Forested Regions

Contact Persons

Álvaro Picardo, Castilla y León (Spain)
Francisco J. Ezquerra Boticario, Castilla y León (Spain)
Tiina Paakkari, East North Finland

News
Position Papers
Welcome to the forested Regions working group!

The European Network of Forested Regions, the ERIAFF Forest Working Group, was a joint initiative of two regions: North Karelia (Finland) and Castilla y León (Spain), suggested by Tuscany (Italy) in 2017, and established in 2018, in the framework of the ROSEWOOD Horizon 2020 project, as part of the ERIAFF network.
It is the ERIAFF thematic group that brings together regions and forestry operators committed to promote both the innovation in forest-based sectors and the development of forest policies at European and regional levels. It is also a platform to provide information and coordinate the feedback to upcoming EU initiatives relevant for regions interested in the forest sector.
The working group meets regularly, through the internet, every one or two months and usually once a year in person, at ERIAFF conference or other events, thanks to the support of its two coordinators.
For each meeting, an agenda and its minutes are prepared. Regular covered topics are “Update on forest related EU policies” and “Regional innovations” and every other meeting a European Innovation project or initiative is presented for the around 20 attending people (between 15 and 30).

The Network activities include:

  • Organization of workshops, participating, for example, in the Forest Innovation Workshops
  • Meeting with responsibles of forest related initiatives.
  • Networking among regions and with sectoral organizations.
  • Collaboration in proposals on forest innovation projects.
  • The preparation of position documents on European initiatives relevant for the forest sector, like:
    • “Regions’ views on EU’s forestry-related policy initiatives”, signed in March 2022 by 26 regions from 7 member states.
    • “Regions’ views on EU’s Nature restoration law”, signed in November 2022 by 15 regions.
    • “Regions’ views on the new EU Framework for Forest Monitoring and Strategic Plans”, signed in July 2023 by 17 regions from 4 countries.

ERIAFF FORESTED REGIONS POSITION PAPERS SIGNED SO FAR (JUNE 2024)

1. European Network of Forested Regions: Regions’ views on EU’s forestry-related policy initiatives
Date: Signed in September 2022

In recent years, the Commission has introduced several policy initiatives affecting the forestry sector in the Member States. While these initiatives mainly focus on nature conservation and protecting biodiversity, this position paper gives attention also to the economic and social importance of forestry in the regions, representing the views of the European Network of Forested Regions.

Supporting regions:

  1. Regional Government of Aragón, Spain
  2. Region of Basque Country, Spain
  3. The state of Bavaria, Germany
  4. Region of Campania, Italy
  5. Region of Castilla y Leon, Spain
  6. Region of Catalonia, Spain
  7. Region of Central-Ostrobothnia, Finland
  8. Region of the Centre-Val de Loire, France
  9. Regional Council of Central Finland Finland
  10. Counties of North Sweden Sweden
  11. Kainuu Region, Finland
  12. Region Kalmar, Sweden
  13. Region Kronoberg, Sweden
  14. The regional council of Lapland, Finland
  15. Region of North Karelia, Finland
  16. North Savo, Finland
  17. Region of Ostrobothnia, Finland
  18. Oulu Region, Finland
  19. Regional Council of Satakunta, Finland
  20. Region of South Karelia, Finland
  21. Region of South Ostrobothnia, Finland
  22. Region of Thüringen, Germany
  23. Prespa region, Republic of North Macedonia Greece
  24. Province of South Tyrol, Italy
  25. Tuscany Region, Italy
  26. Region of Western Macedonia, Greece Region Greece
  27. Östergötlands, Sweden

2. European Network of Forested Regions: Regions’ views on EU’s Nature restoration law
Date: Signed in November 2022

This position paper represents the views of the European Network of Forested Regions on the EU Nature Restoration law, which was proposed by the Commission in 2022. It highlights the concerns of the regional actors related to the initiative’s focus on nature conservation and biodiversity perspectives, and calls for a more balanced approach where also the social, economic and cultural aspects of forestry are taken into account.

Supporting regions:

  1. Region of Castilla y Leon, Spain
  2. Region of Basque Country, Spain
  3. Region of Central-Ostrobothnia, Finland
  4. Kainuu Region, Finland
  5. Region of Thüringen, Germany
  6. The regional council of Lapland, Finland
  7. Region of North Karelia, Finland
  8. North Savo, Finland
  9. South Savo, Finland
  10. Oulu Region, Finland
  11. Region of South Karelia, Finland
  12. Region of Catalonia, Spain
  13. Northern Sweden European Forum Sweden
  14. Region of Western Macedonia Greece
  15. Småland Blekinge Halland South Sweden Sweden

3. European Network of Forested Regions: Regions’ views on the new EU Framework for Forest Monitoring and Strategic Plans
Date: Signed in July 2023

In this position paper, the European Network of Forested Regions welcomes the EU’s initiative for the EU wide Framework for Forest Monitoring and Strategic Plans. This paper presents the regions’ views on the initiative, including e.g. its implementation and management of costs. Furthermore, it highlights the role of the regions in providing important forest expertise and calls for their active involvement in the design and implementation of a new European Forest Monitoring System.

Supporting regions:

  1. Ministry of Infrastructure and Agriculture, Free-State of Thuringia, Germany
  2. Bavaria region, Germany
  3. Region of North Karelia, Finland
  4. Region of South Karelia, Finland
  5. Region of South Savonia, Finland
  6. Region of North Savonia, Finland
  7. Lapland, Finland
  8. Region Halland, Sweden
  9. Region Kalmar län, Sweden
  10. Region Kronoberg, Sweden
  11. Region Jönköpings län, Sweden
  12. Region Blekinge, Sweden
  13. Region of Castilla y León, Spain
  14. La Rioja, Spain
  15. Islas Baleares, Spain
  16. Andalucía, Spain
  17. Region of the Basque Country, Spain

ERIAFF FORESTED REGIONS WORKING GROUP: REGIONS AND COUNTRIES REPRESENTED

  1. Region of Central-Ostrobothnia, Finland
  2. Regional Council of Central Finland Finland
  3. Kainuu Region, Finland Finland
  4. The regional council of Lapland, Finland
  5. Region of North Karelia, Finland
  6. Region of North Savo, Finland
  7. Region of South Savo, Finland
  8. Region of Ostrobothnia, Finland
  9. Oulu Region, Finland
  10. Regional Council of Satakunta, Finland
  11. Region of South Karelia, Finland
  12. Region of South Ostrobothnia, Finland
  13. Region of the Centre-Val de Loire, France
  14. The state of Bavaria, Germany
  15. Region of Thüringen, Germany
  16. Region of Western Macedonia, Greece Region Greece
  17. Prespa region, Republic of North Macedonia Greece
  18. Province of South Tyrol, Italy
  19. Region of Campania, Italy
  20. Tuscany Region, Italy
  21. Islas Baleares, Spain
  22. Region of Andalucía Spain
  23. Regional Government of Aragón, Spain
  24. Region of Basque Country, Spain
  25. Region of Castilla y Leon, Spain
  26. Region of Catalonia, Spain
  27. Region of Castilla la Mancha Spain
  28. Region of Galicia Spain
  29. La Rioja Spain
  30. Östergötlands, Sweden
  31. Småland Blekinge Halland South Sweden Sweden
  32. Region Kalmar Sweden
  33. Region Kronoberg, Sweden
  34. Region Jönköpings län, Sweden
  35. Counties of North Sweden Sweden
  36. Northern Sweden European Forum Sweden