ForestPathways – Building Knowledge and Solutions for Resilient Forests and Sustainable Forest-Based Futures

The FOREST Joint Call 2026 – ForestPathways supports transnational research and innovation activities across the spectrum from fundamental research to applied research and, where appropriate, demonstration activities. Projects are expected to generate new knowledge, develop practical solutions, and contribute to implementation in policy, management or industry contexts, while considering the diversity of forests and the forest-based sector.

Applicants must select the single topic that best reflects the primary focus of their proposal. Proposals may address multiple topics but will be evaluated and ranked under one primary topic.

TOPIC 1 – Climate-Resilient Forest Systems: “How forests function and respond to climate change”

This topic supports research and innovation addressing the resilience, adaptive capacity, and long-term sustainability of forest ecosystems under changing environmental conditions, including climate change and increasing disturbance pressures. It aims to strengthen the scientific basis for climate-resilient forest systems and support their adaptation and mitigation to climate change, within broader environmental and socioeconomic contexts.

Proposals should address, where relevant, carbon dynamics measurement, monitoring and assessment of carbon stocks and sinks; adaptation pathways and strategies; forest ecosystem processes and dynamics; disturbance regimes, including wildfires and other abiotic and biotic disturbances, pests and diseases; landscape-level interactions and spatial dynamics; and genetic diversity and adaptive capacity, including assisted migration.

TOPIC 2 – Adaptive and Multifunctional Forest Management Systems: “How forests should be managed under changing conditions”

This topic supports research and innovation focused on the implementation of adaptive and multifunctional forest management systems that enhance resilience, sustainability, and the provision of multiple ecosystem services. It aims to support forest management approaches capable of responding to ecological change, disturbance risks, and evolving environmental, economic, and societal demands.

Proposals should address, where relevant, silvicultural systems and management approaches supporting resilient and multifunctional forests; sustainable harvesting and wood mobilisation methods; monitoring, assessment and planning tools for adaptive management; integration of forest genetic resources into management strategies; operational, digital and technical innovations; risk reduction and adaptation strategies; and trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services.

TOPIC 3 – Timber and Innovative Wood-Based Products: “How wood is transformed into innovative products”

This topic supports research and innovation on the development, performance, and uptake of timber and innovative wood-based products contributing to decarbonisation and the circular bioeconomy. It aims to advance the development and market uptake of sustainable wood-based products and systems, supporting the substitution of fossil-based and carbon-intensive materials and contributing to low-carbon construction and manufacturing.

Proposals should address, where relevant, engineered timber and timber construction systems; high-value wood-based products, chemicals and materials; substitution of fossil-based and other carbon-intensive materials; more sustainable alternatives to polluting wood treatments and processing practices; standardisation, testing and certification; circular and resource-efficient use of wood-based products; innovative use of underutilised softwood and hardwood species; innovative manufacturing technologies; and approaches to increase market demand and consumer acceptance and uptake.

TOPIC 4 – Forest Value Chains, Markets and Governance: “How forest-based sectors, markets and governance are organised”

This topic supports research and innovation strengthening the resilience, sustainability, and functioning of forest-based value chains, markets, and governance systems, supporting the transition towards a sustainable and circular forest-based bioeconomy. It aims to support resilient, sustainable, competitive, and innovative forest-based value chains and governance systems capable of responding to environmental, economic, and societal transitions.

Proposals should address, where relevant, forest-based value chains and market organisation; innovative business models, economic viability and investment readiness; policy, regulatory and governance instruments; barriers to market uptake and innovation deployment; cascading use, circularity and efficient resource use; skills, labour, education and workforce development; and European resilience in sustainable raw material supply, value chains, local processing capacities and forest-based economies.

The topics provide strategic direction and facilitate evaluation. They are not exhaustive and do not restrict the submission of innovative or cross-cutting proposals aligned with the overall objectives of the call.

Full information on the FOREST Joint Call 2026 – ForestPathways, including the Call Announcement, Funder Regulations, application documents, information webinar, networking and partnering opportunities, and access to the Electronic Submission and Evaluation System (ESES), is available on the official Joint Call website:

https://forest-partnership.eu/jointcall2026

Applicants should consult the Joint Call website regularly for additional and updated information.

General enquiries concerning the Joint Call should be addressed to the FOREST Call Office:

calloffice-jc2026@forest-partnership.eu

Technical enquiries concerning ESES:

ptj-forest-calls@ptj.de