What is the value of forests? Silva 2015 and European Forest Week are searching for answers

What is the value of forests, from forest products markets to payments for ecosystem services? These will be some of the key issues discussed at Silva2015 and the 3rd European Forest Week, held in the Alpine village of Engelberg, Switzerland, from 2-6 November. The debates will review practical examples such as the implementation of the Rovaniemi Action Plan for the Forest Sector in a Green Economy at national and international levels. Over 200 international delegates, including government representatives, forest owners, businesses, environmental NGOs, academics and students from Europe, the Russian Federation, Central Asia, the Caucasus and North America will participate in the sessions and the 25 side and parallel events.

Silva 2015 is a joint session of the UNECE Committee on Forests and the Forest Industry and the FAO European Forestry Commission, where the member states will review and give guidance to the work related to forest monitoring and reporting, forest products markets, communication as well as capacity building. The meeting will provide an opportunity for the participants to make an impact on pan European and global discussions related to forests, share the best practices and engage with other stakeholders.

The European Forest Week is organized for the third time, following the example from Rovaniemi, Finland (2013) and from Rome, Italy (2008). The European Forest Week 2015 main message stresses that “Sustainable forest management is the key to healthy forests and healthy societies”, and calls all interested partners to raise awareness of the importance of forests by organizing their own events all over Europe.