A timber truck fully loaded with logs drives over a very simple wooden bridge in a forest.

Institute of

WF Forestry

Ongoing Projects · Forestry Worldwide

Carbon Leak

In the Carbon Leak project, we are analyzing the effects of German and European climate protection measures on global agricultural and timber markets and of the potential leakage effects on emissions. The increased requirements for the emission balance of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) and agriculture sectors adopted in the German Climate Protection Act and related EU legislation may lead to a significant reduction in timber harvesting as well as agricultural production in Germany and Europe. Such changes suggest significant market effects, such as decreasing production ...

CITIZEN-SDSS

The remaining Philippine forests are threatened by deforestation, forest degradation and climate change. They are also important for the wellbeing of the local population as well as being a global biodiversity hotspot. This project aims to foster nature-based solutions by including local stakeholder aspirations into land use planning and combining it with a spatial decision support system which shall allow for more sustainable forest management.

Cloud Forests Mexico

Secondary cloud forests are gaining increased importance. Given the high ecological significance of cloud forests, specifically in the tropics, their re-establishment and the use of secondary cloud forests needs an improved scientific basis. This project uses the case of Mexico to asses challenges and benefits of their management, to study their ecology and based on this provide recommendations for their sustainable management.

COPE (with) EUDR - Enterprise Survey on Compliance Practice

In order to comply with the requirements of the EU Regulation on deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR), companies based in the EU must meet numerous requirements. It is not yet clear how costly compliance will be for companies and how this compares to the benefits.

Deforestation-free and legal supply chains

The new EU Regulation to curb trade in products linked to deforestation, forest degradation and illegality (short: EUDR) was adopted in May 2023. The present project supports the political negotiations and implementation process of the EU regulation and assesses the implementation challenges and impacts for market participants, control authorities and producers.

EUDR Effects

EUDR Effects aims to assess effects of the EUDR on soy and cattle production in and between Brazil and Paraguay in order to evaluate whether this regulation has the potential to reduce deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.

Forest Policy Coherence and Expenditures (ForCE)

Climate change is increasingly impacting agrifood systems, including forests and other natural resources, intensifying hunger and poverty. Effective forest policy and its implementation are vital in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement objectives. Globally, forest-related climate finance has almost doubled from 2015 to 2019. Yet, financing into nature, especially in the contexts of forests, remain inadequate and underreported. In addition, there is hardly systematic information available how public expenditures for forest finance align with national policies ...

GEOS-EUDR

The aim of the research project is to contribute to the improved feasibility of the EUDR in the field of geolocalization and the detection of deforestation and forest degradation using remote sensing and geocomputation.

RiMoDi - risk-based monitoring service

RiMoDi entwickelt einen risikobasierten Monitoring-Dienst zur Überprüfung der Entwaldungs- und Waldschädigungsfreiheit von Produkten, die von deutschen Marktbeteiligten auf dem Unionsmarkt gemäß EU-Verordnung (EU) 2023/1115 (kurz: EUDR) bereitgestellt werden.

Smallholder-Teak

Smallholder timber plantations in the tropics can provide sustainable timber supply chains and other ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and soil conservation, benefiting both local communities and broader regions. Developing smallholder agroforestry with teak and other valuable trees improves environmental conditions and timber supply for local industries.

TeStaMoni-FLR

This project aims to improve the large-scale monitoring of Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) by aligning technically feasible methods with the priorities of diverse stakeholders. With a duration of 24 months, the project will develop, refine, and assess monitoring approaches that are not only scientifically robust but also relevant to the needs of donors, governments, and local communities involved in the AFR100 initiative.

Completed Projects · Forestry Worldwide

AFOB-Madagascar

The forests in Madagascar are of great importance for nature conservation, as they are home to a variety of endemic species. However, we are witnessing alarming deforestation and forest degradation. At the same time, the local population depends on forests to secure their livelihood through firewood and other ecosystem services. The comprehensive analysis of existing reforestation areas as well as the identification of drivers of deforestation serve as a basis for decision-making in order to optimize effective measures to prevent further deforestation.

Contribution to close-to-nature private (small-scale) forest management and support to FLEGT/VPA process in Vietnam

Increasing rotation ages of Acacia mangium plantations in Vietnam: What are the implications for sustainable forest management and rural livelihoods?

Deforestation-free supply chains – Opportunities & Limits of private sector's initiatives

The deforestation-free production of agricultural commodities has moved into the focus of civil society since the connection between industrial agriculture and the loss of tropical forests has reached public awareness.

Forest dependency and livelihoods

People conducting subsistence oriented livelihood strategies are usually dependent on forest resources. Why do they use the forest resource more or less intensive? How can they overcome this forest dependency?

Forest Restoration

Restoring forest lands at the landscape level contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) e.g. hunger, poverty, well-being and life on land especially in poor communities of sub-Saharan Africa.

Forestry under a global climate regime

To still meet the 2-degree target of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the reduction of emissions from industry and energy industry is not sufficient alone. Emissions from deforestation, especially in the tropics, and unsustainable land uses play a crucial role at global scale.

Forests in Climate Negotiations - Research for Negotiating 2.0

The international community has adopted a global climate agreement in Paris in December 2015. From 2020 onwards, all countries commited themselves to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to keep global warming well below 2 ° C. Forests will play an important role in this context.

Global deforestation patterns

Is there a recurring pattern in the development of the forest areas of the world? Such a pattern could be useful for predictions and could help to reduce emissions from deforestation.

Landscape Forestry in the Tropics

LaForeT schätzt den Einfluss monetärer Anreizsysteme und von Governance-Instrumenten auf räumliche und zeitliche Muster der Landnutzung sowie die Auswirkungen auf Waldbedeckung, Kohlenstoffspeicherung, Parameter der Baumarten-Diversität sowie die Existenzgrundlagen der lokalen Bevölkerung ab.

Natural Forest Management

The conservation of tropical forests is of international concern, to which also Germany is committed. To reduce the pace of tropical forest destruction we analyse approaches for a sustainable utilization of remaining natural forests and their rehabilitation – among other countries - in Vietnam, Nepal and Suriname.

Payments for Ecosystem Services

The Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) approach aims at valuating services of natural ecosystems and providing land users with income opportunities. Such an incentive mechanism for the preservation of ecosystems and for the continuous supply of their services could be an essential element for the protection of tropical forests.

Poverty and deforestation

What influences deforestation and forest degradation in poor tropical countries? Our research interest is focussed on rural areas with subsistence-oriented populations, where poverty goes along with deforestation and forest degradation.

REDD using the example of Madagascar: a Mechanism for tropical forests

Approximately 16% of the anthropogenic global greenhouse gas emissions originate from deforestation and forest degradation. Therefore, the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) plays an important role in the international climate negotiations.

Sustainable Buffer Zone Management of Forests in Ghana

More than 13 million hectares of tropical forests are destroyed every year. In Ghana we analyse approaches for a sustainable utilization of remaining natural forests. We deliberately involve the local population on one hand for the protection of the forests, on the other hand to provide sources of income for the people.

Sustainable Forest Plantations in Ghana

There is a huge international market demand for tropical timber. It mainly origins from natural forests which are endangered in their survival. Timber production in forest plantations could reduce the pressure from natural forests and simultaneously can contribute to future supply on the tropical timber market.

Sustainable Management of Forest Genetic Resources in Ecuador

Ambitious reforestation efforts are ongoing in Ecuador. Plantations proceed contuinuousely and mostly consist of Pinus and Eucalyptus. The silvicultural potential of native tree species diversity and socio-economic conditions for their sustainable management is analysed.

The role of forests in emission reduction pledges (INDC) of relevant Non-Annex I-parties

The international community has committed itself to adopt a global climate agreement in Paris in 2015, which shall enter into force in 2020 and shall be legally-binding for all. In advance of the negotiations, parties shall submit the so-called Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), providing the voluntary national emission reduction pledges post 2020. For the purposes of § 14 of the Lima Call for Climate Action parties may also provide information on whether and in what manner removals are taken into account. Removals are synonymous for the land use (LU) sector that can serve ...

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