JemsStrengthening cross-border capacity for better climate resilience of forest ecosystems by advanced assessment, testing and demonstrating solutions for ecosystem restoration (REBIOFORESTS)
Priority Axis 2: Cooperating for greener and climate change resilient programme area
Operation start date: 1 September 2024
Operation completion date: 28 February 2027
Budget: EUR 1.655.501,66
Number of partners: 5
Operation purpose and expected achievements:
The overall goal of the project is to increase climate resilience through the application of new solutions in forest ecosystems restoration. The main outputs of the project are:
– A green action plan containing results generated by baseline assessment from data collected during the conduction of advanced monitoring activities in Spačva-Bosut basin
– Two pilot ecosystems (pilot areas) restored after the extreme windstorm occurred in summer of 2023
– Jointly developed solution for forest ecosystems restoration in the form of an innovative Model for increasing the resistance of forest ecosystems to climate change, which will be taken over by Croatian Forests and Vojvodina Forests for further development and use in their areas at the end of the project.
Beneficiaries:
Croatian forests ltd. (HR), FD Vinkovci as Lead Partner will be responsible for continuously monitoring the quality of the project activities, outputs, and results. The main rolls of Croatian forests ltd., FD Vinkovci are supporting all partners in their project management, public procurement and implementation, leading the development of an applicable communication plan for a successful project implementation, searching and selecting data from synergy projects needed for baseline assessment, supporting the field observations (using drone to provide images of the area and analysing them for the needs of baseline assessment). Croatian forests ltd., FD Vinkovci leads the public procurement of necessary equipment such as tractor, stump grinder, trailer and material for the fence needed for preparation phase as well as planting of seedlings and terrain-vehicle.
Public Company Vojvodinašume (RS) as Project Partner will collect data from existing official sources and projects in order to perform baseline assessment, mostly on damaged forest ecosystems for Spačva-Bosut Basin from the Serbian side-area. During the phase of preparation it will use forestry machines (mulcher) for the soil preparation for the restoration process and it will actively restore the selected area by using a new approach of planting (three oak varieties: regular, early and late-leave oak) to increase climate resilience against extreme weather events.
Croatian Forest Research Institute (HR) as Project Partner will contribute to the baseline assessment by immersing into existing scientific data on forest potential of the Spačva-Bosut Basin. Using advanced monitoring technology (with support of CF), it contributes to the data analysis and processing, needed for the forest baseline assessment. Together with previously identified data, new generated data will be a crucial part of the Green Action Plan containing also the assessment of damaged forest communities from the Croatian part of the Spačva-Bosut basin after the last windstorm. On the other hand, CFRI (together with ILFE) collects data about potentials for the establishment of cross-border gene bank with the aim to improve the approach in forest ecosystems restoration. CFRI will assesses seed stands decline using the Decision Cascade Tool (DST; Rudow et al. 2020), developed within the European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) with the aim to link specific threats triggered by windstorms and possible management action in these stands. Furthermore, CFRI and ILFE will establish joint database on planting material. This will contribute to the adapted forest management because it provides necessary information about planting material and seeds that will be used in the restoration action.
Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment (RS) as Project Partner contributes to the baseline assessment by immersing into existing scientific data on forest potential of the Spačva-Bosut Basin. Besides, using advanced monitoring technology (drones and satellite images, provided by VŠ), it contributes to the data analysis and processing. Together with previously identified data, new generated data will be a crucial part of the Green Action Plan containing also the assessment of damaged forest communities from the Serbian part of the Spačva-Bosut basin after the last windstorm in Serbia. One the other hand, ILFE (together with CFRI) collects data about potentials for the establishment of cross-border gene bank with the aim to improve the approach in forest ecosystems restoration. ILFE will assess seed stands decline using the Decision Cascade Tool (DST; Rudow et al. 2020), developed within the European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) with the aim to link specific threats triggered by windstorms and possible management action in these stands.
Competence Centre Ltd. for research and development (HR) as Project Partner will support the desk research providing data from previously implemented or ongoing projects regarding forest potential status of the Spačva-Bosut basin, best practice examples in forest ecosystem restoration, climate resilience and ecosystem approach. Also, CEKOM will prepare methodology for stakeholders reaching and presentation of the project, organise and hold technical meetings with stakeholders presenting them major outputs related to the project results.
