EIP-AGRI Brochure on Creating diverse forests with multiple benefits

Healthy forests have many functions. They purify the air we breathe and filter the water we drink. Forests give us wood to build furniture or houses and they also provide raw material for energy production and the bio-based industry. They can produce mushrooms, chestnuts, berries or game for us to eat, protect the plants and animals living in them and decrease the impact of climate change. They also form an important part of the economy, by providing jobs and a source of income for many people both in rural areas where the forests grow and in cities where the final products are used. Finally, forests have an important cultural function as people can also spend time in them and enjoy the beauty of the landscape. Sustainable forest management is key to maintaining the various functions forests offer to society. Today, forest managers have to face a number of challenges such as the impact of climate change, an increasing demand for raw materials or a growing international competition.