Modelling

Integrated assessment modelling of forest land use and management

Bringing together advanced modelling capacity and state-of-the-art scenarios, the CLIMB-FOREST team will explore how forest land use and the management of those forests will change in the future.

The CLIMB-FOREST team is first developing and testing an advanced and integrated ecosystem and climate model. This model will bring together and develop existing models such as CRAFTY and LPJ-GUESS.

The model will be tested with historical data and calibrated to ensure accuracy before being used to model how forests in Europe will change over time under different scenarios. The model will take into account both biophysical systems and how individual forest users and managers might adapt their use of forests based on different scenarios and policy goals.

The CLIMB-FOREST team will use the model to identify how changes in Europe’s forests impact the broader environment, looking at impacts on factors such as biodiversity, water and carbon. The team will also model how different policy decisions are likely to influence the future of Europe’s forest. An interactive online map will allow anybody to explore the modelling and use it when creating policy or deciding on forest management options.