CEPF RAS features in SINCERE project launching

Researching ecosystem services is one of the core trends of contemporary forest science, driven by growing society’s demands. Such services can be divided into supplying ones (mainly wood supply), ecological (climate and hydrological conditions regulation) and sociocultural (recreational etc.).

SINCERE project (Spurring Innovations for forest eCosystem SERvices in Europe) is aimed at substantial advancement of innovational mechanisms of rendering of ecosystem services of the forests in Europe and outside of it. Within projects’ framework novel policies and business models are to be developed, comprising trade-off between incompatible ecosystem services, allowing the largest economic benefits along with biodiversity preservation.

SINCERE is a four-year project funded through the European Commission’s H2020 programme, carried out by 22 organizations all over the world, including CEPF RAS:

European Forest Institute (EFI), Finland
Kobenhavns Universitet (UCPH), Denmark
Luonnonvarakeskus (LUKE), Finland
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium
Universita Degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD), Italy
Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya (CTFC), Spain
Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Indonesia
Prospex Institute VZW (PI), Belgium
IUCN, Bureau de Representation Aupres de L’Union Europeenne AISBL (IUCN EURO), Belgium
Centre de La Propietat Forestal (CPF), Spain
Ondersteunend Centrum van het Agentschap Voor Natuur en BOS (Natuurinvest), Belgium
Dansk Skovforening (DFA), Denmark
Etifor SRL (ETIFOR SRL), Italy
CONSORZIO PER LA TUTELA DELL INDICAZIONE GEOGRAFICA PROTETTA FUNGO DIBORGOTARO (BorgoVT), Italy
Conselho EMpresarial Para o Desenvolvimento Sustentavel (BCSDPortugal), Portugal
Javna Ustanova Park Prirode Medvednica (PINPM), Croatia
Superintendencia Nacional de Servicios de Saneamiento (SUNASS), Peru
Centre for Forest Ecology and Productivity of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia
Suomen Metsäkeskus – Finlands Skogscentral (SMK), Finland
Diputación Foral de Bizkaia (DFB), Spain
Pan Bern AG (Pan Bern AG), Switzerland
Universität Kassel (UNI KASSEL), Germany

On 24-25 of January 2018, 43 representatives from 11 countries met in Bonn, Germany for the kick-off meeting. CEPF RAS was represented by interim director Natalya Lukina and senior researcher from CEPF RAS laboratory of structural and functional organization and resilience of forest ecosystems Darya Tebenkova.

Leaders of work packages performed reviews of project’s main objectives and tasks for the future and leaders of regional case studies presented subjects and themes of future researches, covering various issues, such as biodiversity, carbon storage, spiritual services, mushroom picking and tourism. Mechanisms, such as auctions for ecosystem services, certification, leasing, new laws and participatory governance were also introduced. Concerning Russia, CEPF RAS plans an assessment of synergy effects and trade-offs between ecosystem services at forest grounds, tenanted by the equestrian club “Seraya loshad” (рус. “Серая лошадь”) in Nizhny Novgorod region. There are also negotiations taking place, about some other territories in Russia to become part of a project, such as Chavash Varmane National Park and several plots within protection forests of Karelia Republic. A cooperation with Volga State University of Technology and Forest Research Institute of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences is also intended.

All the reports pointed out the importance and timeliness of innovations implementation for sustainable utilization of forests’ ecosystem services, along with the discussions of supportive policy environment for the multipurpose forest exploitation in Europe and beyond.

Press-release of a kick-off meeting

Presentation of case studies in Russia