Forest ecosystems cover 42 % of the European Union’s total land area and strong efforts have been made to facilitate an increase of multiple forest ecosystem services to form robust forest stands. However, all ecosystems recently have been hit by rapidly changing climatic conditions, e.g. long lasting droughts, heavy rain events, frequent and intensive storms, pests and forest fires. To address this within future silviculture management concepts, forest operations and wood supply, all stakeholders along the Forest Wood Value Chain will need to form a common idea of future forest management, while none of them can increase its benefit without harming another one. Therefore, four Case Studies Regions will be established, following Europe’s biogeographical regions, to study climate-resilient silvicultural management practices and new methods of seeding and planting by the application of an own engineered topsoil cover based on wood fibres. Corresponding forest operations and concepts of actions in case of disturbances will be developed under selected sustainability criteria. Stakeholders will be activated in the participative process of socio-economic studies. The information will be consolidated in Dynamic Value Chain Model to assess the impact of the Forest-Wood Value Chain on regional development quantified by a set of economic, environmental and social indicators. The newly developed Multi-Criteria Decision Support System visualises decision-making by comparing Sustainable Forest Management, synergies and trade-offs of Forest Ecosystems, reliable wood supply, and stakeholder interests through FWVC indicators of social, economic, and environmental dimensions, by applying methods of Goal Programming. The easy-to-use software application will be available for Forest-Wood Value Chain stakeholders globally. All ONEforest results will be implemented in new Model Forests, being part of the International Model Forest Network for regional adapted forest management concept.

Cynergy4MIE is a visionary project poised to revolutionize Europe's industrial landscape by bridging the gap between foundational technology layers, cross-sectional technologies, and key application areas. The project addresses the pressing need for efficient resource utilization and synergy creation across ecosystems. By actively managing requirements from various key application areas, Cynergy4MIE aims to steer developments in foundational technology layers and cross-sectional technologies, enabling unparalleled collaboration and resource optimization. This approach promises faster time-to-market, efficient resource utilization, and enhanced technological exchange between key application areas. Cynergy4MIE's strategy aligns with the EU's agenda and emphasizes urgency, resilience, technological partnerships, and cross-domain integration to champion European competitiveness. The project's long-term impact rests on embracing urgency, fostering competitive resilience, strengthening technological partnerships, harnessing ecosystem synergies, promoting cross-domain integration, advancing AI competence, prioritizing sustainability, enhancing productivity, and ensuring user-centric digitalization while forming strategic alliances. Cynergy4MIE envisions a future where emergent cyber-physical systems serve human-centric needs, drive domain convergence, and secure Europe's position as a global technology leader.

Global environmental issues, social inequality and geopolitical changes will pose numerous problems for our society in the future. To face these new challenges and deal with them, there is a need to understand and appropriately utilize new digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and biotechnologies. A-IQ Ready proposes cutting-edge quantum sensing, edge continuum orchestration of AI and distributed collaborative intelligence technologies to implement the vision of intelligent and autonomous ECS for the digital age. Quantum magnetic flux and gyro sensors enable highest sensitivity and accuracy without any need for calibration, offer unmatched properties when used in combination with a magnetic field map. Such a localization system will enhance the timing and accuracy of the autonomous agents and will reduce false alarms or misinformation by means of AI and multi-agent system concepts. As a priority, the communication guidance and decision making of groups of agents need to be based on cutting-edge technologies. Edge continuum orchestration of AI will allow decentralizing the development of applications, while ensuring an optimal use of the available resources. Combined with the quantum sensors, the edge continuum will be equipped with innovative, multi-physical capabilities to sense the environment, generating “slim” but accurate measurements. Distributed intelligence will enable emergent behavior and massive collaboration of multiple agents towards a common goal. By exploring the synergies of these cutting-edge technologies through civil safety and security, digital health, smart logistics for supply chains and propulsion use cases, A-IQ Ready will provide the basis for the digital society in Europe based on values, moving towards the ideal of Society 5.0.

ForPeat is an ambitious research project that will advance science-based approaches to optimise the management of forested peatland. At its core, the project will showcase innovative, sustainable forest practices and nature restoration goals on peat soils, focusing on rewetting and water conservation techniques. These demonstrations will serve as Open Labs, illustrating how to balance climate positivity with biodiversity enhancement. A key aspect of ForPeat assesses the carbon sequestration benefits of forested peatlands in relation to their management and how forest harvesting impacts nutrient cycles, sediment movement, dissolved organic carbon exports from forest peat soils and biodiversity. This comprehensive analysis will provide crucial indicators and baselines to maximise climate change mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. To stay at the forefront of environmental monitoring, ForPeat will integrate AI and robotics into remote-sensing and field-data collection methods. ForPeat will explore how these demonstrated activities can be replicated and scaled up, with a focus on developing financial incentives under the EU certification framework. This research will translate into practical recommendations for policymakers and land managers. The project is built on collaboration, employing a multi-actor approach that brings together diverse stakeholders from landowners and foresters to scientists, public authorities, and industry representatives. This inclusive strategy ensures all relevant voices are considered throughout the project's lifecycle, aiming to pave the way for a more sustainable, resilient future for forested peatlands.