From 21 to 23 April 2026, the FORADVISE consortium gathered in Montpellier, France, for the project’s Scoping Seminar, hosted by CNPF – Centre national de la propriété forestière. The three-day event brought together project partners, Thematic Working Groups (TWGs), National Contact Points (NCPs), and key stakeholders from across Europe to exchange knowledge, explore common challenges, and shape future directions for forest advisory systems.
The seminar marked an important milestone for the project, creating a collaborative space to strengthen connections between EU and national-level activities while supporting the development of a more active and connected advisory network.
Building a Shared Understanding
The first day focused on establishing a common understanding of the current landscape of forest advisory systems across Europe. Discussions explored the challenges and needs identified through previous FORADVISE activities, while participants also examined existing tools, platforms, resources, and good practices currently available to advisors.
Sessions brought together all six Thematic Working Groups:
- Climate Change and Forest Management Adaptation
- Agroforestry
- Wood Mobilisation
- Non-Wood Forest Products
- Sustainable Forest Management and Closer-to-Nature Forestry
- Payment for Ecosystem Services
Participants exchanged perspectives on the current state of advisory support, identified gaps between available knowledge and practical implementation, and discussed possible approaches for improving knowledge transfer and accessibility.
From Challenges to Practical Solutions
During Days 2 and 3, the seminar shifted from analysis towards practical collaboration and future-oriented discussions.
The programme included:
- role-play sessions based on real advisory cases,
- thematic World Café discussions,
- collaborative workshops,
- discussions on communication and dissemination approaches,
- and exchanges on future pilot actions, training modules, and advisory tools.
Participants explored how knowledge can become more usable and accessible for advisors in practice, highlighting the importance of practical formats, interaction, and continuous exchange between actors.
Looking Ahead
The FORADVISE Scoping Seminar concluded with a clearer shared understanding of the project’s next steps and priorities. The insights collected during the event will contribute to upcoming project activities and support the further development of communication, dissemination, training, and knowledge transfer actions across the FORADVISE network.
A sincere thank you to all participants for their active engagement and valuable contributions throughout the seminar, and especially to CNPF for hosting and organising the event.
