European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
Project funding: 868,894.42 EUR
Project duration: 02/2026 – 05/2028
Project aim: Strengthening biodiversity-rich and climate-resilient forests for long-term carbon storage
ForBioSink is an international project that aims to strengthen the contribution of European forests to climate change mitigation by promoting tree species diversity, ecosystem resilience and long-term carbon sequestration. The project brings together research institutions from Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Serbia to develop science-based approaches to forest conservation, restoration and sustainable management.
Target groups: national and regional authorities, forest owners and managers, the private sector, non-governmental organisations, and research and educational institutions.
Project objectives
The main objective of ForBioSink is to support the development of biodiversity-rich, productive and climate-resilient forests that contribute to long-term carbon sequestration and the achievement of European climate targets. The project will transfer scientific knowledge into forest management practice and policy. It will examine the relationships between tree species diversity, forest productivity, ecosystem resilience and carbon storage, and translate the knowledge gained into strategic recommendations, practical guidelines and capacity-building activities.
Specific objectives:
- Improve understanding of the relationships between biodiversity and carbon.
- Identify priority forest types and management approaches.
- Integrate biodiversity into forest-related climate strategies.
- Develop criteria and recommendations for integrating biodiversity into forest management strategies and measures aimed at maintaining or increasing carbon stocks.
- Strengthen forest resilience to disturbances.
- Strengthen professional and institutional capacities.
- Support cooperation and dialogue between science, practice and policy.
- Develop practical and strategic guidelines in cooperation with stakeholders.
Expected results
ForBioSink project activities will contribute to:
- a better scientific understanding of the relationships between tree species diversity, forest productivity, resilience and carbon sequestration;
- the identification of forest types with high potential for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation;
- the development of biodiversity criteria for forest management and climate strategies;
- the preparation of practical recommendations for forest conservation, restoration and sustainable management;
- the preparation of a strategic action plan to strengthen long-term carbon sequestration by conserving biodiversity and increasing forest resilience;
- the implementation of regional training programmes for forest owners and managers, competent authorities and other key stakeholders;
- closer cooperation among research institutions, forestry professionals, policymakers and civil society organisations;
- better integration of biodiversity considerations into forest-related climate measures and decision-making processes.
By linking research, practical forest management and dialogue with policymakers, ForBioSink project will help forest-sector stakeholders manage forests in ways that support biodiversity and long-term climate resilience.
Project website:
https://www.euki.de/en/euki-projects/forbiosink-forests-for-climate-and-biodiversity/
Project pilot areas where the Slovenian Forestry Institute will conduct research: Dolnje Ložine (left) and the forests of Tivoli, Rožnik and Šišenski hrib Landscape Park (right). Photos: Aleksander Marinšek.