European Beech Forests for the Future: Ecological, economical, and policy analysis of beech forest conservation under the Natura 2000 Network

欧洲山毛榉对欧洲生物多样性至关重要，因为各种各样的植物、动物和其他生物都依赖于它。然而，山毛榉森林仅占其原始面积的一小部分，由于气候变化和对木材日益增长的需求等环境和社会经济原因，山毛榉森林面临着越来越大的压力。欧盟通过自然2000保护区网络解决山毛榉森林保护问题，该网络要求其成员国实现并保持包括山毛榉森林在内的目标栖息地的“有利保护地位”。然而，由于森林管理方面的冲突和利益相关者利益分歧，《自然2000》的执行进程受到了影响。再加上全球气候变化的影响，这突显了跨国家治理和保护战略的必要性。该项目以Natura 2000为重点，旨在就欧洲山毛榉森林的创新管理和养护方法以及多级治理战略提出以科学为基础的建议。这一目标需要跨学科的方法，这是通过三个补充工作包(WP)实现的。这项研究将在选定的国家以比较的方式进行，这些国家代表了呼吁覆盖的国家中欧洲山毛榉森林生物多样性的范围。WP1(生物多样性、养护和管理)由联合王国伙伴全面负责，旨在分析根据Natura 2000采用的不同管理和养护战略对山毛榉森林生物多样性的影响。此外，还评估了全球气候变化对山毛榉森林生态系统的影响。将利用实地研究来评估不同森林管理战略对山毛榉森林种内和种间多样性的影响，以及评估气候变化对整个范围内山毛榉生长的影响。来自联合王国牵头的WP1的生态和管理相关数据将与其他欧洲合作伙伴在WP2下收集的数据结合起来，评估Natura 2000地区的治理战略、山毛榉森林提供的生态系统服务以及山毛榉森林保护的市场化工具。然后，所有欧洲伙伴将在WP3下共同努力，就山毛榉森林的创新管理、养护和治理战略提出建议。总而言之，该项目将推动以下研究领域的科学进步：山毛榉森林的生态及其在不断变化的气候条件下的保护，欧洲山毛榉森林的多级治理，以及山毛榉森林可以提供的环境服务的评估和营销。这些成果将用于对现状有一个新的、全面的了解，并制定创新的管理、养护和治理战略，以确保山毛榉森林和相关生物多样性为子孙后代的生存。

The European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is of fundamental importance for European biodiversity as a diverse array of plants animals and other organisms depend on it. Yet, beech forests cover only a small percentage of their original area and are under increasing pressure due to environmental and socio-economic reasons, such as climate change and growing demand for timber. The EU addresses beech forest conservation through the Natura 2000 protected area network, which obliges its member states to achieve and maintain a 'favourable conservation status' of target habitats including beech forests. The implementation process of Natura 2000, however, has been impaired by conflicts and diverging stakeholder interests regarding forest management. Together with the effects of global climate change, this underlines the need for cross-national governance and conservation strategies. Focusing on Natura 2000, this project aims at developing science-based recommendations on innovative management and conservation approaches as well as multi-level-governance strategies for beech forests in Europe. This objective requires an interdisciplinary approach, which is realized through three complementary work packages (WP). The research will be carried out in a comparative manner in selected countries, which represent the range of European beech forest biodiversity in the countries covered by the call. WP1 (Biodiversity, conservation and management), for which the UK partner has overall responsibility, aims at an analysis of the effects of different management and conservation strategies for beech forest biodiversity employed under Natura 2000. Furthermore, the impacts of global climate change on beech forest ecosystems are assessed. Field studies will be used to assess the impact of the different forest management strategies on intra- and inter-specific diversity in beech forests as well as to evaluate the impact of climate change on beech growth across its range. The ecological and management related data derived from the UK-led WP1 will be combined with data gathered under WP2 by other European partners assessing the governance strategies of Natura 2000 areas, the ecosystem services provided by beech forests and market-based instruments for beech forest conservation. All European partners will then work together under WP3 to develop recommendations on innovative management, conservation and governance strategies for beech forests. All in all, the project will drive scientific advances in the following research fields: The ecology of beech forests and their conservation under changing climatic conditions, multi-level governance of beech forests in Europe, and valuation and marketing of the environmental services beech forests can provide. The results will be used to create a new and comprehensive understanding of the present situation as well as to develop innovative management, conservation and governance strategies to ensure the survival of beech forests and associated biodiversity for future generations.