Harmonisation

Harmonisation of European National Forest Inventories

Harmonising data from multiple National Forest Inventories (NFIs) is crucial for effective forest monitoring across borders. Unlike standardisation, which imposes uniform methods, harmonisation aligns key data categories and reporting practices while allowing countries to maintain their unique inventory approaches. This ensures that data remain accurate and relevant to national contexts while being comparable on a broader scale. Harmonised information also facilitates the integration of diverse data sources, informs policy decisions, and offers a cost-effective solution for countries with differing capacities. By balancing consistency with national flexibility, harmonisation plays a vital role in advancing sustainable forest management and addressing global environmental challenges.

ENFIN's experience in harmonising forest Information

ENFIN’s efforts to harmonise National Forest Inventory (NFI) parameters across Europe have been instrumental in providing consistent and comparable data on forest resources, essential for informed policy-making and sustainable forest management. A significant milestone in this endeavour was the initiation of COST Action E43 in 2004, titled "Harmonisation of National Forest Inventories in Europe: Techniques for Common Reporting." This collaborative effort involved over 30 countries and institutions, primarily from Europe, aiming to enhance existing NFIs by developing and agreeing upon common inventory definitions.

One of the primary achievements of COST Action E43 was the development of "reference definitions" to serve as a formal basis for harmonised reporting on general forest status and biodiversity. The initiative reached complete or partial consensus on 78 out of 99 inventory-related definitions. To address discrepancies between national definitions and these reference standards, methods known as "bridges" were formulated. These techniques adjust estimates based on local or national definitions to align with the agreed-upon reference definitions, thereby facilitating consistent reporting across different countries.

Building upon the foundation laid by COST Action E43, subsequent efforts have focused on specific aspects of forest inventories. For instance, a study involving 21 European NFIs implemented harmonization measures to provide consistent stem volume predictions, ensuring comparable forest resource estimates across nations. Additionally, the harmonisation of increment estimation methods has been explored, acknowledging the considerable differences in approaches among European NFIs and the challenges inherent in standardising these methods.

These collective efforts underscore the ongoing commitment to harmonising NFI parameters in Europe. By establishing common definitions, developing bridging methods, and addressing specific inventory components, ENFIN has made significant strides toward producing harmonised and comparable forest data. Such achievements are crucial for effective forest resource assessment, policy formulation, and the promotion of sustainable forest management practices across Europe. Read more on harmonisation in our Publications