INTERCEDE’s 2nd Transdisciplinary Forum highlights the power of diversity for Europe’s forests
Like a living ecosystem, the INTERCEDE 2nd Transdisciplinary Forum demonstrated that strength grows from diversity. The two-day gathering, held in Porto, Portugal, on April 28 and 29, united a wide range of perspectives, nationalities, experiences, and expertise, creating an environment rich in possibilities for learning and evolution. Organised by the Prospex Institute, the forum convened INTERCEDE partners and stakeholders in Porto with a shared objective of turning dialogue into action for forest landscapes.
The Transdisciplinary Forum is a central platform within the INTERCEDE project, designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and innovation across traditionally separate fields. Participants came from a wide range of backgrounds, spanning research, practice, policy, and innovation. From forest owners and advisors to scientists, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and value chain actors, each participant engaged individually, enriching the discussions with real world experience, academic insight, and diverse societal views.
The agenda was deliberately hands on, using workshops, breakout sessions, roundtables, and panel discussions to foster meaningful cross-learning. Practitioner and scientific perspectives were interwoven throughout the programme, including sessions on scaling restoration from land to landscape, market-based instruments for forest ecosystem services across Europe, ecosystem design and services, and policy labs focused on transforming forest policy into actionable incentives. A mini hackathon invited participants to co create a scalable model for forest market mechanisms, reinforcing collaboration across disciplines and sectors.
The forum also featured practitioner deep dives, such as reforestation pathways across Europe with a focus on Bulgaria, and creative moments including the presentation of the trailer for INTERCEDE’s short film Where Roots Run Deep. The film, led by the European Forest Institute, in collaboration with filmmaker Huw James, highlights the Danish Climate Forest Fund and its multi stakeholder approach to financing afforestation and rewetting projects, reflecting the collaborative spirit at the heart of the forum.
Throughout the event, challenges were openly addressed and diverse views exchanged, generating valuable insights to help shape both the INTERCEDE project and the future of forests. Together with the project’s Transdisciplinary Working Group and bioregional approach, the forum strengthens engagement with national and regional policy actors through workshops and online interaction, ensuring that ideas developed in Porto continue to grow and take root across Europe.
About INTERCEDE:
INTERCEDE is exploring and evaluating existing market-based instruments across Europe for socially optimal forest ecosystem services (FES) provision. Engaging with the project’s potential end-users via its stakeholder forum, the Transdisciplinary Forum, INTERCEDE will highlight MBI that are adaptable, scalable, and effective in promoting FES. These MBI should support forest and land owners and small- and medium- enterprises to create financially viable and socially beneficial solutions for both forest owners and the broader community.
