Pilots of long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites: Linking stand-level information and remote sensing

The European Forest Institute is offering a grant opportunity through the Horizon Europe project FORWARDS, aimed at piloting long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites by integrating stand-level information with remote sensing data. The initiative is titled "The ForestWard Observatory to Secure Resilience of European Forests." The call for proposals has a budget of €145,000 and is set for a duration of 18 months. The submission process operates on a single-stage model, with applications opening on June 19, 2025, and a deadline of August 24, 2025, at 23:00 Brussels time.

This grant specifically seeks innovative projects that demonstrate the integration of remote sensing technologies, particularly hyperspectral (preferably aircraft-based) remote sensing, with existing long-term forest monitoring networks like ICP Forests, ICOS, and LTER sites. The goal is to enhance the existing observation capabilities related to climate change impacts on forests, creating a comprehensive evaluation tool that promotes informed decision-making in forest management.

Eligible applicants are likely to include research institutes, universities, environmental agencies, and possibly other entities involved in forest research and monitoring. The geographic eligibility covers EU Member States and Associated Countries, with a strong emphasis on collaboration among multiple partners from different regions.

Projects are expected to validate and enhance monitoring methods and must demonstrate the integration of ground-based and remote sensing data to effectively assess the impacts of climate changes on forest ecosystems. The call aligns with broader EU environmental strategies, aiming to contribute to the resilience of forests in light of climate-driven threats.

Overall, the FORWARDS project emphasizes a need for robust forest monitoring systems, seeking to quantify the effects of climate change using advanced methodologies. This initiative is positioned within the European Green Deal and aims to strengthen forest resilience and inform management practices in a rapidly changing climate.

The European Forest Institute (EFI) is offering a grant opportunity under the Horizon Europe project FORWARDS (The ForestWard Observatory to Secure Resilience of European Forests). This call, designated G-04-2025, focuses on piloting long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites by linking stand-level information with remote sensing data.

The opening date for submissions is June 19, 2025, and the deadline for submission is August 24, 2025, at 23:00 Brussels time. The submission process is single-stage. The expected duration of participation is 18 months. The total funding available is 145,000.00 EUR. The grant agreement number is 101084481. The topic is HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01-05 - Forestry - European observatory of climate change impacts and demonstration network of climate smart restoration pilots.

The FORWARDS project aims to prototype the ForestWard Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation tool designed to demonstrate the impact of climate change on forests and to guide decision-making for practical forest management.

The specific goal of this call is to enhance the capabilities of existing long-term forest monitoring sites across Europe by integrating ground-based data with remote sensing techniques. While current monitoring networks provide valuable information, they often lack a specific focus on assessing climate change impacts.

The call seeks to leverage existing forest monitoring sites, particularly ICP Forests, ICOS, and LTER sites (sites already providing a basic set of monitoring data), to better assess the impact of climate and climatic extremes on trees and forests. Projects are expected to utilize hyperspectral remote sensing approaches, with a preference for aircraft-based methods, and to provide relevant ground-truthing data.

In summary, this grant opportunity aims to improve the assessment of climate change impacts on European forests by linking long-term forest monitoring sites with advanced remote sensing technologies. The FORWARDS project seeks to create a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation tool, the ForestWard Observatory, to support informed decision-making in forest management and enhance forest resilience in the face of climate change. The call specifically targets projects that can integrate ground-based monitoring data with hyperspectral remote sensing, particularly from aircraft, to provide a more complete picture of climate change impacts on forests.

Eligible Applicant Types: The information provided does not explicitly define the eligible applicant types. However, given the context of Horizon Europe and the focus on linking long-term forest monitoring sites with remote sensing, eligible applicants are likely to include research institutes, universities, environmental agencies, and potentially other organizations involved in forest monitoring and climate change research. It is likely that public or private entities capable of conducting relevant research and monitoring activities are eligible.

Funding Type: This opportunity is a grant, specifically cascade funding, as indicated by the phrase "Grant Cascade funding" in the provided text. This means that the FORWARDS project, funded by Horizon Europe, is distributing a portion of its funding to other projects through this call.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are allowed. However, the emphasis on linking existing monitoring sites with remote sensing suggests that both single applicants and consortia could be eligible, especially if they involve collaboration between monitoring sites and remote sensing experts.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call is focused on linking long-term forest monitoring sites with remote sensing "across Europe," indicating that the geographic eligibility is primarily for entities located in Europe. This likely includes EU member states and potentially other European countries participating in Horizon Europe.

Target Sector: The target sector is clearly forestry and climate, specifically focusing on the impact of climate change on forests. The call targets the intersection of forest monitoring, remote sensing, and climate change research. The topic HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01-05 - Forestry - European observatory of climate change impacts and demonstration network of climate smart restoration pilots further confirms this.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the geographic scope is "across Europe."

Project Stage: The expected project stage is likely validation and demonstration. The call aims to increase the potential of existing forest monitoring sites to link ground-based information with remote sensing, suggesting that the projects should be at a stage where they can implement and demonstrate the integration of these approaches. The call is looking for "pilots of long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites," which implies a demonstration phase.

Funding Amount: The total funding available for this call is 145,000.00 €. It is not clear if this is the total budget for all projects or the maximum funding available per project.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrases "Call for proposals" and "Open For Submission." The deadline model is single-stage.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money through this grant opportunity.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage, as indicated by "Deadline model single-stage."

Success Rates: The provided information does not include any details about the success rates for this funding opportunity.

Co-funding Requirement: The provided information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is a cascade funding grant offered through the FORWARDS project, which is part of the Horizon Europe program. The FORWARDS project aims to prototype the ForestWard Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation tool focused on the impact of climate change on forests. This specific call seeks to link long-term forest monitoring sites across Europe with remote sensing technologies, particularly hyperspectral (aircraft-based) remote sensing, to better assess the impact of climate and climatic extremes on trees and forests. The call is open to entities in Europe, including research institutes, universities, and environmental agencies, that operate or collaborate with long-term forest monitoring sites such as ICP Forests, ICOS, or LTER sites. The total funding available for this call is 145,000 €, and the projects are expected to last for 18 months. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of August 24, 2025. The goal is to enhance existing forest monitoring efforts by integrating remote sensing data and ground-truthing, contributing to a better understanding of climate change impacts on forests and informing practical forest management decisions. The projects should be at a stage where they can demonstrate the integration of remote sensing and ground-based monitoring data.