Programme Category
Programme Name
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
With this call, FORWARDS aims to compile European-wide forest disturbance reference data to:
- produce statistically rigorous estimates of disturbances in Europe,
- develop new methods for the near real-time mapping of forest disturbance using remote sensing data,
- support the analysis of the effects of the different forest disturbances types over different forest types in Europe.
Detailed Call Description
FORWARDS is a Horizon Europe project that will prototype the ForestWard Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation tool that will help in demonstrating the impact of climate change on forests, and guiding decision-making for practical forest management.
Projects supported by this call should contribute to the development of an exhaustive, open-access forest disturbance reference dataset for Europe and are encouraged to address one or more of the following FORWARDS’ aims:
- Integration of remote sensing-derived maps and reference data for the statistically rigorous estimation of forest disturbance area
- Near real-time mapping and characterization of forest disturbance using Sentinel-2 data
- Forest disturbances change over time and their relationship with climate change
- Remote sensing-derived metrics (e.g., magnitude and recovery) and their relationship with actual forest changes
- Reviewing strengths, weaknesses, limitations, and potential implementations of remote sensing in forest disturbance monitoring
Data and results from the supported activities must be made available as open access upon completion of the project and feed into the ForestWard Observatory that is being developed by the FORWARDS project.
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The maximum grant value is €150 000.
It is expected that around 3 projects will be funded under this call (max 1 grant per lot).
Thematic Categories
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- International Organisations
- Legal Entities
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
Applications can be submitted by one legal entity or a consortium of legal entities. Applicants must, meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for the grant:
- Applicant is a legal entity (legal person). If the application is submitted by a consortium (grouping of legal persons represented by a coordinator), this criterion applies to all the participants. This call is not open for applications from natural persons.
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Applicant eligible for funding under the European Union Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme. If the application is submitted by a consortium, this criterion applies to all the participants.
Furthermore, the following legal entities (legal persons) will NOT be eligible for funding:
- Beneficiary or associated partner of the FORWARDS project under the Grant Agreement No. 101084481
- Entities subject European Union restrictive measures
- Israeli entities due to activities in the territories occupied by Israel (European Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05)
- Public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity maintained by such a public interest trust (Council Implementing Decision 2022/2506)
To ensure that all European regions are covered, proposals must choose one of the following three European regions (lots), which follow country groups defined by Forest Europe in its State of Europe’s Forests reports: 1. North Europe 2. Central Europe 3. South Europe.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
EU Contact Point
All applicants may contact to ask questions and clarify any points on general or technical procedures and call content by sending an email message to forwards@efi.int.