Transforming Forest Landscapes for Future Climates and Human Well-Being

TF Transforming Forest Landscapes for Future Climates and Human Well-Being

Task Force Coordinator:

Andreas Bolte, Germany

Deputies:

Mercy Afua Adutwumwaa Derkyi, Ghana

Palle Madsen, Denmark

Stephanie Mansourian, Switzerland

John Stanturf, United States

Forest landscapes (FLs), dominated by forests and often embedded with other land uses, contribute to many sustainable development goals (SDGs) and provide multiple essential ecosystem services (ES). These include provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services. In particular, for rural populations, FLs are often the basis for the local economy and social identity. However, FLs are under pressure from the loss and degradation of forest area and conversion to other land uses, as well as environmental and climate change. As a result, societies worldwide may face diminishing levels of ecosystem services from FLs on a global scale. Combined strategies for FL preservation, restoration and adaptive management are needed to prevent significant losses of FL ecosystems and their benefits.


In the face of these challenges, the new IUFRO Task Force is dedicated to providing the scientific basis for transforming FLs to climate-resilient land-use systems that fulfil the complete spectrum of ecosystem service (ES) requirements of current and future societies. This includes the following activities in collaboration with local professionals and stakeholders:

  • Designs of scenarios and projections for future FL development under climate change scenarios and varying societal requirements for different regions of the globe,
  • Explore best practice approaches (BPA) covering the sociopolitical, ecological and economic dimensions of landscape transitions, and
  • Develop suitable FL outreach and education materials as well as Research and Development (R&D) schemes to be implemented on the ground and addressing the needs of different stakeholder groups.

The TF will include and continue major elements and achievement of the former TF on ‘Forest Adaptation and Restoration under Global Change’. This includes


Send comments to Andreas Bolte (Task Force Coordinator)