Cepi welcomes and encourages all efforts to further increase the knowledge base on European forests and forest resources and improve the quality (including timeliness of information), accuracy and comparability of forest-related data available at EU level. Improving the knowledge and factual databaseon European forests is the first necessary step to address the challenges that come with climate change.
However, monitoring alone is not enough to achieve healthy and resilient forests: adequate investments in forest management and implementation of evidence-based policies are also needed.
The European pulp and paper industry, together with other parts of the forest-based sector, contributes to the viability of sustainable and active forest management. The industry embraces effective reforestation, ensures regeneration of harvested areas, contributes to safeguarding biodiversity and supports active restoration of forests degraded by natural disturbances such as fires, storms, drought or pest outbreaks.
Cepi has reviewed the draft EU Forest Monitoring regulation and would like to bring the messages to the attention of the policymakers.
The full document can be found here.