Photo by:
K. Miłkowski
Forests provide multiple direct and indirect benefits to people and the planet
EFI explores how forests help improve physical, mental, and social health, foster social inclusion, and offer spaces for recreation, education, and cultural practices. We study how forests provide essential ecosystem services to rural and urban communities, and how we can support them to continue to do so.
How to generate income from forests?
Wood still funds most European forestry, but diverse ecosystem services need stronger financial support through policy, markets and incentives.
- Forests and people
Wildly diverse: How Europeans vary in their views on forest landscapes
Do Europeans prefer wild or cultivated forests? A pan-European survey shows preferences vary by age, gender, place of residence, and region.
- Forests and people
Geolocating plots of land
A guide for cooperatives and other actors on supporting the collection of geolocation information of farmers – covering why, how, and data ownership.
- Forests and people
Publications
Know your plot: the importance of geolocation for farmers
Why farmers should know the exact geolocation of their plots, and how this data can be collected.
- Forests and people
Overview of some commonly used mobile apps for collecting geolocation information
An overview of key features, accessibility and usability of six commonly used free tools for collecting plot-level geolocation information.
- Forests and people
Farmer-managed natural regeneration: Helping trees regrow naturally on your land
This infographic outlines the steps farmers can take to help naturally regrowing trees on their lands to survive and thrive.
- Forests and people
Ecosystem services and disservices of forests and greenspaces
How do Europeans value forests and greenspaces? A study across 33 countries maps regional, demographic, and value-based differences.
- Forests and people
News and blogs
How to measure your impact on nature: CircHive launches biodiversity footprinting guidance and decision tree
CircHive launches two resources to help organisations understand and measure their impact on nature.
- Forests and people
The forest that refused the rulebook
Journalists, scientists and forest experts explore how different perspectives shape decisions on forest health and post-disturbance management in…
- Forests and people
Discovering biodiversity, one tree at a time
Discover how tree microhabitats reveal biodiversity – and how citizen scientists in Germany can help protect it with PlanBIO.
- Forests and people
Upcoming events
Voices of the Mediterranean Forests: Media Workshop on Forest Genetic Resources
A Mediterranean workshop uniting journalists and scientists to communicate forest genetic resources through storytelling.
30 November 2026 – 2 December 2026
- Forests and people
Projects on this theme
PlanBIO
PlanBIO combines research and citizen engagement to improve biodiversity knowledge and inform conservation and landscape planning.
- Forests and people
INTERCEDE
Incentivising future forest ecosystem services and incomes in Europe
- Sustainable economy
- Forests and people
- Forests and people
- Forests and people
Green4Care
Green4C is a three-year project innovating and promoting nature-based health and social care through university-business alliances.
- Forests and people
