Policy Brief: Forest soil challenges in Europe : solutions through sustainable forest management and monitoring

Abstract

Summary of the messages 1. Further measurements and sharing of soil data, models, and expertise are needed to reduce uncertainty in carbon stock changes in GHG inventories. 2. Enhancing soil carbon sequestration on mineral soils and reducing emissions on peatlands can help meet LULUCF climate targets in the EU. 3. Reducing harvests, increasing stocking density and extending rotation length, as well as sustainable post fire management practices, can increase soil carbon stock. 4. Partial peatland hydrology restoration and emission reduction in drained peatland forests can be combined with timber production through continuous cover forestry, avoiding further ditching. 5. Forest restoration to more resilient mixed and broadleaf dominated stands enhances adaptation to climate change. 6. Readily available methods for assessing soil biodiversity, functional redundancy, and community resilience facilitate implementation of the proposed Soil Monitoring Law.