Pilots of long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites: Linking stand-level information and remote sensing
Programme Category
Programme Name
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
FORWARDS is a Horizon Europe project that will prototype the ForestWard Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation tool that will help demonstrate the impact of climate change on forests and guide decision-making for practical forest management.
Detailed Call Description
This call aims to set up pilots for long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites across Europe. Current long-term forest monitoring networks provide important information on the impact of climate change on forests. Still, most monitoring networks are not particularly focused on assessing climate change impacts.
With this call, the aim is thus to increase the potential of existing forest monitoring sites – especially but not inclusively ICP Forests, ICOS or LTER sites (i.e., sites which already provide a basic set of monitoring data) – to assess the impact of climate and climatic extremes on trees and forests. Projects should apply nowcasting approaches (such as measurements of tree water deficit with point dendrometers in response to drought) and link existing long-term assessments with the new measurements.
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The maximum grant value is €145.000.
It is expected that up to 4 projects will be funded under this call (max 3 lots).
Projects are expected to start in December 2025 the latest so that at least part of the project can be monitored and last a maximum of 18 months. The activities must be completed at the latest May 2027, although with assured continuation of the nowcasting approaches for a minimum of three years.
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Environment and Climate Change
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Legal Entities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
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.
- 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.
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.