WW-Net COMPETING USES OF FOREST LAND? The future of integrative and segregative policy and forest management approaches in Europe

The demand for biofuels has rapidly increased during the last few years and it is estimated that this trend will continue. Underlying reasons are the rising costs of fossil fuels,peaking of oil production in many of the major producing countries as well a s the political instability in importaant producing countries. In addition to economic reasons for the substitution of fossil fuels, other reasons to foster a fuel switch relate to environmental pollution which is associated with high external costs, impa irment of ecosystem services and very high risks caused by possible climate change resulting from massive greenhouse gas emissions caused by the combustion of fossil fuels. This has created a rapidly increasing demand for bioenergy based on forest reso urces.The core objective of this project is to analyze, compare and evaluate different forest management approaches related to the issue of bioenergy production in sustainably managed forests of six selected, very heterogeneous European countries (Finland , Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey), with special focus on the demands and constraints towards bioenergy production and related policy objectives at the national and at the European level. The research in each of the respective countries wil l be linked to the common research objectives, and will allow for a broad comparison with the situation of the other partner countries of the project. This approach allows the identification and comparison of important regional questions in the context of the WoodWisdom call objectives.