Europe’s forests are expanding!

In recent years,

they have been increasing on average

by 0.4 million hectares per year.

That’s almost half the size of Cyprus!

In total,

forests cover 38% of the EU’s land area.

They provide many services to society.

For example,

forests absorb CO2 from the atmosphere,

offer areas for recreation,

provide habitats for flora and fauna,

and help regulate water.

European forests also provide

an important renewable resource:

wood.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre

has analysed the woody biomass in EU forests.

The findings can help decision-makers

ensure wood harvesting is balanced

with other forest ecosystem services.

The study found that EU forests

available for wood supply

stock 16 billion tonnes of biomass

and grow by 444 million tonnes every year.

According to estimates,

the wood harvested every year

is equivalent to 63% of the new wood grown.

As a result,

the total woody biomass in EU forests is increasing.

However,

several statistics can and need to be improved.

For example,

small-scale loggings are often not reported.

And national statistics are not always aligned.

The Commission is working with Member States

to harmonise data

and make statistics comparable across the EU.

Robust and up to date information on wood removal

is needed to properly assess the state of EU forests.

Balancing wood provision

with the other ecosystem services provided by forests

will ensure their sustainable management

as part of a sustainable and circular bioeconomy.

Download the full brief

and discover more

at the Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy’s website.