Wood use is increasing globally, with demand estimated to significantly surpass supply, increasing the pressure to increase forest areas and growth. Forests play an important role in the fight against climate change and are crucial for biodiversity and the bioeconomy. However, climate change is also causing direct challenges to forests and the bioeconomy due to increasing biotic and abiotic threats affecting forest health and causing severe economic losses.
Better forest management is needed to make forests more resistant to the cross-border threats of pests, droughts and wildfires that are exacerbated by climate change, to strengthen their resilience and capacity and to enable new economic opportunities for forest-based value chains.
The OptiForValue project, launched in 2024, is working to optimise forest operations for enhanced resilience and for high-value applications.
About OptiForValue
OptiForValue will contribute to the goals of the EU Forest Strategy, a European initiative focused on creating a comprehensive forest knowledge base, that will allow Member States, forest owners and forest managers to improve their response to growing pressures on forests and strengthen forest resilience and bioeconomy.
This forest value chain optimisation will be achieved by using a unique, interconnected modelling framework involving strong participative engagement and novel scientific approaches, including early warning indicators of biotic and abiotic risks, adaptive forest management strategies, remote sensing and artificial intelligence for agile forest operations, and integrated value-chain optimisation and life cycle assessments.
The project will report on methods and guidelines for the effective management of forest stands affected by drought, fire, insects, and snow damage; possible new high-value engineered wood products from damaged wood; adjusting forest management to meet future alternative demand for high-value forest products; and for more resilient value chains on supply security and cost competitiveness – and potential applicability to other regions across Europe.
With a budget of €5 million and a consortium of seventeen partners across seven European countries, OptiForValue will operate from 2024 to 2028. Funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and its members, and with Luke Natural Resources Institute (Finland) as coordinator, OptiForValue research project’s ultimate goal is to foster transition to more sustainable and resilient forest-based value chains.
ERINN Innovation’s Role
With expertise in guiding and accelerating impactful research and innovation for sustainable initiatives, ERINN Innovation is one of the partners in the OptiForValue project. Our role is in driving the project’s dissemination, exploitation, and communication strategy – leading the creation of the project branding, website and maintenance of social media platforms.
ERINN Innovation is also managing the project’s knowledge transfer to ensure impact beyond the lifetime of the project and ensuring that information is accessible for advancing European sustainable strategies and achieving a sustainable future.
For more information about OptiForValue and to stay up-to-date with the latest news from the project, visit the newly launched OptiForValue website.
ERINN Innovation is actively involved in over 22 active European projects. Learn more about our projects.
OptiForValue is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and its members. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
