Pilots of long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites: Providing temporally resolved ecosystem-level information on the effects of climatic drivers on forest structure and function in near real-time

The EU funding opportunity titled "Pilots of long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites: Providing temporally resolved ecosystem-level information on the effects of climatic drivers on forest structure and function in near real-time" is part of the FORWARDS project, which stands for "The ForestWard Observatory to Secure Resilience of European Forests." This Horizon Europe initiative aims to develop a monitoring tool to understand and address the impacts of climate change on forests across Europe.

Key details of the grant include a total funding budget of €580,000 for a project duration of 18 months, with a deadline for applications set for August 24, 2025. This is a single-stage application process under the call identifier HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01-05. The purpose of this opportunity is to establish pilot projects focused on long-term forest monitoring sites around Europe, particularly enhancing existing networks like ICP Forests, ICOS, and LTER to assess climate impacts more effectively.

Eligible applicants for this grant are likely to be research institutions, universities, public bodies, and potentially NGOs or private entities involved in forest monitoring and climate impact research. The application is competitive, and while the specific consortium requirement is not explicitly mandated, collaboration across regions appears beneficial given the project’s pan-European focus.

The major target sector encompasses forestry, climate resilience, and environmental monitoring, aiming to provide real-time data systems that track climate impacts on forests. The project encourages the use of nowcasting approaches such as measuring tree water deficit to inform forest management decisions better.

Success rates for applications for Horizon Europe projects are variable, but generally, it is acknowledged that they can range from 10% to 39%. Co-funding requirements are not clearly specified for this call, although leveraging existing infrastructure is encouraged.

In summary, this funding opportunity seeks to enhance forest monitoring capabilities in response to climate change through piloting projects that integrate immediate measurements with long-term data, ultimately aiming to create a pan-European observatory for better decision-making in forest management.

The EU funding opportunity is for "Pilots of long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites: Providing temporally resolved ecosystem-level information on the effects of climatic drivers on forest structure and function in near real-time." This opportunity is part of the FORWARDS project, which stands for "The ForestWard Observatory to Secure Resilience of European Forests." FORWARDS is a Horizon Europe project aiming to prototype the ForestWard Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation tool. This tool will demonstrate the impact of climate change on forests and guide decision-making for practical forest management.

The call specifically aims to establish pilot projects for long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites across Europe. While existing forest monitoring networks provide valuable data, they often lack a specific focus on assessing climate change impacts. The goal of this call is to enhance the capabilities of existing forest monitoring sites, particularly ICP Forests, ICOS, and LTER sites (sites already providing basic monitoring data), to better assess the impact of climate and climatic extremes on trees and forests. Projects should incorporate nowcasting approaches, such as measuring tree water deficit with point dendrometers in response to drought, and integrate these new measurements with existing long-term assessments.

Key details of the funding opportunity:

Opening date: 19 June 2025
Deadline: 24 August 2025, 23:00 (Brussels time)
Deadline model: single-stage
Expected duration of participation: 18 months
Total funding available: 580,000.00 €
Project acronym: FORWARDS
Full name of the EU funded project: The ForestWard Observatory to Secure Resilience of European Forests
Grant agreement number: 101084481
Topic: HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01-05 - Forestry - European observatory of climate change impacts and demonstration network of climate smart restoration pilots

Additional information regarding the submission and evaluation process can be found at: https://efi.int/grants-training/grants/G-05-2025

In summary, this funding opportunity seeks to improve the monitoring of climate change impacts on European forests by supporting pilot projects that enhance existing long-term forest monitoring sites. The focus is on incorporating real-time or near-real-time measurements and integrating them with long-term data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how climate change affects forest structure and function. The FORWARDS project will use the data gathered to create a pan-European observatory to guide forest management decisions.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, the call targets existing forest monitoring sites, especially but not inclusively ICP Forests, ICOS or LTER sites. This suggests that research institutions, environmental monitoring organizations, and potentially governmental bodies involved in long-term forest monitoring could be eligible. Further details would be needed to define the full range of eligible applicants.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, as indicated by the terms "Grant" and "Cascade funding" mentioned in the text.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the focus on enhancing existing monitoring sites might suggest that single applicants who already manage such sites are eligible. Further details would be needed to confirm whether consortia are also encouraged or required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is Europe, as the call aims to set up pilots for long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites across Europe. The FORWARDS project itself is described as a pan-European monitoring and evaluation tool.

Target Sector: The target sector is forestry and climate, specifically focusing on climate change impacts on forests. The topic is "Forestry - European observatory of climate change impacts and demonstration network of climate smart restoration pilots".

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the region is Europe.

Project Stage: The project stage is demonstration or validation. The call aims to set up "pilots" for long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites, indicating that the projects should be at a stage where they can be tested and validated in real-world conditions. The call also aims to increase the potential of existing forest monitoring sites, suggesting an enhancement and validation phase.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is 580,000.00 €. The funding range per project is not specified, but it can be assumed that the total funding will be distributed among multiple pilot projects. Therefore, the funding per project is likely to be variable and under 580,000 €.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by "Open For Submission" and the specified opening and deadline dates. The deadline model is single-stage.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money, as it is a grant.

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

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe FORWARDS project, which aims to prototype the ForestWard Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation tool for assessing climate change impacts on forests. The call seeks to establish pilot projects for long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites across Europe. The goal is to enhance existing forest monitoring networks, particularly ICP Forests, ICOS, and LTER sites, to better assess the impact of climate and climatic extremes on trees and forests. Projects should incorporate nowcasting approaches, such as measuring tree water deficit using point dendrometers, and link new measurements with existing long-term assessments. The call is open for submission with a deadline of August 24, 2025. The total funding available is 580,000 €, and the expected duration of participation is 18 months. The application process is single-stage. The funding is provided as a grant, and the geographic scope is Europe. The eligible applicants are likely research institutions, environmental monitoring organizations, and governmental bodies involved in long-term forest monitoring. The project stage is demonstration or validation, focusing on piloting and enhancing existing monitoring sites.