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Healthy Forests of the Future
Sustainable forest management is the key to a healthy forest in the face of climate change. As the leading international trade fair, INTERFORST presents practical, hands-on solutions for future-oriented forest management.
- Sustainable forest management as the key: Transforming forests into mixed-species forests strengthens biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and resilience to climate change and extreme weather events.
- Added value for people, climate, and economy: The healthy forest of the future combines utility, protection, and recreational functions, safeguarding habitats and while ensuring forestry value creation.
- Innovation and practical solutions for the forest: Future-oriented forest management combines sustainable stewardship with new revenue models – INTERFORST offers a central platform for exchange and knowledge transfer.
Climate change poses a key challenge for forestry: making forests fit for the future. A healthy forest of the future secures habitats for humans, animals, and plants, stores large amounts of CO₂, and provides the renewable raw material wood. The way to achieve this is through sustainable forestry and the systematic conversion to climate-resilient mixed forests—forests that are vital, resilient, and rich in species.
Forest owners, forestry companies, and forestry service providers therefore feel more responsible than ever to preserve the important functions of the forest for future generations. As the leading international trade fair, INTERFORST presents a wide range of innovative practical solutions for future-oriented, sustainable forestry.
Sustainable forestry as a solution
The basis for sustainable forest management is as simple as it is effective: no more wood is harvested than can grow back. But even after harvesting, so-called cascade utilization ensures that the raw material is used multiple times and remains in circulation for a long time. In this way, the forestry and timber industry demonstrates what true circular economy means.
Healthy forests for the future: benefits for forests, people, the climate, and the industry
- Healthy for the forest: A healthy forest has biological diversity and thus provides sufficient habitats for animal and plant species.
- Healthy for humans: A healthy forest can fulfill its useful, protective, and recreational functions for humans.
- Healthy for the climate: A healthy forest is more resistant to heat waves, droughts, storms, and pests, stores CO₂, and filters air and water.
- Healthy for the industry: A healthy forest supports all stakeholders across the forestry value chain, safeguards jobs, and creates space for both established and new forms of use.
Multifunctional forest: use, protection, and recreation
A healthy forest of the future fulfills three main tasks:
- Productive function: Economic use of forests as a source of raw materials and a place of work
- Protective function: Climate, water, species, and soil protection for people and the environment
- Recreational function: Relaxation, sports, and nature experiences in the forest
Sustainable forestry promotes these functions of the forest and strengthens its adaptability and resilience. The creation of mixed forests, leaving deadwood in the forest, reducing high timber stocks, and avoiding clear-cutting serve to protect the forest and promote biodiversity. Independent certification systems such as PEFCand FSCconfirm the responsible use of nature. Forest owners, foresters, and forest service providers contribute to the preservation of forest functions, including for our society, through their valuable work in the forest.
Sustainable forest management and alternative sources of income
Sustainable forest management involves long-term planning, regular monitoring of health, and rapid action in the event of a disaster. The aim is to preserve the forest as a basis of life for future generations. Every year, numerous new forest owners and young professionals join the ranks, seeking advice and guidance on all aspects of forest management. INTERFORST offers an excellent platform for learning about modern forest management and alternative sources of income such as wind power in the forest or CO2 certificates.
Examples of alternative sources of income:
Wind power in the forest:
Wind power in forests can make an important contribution to the energy transition and at the same time open up new prospects for forest owners. At the same time, the forest comes first. For this reason, wind power projects are subject to strict approvals that, for example,
- provide for extensive species protection measures (e.g., for bats and birds),
- minimize cleared areas, and
- provide for compensatory measures.
Carbon credits
When implemented correctly, forestry projects can make climate protection measurable and generate additional income for forest owners. However, this requires clear requirements that
- ensure additional, measurable, and permanent CO₂ sequestration,
- is achieved through targeted measures such as wood growth or stockpiling,
- goes beyond normal forest management, and
- is transparently verified according to recognized standards.
Climate-stable forests through targeted forest conversion
Climate change requires all stakeholders to find new ways of restructuring forests. Extreme weather conditions such as heat, drought, and storms, as well as pest infestations, pose a real challenge, especially for monocultures. The solution is stable mixed forests. Depending on the management objective, tree population, and soil conditions, reforestation can be carried out with a wide variety of tree species through natural regeneration, sowing, or planting.
The years 2018 to 2021 in particular were marked by extreme drought and enormous forest damage, resulting in heavy losses for forest owners. Large areas of forest had to be reforested. Forest management is an active contribution to improving resilience and maintaining stable ecosystems.
In order to actively combat climate change, visitors to INTERFORST will find practical information on reforestation, climate-friendly tree species, calamity protection, and forest management.
Sustainable management – protecting biodiversity
Biodiversity plays a crucial role in the stability and adaptability of forests in the face of climate change.
Characteristics of biodiversity:
- High species diversity exists primarily in heterogeneous forests with a sufficiently high proportion of deadwood.
- Genetic diversity helps species to adapt better to changes in their environment.
- Different habitats in the forest mean ecosystem diversity.
This makes it a key factor for a healthy forest in the future. It is also a prerequisite for the forest to be able to provide its ecosystem services. In a healthy forest, it is possible to reward ecosystem services, e.g., through support programs or the sale of CO2 certificates.
From tree to cycle: forests and wood for a climate-friendly future
Another task of the healthy forest of the future is to bind harmful CO₂. To promote this, sustainable forestry encourages different age classes and stand layers, thus supporting high CO₂ storage in the forest.
Even after harvesting, wood remains an important climate-friendly raw material for climate protection. Compared to fossil fuels and materials such as concrete, steel, or plastic, wood is renewable, ecologically valuable, and requires less energy to produce. Wood is used in a variety of ways as a wood product (building material, furniture, musical instruments) or energy source. The aim is to achieve a circular economy, i.e., to use wood as efficiently as possible by reusing it and avoiding waste. In cascade use, valuable trunk wood is first used for the construction and furniture industries. This is followed by several recycling steps that keep the wood in use for as long as possible and ultimately result in its use for energy. In this way, the forestry and timber industry, with its various players, is living what other industries are striving for: it is a true circular model.
Even after harvesting, wood remains an important climate-friendly raw material for climate protection. Compared to fossil fuels and materials such as concrete, steel, or plastic, wood is renewable, ecologically valuable, and requires less energy to produce. Wood is used in a variety of ways as a wood product (building material, furniture, musical instruments) or energy source. The aim is to achieve a circular economy, i.e., to use wood as efficiently as possible by reusing it and avoiding waste. In cascade use, valuable trunk wood is first used for the construction and furniture industries. This is followed by several recycling steps that keep the wood in use for as long as possible and ultimately result in its use for energy. In this way, the forestry and timber industry, with its various players, is living what other industries are striving for: it is a true circular model.
Frequently asked questions
What is “sustainable forestry”?
A sustainably managed forest is preserved for future generations through its use and maintenance in all its functions. When using wood as a resource, the rule is: no more is used than can grow back. A basic principle of modern forestry.
What are the three main functions that a multifunctional forest must fulfill?
- Use function: The forest as an economic basis and supplier of wood, a renewable raw material.
- Protective function: Preservation of climate, water, biodiversity, and soil.
- Recreational function: The forest as a place for sports, relaxation, and nature experiences for people.
What does “cascading use” mean in the context of the timber industry?
Cascade use describes a circular economy strategy in which wood products are kept in the system for as long as possible. Valuable trunk wood is first used for high-quality construction (e.g., in the construction or furniture industry). After use, several recycling steps follow until the wood is used for energy (to generate heat) at the end of its life cycle.
What alternative sources of income are there for forest owners besides selling timber?
There are two modern approaches that can help reduce dependence on fluctuations in the timber market:
- Wind power in forests: Subject to strict requirements for species protection and minimization of deforestation areas.
- CO₂ certificates: Rewarding measures that result in additional, measurable, and permanent CO₂ sequestration beyond normal forest management.
Where can players in the forestry industry find practical solutions for this transformation?
As the leading international trade fair, INTERFORST is the central platform for knowledge transfer and networking within the industry. We present concrete, practical solutions to current challenges:
- Innovation & technology: Our exhibitors showcase state-of-the-art processes for challenges posed by climate change, such as reforestation, calamity protection, and forest maintenance.
- Advice & guidance: New forest owners and young professionals in particular will find guidance for future-oriented forest management at INTERFORST, for example in our diverse supporting program.
- Future strategies: At INTERFORST, you can learn about alternative sources of income such as CO2 certificates or wind power. In addition, our exhibitors and experts will give presentations on ways in which forestry operations can remain economically stable and ecologically valuable.
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