Have you heard of FOREST, the new European partnership for forestry? As reported by KoWi, the new Horizon Europe co-funded partnership was launched in June 2026 to promote innovative solutions regarding forest-based value chains, with the aim of paving the path towards a sustainable European forestry.
The Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is in charge of coordinating this 10-year partnership. 100 institutions from 28 countries have already joined FOREST. The following German organisations are involved in the partnership:
- Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V.
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
- Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH
- Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für ländliche Räume, Wald und Fischerei
- Julius Kühn-Institut – Bundesforschungsinstitut für Kulturpflanzen
- Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Grant applications for the first call, “FORESTPathways – Building Knowledge and Solutions for Resilient Forests and Sustainable Forest-Based Futures,” can be submitted until December 2, 2026. The two-stage joint call includes the following four topics:
- TOPIC 1 – Climate-Resilient Forest Systems (“How forests function and respond to climate change”)
- TOPIC 2 – Adaptive and Multifunctional Forest Management Systems (“How forests should be managed under changing conditions”)
- TOPIC 3 – Timber and Innovative Wood-Based Products (“How wood is transformed into innovative products”)
- TOPIC 4 – Forest Value Chains, Markets and Governance (“How forest-based sectors, markets and governance are organised”)
The Federal Republic of Germany is involved in FORESTPathways through the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR).
Tap here to access the FOREST partnership webpage: https://forest-partnership.eu/jointcall2026/