Database on Forest Disturbances in Europe

The Database on Forest Disturbances in Europe (DFDE) provides historic information about disturbances in the forests of Europe. 

The first version of the DFDE was launched on the EFI website in 2002, containing data until the year 2000. A synthesis of this information is published in Schelhaas et al. (2003). Since then, the database has not been maintained or updated. In the I-Maestro project, the database has been redesigned and published again (2020), and efforts are ongoing to update the contents, with a focus on the period 2000-2020. Access to the database is free.

Disturbance is defined as the occurrence of an event that causes unforeseen loss of living forest biomass or events that decrease the value or potential value of the wood or forest stand. The majority of disturbances are caused by natural agents, but also human-induced impacts like air pollution are taken into account. 

The information in this database is collected by means of a literature review, both from scientific papers as well as from "grey" literature. 

Use the database

Reference: Schelhaas, M.J., Nabuurs, G.J., Schuck, A., 2003. Natural disturbances in the European forests in the 19th and 20th centuries. Global Change Biology 9(11), p. 1620-1633.