Join us for this event and be part of a European small forest holding network!
Why should you participate in the Conference?
The 1st European Conference on small forest holdings aims to bring together the opportunities and challenges surrounding small forest ownership, including private, public and collective. We will explore the needs, risks, and opportunities of Small-Scale Forestry within the EU, while promoting Sustainable Forest Management and supporting local value chains based on forest products and ecosystem services from European small forest properties.
This 3-day event is a unique opportunity to engage with:
- private, public and collective forest owners and managers
- forest owners’ associations and cooperatives
- national and regional forest authorities
- forest enterprises
- professionals, researchers and NGOs
- all the stakeholders dealing with Small Forest Holdings (SFH) in Europe
What topics will the conference address?
Conference Highlights for the First European Conference of Small Forest Holdings:
1. Launch a Community of Practice:
- Establish a community of practice focused on European Small Forest Holdings to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration.
2. State of the Art Analysis:
- Present the current state of EU Small Forest Holdings, including their legal framework and the national and regional support systems promoting multifunctional forestry.
3. Review of Challenges and Opportunities:
- Examine the challenges and opportunities for small forest holdings.
- Highlight recent initiatives aimed at engaging forest owners, financing forest activities, preventing land abandonment, overcoming forest ownership fragmentation, and developing forest-based value chains.
4. Stakeholder Debate and Discussion:
- Facilitate a debate and discussion among various European forest stakeholders on the role of small forest holdings in delivering the products and services expected from European forests in the coming years and for future generations.+
- Develop messages to enhance small-scale forestry in Europe.
- Address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and key forest-related political objectives in Europe, aligning with the European Forest Strategy 2030 and national forest strategies.
Provisional programme
Time schedules:
Here is the key information you need to know about the schedule of the event:
⏰Start of the Event: Tuesday 20th May at 9:00hs (approx.)
⏰ End of the Event: Thursday 22nd May at 13:00hs (approx.)
Day 1 | 20 May | Full Day plenary
| Hour | Event |
|---|---|
|
8:00 – 9:00 |
Accreditations and Conference documentation |
|
9:00-9:30 |
Opening |
|
9:30-10:30 |
1st SESSION. State of the art: management, research and policy |
|
10:30-11:00 |
Coffee Break |
|
11:00-12:30 |
2nd SESSION. Legal framework and support systems for Small Forest Holdings |
|
12:30-14:00 |
Lunch |
|
14:00 – 15:30 |
3rd. SESSION. How to maintain the sector? (financial support for forest owners as a result) |
|
12:30-14:00 |
4th SESSION. Multifunctional forests and Payment for ecosystem services (markets & incomes) |
|
17:00-17:30 |
5th SESSION. Ceremony: LAURUS official presentation |
Day 2 | 21 May | Half day plenary + Field trip
| Hour | Event |
|---|---|
|
9:00 – 10:30 |
6th SESSION. Sustainable forest management needs |
|
10:30 – 11:00 |
Coffee break |
|
11:00 – 12:30 |
7th SESSION. Global value chains & new business models (living labs, product profitability, NWFP, new internal and external markets, increase in added value) |
|
12:30 – 14:00 |
Lunch |
|
14:00 – 17.30 |
Field trip and networking |
Day 3 | 22 May | Half day plenary
| Hour | Event |
|---|---|
|
9:00 – 10:30 |
8th SESSION. Innovative solutions to overcome forest ownership fragmentation |
|
10:30 – 11:00 |
Coffee break |
|
11:00 – 13:00 |
9th SESSION. How can we take what we have learned into the European forest policies? |
Be part of a European small forest holding network!
How can you participate in the Conference?
There are two ways of participating in the event: in person or online.
Please, take note of the following important dates:
- In person registration ends 21 March
- Online registration ends 30 April
- Confirmation email will be sent before 4th April
Your registration will only be confirmed once you receive an official confirmation email from the organizing committee. As spaces are limited, participation in person will be granted through a selection process.
Where will the conference take place?
The 1st European small forest holdings Conference will be held in the FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations headquarters in Rome, which are located in the city centre, in a unique environment near the Circo Massimo and close to the Colosseum.
Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00153
Moreover, 2025 is a Jubilee Year, so we strongly recommend booking your travel and accommodation early to secure your spot.
Registration at FAO Headquarters
When you arrive at FAO, please use the main entrance and go to the reception desk in the security pavilion. We kindly ask you to bring your identity card or passport with you. Once you have received the building pass, you will be able to enter and exit the building without going to the reception desk. The building pass is valid for the duration of the meeting and must be worn at all times. Admission to FAO premises will at all times require the presentation of your building pass.
