The FORADVISE Project has successfully completed an important series of National Advisory Workshops across participating countries between October 2025 and January 2026, marking a major milestone in the effort to strengthen forestry advisory systems and improvecollaboration within Europe’s Forest Knowledge and Innovation Systems (FOKIS).
These workshops formed one of the project’s core participatory activities, bringing together forest advisors and stakeholders involved in the advisory sector, including representatives of advisory organisations, researchers working on forest advisory systems, policymakers, technical experts and other relevant actors. Participants discussed the main challenges, priorities and needs affecting forest advisory services in their national contexts.
Creating Space for Dialogue and Collaboration
Forestry across Europe is facing increasing pressure from climate change, biodiversity loss, forest fires, market uncertainties, and changing societal expectations. At the same time, forestry advisors are expected to support forest owners and managers with more complex and multidisciplinary challenges than ever before.
The National Advisory Workshops were designed to create an open and collaborative environment where stakeholders could express needs, challenges on their daily work and expectations on things to share and things to learn from other countries.
Through interactive discussions and multi-actor participation, the workshops focused on key topics and also explored broader issues related to communication, cooperation, and innovation within forestry advisory systems, highlighting the growing need for stronger connections between research, policy, and practical implementation.
Understanding National Needs and Common European Challenges
Although forestry conditions and priorities vary significantly between countries, the workshops revealed several common challenges shared across Europe.
Participants identified issues including:
- Limited advisory capacity in some regions
- Fragmented knowledge-sharing systems
- Difficulties accessing practical and reliable information
- Limited coordination and connections between actors within forest advisory and knowledge systems
At the same time, the workshops highlighted the strong willingness among stakeholders to collaborate more closely, exchange experiences, and co-develop practical solutions for emerging forestry challenges. The discussions generated valuable feedback that will now support several future FORADVISE activities, including the development of training materials, advisory tools, knowledge transfer pilots, and long-term strategic roadmaps.
Strengthening National Networks
One of the most important outcomes of the workshops has been the strengthening of National Networks within the FORADVISE framework. By bringing together actors who often work separately within forestry systems, the workshops helped establish stronger communication channels and fostered new opportunities for cooperation at national level. These National Networks, supported by the project’s National Contact Points (NCPs), will play a key role in:
- Facilitating knowledge exchange
- Supporting dissemination activities
- Connecting local stakeholders with European thematic activities
- Identifying country-specific priorities
- Contributing to the long-term sustainability of forestry advisory systems
This approach reflects the wider FORADVISE vision of building a European “network of networks” capable of connecting local realities with European collaboration and innovation.
From National Workshops to European Action
The results and conclusions emerging from the National Advisory Workshops were further discussed during the FORADVISE Scoping Seminar held in Montpellier, France, where project partners and stakeholders worked on aligning national feedback with future European-level activities. The knowledge collected through the workshops is now contributing to:
- Thematic Working Groups (TWGs)
- Future training modules and MOOCs
- Knowledge Transfer Pilots
- Advisory Playbook and practical resources
- Communication and dissemination activities
- Long-term implementation pathways for forestry advisory systems
This process ensures that future FORADVISE actions remain grounded in the real needs and experiences of forestry stakeholders across Europe.
Looking Ahead
The successful completion of the National Advisory Workshops represents an important step toward building more connected, resilient, and innovation-driven forestry advisory systems across Europe.
By encouraging dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange between forestry actors, FORADVISE is helping create stronger foundations for sustainable forest management and more effective advisory support in the years ahead.
As the project continues, the insights gathered through these workshops will remain central to shaping future tools, training activities, and cooperation mechanisms designed to support both forestry advisors and the wider forestry sector across Europe.
