Start of the new COST Action DSS4ES

Forests are significant part of the landscape and every management decision in the forest affects the landscape as well, and vice versa, management decision in surrounding landscape affects the forests.There is thus a need for an integrated DSS framework that addresses all objectives of sustainable forest management in the landscape appropriately by linking all mutual relations between forests and surrounding landscape. Such an integrated DSS framework will require the consideration of information and approaches from different rural and landusing activities and sectors. In this context, the integration of the knowledge from various DSS (developed for farming, animal husbandry, forestry, ecosystem management) will be an excellent starting point for advancing toward an integrated system for sustainable assessing the provision of ecosystem service (ES) at landscape scale, including provision of resources for bio-based economic activities, protection and regulation, or cultural services.

A new COST Action “Integrated DSS for delivery of ecosystem services based on EU forest policies (DSS4ES)" with the reference number CA22141 is going to start by 29th of Septermber 2023, with the main goal to establish a research network for facilitating the conceptualisation and development of new methodological approaches in decision support systems including the relation between forests and the landscape. The emphasis is on screening, evaluating and proposing existing and future tools to support holistic planning approaches to increase sustainable forest management, considering various ecosystem services and products addressing the associated risks and uncertainties. More details can be found here: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA22141/

When you are interested to participate please consider the following items:

• Read the Project Description MoU
• Inform the Main Proposer/Chair of your interest (email)
• Apply to join your Working Groups of interest
• COST National Contact Points will provide potential nominations for the Management Committee

The Action will be carried out in accordance with the set of COST Implementation Rules approved by the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO), or any document amending or replacing them.