Why a European NFIs Network?
Forests play a vital role in a variety of sectors by sequestering carbon, preserving biodiversity, protecting water and soil resources, and supporting livelihoods. These essential functions experience increasing pressures under global change. Forest monitoring is critical for understanding the state of forest ecosystems. Continuous monitoring enables the detection of such changes in forests over time. National Forest Inventories are comprehensive monitoring systems that in some countries date back over 100 years. Their monitoring designs are developed to provide statistically sound estimates, which are essential for effective policy making and sustainable resource management. National Forest Inventories (NFIs) are essential tools for assessing and managing forest resources, playing a pivotal role in addressing the challenges posed by global environmental change. NFIs provide comprehensive, systematic data on forest composition, health, biomass, carbon stocks, and biodiversity.
With increasing cooperation between countries and challenges on forests posed by global change, the need for cross-national information on European forests has increased, too. Yet, with their differing designs catered to national conditions comparing NFI data as they are can be difficult. This led to the idea of binding efforts between European National Forest Inventories towards National data that can be interpreted across Europe.
In 2003, several representatives of European NFIs gathered in Vienna to establish ENFIN – the European National Forest Inventory Network. Over the years, more and more Members joined the Network that counts 30 Members across Europe.
ENFIN Association
The more than 30 European organisations in charge of National Forest Inventories (NFIs), have been working in collaboration through the voluntary network (ENFIN) since 2003. Building on their experience and willing to strengthen the role the network has been playing for many years in developing science, technology and governance on the European level, the members established a formal ENFIN Association on October 14, 2024. The association is registered in France where the office will be established.
The ENFIN Association will work towards better harmonised forest information and help NFIs collectively contribute to European and international debates on a wide range of forest related policies.
ENFIN’s vision is for a Europe where forests thrive and hence contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation. The association will work towards European Forest Monitoring by providing a discussion forum for bodies responsible for NFIs in Europe and strengthening their outreach through enhanced visibility and credibility to their products that support the development of forest related policies. ENFIN’s core values are a transparent approach and scientific rigour to its work while serving societal needs.
During its inaugural meeting, 18 organisations became founding members, with several others expected to join shortly. ENFIN Association also offers partnership for other organisations that want to promote the aims of the association.
Founding organisations
Austria – Federal research and training centre for forests, natural hazards and landscape
Denmark – Ministry of green transition
Finland – LUKE
France - IGN
Germany – Thünen instititute
Iceland – Land and forest
Ireland – Forest service, department of agriculture, food and marines
Italy – Academy of forest sciences
Latvia – State forest research institute (SILAVA)
Lithuania – State forest service, NFI department
The Netherlands – WENR
Norway – Norwegian Institute of bioeconomy research
Poland – Bureau of forest management and geodesy
Romania – National Institute for research and development in forestry
Slovenia – Slovenian forest institute
Sweden – SLU
Switzerland – Federal institute for forest, snow and landscape research, WSL
Ukraine – Ukrainian state forest management planning association Board members
For BFW, Austria, Alexandra Freudenschuss
For NIBIO, Norway, Johannes Breidenbach
For IGN, France Nicolas Paparoditis
For SLU, Sweden, Mats Nilsson
For WSL, Switzerland, Christoph Fischer
For Academy of Forest sciences, Italy, Gherardo Ghirici
For WENR, The Netherlands, Gert-Jan Nabuurs
For Thünen instititute, Germany, Thomas Riedel
ENFIN Association Chair : Kari T. Korhonen, LUKE, Finland
Vice-Chair : Alexandra Freudenschuss, BFW, Austria
Secretariat : Manuel Fulchiron, IGN, France
ENFIN Network Chair: Iciar Alberdi
