Between values and valuations - welcome to a dialogue on the future role of forests

Forests are in many aspects in the epicentre of global development.

Not only are they home to a multitude of species, but the ecosystems also provide us with products and services that play a pivotal role for human wellbeing.

Several national and international laws and regulations have been adopted in the last couple of years to ensure healthy forest ecosystems.

Today, conflicting or diverging stories diffuse the overview of the socio-ecological system of the forest, for instance by focusing strongly on the forest as a habitat, carbon storage or timber supply.

Effective, knowledge-based decision-making requires access to information in a format that enables an overview over the whole sphere of concern, in order to balance between different values.

This project aims to embody different stories on the values of the forest and how these can be managed, in the format of a film and a seminar series.

The film will underpin the seminar series, which aims to foster engaging dialogues on how to improve the balancing of the different values of the forest.

As a scientific framing, the concept of ecosystem services will be used to structure different aspects of the values of forests.

The project targes a broad group of actors encompassing decision-makers with a strong interest in climate and sustainability issues related to forests, such as politician, the forestry sector, landowners, reindeer herders, and actors engaged in nature conservation.