European forests have to accommodate a multitude of requirements: they have to be a resource provider as well as a nearby recreational area. At the same time forests also need to be more and more resilient in the face of extreme weather occurrences. This resilience will be the focus of the new office of the European Forest Institute (EFI) in Bonn. The official inauguration with Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Christian Schmidt at the UN campus in Bonn took place on August 29.

International exchange of knowledge

The main goal of EFI is the exchange of knowledge and experiences on an international scale. Schmidt stated: “Forests and wood are important aspects of live in the country. At the same time forests have to fulfil irreplaceable global functions – such as climate protection and stabilisation and as a source for renewable resources for mankind. In order to combine all of these in the best possible way, we need the exchange of knowledge and experience on an international scale.”

Intelligent and sustainable usage

The main focus of EFI will be on the resilience of forests. Especially the growing number of wildfires in the south of Europe highlights the importance of these investigations. There is an urgent need for intelligent and efficient concepts to protect forests while also using them sustainably. Thus, EFI will provide an invaluable contribution to preserve the European forests and make them more resilient against for instance climate change.

Headquarters in Finland

EFI is an international organisation with its headquarters in Finland and regional offices in Barcelona, Bordeaux, and since March 2017 in Bonn as well. Together with its members EFI is researching everything regarding and related to forests. Furthermore, EFI actively supports the science-policy-society interface and exchange, and ensures that policy makers are able to access the newest scientific findings. At its future location at the Platz der Vereinten Nationen in Bonn, the new EFI Bonn office will complement the “family” of sustainability and environment related international organizations and research institutes in Bonn.

The German government, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the city of Bonn all actively support the new office location that will address sustainability and environmental issues. The Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture will pay for rent and basic supplies for the next ten years. Additionally, for the next three years EFI is already involved in projects that are worth €1.6 Mio.

jmr